Transfers - Outbound (Part Duex)

[Hornet22]

Why would anyone question someone wanting to leave after 4 years in this clown car? Especially, someone who went to play in the best conf for football at one of the best schools in the world.

Actually Biz Lawyer responded to the initial post by saying Lucien was told to leave and congratulated him on making the best out of his situation and giving Mora the latitude of perhaps misjudging a players abilities which isn’t a perfect science- all of which apparently set off some people saying that wasn’t the case and that he was asked to stay but left for fear of competition.

I simply said UConn AND Lucien are in a better place and apparently that wasn’t good enough for some. According to some he was a garbage player that miraculously improved enough to be amongst the top CB’s in the toughest conference in college football. Apparently Vanderbilt got lucky? Or did they do their hw? Who knows

 

[Hornet22]

It’s Vanderbilt man. Come on. They haven’t won an SEC game in the last 14 tries.

You brought up Shearin correct? So I did some digging. He left the SEC and came to UConn right? And Lucien knew about other players that Mora would be bringing in which he evaluated which prompted him to leave. And according to your logic Vanderbilt is such a poor team that their coaches and scouts are unable to assess talent correctly which means they grabbed a subpar player based on their subpar position in their conference. Interesting that Mora’s guy who came from the better conference to play weaker opponents is struggling and the guy who came from weaker opponents into the tougher conference is doing better

So who’s evaluation was a bit more accurate up to this point? Mora’s or Vanderbilt’s?

 

[ZooCougar]

You brought up Shearin correct? So I did some digging. He left the SEC and came to UConn right? And Lucien knew about other players that Mora would be bringing in which he evaluated which prompted him to leave. And according to your logic Vanderbilt is such a poor team that their coaches and scouts are unable to assess talent correctly which means they grabbed a subpar player based on their subpar position in their conference. Interesting that Mora’s guy who came from the better conference to play weaker opponents is struggling and the guy who came from weaker opponents into the tougher conference is doing better

So who’s evaluation was a bit more accurate up to this point? Mora’s or Vanderbilt’s?

Mora’s. Shearin is already better and we get him for two more years. Next.

 

[Hornet22]

Mora’s. Shearin is already better and we get him for two more years. Next.

You don’t actually believe that. Actually, I won’t go down that rabbit hole. I wish both UConn and anyone who transferred out of UConn the best.

 

[KembaKek]

Is Shearin not our best DB???

 

[UConnJim]

Lucien would have helped the team this year and I wish him nothing but good luck at Vandy. That said, Chris Shearin is a good example of what Mora has been doing in the portal. Mora is not just bringing in one year transfers that have to be replaced every year, but he has brought in multi year players to rebuild the program. Doesn't everyone like the fact that Shearin has 2 more years of eligibility?

 

[businesslawyer]

LMAO. Did I not make myself clear enough? He was told if he came back he wouldn’t play and he should look elsewhere. It’s not a question of when he was told it. I have it from a source who would know and I have no reason to doubt what I was told.

Even the biggest Mora fans ought to understand that he will not go 105 for 105 in making decisions on personnel. Whether or not he should have gotten this one right based on what he saw last year, he got this one wrong. No big deal, but no reason to try to create a different narrative — Coach got what he wanted and it worked out for Lucien.

 

[uconnfan68]

LMAO. Did I not make myself clear enough? He was told if he came back he wouldn’t play and he should look elsewhere. It’s not a question of when he was told it. I have it from a source who would know and I have no reason to doubt what I was told.

Even the biggest Mora fans ought to understand that he will not go 105 for 105 in making decisions on personnel. Whether or not he should have gotten this one right based on what he saw last year, he got this one wrong. No big deal, but no reason to try to create a different narrative — Coach got what he wanted and it worked out for Lucien.

I still don’t understand why he wouldn’t get a chance to compete, unless Mora was intent on wholesale change just for the sake of change. Aren’t there limits to prevent that? No wonder kids have no loyalty.

 

[NYtoCT]

Is Shearin not our best DB???

Anyone have a PFF subscription that can see what the grades are?

 

[businesslawyer]

I still don’t understand why he wouldn’t get a chance to compete, unless Mora was intent on wholesale change just for the sake of change. Aren’t there limits to prevent that? No wonder kids have no loyalty.

Coaches tell people that if they come back they’re not going to play for one reason — to get them to not come back and open up a roster spot. That is almost certainly what happened here.

Had Lucien chose to come back anyway, might Mora have given him a chance to win the position? Possibly but we’ll never know. Mora would have had to balance helping the team immediately with sending a message to other players that they don’t necessarily have to take his threats seriously.

And coaches can be harsher than Mora was here. They can simply tell the player their schollie isn’t being renewer and not give them any choice whatsoever. And yes, of course that’s why players don’t have the loyalty fans wish they had — because they are pawns in coaches chasing raises and career advancement.

 

[Exit 4]

I heard the same as Biz.

Lucien is having a great season playing corner in the SEC…the top of the top. Right now he is playing the best WRs regularly creating a lot of film. We’ll see how it all finishes - however his trajectory has been on the up the last few weeks now that he is getting all the reps rather than some split situation. More games are needed- but Lucien might find his way to some Sunday football. Not all players develop in a linear manner.

Shearin meanwhile has shown some improvement. Hard to say at this point what he might be when it’s done (is he really a corner or safety?- I think the former). One thing most can agree on is that he is getting better coaching than Lucien got in his time here. Some players sort of never improve beyond what they initially show you. Some players sort of improve in steps and some sort of doing most of their improvement in the final year when they smell the NFL on the horizon (and they finish growing into their bodies).

Regardless -I’m cheering for both of them.

And yes Mora miscalculated here - it happens.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Is Shearin not our best DB???

Doesn't play every down, plays the slot as a nickel back. Saw him play some LB after Swenson went out. Dixon-Williams is making a lot of tackles. Hard comparing Lucien to Shearin as they play different positions.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I can vividly remain him getting absolutely shredded when were home against Middle Tennessee last year. Maybe he’s been coached up this year, but in that game he was the worst player on the field, no question. Sure, anyone can have a bad game, but if Mora saw even a second of game film from that game in particular then I can’t fault him for moving on.

I don't know about this. That kid is a very good corner and a good prospect. Grad school at Vandy is a nice spot too, i believe he did graduate.

 

[ktuck911]

Is Shearin not our best DB???

I think there's a legit argument that he could be our most physical CB at the very least... something we needed for awhile....

 

[hardcorehusky]

the problem in figuring out what went on with Lucien is what occurred off the field. Did Mora see something he didn't like or was told something that made him come to his decision. Swenson was asked to come back. So, you never really know unless you were in the room.

 

[ZooCougar]

Doesn't play every down, plays the slot as a nickel back. Saw him play some LB after Swenson went out. Dixon-Williams is making a lot of tackles. Hard comparing Lucien to Shearin as they play different positions.

He does. He’s the #1 LCB on every two deep I have seen. Shearin and Wortham are the two starting CBs.

 

[ZooCougar]

the problem in figuring out what went on with Lucien is what occurred off the field. Did Mora see something he didn't like or was told something that made him come to his decision. Swenson was asked to come back. So, you never really know unless you were in the room.

Maybe Lucien left because he wanted to? Were you all privy to the conversation that occurred between Lucien and Mora?

Maybe he just needed a change of scenery after all of his coaches got handed their walking papers?

 

[ZooCougar]

Coaches tell people that if they come back they’re not going to play for one reason — to get them to not come back and open up a roster spot. That is almost certainly what happened here.

Had Lucien chose to come back anyway, might Mora have given him a chance to win the position? Possibly but we’ll never know. More would have had to balance helping the team immediately with sending a message to other players that they don’t necessarily have to take his threats seriously.

And coaches can be harsher than Mora was here. They can simply tell the player their schollie isn’t being removed and not give them any choice whatsoever. And yes, of course that’s why players don’t have the loyalty fans wish they had — because they are pawns in coaches chasing raises and career advancement.

The truth is that you don’t know. You don’t know what Mora said to Lucien. For all you know he could have left on his own accord.

 

[Hornet22]

the problem in figuring out what went on with Lucien is what occurred off the field. Did Mora see something he didn't like or was told something that made him come to his decision. Swenson was asked to come back. So, you never really know unless you were in the room.

It’s really not that complicated. Like it was mentioned before (with credible sources) Mora simply asked him to not come back so he can get his roster spot. He was one of the leaders on the team both on and off the field and a model student- he was well liked by the press. All the boxes were checked.

Medic and Exit have been tracking incoming/outgoing players for years. His, along with others’ progress was posted yesterday. It was simply stated by Biz Lawyer that he was asked to leave and quite honestly I don’t think that was the focal point of his comment, rather it was more to highlight that he took lemons and made lemonade. He then stated that perhaps Mora got that decision wrong but not that big of a deal because you have 105 decisions to make when roster building. Insert the Mora faithful that decided to say he left because he was afraid of competition that Mora was bringing in yada yada yada. Then Shearin was brought up somehow. To cap it off the game where he was “torched” for 5 catches for 69 yards was brought up and highlighted that perhaps it was the litmus test for Mora deciding his fate. Lol.

Anywho, UConn is competitive this year and there’s hope- something we couldn’t imagine possible a few years ago- that credit goes to Mora and the roster decisions he’s made- inclusive of letting many players go. I’m just glad that success is being attained by some of them.

 

[UConnJim]

I heard the same as Biz.

Lucien is having a great season playing corner in the SEC…the top of the top. Right now he is playing the best WRs regularly creating a lot of film. We’ll see how it all finishes - however his trajectory has been on the up the last few weeks now that he is getting all the reps rather than some split situation. More games are needed- but Lucien might find his way to some Sunday football. Not all players develop in a linear manner.

Shearin meanwhile has shown some improvement. Hard to say at this point what he might be when it’s done (is he really a corner or safety?- I think the former). One thing most can agree on is that he is getting better coaching than Lucien got in his time here. Some players sort of never improve beyond what they initially show you. Some players sort of improve in steps and some sort of doing most of their improvement in the final year when they smell the NFL on the horizon (and they finish growing into their bodies).

Regardless -I’m cheering for both of them.

And yes Mora miscalculated here - it happens.

PFF rated Lucien 64.4 last year which basically translates to a backup. Lucien's PFF ratings over the years:

2018: 53.8
2019: 52.4
2021: 64.4
2022: 74.9

With one year of eligibility left and the desire to get a master's in Engineering, it was probably time to move on.

 

[Stinger92860]

I heard the same as Biz.

Lucien is having a great season playing corner in the SEC…the top of the top. Right now he is playing the best WRs regularly creating a lot of film. We’ll see how it all finishes - however his trajectory has been on the up the last few weeks now that he is getting all the reps rather than some split situation. More games are needed- but Lucien might find his way to some Sunday football. Not all players develop in a linear manner.

Shearin meanwhile has shown some improvement. Hard to say at this point what he might be when it’s done (is he really a corner or safety?- I think the former). One thing most can agree on is that he is getting better coaching than Lucien got in his time here. Some players sort of never improve beyond what they initially show you. Some players sort of improve in steps and some sort of doing most of their improvement in the final year when they smell the NFL on the horizon (and they finish growing into their bodies).

Regardless -I’m cheering for both of them.

And yes Mora miscalculated here - it happens.

Is this Mora’s version of Ryan Gomes?

 

[Bongo Fury]

I’d say more like Matachevich and other CT kids that went to Temple.

 

[RSTuthill]

Lucien was told if he stayed he wouldn’t play. Obviously he would have helped us this year, but with 105 man rosters not every personnel decision is going to work out, no matter how good a coach is.

Good for the young man that he’s having a good year in the SEC at a great academic school.

I originally thought this was off base, but then I saw his academic major at Vandy and I immediately thought it was a program of convenience. He got a BS in engineering for goodness sakes. And now an MA in basket weaving (or its academic equivalent)? So I am now guessing it is true.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

He does. He’s the #1 LCB on every two deep I have seen. Shearin and Wortham are the two starting CBs.

Bell plays the corner. Outed yourself. You don't watch the games.

 

[Exit 4]

PFF rated Lucien 64.4 last year which basically translates to a backup. Lucien's PFF ratings over the years:

2018: 53.8
2019: 52.4
2021: 64.4
2022: 74.9

With one year of eligibility left and the desire to get a master's in Engineering, it was probably time to move on.

Or you could be a bit more generous here and acknowledge the fact that he has become a starting corner in the SEC which is pretty damn good. It certainly means he would be an asset here in 2022. Did Mora make a big mistake - no. Did he make a little mistake- yeah I think so. Is he going to have misses? Absolutely. Short of Lucien leaving nobody else is really standing out at the FBS level. So one miss.

Btw-I bet our PFF secondary grades under Edsall 2.0 must have been amazing- NFL draft grade stuff.