UConn elected not to play and Umass did play.

[Scoe]

Did this make a difference?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Yes. Like any good organization you need peer to peer comparisons. If all you do is internal assessments you are screwed.

I would have been perfectly fine if UConn played two games last season.

Unfortunately CT state gov COVID policies would have made it near impossible to play a game.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Also, there is no way, literal or figurative, UConn could be worse off now if they had played a few games.

Current status is worst possible outcomes. Although it is theoretically possible to have chosen other paths and come to the same worst outcome. But no way could UConn be in a worsterer position than the are in now.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Yes. Like any good organization you need peer to peer comparisons. If all you do is internal assessments you are screwed.

I would have been perfectly fine if UConn played two games last season.

Unfortunately CT state gov COVID policies would have made it near impossible to play a game.

I do not believe this at all. It was REs decision. It would have been challenging but RE did not want to make adjustments. I live in CT and work for UMASS. Their restrictions were much more stringent. UMASS was 100% remote classes with only students on campus that could not return home. Other teams found a way. Did other UCONN sports not play?

 

[NowInStorrs]

It was tough losing a lot of games when conferences decided to go conference-only. However, if there's a will there's a way. BYU hobbled together a last minute schedule. Granted, it wasn't a very strong schedule but they scrambled and made one, including making a game with Coastal Carolina on a moment's notice at the end of the season. Sure, they had more to play for and their fanbase cares more. The other option was to play a few games if a full schedule wasn't feasible. Instead, we opted to not even try.

 

[Skiblets]

They were lulled into a false sense of security scrimmaging against themselves. Bigger stronger faster. Eight O linemen who could start. Turns out they needed some external benchmarks

 

[BugsyCT]

We'll never know for sure if those 4 games that UMass played last year (compared to our none) were what made them better than UConn last Saturday, (that plus being down to an interim head coach for an interim head coach) but at least you get to constantly beat that drum for years to come.

 

[Scoe]

I do not believe this at all. It was REs decision. It would have been challenging but RE did not want to make adjustments. I live in CT and work for UMASS. Their restrictions were much more stringent. UMASS was 100% remote classes with only students on campus that could not return home. Other teams found a way. Did other UCONN sports not play?

This is exactly my point on RE why I thought it was a poor mentality to just willingly elect not to play yes it was probably above his head, he never fought for his players, if he had done that and we had no games I wouldve had more respect for him.

 

[bobbyinaz]

All the "DB is a great AD" folks conveniently stick their heads in the sand when it comes to this topic.

For anyone to believe that DB was not complicit in the decision to shut down last season is living in a fantasy world. If you really believe that RE and the players made the decision and that DB just said "OK" then you've got bigger issues in life than just being a UConn football fan (which we know makes us all a little crazy).

Yes, scheduling would have been difficult but, that's why DB gets paid. Let's not talk about BYU because I'll agree they had it easier with scheduling but even UMass was able to find games.

DB & RE knew how ugly last season would have been so they conveniently punted the season while blowing "bigger, faster, stronger" smoke at all of us.

All that did was kick the can down the road for another year while positioning UConn to be the laughing stock of the college football world.

The "football guy" AD is just as much to blame for this mess as anyone

 

[SubbaBub]

Nonsense, this was game 7.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

The "football guy" AD is just as much to blame for this mess as anyone

RE2.0 is by far the biggest reason for our "mess". The "football guy" pulled the trigger and got rid of him after 2 games. You can make AD David Benedict complicit with not playing last season, but that's as far as I go with blaming him.

 

[MCMax]

Yes, it would’ve helped if we played a few games last season. We could‘ve come to the conclusion sooner that Jack Zergiotis is not the guy, and maybe we would’ve won at least one game by now.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I do not believe this at all. It was REs decision. It would have been challenging but RE did not want to make adjustments. I live in CT and work for UMASS. Their restrictions were much more stringent. UMASS was 100% remote classes with only students on campus that could not return home. Other teams found a way. Did other UCONN sports not play?

Don't get me wrong. If there was enough will and fight, there would be games.
The circumstances I listed, plus those listed by others such as conferences only playing conference games were just and excuse to give Randy a chance to mail it in for a year.
I'm on record and I'll say it again, UConn shutting it down for a year while others were playing was a once in a lifetime experiment to see if a year of practice, player development within the coaching scheme and physical growth yields results. The answer is in. It doesn't. Amazingly enough what every sporting team in every sport has ever done over the past 150 years has merit. You get better by playing, watching the film and improving.

 

[Bongo Fury]

UMASS did make roster adjustments from last year. Feel UCONN not playing last year was a quitters decision. RE didn’t show any fight. UMASS was up for this game like when UConn beat Houston or Louisville. UConn thought they’d win because they thought they were better. Same with Holy Cross.

 

[Palatine]

Not playing was just another in a long series of bad decisions by Edsall.

Teams that played suffered virtually no consequences while UConn fell behind them by failing to give our athletes the experience needed to compete. It probably had little or no effect on Saturday but it had a large effect at the beginning of the season.

 

[Scoe]

I’m gonna go ahead and say we would’ve beaten Holy Cross and Umass.

 

[AndOne]

When the school cancelled the season, so many here supported that decision. It would be comical to read those threads now. Many fans were buying the bigger, faster and stronger hype. And spouting that "UMass are idiots to play. UConn players got better by not playing." nonsense. The UMass players were upset about their cancelled season and fought to play. Whereas the Huskies...

UConn players said in a statement that they “are in full support of the decision to not compete in 2020.”
“We have many health concerns and not enough is known about the potential long term effects of contracting COVID-19,” they said. “Additionally, we have not had the optimal time to train mentally & physically to be properly prepared to compete this season. We love this game and love competing. We came to campus in the beginning of July knowing there would be challenges presented by the pandemic but it is apparent to us now that these challenges are impossible to overcome.”

 

[freescooter]

You are talking about UMass, right. If they were 4-2 or something maybe you have a point. They beat a team that has packed it in. Lost their coach, then their other coach, their new young quarterback who gave hope. It had nothing to do with playing a couple of games in which they got pounded mercilessly last year. But if that helps you explain this disaster, go to it.

 

[HeGotGame]

No, but it is example 569 that this is not a real football program or ever will be.

 

[Bongo Fury]

You are talking about UMass, right. If they were 4-2 or something maybe you have a point. They beat a team that has packed it in. Lost their coach, then their other coach, their new young quarterback who gave hope. It had nothing to do with playing a couple of games in which they got pounded mercilessly last year. But if that helps you explain this disaster, go to it.

Kinda think it was a UConn elitist attitude. No wonder they were pumped to win.

 

[gtcam]

All you folks who put the decision not to play squarely on RE's shoulders know little or nothing about college athletics
AD had to have been involved and blessed the decision - whether it be RE's suggestion or BoD's or Lamont's
Many non P5 teams did not play any sports during the fall 2020
UConn is s state school so the state government has a huge say
RE may have had some say but if AD David Benedict says we are playing and BoD agrees- they are playing

 

[Bongo Fury]

Lamont said it was UConn’s decision

 

[Woof 101]

All you folks who put the decision not to play squarely on RE's shoulders know little or nothing about college athletics
AD had to have been involved and blessed the decision

Agree a lot of folks don't realize ching $$$$$$ had a lot to do with it.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Yes I’m sure “Dave” was okay saving some money and getting reimbursed by the Cares act. UMASS only played away as they received payment to cover travel expenses.