UConn Football adding Noel Mazzone as an offensive analyst

[Hoophound]

I think they're trying to audition the current players to help attract a coach. And they're just trying to help the players too. They deserve it. They do work their asses off. I like that the administration isn't calling it quits on them

This is a great point I didn’t think of. Showing prospective coaches that we have some decent players is smart.

 

[RSTuthill]

What does an analyst do during a game? Can they have any role at all? Where are they? Back in the office at Storrs? Upstairs in the Rent with the coaches? What is the NCAA rule?

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Kolumbo]

Why would anyone give up on the season? Every single game is important especially after missing last season. Everyone deserves the program to go all in 100% or don't play at all.

 

[Yup!]

I think they're trying to audition the current players to help attract a coach. And they're just trying to help the players too. They deserve it. They do work their asses off. I like that the administration isn't calling it quits on them

Idk about that JMick, this is looking like a, give Spanos all the help he can get to succeed, Mazzone is Spanos guy. There was an article or tweet that Spanos was in the running for the job. It doesn’t mean he’s going to get it, but they’re considering him wether we like it or not, it’s his job to lose at this point.

 

[blue93]

Anybody with eyes knew a change needed to be made to the offensive coaching staff. I’ve seen enough shotgun handoffs on 4th and 2 at the 50.

I don’t know how much this will help at this point, but at least they’re trying.

 

[HomeKing93]

So now I'm wondering if RE even considered bringing in Mazzone as OC when he was available in 2021. To be fair, I see Mazzone was making $600K at Arizona, so that might have been a factor early in 2021 even if RE had any interest (which I doubt).

 

[Pudge]

MY ... most disturbed thoughts about this season are we seemingly cannot create holes to run. Remember? We had a bunch of experienced yet underrecruited OLine kids in 2005 and we could run the ball. Plays or whatever. Anything Mazzone can bring. We start with giving us something other than 2nd and looong. 3rd and loong.

Mazzone has often been brought in - by major HCs - to perform fixes at a High P5 level. One after another. while a Edsall watcher ... of course we know that Randy didn't bring guys like this in. We are creating a Team for the 105 kids on the roster and to have a decent bunch come on in December/Feb.

 

[Pudge]

So now I'm wondering if RE even considered bringing in Mazzone as OC when he was available in 2021. To be fair, I see Mazzone was making $600K at Arizona, so that might have been a factor early in 2021 even if RE had any interest (which I doubt).

Spanos

There's an interesting note in the Mazzone resume whereby he was sitting with three P5 offers as OC in 2009 and he went and coached a North Carolina high school. Relationships: Mazzone thought Spanos would give him the leverage to do his thing ... as best you can implement week to week. And they are friends. It is NOT A MONEY thing.

 

[RSTuthill]

It’s interesting that they aren’t giving up on the season. Any chance that they are doing this to help give Spanos a fair audition for the job? Seems weird to me to bother with this.

I’d love to see the team win a couple of games and this will help, but it just seems odd given that the staff is on the way out.

In the words of Churchill, never ever ever ever give up.

 

[RSTuthill]

Spanos

There's an interesting note in the Mazzone resume whereby he was sitting with three P5 offers as OC in 2009 and he went and coached a North Carolina high school. Relationships: Mazzone thought Spanos would give him the leverage to do his thing ... as best you can implement week to week. And they are friends. It is NOT A MONEY thing.

Agreed. A friend helping a friend.

 

[HuskyAlum012]

Cant imagine it will be easy to implement an offense mid season. The only positive from the article previously posted is that it sounds like he tries to keep it simple and get the ball into the hands of his play makers to win 1:1 matchups. Ross is a big loss there.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

What does an analyst do during a game? Can they have any role at all? Where are they? Back in the office at Storrs? Upstairs in the Rent with the coaches? What is the NCAA rule?

I think "analyst" is an interim title. Week-to-week salary says the same. Interim. Auditioning for OC? ANY success on Saturday might change his title...and his contract.

 

[Forte]

What does an analyst do during a game? Can they have any role at all? Where are they? Back in the office at Storrs? Upstairs in the Rent with the coaches? What is the NCAA rule?

If they are looking for who to let go due to NCAA quota / rules .... well he's being brought in as an analyst.... Edsall's "retirement" agreement was to remain on as a consultant analyst..... they are looking to open a spot.....

 

[huskymedic]

What does an analyst do during a game? Can they have any role at all? Where are they? Back in the office at Storrs? Upstairs in the Rent with the coaches? What is the NCAA rule?

Bama/Saban uses them the best but here’s a glimpse:

What's an analyst? An inside look at one of the crucial staff positions in college football

It was the night before spring football in 2018, and Kevin Coyle didn't really know where he was going.

www.theadvocate.com

 

[Husky68]

Never thought something this good was possible at this time of year. My point has been (rest of my home coaching staff thinks I should put down my rose colored glasses) that although UConn's talent might be low FCS level it is not record breakingly bad as it has looked in the 2 FCS games to date.

One thing I see here that HCRE2.0 could not/would not grasp is that: "when level of talent of your offensive team is an issue, deception on offense becomes even more important". UConn's OL has looked confused not just this year but the entire HCRE2.0 tenure. Keeping it simple will help quite a bit.

This is the start of the start of something better for UConn football. Good work by whomever in the program decided on this and got it done. Let's see over the next few games who on offense can make some plays.

 

[mikedog10]

If they are looking for who to let go due to NCAA quota / rules .... well he's being brought in as an analyst.... Edsall's "retirement" agreement was to remain on as a consultant analyst..... they are looking to open a spot.....

As an analyst, Mazzone cant be on the field.

If after this week UConn wants Mazzone to be OC and coach on the field, Edsall's "consulting" is not the limiting factor... I believe they promoted a grad assistant to linebackers coach already to fill Edsall's spot on the staff... so some coach may have to be let go...

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

That kinda puts a damper on my enthusiasm about his "hiring".

Probably just a technicality of the ease of hiring a consultant versus an employee. I'd imagine they'd have state requirements to post for an employee role, so hopefully that step comes next.

 

[Rewster]

As an analyst, Mazzone cant be on the field.

If after this week UConn wants Mazzone to be OC and coach on the field, Edsall's "consulting" is not the limiting factor... I believe they promoted a grad assistant to linebackers coach already to fill Edsall's spot on the staff... so some coach may have to be let go...

Can he be in the box with a headset on?
(Perhaps secretly calling plays)

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

This is interesting. UConn loses their OC a couple years ago and they don't bother backfilling and they promote Giufre. That kind of made sense because of the timing of Dunn's departure. But...they don't bother fixing this in the off season and they decide to continue with Giufre as OC.

They start the season as probably the worst offensive team in the country...Edsall gets fired and they bring on an offensive assistant.

I wonder if the OC position was a point of contention between Benedict and Edsall? Which of course is deja vu with Diaco and his OC issues. Add in the Lashlee situation...it seems like this position has been a constant issue throughout Benedict's tenure.

While I like this band-aid of hiring mazzone, I really hope the next coach will have some stability in this position.

 

[Rewster]

I think DB was content with the idea of RE on the cheap to raise the level of talent enough to stabilize the team. Pay off Diacos contract and make another run at it after that period.

RE didn’t hold up his end of the bargain but hopefully we now have the cash to throw around to make a last gasp at this thing.

I actually think DB is going to make a good hire.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Can he be in the box with a headset on?
(Perhaps secretly calling plays)

He at least should be able to text or email.

 

[ScottVib]

I think in part this is also Mazzone evaluating the team to see if his concepts would even work with this roster.. if they would then he may end up as OC next week with Giufre coaching the line; if they won't he either moves on or stays on as an analyst to figure out how to improve things.

It is nice to see that UConn is looking at an OC who indicates his philosophy was influenced by Mike Leach and Dana Holgorsen

 

[Hoophound]

I think DB was content with the idea of RE on the cheap to raise the level of talent enough to stabilize the team. Pay off Diacos contract and make another run at it after that period.

RE didn’t hold up his end of the bargain but hopefully we now have the cash to throw around to make a last gasp at this thing.

I actually think DB is going to make a good hire.

I agree. I do think we will find that the talent is upgraded though, especially if we can hang on to guys like Drayton and Ross. We are MUCH faster than we were when Randy got here. We were hilariously slow 4-5 years ago.

I’ve never liked Edsall’s approach to offense and defense and I’m not at all surprised it didn’t work out. Even with better players, this offense would have been abysmal. There is just no creativity, no accentuation of strengths an no adjustments.

 

[huskymedic]

Can he be in the box with a headset on?
(Perhaps secretly calling plays)

He at least should be able to text or email.

This should help answer the question (there is a game day role question within): What's an analyst do on a college football staff? Mizzou staffers talk shop