UConn Football adding Noel Mazzone as an offensive analyst

[CL82]

Noel Mazzone is the same guy that was at Arizona when they lost 60-0 to Asu and had a guy who was heisman contention Khalil Tate and ruined him. Sorry but why are we excited about this?

Because it is someone other than the existing staff who haven’t shown themselves to be competent?

 

[jchusky]

Because it is someone other than the existing staff who haven’t shown themselves to be competent?

again I am asking, did you see his stint at Arizona? It was BAD.

 

[Stinger92860]

I would be happy with something besides what we have seen the past three weeks. I don't expect any miracles but just something different whether they hurry up, open up the playbook they have, just something different.

Go Huskies

Or just stop running certain plays like the delayed inside handoff.

 

[Drew]

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.

I can confirm that yes- Edsall and Benedict had different offensive visions and Edsall’s stubbornness had a direct impact on Lashlee leaving and the way we’ve gone about hiring people at OC since he’s been here.

Fwiw- Diaco also was pissed and wound up fired as a result (refused help from both Jerry Kill + Lashlee)

 

[Drew]

 

[Drew]

 

[ktuck911]

Noel Mazzone is the same guy that was at Arizona when they lost 60-0 to Asu and had a guy who was heisman contention Khalil Tate and ruined him. Sorry but why are we excited about this?

The fact that we wouldn't have a schedule as hard as AZ justifies this move, plain and simple. We'd never have that hard a schedule... because we're still trying to figure stuff out (unfortunately).... We have a schedule where we can potentially win games (if we had a clue.. we have the athletes, IMO).. With all that said, it's gonna be extremely difficult to do now simply because we didn't have an off season to work with the guy properly... BUT, he CLEARLY has way more experience than anybody else we have currently that ran our offense (in the ground)...

 

[ktuck911]

Or just stop running certain plays like the delayed inside handoff.

Our offensive line isn't good enough... and the opposing teams' defenses know it before the ball is snapped...

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I can confirm that yes- Edsall and Benedict had different offensive visions and Edsall’s stubbornness had a direct impact on Lashlee leaving and the way we’ve gone about hiring people at OC since he’s been here.

Fwiw- Diaco also was pissed and wound up fired as a result (refused help from both Jerry Kill + Lashlee)

Knowing the issues Benedict has had when he hires a defensive oriented coach...it would be hard to believe he would do that again.

If he hired an offensive guy he will get that consistent offensive philosophy that he seems to value.

 

[storrsroars]

Noel Mazzone is the same guy that was at Arizona when they lost 60-0 to Asu and had a guy who was heisman contention Khalil Tate and ruined him. Sorry but why are we excited about this?

He failed in Arizona, but succeeded elsewhere. He basically only has the one trick, but it's a trick that might be quite useful for UConn if the personnel can pull it off.

He's a one-off for this season (or this week) only. New HC will bring in his own people. Meantime, anything to make the current product more watchable and competitive is a good thing, no?

 

[NEforceUConn]

Noel Mazzone is the same guy that was at Arizona when they lost 60-0 to Asu and had a guy who was heisman contention Khalil Tate and ruined him. Sorry but why are we excited about this?

Umm, thanks for sharing?

 

[BlueDogs]

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

They can’t commit to anything until they do an HC search, so it was a smart move finding interim offensive help that could also interview as an OC on the job. Not sure why Guifre isn’t out the door already but this makes it possible.

 

[UConnJim]

Mazzone's total offense ranks:

2010 Arizona St. 29
2011: Arizona St. 24
2012: UCLA 24
2013: UCLA 38
2014: UCLA 23
2015: UCLA 28
2016: Texas A&M 24
2017: Texas A&M 56
2018: Arizona 24
2019: Arizona 30
2020: Arizona 86 (Note: only played 5 games due to COVID)

He can't implement his offense at this stage of the season, but he is super qualified to critique the offense and suggest some scheme and play calling improvements.

 

[Drew]

Knowing the issues Benedict has had when he hires a defensive oriented coach...it would be hard to believe he would do that again.

If he hired an offensive guy he will get that consistent offensive philosophy that he seems to value.

The one thing I’ll say about Benedict is that he tends to be very “hands off” during the season in terms of letting the coaches do their thing. But as far as program building goes- he isn’t afraid to interject when he clearly sees something that needs addressed.

I see it from both sides. As a head coach, you don’t want your AD hiring coordinators for you without your input. At the same time as an AD, you’re not doing your job if you aren’t involved to this level of detail. It’s part of the reason I keep saying we need total administrative alignment from the governor all the way to the support staff. Everyone has to move in lockstep or there is a ton of unnecessary friction.

 

[Drew]

This is a win win for both sides. UConn hopefully becomes a more competitive offense throughout the remainder of the season and as a result, Mazzone gets to “rehab” his reputation here (look- I actually got them to score a TD versus a FBS team for the first time since 2019!). Giufre is clearly in over his head calling plays and developing a game plan (and its clearly detracting from his OL coaching ability as well)- if this hire helps offload some of the game planning from Frank’s plate and allows him to focus more on the OL then that’s great. If Mazzone winds up as OC, that’s great too.

 

[gtcam]

Before we anoint this guy the next OC, lets see what he can do about the QB, RB and OL situation in Storrs.
Whoever it is at QB - that guy needs some sort of protection and time
As a NYG fan, Ive seen some shoddy OL work but UConn is at a level all to itself
The RBs were supposed to be a strongpoint - haven't seen that yet
Best of luck Coach

 

[huskysupporter]

Not sure how anyone can characterize bringing Mazzone in as anything but a good move.

 

[UConnJim]

Before we anoint this guy the next OC, lets see what he can do about the QB, RB and OL situation in Storrs.
Whoever it is at QB - that guy needs some sort of protection and time
As a NYG fan, Ive seen some shoddy OL work but UConn is at a level all to itself
The RBs were supposed to be a strongpoint - haven't seen that yet
Best of luck Coach

Watch this Mensah highlight film from 2019. You will see quicker developing plays than you see this year. Mensah getting the ball while he has a running start or getting the ball outside quickly. You are not seeing the same play quickness this year. And, when plays develop quickly, the OL's job is much easier as they only need to hold blocks for a short time.

 

[Husky68]

Not sure how anyone can characterize bringing Mazzone in as anything but a good move.

This is the Boneyard.

 

[Hoophound]

My only hope is marginal improvement with Mazzone. Speed things up so the OL isn't under so much pressure, score some points and lift the morale of the players and fans. Maybe even beat UMass and Yale in a perfect world.

 

[huskysupporter]

My only hope is marginal improvement with Mazzone. Speed things up so the OL isn't under so much pressure, score some points and lift the morale of the players and fans. Maybe even beat UMass and Yale in a perfect world.

Definitely think 3 step drops should be used exclusively on pass plays and using scheme to help mask O Line deficiencies will help too.

There is skill on our perimeter - get the ball in their hands in space and let them do some damage.

Sustain some offensive drives and the D will be fresher which will help them out a ton too.

 

[Yup!]

Not sure how anyone can characterize bringing Mazzone in as anything but a good move.

His offense were in the top 25 five times, and top 30 three times in the past 11yrs as an OC. Definitely a good move. I’m interested to see how all of this plays out.

 

[Palatine]

Definitely think 3 step drops should be used exclusively on pass plays and using scheme to help mask O Line deficiencies will help too.

There is skill on our perimeter - get the ball in their hands in space and let them do some damage.

Sustain some offensive drives and the D will be fresher which will help them out a ton too.

The offensive line has been fairly good on pass plays. Against Purdue we insisited on blocking an All America DE with a redshirt freshman OT. This made the offensveline look worse than it really is. There has been time to pass on most pass plays. The problem is opening holes on running plays. This has been poor.

 

[RSTuthill]

Watch this Mensah highlight film from 2019. You will see quicker developing plays than you see this year. Mensah getting the ball while he has a running start or getting the ball outside quickly. You are not seeing the same play quickness this year. And, when plays develop quickly, the OL's job is much easier as they only need to hold blocks for a short time.

That was exactly the point I was making a couple weeks ago. The timing is all wrong now. Would be better with a fullback rather than having both the guard and the tight end pull. Too much traffic going east or west behind the line of scrimmage. And no blocking velocity of impact at the point of attack.

 

[Hoophound]

Wow. Mensah looks like a shell of himself now. Then again, the majority of the highlights were against UMass and Wagner.