UConn Football is Dead | Page 2 | The Boneyard

UConn Football is Dead

Status
Not open for further replies.
brasssbonanzaa said:
It's absolutely astonishing how little talent P had on this roster.
Expand ...
Ironically, that was the thing for which he got the most credit. Say, for arguments sake that HCBD can recruit better kids. It is long time until they will have an impact on the field. Nope. Bob has got to figure out a way to win with what we have. Step one is a new OC.
 
Last edited:
What I'm looking for are nuggets to determine if the coaching staff has what it takes. Granted it's hard to do when outcomes are bad and I'm emotionally invested in the team.

What I saw as a positive is that the coaching staff made adjustments on the defensive end. Their game plan on that first drive was obviously flawed and they took corrective measures. That's something I did not see under PP. And for the most part those corrective measure were very successful.

In almost every game or for most of every game the defense has been fairly successful at stopping the opposing teams offensive strengths and that tells me the coaches are preparing the defensive players well.

The offense of course is the issue. In this game I felt there were positives. There were four drives in which the offense looked palpable. In fact in two drives the OL actually looked decent. They had some decent runs for significant gains and they were better at protecting the QBs. There were a lot fewer sacks. And in the second half there were far fewer run plays resulting in negative yardage compared to the first half. Unfortunately the Newsome fumbles were momentum killers.

The defense has better overall personnel allowing the coaches to be more flexible in making adjustments. That's not the case on offense. So my standards for what the offense can do has to be different than how I evaluate the defense. With that in mind I felt the adjustment to scale back the offensive play calling was a wise choice, albeit the sample size and the quality of opponent are two qualifiers that I have to account for and would continue to monitor. To be fair I also have to take into account that a reduction in types of play calling will make it easier for opposing defenses to scout and prepare. But this is the predicament this coaching staff faces with the personnel they have. They don't have the personnel to open up the offense without creating turnover after turnover. If they reduce the play calling the offense potentially grinds down.

In this game the worst of both worlds happened. The offense ground down and there were turnovers. With the Boyle turnover the coaching staff has to have some accountability. But so does Boyle. I can't see how the two fumbles by Newsome were on the coaches. They handled him as well as can be expected.

The only criticism I can categorically put solely on the coaches was what happened on that drive in the 4th quarter in which two timeouts had to be burned. That was a momentum killer that can only be attributed to OC Cummings.

I'm not willing to throw in the towel at this point. The season is obviously very frustrating and the games are painful to watch, but there isn't enough data for me to know if Diaco has the ability to be a decent head coach or not.
 
I only read the OP so pardon if this has been mentioned but, CTMike is a good poster. But I think this is a little over the top.

My guess is that he woke up this morning and wanted a mulligan on this thread. I'd be inclined to grant him one.
 
Hoophound said:
Did a little research. UMass' QB is a Marshall transfer tracked down and personally interviewed by Whipple prior to committing to come to UMass. He came in knowing there was competition but he and Whipple both saw something in each other. I think him becoming a pro prospect already this year is another major feather in Whipple's cap.
Expand ...


Hopefully Diaco has scored a similar coup with the NC State transfer (whose name I will never learn how to spell). We just have to wait another year unfortunately.
 
Good post fleudslip.

Only nit to pick is that judging the timeout handling assumes the HC would approach the situation the same way in a competitive game with a lot on the line. That might be the situation 2 years from now (Diaco will still be a young HC) but I think the approach with this young team is to teach them whenever situations arise. That is a higher priority right now than situational coaching. We just wish it wasn't.
 
.-.
junglehusky said:
Good post fleudslip.

Only nit to pick is that judging the timeout handling assumes the HC would approach the situation the same way in a competitive game with a lot on the line. That might be the situation 2 years from now (Diaco will still be a young HC) but I think the approach with this young team is to teach them whenever situations arise. That is a higher priority right now than situational coaching. We just wish it wasn't.
Expand ...
Absolutely a valid point and a mitigating factor to my statement if true. We won't know unless the press asks, but no matter how it is explained I wan't intending to put too much emphasis on just two sequences. Which you obviously accounted for in your preamble.
 
A huge concern for me going forward is recruiting. With HCRE you knew not to judge the players he had coming in by their stars or offers due to his track record.

HCBD though is putting together a full recruiting class of kids that have FCS, MAC, and C-USA offers.

Nobody wants to say it to hamper the enthusiasm on new recruits, but if it's bad now... what does Year 3 bring with a roster of guys that should be at URI, Lehigh and Middle Tennessee state.
 
Hoophound said:
Did a little research. UMass' QB is a Marshall transfer tracked down and personally interviewed by Whipple prior to committing to come to UMass. He came in knowing there was competition but he and Whipple both saw something in each other. I think him becoming a pro prospect already this year is another major feather in Whipple's cap.

Umass is competing against everyone. We escaped with a win over Stony Brook due to a Foxx run back. Best play Fiaco called all year.
Expand ...

I will say this, the board as a whole was very much against Whipple as head coach. I remember posting non stop about how I thought he could be a good hire. He took UMASS to the a 1-AA national championship, had a wealth of experience working with qb's (including Ben Roethlesberger in Pitt). He had to recruit to a Division 1-AA team, he has to have an eye for talent and moldable players. That is imperative at this job.
 
traitor71 said:
Have to find a way to get players. Fast, athletic players that are capable of playing in an aggressive scheme. When you watch the team, it's clear that there just isn't much there. So the question is, is Diaco capable of finding the kids that are maybe a notch below what the top programs can get and can be developed? He needs a couple of years to show that he can or can't. However, this conservative style does nothing. It's a feeble effort to keep games close in the hopes of stealing a win here or there. It doesn't appeal to fans and more importantly, recruits. Based on that alone I suspect he is headed towards being replaced in a couple of years.
Expand ...
Yeah. The thing is, even teams like Umass and Buffalo are getting kids that are more talented than what we have now. So, the players are out there. I'm putting all my hope in the belief that PP and GDL were such downers that they just could not attract the recruits needed to run a competent program, and I'm hoping that Diacco's youth, energy, and positivity will change that. I do believe that. You see too many other non P5 teams that have it together. Even in the AAC. So, yeah, we are bottoming out this season. You don't turn the Queen Mary on a dime.
 
You don't fire someone because your not pleased with how things are going. I don't think he is happy about this and the cupboards were bare when it came to the offensive line. The strength coach brought in will help more and more. We gave FHCPP more time before people mentioning he should be canned.
 
uconnbill said:
You don't fire someone because your not pleased with how things are going. I don't think he is happy about this and the cupboards were bare when it came to the offensive line. The strength coach brought in will help more and more. We gave FHCPP more time before people mentioning he should be canned.
Expand ...

That is the only thing that gives me hope for the O Line, another year in the weight room. Some of the guys are pretty light, and the young guys don't look overly strong. The hope is guys like Oak, Crozier, Hopkins, and Gifford put on some weight and strength.
 
.-.
BNich said:
No coach in their right mind would ever say this to a fan base. Not sure how anyone would ever expect and/or appreciate a coach saying such a thing.
Expand ...

I get that but am I the only one that feels like what coach is saying gives us hope for this season that we never really had?
 
You'd be surprised how much a serviceable offensive line can do.
 
ktuck911 said:
I get that but am I the only one that feels like what coach is saying gives us hope for this season that we never really had?
Expand ...

Yes. People on here talk about how this program has already lost the casual fan. If the staff came out and said "don't expect much, you're all in for a long season" those casual fans wouldn't have bothered showing to any of the games this season. Attendance would be even worse than it currently is and they quite honestly would probably be lost forever. When have you ever heard any organization flat out say we suck, we're going to suck, this season will be looooong? I presume never, but that's just me.
 
ktuck911 said:
I get that but am I the only one that feels like what coach is saying gives us hope for this season that we never really had?
Expand ...

BNich said:
Yes. People on here talk about how this program has already lost the casual fan. If the staff came out and said "don't expect much, you're all in for a long season" those casual fans wouldn't have bothered showing to any of the games this season. Attendance would be even worse than it currently is and they quite honestly would probably be lost forever. When have you ever heard any organization flat out say we suck, we're going to suck, this season will be looooong? I presume never, but that's just me.
Expand ...

He's been saying it. Over and over again. Some folks just didn't/don't want to hear it or believe it. Others said he was just setting expectations low for self serving reason. He knew what he had in the locker room.
  • "We're in Year One," he said. "As has been articulated over and over again, we have so, so far to go. So this whole year is going to be about getting better. It will always be about getting better, but we're not going to compromise anything for getting better."You might want to write something contrary to that or the people want it to be different. I don't know what to tell you. Too bad, it's not."
  • "We're taking over a downtrodden, losing program that was losing in almost every area. [We are] working on winning; it's going to take some time and everybody understands that inside and everyone understands how far we have to go. We have a long way to go."
Now, there have been some clearly strange decisions/calls made by HCBD (and staff) so far this year, there's plenty of things to look crooked at, HCBD is learning to be a head coach on the job, but he's been saying that this team has so, so far to go since camp broke.
 
Bob is a new coach and deserves extra leeway no doubt. As a fan I will support him this year and all of next year despite his deplorable results to date- and then I'm done. I think that is more than fair. That said we are arguably the worst team in Division 1 and he is the head coach. Stop making excuses Bob, YOU need to do a hell of a lot better.
 
.-.
ktuck911 said:
I get that but am I the only one that feels like what coach is saying gives us hope for this season that we never really had?
Expand ...

If you had unrealistic expectations based on what the coach was saying, that's on you.
 
Hoophound said:
We need a running QB. He needs to be able to throw but he can't be a non threat on the ground. A QB that can take off makes up for shortcomings on the OL. Look at the wins Lorenzen produced with no talent as a passer. He just got first downs and got out of trouble. It was ugl and sometimes boring, but it was better than this. We've let our running QBs slip away again and again without a real shot at playing meaningful minutes. Nebrich, Taylor and McCummings all gone.
Expand ...

Didn't McCummings eat Nebrich and Taylor?
 
Wait until Davis goes to the NFL. Then the folklore will be how bad this team was with a roster full of NFL talent.
 
Watching the game last night, I could call exactly what stupid play would happen when a big play was needed.

How freaking predictable was that the Max run at the one yard line for the safety.
 
Jimmy Serrano said:
If you had unrealistic expectations based on what the coach was saying, that's on you.
Expand ...

I hear you, but its hard to look at this b.s..... Seriously.... Watching with hope that your team show improvement on the scoreboard ad the season goes on as opposed to improving from one play to the next by each game that passes. Its tough to take. Regardless I still bleed UConn Husky blue...

Thank God my Dallas Cowboys are playing well.. I still have decent football to watch on the weekends this year...
 
.-.
This program is certainly at its lowest point since I've been a Season ticket holders, and really committed a bunch of time to studying the team, and investing myself in being a UConn Football fan in the mid-2000's. It kills me to watch them play this way, and have a really solid defense, but absolutly NOTHING on offense. A terrible O-line, a terrible QB, metiocre WRs and RBs. But if nothing else, I have faith in Diaco. He's the right guy to rebuild this thing, because he'll recruit the right kind of kids we need. It all starts next year for us, and Diaco's recruits coming in.
 
SonsOfNutmeg said:
This program is certainly at its lowest point since I've been a Season ticket holders, and really committed a bunch of time to studying the team, and investing myself in being a UConn Football fan in the mid-2000's. It kills me to watch them play this way, and have a really solid defense, but absolutly NOTHING on offense. A terrible O-line, a terrible QB, metiocre WRs and RBs. But if nothing else, I have faith in Diaco. He's the right guy to rebuild this thing, because he'll recruit the right kind of kids we need. It all starts next year for us, and Diaco's recruits coming in.
Expand ...

I honestly believe the talent at the skill positions is better than they get credit for. It's hard to really gauge or judge the talent in that area with a weak offensive line and below-average quarterback play.
 
Btw it was dead prior to the Rent opening IMO. This sucks but I think I went to one game as an undergrad when it was on campus in 4 years. As bad as it is it is still better than being FCS.
 
One of the all-time stupid thread titles in the history of the Boneyard. Way too dramatic and over-stated, just plain wrong.
 
.-.
Always with the negative waves, Moriarty....


I view Diaco as Oddball and some of us posters as Moriarty.
 
ktuck911 said:
I hear you, but its hard to look at this b.s..... Seriously.... Watching with hope that your team show improvement on the scoreboard ad the season goes on as opposed to improving from one play to the next by each game that passes. Its tough to take. Regardless I still bleed UConn Husky blue...

Thank God my Dallas Cowboys are playing well.. I still have decent football to watch on the weekends this year...
Expand ...

I was just thinking about the Cowboys when writing reading this post. They are my team in the NFL and over the last few years they have been horrible, the offensive line has sucked, Garrett's decisions have been questionable at best and his game management has been horrible. They couldn't stop a high school teams offense last year. A lot of those things seem very similar to UConn at this point (not necessarily the defense). Jason Garrett was on the hot seat the last few years, but he continued to talk about his process and that it will pay results in the end. I didn't believe him after last year, I almost gave up hope. They dropped their "5 star players" and brought in people who fit the mold of the team. Other teams cast offs, a bunch of guys no one wanted, but guys that fit Garrett's "right kind of guy" philosophy. In a league where passing has become everything, they went with old school ground and pound, just the opposite of everyone else. They don't do anything fancy on defense either. It's still early this year, but it does seem that waiting for the Garrett's process to work its way though was worth it. Maybe even 3 months ago, it seemed the Cowboys were desperate, picking up Roland Mclain and they didn't have the players to do anything special, with coach who was in over his head. Right now everyone would say it looks exactly the opposite.

Because of that experience, I won't judge Diaco for quite a long time to come. It's not his fault that conference alignment has put us in a bad spot, and rebuilding this team comes at a bad time. It's unfortunate that UConn is in the position it is, but I think giving Diaco some time to work on his process and not get too overly bent out of shape is the best way to go for me. I definitely know that everyone feels UConn is in a desperate situation time wise for all this to happen, but from what I know in life, feeling desperate, and taking actions based on that is the only sure fire way not to accomplish what you had planned to. Conference re alignment will come again, the timing is something up for debate. I do know this though, giving Diaco more than a few games before I panic is something I will surely do. You can't do much to change what has happened and you can't predict what will happen in the future, but what you can do is take reasonable action, with a plan in hand and execute that to the best of your ability. It seems from the outside that Warde, Susan, and Diaco are doing just that. So for now, I am hopeful and not willing to feel bad about the direction of the school and football program, no matter how bad it looks on the surface.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,800
Messages
4,596,732
Members
10,504
Latest member
sPi


Top Bottom