UConn is accepting applications and nominations for a FT Assistant Football Coach (Offensive Line)

[Hornet22]

Was 110% behind RE 2.0 until they let the 2 best coaches making an impact get away while keeping the single worst DC in CFB by miles. Makes you wonder if goal 1 is winning or RE consolidating control with yes men. Very soured over this and the ongoing KO debacle. I trust none of these clowns to do the right thing anymore.

Could it be that they just wanted to leave for their own personal and professional reasons and there was nothing the University could do about it?

 

[Hornet22]

If there was really way to prove either way, I'd surely take the wager that Randy made things less than comfortable for Lashlee and frustrated him. All you need to do is look at the change in offensive production over the year and also the general disruption resulting and you have to ask why. I understand the desire to want/need RE to restore the program. I'm only saying I'm not interested in giving anyone the benefit of the doubt anymore. Too many years. Too many screw ups, bad decisions, and grievous mismanagement by Uconn. Lashlee and Grimes did something no one else could accomplish in 7 years. They had a washed up QB in the top of the NCAA. They took a completely broken offensive at the bottom of the NCAA and turned them into mid-level offensive production. So, let's loose those guys and keep the worst D.C. In the country by any statistical measure you could imagine. No. We managed to again do the opposite of what common sense dictates and don't think for a second money doesn't solve the departure problem. Instead, we get a Randy flunky with no OC experience, lose an effective OL coach. No. None of it makes good, objective sense. Sorry, but after the last 7 years we have the right to question everything.

This entire post is based off the assumption that UConn was the best place to be for their careers and families and that UConn was offering the most money. So dare they decide to leave so it must be RE.
Can you think it through for a moment and stop thinking like a fan? Players leave teams in the pros heck employees switch firms for similar reasons- Location, money, bigger name firm with better perks.
It’s not a RE conspiracy. You’re salty because we lost two good coaches but that’s the business. We move on and hire others to replace.

 

[BlueDogs]

This entire post is based off the assumption that UConn was the best place to be for their careers and families and that UConn was offering the most money. So dare they decide to leave so it must be RE.
Can you think it through for a moment and stop thinking like a fan? Players leave teams in the pros heck employees switch firms for similar reasons- Location, money, bigger name firm with better perks.
It’s not a RE conspiracy. You’re salty because we lost two good coaches but that’s the business. We move on and hire others to replace.

I'm very salty. Job 1 would be keeping those guys around if we're seriously invested in building a successful program. Those were AD Dave hires using his political capital...so, no, I don't think they were just pining away for some biscuits and grits and up and left being homesick. Let's put it this way, I suspect RE didn't go out of his way to keep them. Part 2 is we make an awful OC hire on paper with the only compelling basis for the hire is he worked with Randy. Maybe he works out, but of all the candidates we could pull in with some track record of success we end up there? His handpicked DC was an utter bust and we keep that clown around? I'm being harsh because after countless seasons of tickets, I'm tired of the instability and BS. Randy is the best guy for what we need, but why we do what we do defies logic and healthy skepticism is required. All benefits of the doubt were expended long ago.

 

[Confident Carl]

I'm very salty. Job 1 would be keeping those guys around if we're seriously invested in building a successful program. Those were AD Dave hires using his political capital...so, no, I don't think they were just pining away for some biscuits and grits and up and left being homesick. Let's put it this way, I suspect RE didn't go out of his way to keep them. Part 2 is we make an awful OC hire on paper with the only compelling basis for the hire is he worked with Randy. Maybe he works out, but of all the candidates we could pull in with some track record of success we end up there? His handpicked DC was an utter bust and we keep that clown around? I'm being harsh because after countless seasons of tickets, I'm tired of the instability and BS. Randy is the best guy for what we need, but why we do what we do defies logic and healthy skepticism is required. All benefits of the doubt were expended long ago.

I get the frustration, we're all tired of all the losing. This is Randy's legacy now. Everyone on the planet knows Lashlee was a temp. He is going to be a big time coach. He proved he could improve the worst offense in football and now onto building his resume in a more familiar place for his family. This is a different culture for a southern family. My son in law is from South Carolina. He still says yes Sir and yes Ma'm. Gotta trust the CEO! Principles work, Emotions don't in team management.

 

[Hornet22]

I'm very salty. Job 1 would be keeping those guys around if we're seriously invested in building a successful program. Those were AD Dave hires using his political capital...so, no, I don't think they were just pining away for some biscuits and grits and up and left being homesick. Let's put it this way, I suspect RE didn't go out of his way to keep them. Part 2 is we make an awful OC hire on paper with the only compelling basis for the hire is he worked with Randy. Maybe he works out, but of all the candidates we could pull in with some track record of success we end up there? His handpicked DC was an utter bust and we keep that clown around? I'm being harsh because after countless seasons of tickets, I'm tired of the instability and BS. Randy is the best guy for what we need, but why we do what we do defies logic and healthy skepticism is required. All benefits of the doubt were expended long ago.

Saying that RE did t go out of his way to keep them is speculative at best. And again, if someone is making a decision that he/she feels is best for the career and family there’s absolutely nothing an AD or RE can do.
As far as the DC is concerned. I don’t believe he was awful. To run that defense you need better athletes. That’s where recruiting comes in to play. You’ll have to drink some water and dilute the salty taste in your mouth and be a little patient to see how these next two classes pan out. Also, I suspect the returning players will perform better as they have a year under RE and know what his expectations are. The people that weren’t committed to change have left the building. Let’s move on and root for what’s left

 

[weyuo]

I believe that if Lashlee thought he could recruit good enough talent to carry out his offensive philosophy he'd still be here. What better place to fine tune "His" offense and show case it than in the American where the defenses aren't world beaters yet there is plenty of national television coverage. Grimes probably felt the same about recruiting and got lucky with a good opportunity to head back South where the recruiting is easier.

 

[Husky25]

I believe that if Lashlee thought he could recruit good enough talent to carry out his offensive philosophy he'd still be here. What better place to fine tune "His" offense and show case it than in the American where the defenses aren't world beaters yet there is plenty of national television coverage. Grimes probably felt the same about recruiting and got lucky with a good opportunity to head back South where the recruiting is easier.

Lashlee is still in the AAC, Mrs. P.

 

[Stainmaster]

Lashlee is still in the AAC, Mrs. P.

He’s still missing GDL.

 

[ktuck911]

I believe that if Lashlee thought he could recruit good enough talent to carry out his offensive philosophy he'd still be here. What better place to fine tune "His" offense and show case it than in the American where the defenses aren't world beaters yet there is plenty of national television coverage. Grimes probably felt the same about recruiting and got lucky with a good opportunity to head back South where the recruiting is easier.

Some folks, no a lot of folks, don't like it up here... those guys are Southerners at heart.

 

[Husky25]

He’s still missing GDL.

Honestly, I think @weyuo has taken more than his share of guff from his unabashed support of the former head "coach." I just couldn't resist. .......It was just so over the top at the time.

 

[UConnJim]

Let's look closer at the departures of Grimes and Lashlee.

Grimes was making $250k at UConn. When he was previously at Auburn, he made $370k in 2015 and the OL coach he was replacing made $420k. Thus, I would assume he is making ~$400k (or more), so he is probably getting a $150k raise to move to Auburn. You wouldn't move to a place that you worked before for a 60% raise? UConn was not going to be able to retain him.

Lashlee was making $350k at UConn and he was previously making $600k at Auburn. He took a $250k pay cut to go to UConn, and nobody does that unless they were being pushed out of their previous job. It was pretty clear that UConn was a soft landing for Lashlee orchestrated by Benedict, but he wasn't going to stay long. He wanted a P5 OC job, but he didn't get one this year, so he decided to go to SMU. Why?

SMU typically pays their football coaches well as Chad Morris was listed (although not officially as SMU is a private school and salary data is not shared) as the highest paid football coach in the G5. So, I would assume that Lashlee got a decent raise to go to SMU.

Plus, Lashlee is going to work for Sonny Dykes, who is very well connected to football in the state of Texas and he is an offensive minded coach. Lashlee's background is in the spread offense and Dykes background is with the Air Raid offense, so I would think Lashlee is going to have the opportunity to broaden his understanding of offensive concepts. Throw in that he and his wife are from Arkansas and Dallas is relatively close to Arkansas and it's pretty obvious why Lashlee went to SMU.

End of the day, UConn needs to hire up and coming football coaches and keep them as long as possible. When UConn gets the call up to the P5 or when boosters pony up the funds to pay football coaches, we will be able to keep coaches longer.

 

[#1 PA Husky Fan]

Grain Justice may be the new OL coach. He’s following RE, CE, Marvin Washington, James Tunstall. Would be a nice addition.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

You know the thread is a doozy when former walk-on turned CPOY at CCSU @Hornet22 is making the most sense.

 

[UConnDan97]

Grain Justice may be the new OL coach. He’s following RE, CE, Marvin Washington, James Tunstall. Would be a nice addition.

Did you mean Garin Justice?

If so, I thought he was hired in December to go to Arizona, but maybe with all the upheaval there he might be available...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Grain Justice may be the new OL coach. He’s following RE, CE, Marvin Washington, James Tunstall. Would be a nice addition.

I kinda hope it is just to see CC take credit for it while flashing his marketing credentials around.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Did you mean Garin Justice?

If so, I thought he was hired in December to go to Arizona, but maybe with all the upheaval there he might be available...

He was...hired by Rich Rod and not retained on Sumlin's staff. Good hire--he killed it at FAU

 

[uconnphil2016]

I kinda hope it is just to see CC take credit for it while flashing his marketing credentials around.

CC?

 

[#1 PA Husky Fan]

Did you mean Garin Justice?

If so, I thought he was hired in December to go to Arizona, but maybe with all the upheaval there he might be available...

Yes, autocorrect got me. He became available with Rich Rod’s termination.

 

[Hornet22]

You know the thread is a doozy when former walk-on turned CPOY at CCSU @Hornet22 is making the most sense.

Lol.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

CC?

Our resident marketing guru, @Confident Carl

 

[UConn07]

 

[Stainmaster]

If Boneyard posters are now the driving forces behind coach hirings, shut the entire program down immediately. We’re screwed.

 

[Exit 4]

I skimmed this story - but Matt wrapped it up by pointing to twitter connects? My god you kids and your damn twitter!!!!

 

[ktuck911]

In all honesty, If Justice is the guy, that he sticks around for awhile.. Most folks have been migrating away from New England lately... Can't be a one and done hire...

 

[Confident Carl]

In all honesty, If Justice is the guy, that he sticks around for awhile.. Most folks have been migrating away from New England lately... Can't be a one and done hire...

Grain Justice is not going back to Lane Kiffin and FAU they just hired an O-line coach

FAU: Source tells FootballScoop UNLV offensive line coach John Garrison will be the new offensive line coach at FAU. Garrison has served as UNLV’s OL coach since 2015. He previously had coached offensive line at Nebraska as well.

 

[Colt house75]

In all honesty, If Justice is the guy, that he sticks around for awhile.. Most folks have been migrating away from New England lately... Can't be a one and done hire...

Seems from his resume that G. Justice would Be a coach who would like to see things through and thru getting us back to a winning program.
Reading this thread, this coach was tabbed by Rich Rod to run an OL at a P5 school this year until Rich Rod @###@$%. Has turned around a D2 Program. Part of the success at FAU.
Looks like he had to work very hard for everything . Could be a GREAT fit.
Will be interesting.

 

[huskymedic]

Grain Justice is not going back to Lane Kiffin and FAU they just hired an O-line coach

FAU: Source tells FootballScoop UNLV offensive line coach John Garrison will be the new offensive line coach at FAU. Garrison has served as UNLV’s OL coach since 2015. He previously had coached offensive line at Nebraska as well.

Lol... welp, looks like FAU and UNLV worked out a trade:

ThisIsUConnCountry on Twitter
Well then, back to the speculation #UConnFootball

 

[Confident Carl]

Lol... welp - looks like FAU and UNLV worked out a trade:

ThisIsUConnCountry on Twitter

It's tough to go back right away to a school you just left. But if it's true that GJ is leaning towards UNLV this is where I agree with Blue Dogs that if GJ is the right guy for UCONN they need to pony up and offer a better deal than UNLV.

 

[BlueMAB]

Not sure I like Garin's statement, "If you have a good back you can make a good offensive line. If you have a good offensive line you can't necessarily make a good back."
You can't make a good offensive line without good backs? I always thought you needed a good offensive line so that backs could be good. You can't tell me Arkeel Newsome wouldn't have been a much better back if he had a good offensive line in front of him. One thing I like is that he was an offensive lineman for West Virginia. Can he recruit O-lineman in the North to come to UConn? Can he talk kids in the South to go North?

Sometimes running backs have to be patient and wait for the blocks to develop. Then there are guys who can just make people miss and run through tackles. The best backs can do both wait for the blocks to develop one play, and make something out of nothing the next. Of course you still don't know that SMU is in the AAC, so nobody is surprised that you'd miss that point.

That may be the lowest bar I've seen for a position coach at UConn.

Three years employment in college or pro football in the past ten years.

Three years in the past 10 is the minimum, but 5 years coaching at the D1 level is the preferred. Sounds like someone who, over the past 10 years, has spent 5 years in the NCAA, and 3 in the NFL. I don't think that bar is too low.

 

[huskymedic]