UConn Press Conference (Tuesday 9/2) Quick Hits

[businesslawyer]

BTW, I did not say you attacked me nor am I using that to discredit your opinion. It was a carry on from an assumption you made about me that I projected to you. And you did not answer how you practice nor the part about how his press conferences are not going to reach the casual fan.

I always forget that you are one of the posters that has never been wrong and that your assumptions and opinions based on those assumptions are more valid than others.

But until BD says that the process for the game in any given week has the goal of a win, then I will continue to question what his process is about. Right now, he has set the expectation
of improvement as being a positive result of the process. Nothing else.

There are a lot of things you can criticize me for. But over the years I admit to being wrong as much as any regular poster here. (Which means that on a percentage basis I must do it much more frequently. )

 

[businesslawyer]

BS.

BL has always been one of the most willing posters to admit when he is wrong. However, he doesn't say nearly as much stupid stuff and is more even handed so he doesn't usually have to.

You are the one with their panties in a bunch.

Wish I simply waited for you to respond.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

BTW, I did not say you attacked me nor am I using that to discredit your opinion. It was a carry on from an assumption you made about me that I projected to you. And you did not answer how you practice nor the part about how his press conferences are not going to reach the casual fan.

I always forget that you are one of the posters that has never been wrong and that your assumptions and opinions based on those assumptions are more valid than others.

But until BD says that the process for the game in any given week has the goal of a win, then I will continue to question what his process is about. Right now, he has set the expectation of improvement as being a positive result of the process. Nothing else.

Where did he say winning was not the goal? I would think it is just assumed but he is just trying to temper expectations.

 

[Carl Spackler]

BTW, I did not say you attacked me nor am I using that to discredit your opinion. It was a carry on from an assumption you made about me that I projected to you. And you did not answer how you practice nor the part about how his press conferences are not going to reach the casual fan.

I always forget that you are one of the posters that has never been wrong and that your assumptions and opinions based on those assumptions are more valid than others.

But until BD says that the process for the game in any given week has the goal of a win, then I will continue to question what his process is about. Right now, he has set the expectation of improvement as being a positive result of the process. Nothing else.

I don't want to get involved in the personal 1-1 going on here, but I have to agree with the zip code. Until Diaco establishes winning as priority #1, for now, the goal and top priority he has established is "improvement". I personally, am not happy with this, and it makes me question the process as well, and I don't agree with it, but it's a 12 game season, and it's his program, not mine. I also agree with the counselors views on balancing short term, intermediate term, and long term goals. It's something that needs to be done with regards to the program. I find a lot of irony in it though, that Pasqualoni and Co, came in and essentially did the same thing, with rotating players, specifically on offense. Tells you something. Their failure was in actually developing the players, and coaching them up. We'll see if Diaco and co, can.

For now, just kick the crap out of Stony Brook. If there is any doubt that the rotation system, and development plan and all that, will not be successful, then that plan needs to scrapped in favor of a plan that has great chance of success this week. No amount of small victories, amounts to the success that develops when a team actually wins, and even the best plans in the world, sometimes, need to get tossed in the trash, and new plans initiated on the fly, when you're actually in motion.

Hopefully, we've got enough on this team, to beat Stony Brook handiliy, given the same plan and approach we had with BYU - because that's what it seems we're going to do.

 

[freescooter]

I guess I just don't buy this approach. He didn't try to win. We got the football back with 1:03 remaining in the first half. Not at our own 5 yard line. At the 17. Not great field position, but not the worst, either. So what did we do? Run the hurry up and try to get into field goal position? Run it down to under 10 then try to hit Davis on a bomb? Nope, a short incomplete to Abrams then 3 runs by our slowest back up the gut. We were down 28-7. Who cares if Whitmer (it was his turn) throws a pick 6? Try to make something happen to shake up the game. Who cares if we have to kick it back to them? We're already down 28-7! Maybe we catch lightening in a bottle. We were down 28-7...maybe we get into field goal range and go off 28-10 and all pumped up. Don't run up the white flag half way through the first game. If we can kick a figgie with 11 minutes left down 28-7 because the kicker needs the practice, I would argue that we can try to run the hurry up at the half because we sure hope we are going to need to drive late for a score sometime.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I think BizLaw has the more accurate take here but I also think that a factor we're missing is that he doesn't want 'losing' to stink up the locker room with failure. These guys have seen plenty of failure, it feeds itself the same way success does. He's giving the players achievable metrics they can build on with, ready for this,... positive energy. All that being said, Fishy has it right when he says that no amount of 'process focus' rationalizes a loss to Stony Brook.

 

[businesslawyer]

I don't want to get involved in the personal 1-1 going on here, but I have to agree with the zip code. Until Diaco establishes winning as priority #1, for now, the goal and top priority he has established is "improvement". I personally, am not happy with this, and it makes me question the process as well, and I don't agree with it, but it's a 12 game season, and it's his program, not mine. I also agree with the counselors views on balancing short term, intermediate term, and long term goals. It's something that needs to be done with regards to the program. I find a lot of irony in it though, that Pasqualoni and Co, came in and essentially did the same thing, with rotating players, specifically on offense. Tells you something. Their failure was in actually developing the players, and coaching them up. We'll see if Diaco and co, can.

For now, just kick the crap out of Stony Brook. If there is any doubt that the rotation system, and development plan and all that, will not be successful, then that plan needs to scrapped in favor of a plan that has great chance of success this week. No amount of small victories, amounts to the success that develops when a team actually wins, and even the best plans in the world, sometimes, need to get tossed in the trash, and new plans initiated on the fly, when you're actually in motion.

Hopefully, we've got enough on this team, to beat Stony Brook handiliy, given the same plan and approach we had with BYU - because that's what it seems we're going to do.

P inherited the defending conference champ with a great D, albeit with no QB. HCBD inherited a steaming pile. If this was 2012, I would have a totally different reaction to what HCBD did Friday. Just like its fair for a Maryland fan to ask if FHCRE needed to rip everything apart at Md before rebuilding.

 

[businesslawyer]

I think BizLaw has the more accurate take here but I also think that a factor we're missing is that he doesn't want 'losing' to stink up the locker room with failure. These guys have seen plenty of failure, it feeds itself the same way success does. He's giving the players achievable metrics they can build on with, ready for this,... positive energy. All that being said, Fishy has it right when he says that no amount of 'process focus' rationalizes a loss to Stony Brook.

Great post

 

[Colt house75]

Look, I've said in other threads that I have no philosophical problem with you or anyone else saying that a coach should play every game to win. I am saying that criticism should be tempered by the fact that not every coach/manager treats every game as a championship. Closers are given days off in June, even when they could go out. Freshman big men start games in November, even when there are guys on the bench better, because the coach thinks the team will be better for it in March. Football players are suspended for a quarter or a half where it might hurt the team but the coach thinks sending a long term message to his players is more important. Rudy Gay and Andre Drummond aren't ever benched to see if chemistry will improve because if they get benched Calhoun fears he'll never get a top five recruit again.

So I understand your point, but you're overstating it as a concern big time. Diaco wants to win, and the players are trying to win. He just isn't making his substitutions with these games only in mind. Just like every coach and manager makes tons of decisions thinking about short, intermediate and long term issues. It's just more noticeable here because of how far away we are from being a competitive program again (and, in part, because HCBD seems to be stumbling over his explanations a bit).

Where, on a scale from -0- to HFD, is Freescooter?

If Former "Coach" Pasqualoni actually did the job for which he was paid, we wouldn't have to be parsing Diaco's words or if he wanted to win. He's trying to re-build something here and wins are a by-product of the process.

Where did he say winning was not the goal? I would think it is just assumed but he is just trying to temper expectations.

At the end of bitching work day here....so very entertained today by the BY....

Sometimes, we get caught up in semantics.
From day one, HCBD has said his GOAL is to win championships, thus WIN...in every aspect. I don't question that as some have today (????)
To achieve and get to that point, he has objectives and those objectives are the PROCESS..... he has a dial down approach. It's real simple to me.
Many of you are upset. I can understand your being upset. But, I put my faith in him, unquestionably. completely.

Do I want to see an annihilation of Stony Brook??. Absolutely. Do I care if we croak them? NO!!!
I care about the end result. To do so, every day he achieves victories through his process and objectives. It isn't visible to the naked eye.
...and to that end, gents, we saw it on the sidelines and with a group of young pups who are jazzed, thrilled and working their asses off and they never quit....
because of the engine in their hearts and souls that is being fueled by a power house HC.
Sit back and enjoy the PROCESS because in my lifetime I will never have a chance again to see it so greatly executed.....
In HCBD I trust. Husky Up...35 young pups need us!!

 

[Carl Spackler]

P inherited the defending conference champ with a great D, albeit with no QB. HCBD inherited a steaming pile. If this was 2012, I would have a totally different reaction to what HCBD did Friday. Just like its fair for a Maryland fan to ask if FHCRE needed to rip everything apart at Md before rebuilding.

Yikes. I was talking about rotating offensive players. There was a lot of uproar about red-shirts - freshmen linemen - etc. Diaco and co, burned two redshirts on true frosh OL's on Friday night.

 

[businesslawyer]

Yikes. I was talking about rotating offensive players. There was a lot of uproar about red-shirts - freshmen linemen - etc. Diaco and co, burned two redshirts on true frosh OL's on Friday night.

Way to early to say if a redshirt should have been preserved yet. That's something u ask at the end of the season.

To HCBD's credit, offensive personnel got on and off the field really well, as opposed to the total clusterfu@@ it was Ps first two seasons

 

[Husky25]

Way to early to say if a redshirt should have been preserved yet. That's something u ask at the end of the season.

To HCBD's credit, offensive personnel got on and off the field really well, as opposed to the total clusterfu@@ it was Ps first two seasons

Correct. If they're ready, they should play. I love red shirting offensive linemen because typically they haven't grown into their bodies as true freshmen. But if the depth is thin, he doesn't have that luxury and if a few big uglies aren't recruited (I can't imagine that will remain the case), Diaco will need experience up front next year.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Way to early to say if a redshirt should have been preserved yet. That's something u ask at the end of the season.

To HCBD's credit, offensive personnel got on and off the field really well, as opposed to the total clusterfu@@ it was Ps first two seasons

I just find it ironic that we played two true freshmen OL's for a handful of snaps, and it doesn't seem to be a big deal now, yet it was in the past. I was clear, that the failure in the past was in developing the players, and by extension developing the team.

I do agree that the lack of procedural penalties, is a good sign of team discipline and disciplined coaching. I think that the personal foul penalties, illegal physical acts on blocking and tackling, go to the heart of our problem right now, and that is that we haven't practiced to as close to perfection as possible, the basic fundamentals, and it concerns me, because the longer we wait to settle decision making on a solid 22 man starting lineup and 2-deep rotation that makes sense, the longer it will take to get to the point of drilling those fundamentals. YOu simply can't do it in practice, perfect the fundamentals, if you are in a maximum rep for maximum number of players mode.

I'm really not interested in discussing the past and I'm sorry I brought it up, I just found the OL true frosh situation ironic. I will drop it.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Don't apologize Carl, the past is relevant in so far as it defines the present. I will add to this conversation the observation that our discussion at this point is all about HCBD and his process (minus a little qb talk which is the standard background noise in here). It's a nice 180 from "not my fault, the players suck."

 

[Husky25]

Depth was different in the past than it is now. When Samra was a freshman, the arm-chair coaches thought UConn had more depth and if Samra was that good, why didn't he play in any other game than against a FBS transition team.

 

[noeynox]

I walked away from the BYU GAME thinking Newsome and Ron Johnson, are probably deserving of the majority of the snaps. Diacos comments sort of confirm that. I think Marriner and Delorenzo are also talented.

Newsome, looks like he could be special. We've had some really good backs, this kid looks like a real threat with ball. Hope he can withstand the pounding.

 

[Vowelguy]

Winning, if it does not follow the process, does not appear to be a good thing for him.

I believe most great coaches would agree with that statement.

I don't know if you've followed Geno, but he is very clear that he is expecting his players to play the "right" way, and he is going to drill it into them until they do. The score is secondary.
I saw a 60 minutes profile of Saban, and was struck by how his statements were almost identical to the things I've heard Geno say for years.

 

[businesslawyer]

I believe most great coaches would agree with that statement.

I don't know if you've followed Geno, but he is very clear that he is expecting his players to play the "right" way, and he is going to drill it into them until they do. The score is secondary.
I saw a 60 minutes profile of Saban, and was struck by how his statements were almost identical to the things I've heard Geno say for years.

Gene Hackman in Hoosiers. Just sayin ....

 

[J187Money]

06029 says something

BL shoots back

06029 shoots back about "ad hominem" attacks

BL tells him to look it up

06029 says BL didn't attack him

Is anyone else lost?

 

[Vowelguy]

Until Diaco establishes winning as priority #1, for now, the goal and top priority he has established is "improvement".

Question:
Suppose that Cochran and 4 other key players clearly violated team rules and Diaco suspended them, would you be upset?

If not, why not? I mean, by suspending them, the team would likely lose, thus showing that winning was not priority 1 for Diaco.

Or would you agree that for long term success, the coach sometimes has to focus on learning and development over near-term wins?

 

[junglehusky]

Burning the 2 OL redshirts was definitely a premeditated move on the coaching staff (this year). Redshirts are sometimes a luxury, one that we don't have right now.

 

[sdhusky]

There are a lot of things you can criticize me for. But over the years I admit to being wrong as much as any regular poster here. (Which means that on a percentage basis I must do it much more frequently. )

Its nice to see you have something to "apologize for" and are back with the coaching apologista's team.

Thanks for the view from...

 

[businesslawyer]

06029 says something

BL shoots back

06029 shoots back about "ad hominem" attacks

BL tells him to look it up

06029 says BL didn't attack him

Is anyone else lost?

Yes. But I was/am perfectly willing to let it go.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

This is going to be some year. Perhaps, even fun.

 

[freescooter]

Don't apologize Carl, the past is relevant in so far as it defines the present. I will add to this conversation the observation that our discussion at this point is all about HCBD and his process (minus a little qb talk which is the standard background noise in here). It's a nice 180 from "not my fault, the players suck."

I'm not so sure that Diaco's line is that much different from "not my fault, the players suck." He just says it like some over caffeinated MBA student. I'm inclined to agree with him FWIW. But I don't like his "exhibition game" approach.

 

[Excalibur]

If we're still playing 2 QB's come end of September, and claiming victories by having 50+ players getting game time reps, then I will be perplexed, to say the least. For now, I get it. I don't agree with it, but I get it.

Exactly where I am at this point.

 

[Excalibur]

I'm not so sure that Diaco's line is that much different from "not my fault, the players suck." He just says it like some over caffeinated MBA student. I'm inclined to agree with him FWIW. But I don't like his "exhibition game" approach.

He's not the first coach to take that approach. As someone pointed out, Nick Saban did it in his first year at Alabama, where they lost to Louisiana-Monroe. He just may be one of the first to be so open about it.

 

[Dogged]

06029 says something

BL shoots back

06029 shoots back about "ad hominem" attacks

BL tells him to look it up

06029 says BL didn't attack him

Is anyone else lost?

06029 just wanted to say "ad hominem."

 

[Husky25]

He's not the first coach to take that approach. As someone pointed out, Nick Saban did it in his first year at Alabama, where they lost to Louisiana-Monroe. He just may be one of the first to be so open about it.

Not only that, but the non-conference schedule for UConn was typically FCS, MAC, Low-end BCS conference (Kentucky, NCSt, WF, Iowa St. etc.), in that order. It didn't hurt UConn to play a large number of players. Now UConn is the cupcake and a first year coach has little depth and doesn't know exactly which combinations work the best under fire. I'm willing to give Diaco a few games in year 1, while still going at least 6-6 and a bowl game, provided if he goes in the area of 10-4 with a conference championship and NYD6 bowl appearance for the next 4 years.

It happens in basketball all the time. Calhoun's bench was routinely 10-11 deep in November/December and then it shortens to 7-8 when the Conference schedule starts.

 

[freescooter]

He's not the first coach to take that approach. As someone pointed out, Nick Saban did it in his first year at Alabama, where they lost to Louisiana-Monroe. He just may be one of the first to be so open about it.

Here's the thing...Saban had won a national championship 2 years earlier at LSU and turned the Michigan State program around. That sort of gives you, oh I don't know, maybe a bit more credibility perhaps. And as for winning the right way, I take most of that as coachspeak. Top notch coaches like Saban and Geno say that stuff because they need to have some reason to keep after their players. It also helps them to maintain their "mystique" so to speak. But give them a choice of winning a national championship playing the "wrong" way and losing it playing the "right" way, and I guarantee that to a man they would take the win. Oh, and for what its worth, Saban's first year at Alabama he was 6-6 and won the first 3 games he coached, and upset the #16 team in the country in game 3 and the #20 team in the country. I don't think his approach was quite the same somehow.