UConn Staff Crushing It

[UConnDan97]

So by my count, the new staff has collected 8 verbal commitments (out of 17 currently). From the Rivals board, what do we notice:

1) All 8 of the recruits are rated 5.4 RR or higher (5.4 = highest 2 star, 5.5 = 3 star). Nothing lower.
2) Of the 8 recruits, 4 are 3 star rated.
3) We've successfully flipped an in-state defensive player from PP/BC.
4) We've kept the key recruits from the Diaco regime on board.
5) We've grabbed a 3-star JUCO QB from...surprise, surprise...PA. The Pennsylvania gravy train is about to get running again!

For having been at it for less than a month, I would call that "crushing it". We may even have a couple more surprises on the way in the next 24 hours. In any event, fantastic job by the crew...

 

[UConnDan97]

Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that the staff also secured the verbal commitment of a former 4-star running back from the South Carolina Gamecocks. You know...just for a little icing on the cake...

 

[Husky1964]

Let's not forget the guy who made all this poss David Benedict!!!!!! He apparently began to talk to Randy last Spring. Talk about PROACTIVE!!!!

 

[Uconnalliance]

Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that the staff also secured the verbal commitment of a former 4-star running back from the South Carolina Gamecocks. You know...just for a little icing on the cake...

OHHHHHHH REALLY?! LOL

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

Let's not forget the guy who made all this poss David Benedict!!!!!! He apparently began to talk to Randy last Spring. Talk about PROACTIVE!!!!

That's Athletic Director Dave.

 

[scotty0330]

I will be interested to see how the coaching will translate into OL improvements. But from a recruiting stand point if you follow the ratings system RE is clearly doing a much better sell job that crazy Bob. The thought of a JUCO QB makes a lot of sense....especially if BS decides to move on to greener pastures.

 

[Pudge]

Randy Edsall is doing a better job than Randy Edsall (v1.0)

We got lots of gems in his earlier recruiting classes. And these are far different times for Rivals, Scout, 247, HUDL. You actually have decent evaluators, in those services, that have coached or something and not ... a basement internet God. But, HCRE came in with a solid enthusiastic staff of guys that had been in recruiting in THIS market. With the SEC coach. With a Cincinnati Coach. With a guy from Coastal Carolina. Recruiting Coordinator from UAlbany and Fordham. And Terry Richardson. The Data base was in place ... and the Maryland past was seemingly very helpful on a good 4-6. Young Edsall with eyes west of the Mississippi. All in all ... this is good.

Yes. I like that they immediately got buy-in from the guys that Diaco had commitments from. Goes to show they handled that diplomatically. And that includes Dickens in mind ... cause Dickens was a Hobbs was a Bytchek was a Cummings. They lost guys that played a tall DE or the ILB prototype different than Crocker plays or Edsall wants. The Fit.

Again ... Edsall 1.0 also brought in a ton of DB/ATHs. Why? Special teams in 2003-2009 were loaded with kids that could play. Fast and good tacklers. Remember Terry Baltimore as a gunner?

I am happy and I think that is across the board here on ye ole BY.

 

[polycom]

It's going to be a sad day when AD Dave moves on to a bigger school.

 

[Woof 101]

Let's not forget the guy who made all this poss David Benedict!!!!!! He apparently began to talk to Randy last Spring. Talk about PROACTIVE!!!!

Not here to attack this thread or Husky1964...Just a little on this comment. I like how the last minute recruiting is going. My point is if David was talking to Randy in the spring why did he wait so long to pull the trigger. I would love to hear the source on that one. DB was pretty sweet on BD back in May.....
Benedict's First Big Move At UConn: Extending Diaco's Contract Through 2020
Someone proactive does not hand over the schools bank roll to a coach he is already looking to replace. Sorry but the financial cost to the school and how everything went down would render DB an idiot if it were fact.
If he made a mistake his best move was to admit to being overwhelmed with everything that was in place before being hired. If he was talking with Randy that long ago one would think he fires Diaco the day the season ends so as not to put the new regime under such recruiting duress.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

I know we are all focused on 2017. And that offering means nothing if you can't convert them into commitments. But the 2018 kids we are offering and recruiting seem to be at a level we have not seen before here at UConn. As happy as we are all at what these coaches have done in 30 days...it may just be a great appetizer before the five course meal is d liveried in 2018.

 

[TheDrifter75]

I think as far as next class goes the real excitement will be the last 30 days, just like this one.

 

[weyuo]

Not here to attack this thread or Husky1964...Just a little on this comment. I like how the last minute recruiting is going. My point is if David was talking to Randy in the spring why did he wait so long to pull the trigger. I would love to hear the source on that one. DB was pretty sweet on BD back in May.....
Benedict's First Big Move At UConn: Extending Diaco's Contract Through 2020
Someone proactive does not hand over the schools bank roll to a coach he is already looking to replace. Sorry but the financial cost to the school and how everything went down would render DB an idiot if it were fact.
If he made a mistake his best move was to admit to being overwhelmed with everything that was in place before being hired. If he was talking with Randy that long ago one would think he fires Diaco the day the season ends so as not to put the new regime under such recruiting duress.

Because last Spring Diaco had just come off a turn around season where he got this team to it's first bowl game in 4 years so there was optimism that he may do even better in 2016. Benedict, just starting, could only cross his fingers and pray Diaco actually knew what he was doing.

 

[Dove]

Way to go Athletic Director...Dave!!

 

[CTM626]

Let's not forget the guy who made all this poss David Benedict!!!!!! He apparently began to talk to Randy last Spring. Talk about PROACTIVE!!!!

Is it me or does something not add up? As someone who barely posts here but reads the board all of the time, I am surprised that I don't see anyone really digging into this all that much. When you start to connect the dots, a lot of things just don't make a lot of sense to me. I wasn't thrilled when it was announced that RE was coming back but since the press conference I have been completely onboard. After RL was announced as OC, I was beyond thrilled but incredibly confused as to why someone my exact age would take a substantial six figure paycut to come be an assistant (and move his young family) in an area of the country that he has zero familiarity with for a team that had the worst offense in all of college football. Granted there's nowhere to go but up, but to hear that RL was originally contacted to be HC but "wasn't interested" and later opted for the OC job instead and now RE was contacted as early as last spring, something just isn't making sense to me and there has got to be a lot more going on than meets the eye in my opinion.

I could be looking into this way too far but does anyone think that Randy sees this as a 2-3 year opportunity to make good with the UConn fanbase, rid himself of any lingering guilt, and then sail into the sunset by leaving the keys with RL? It just seems to me that when you look at his twitter and he had Florida set as his home location (already having one foot in the door for retirement), saying at his press conference that the only HC job he'd ever do again would be UConn, his desire to finish up the playoff stint with the Lions and not come immediately to UConn (which seemed a little uncharacteristic but I guess I understood), to letting RL have complete autonomy, etc. that it just isn't the same guy. He was an absolute control freak/micro-manager and I don't understand how a man at that age could change that drastically, unless it's just a different agreed upon role pitched by AD Dave. I'm just thoroughly confused (in a good way). But I really wonder if this is really RL's team.

 

[Hoophound]

Is it me or does something not add up? As someone who barely posts here but reads the board all of the time, I am surprised that I don't see anyone really digging into this all that much. When you start to connect the dots, a lot of things just don't make a lot of sense to me. I wasn't thrilled when it was announced that RE was coming back but since the press conference I have been completely onboard. After RL was announced as OC, I was beyond thrilled but incredibly confused as to why someone my exact age would take a substantial six figure paycut to come be an assistant (and move his young family) in an area of the country that he has zero familiarity with for a team that had the worst offense in all of college football. Granted there's nowhere to go but up, but to hear that RL was originally contacted to be HC but "wasn't interested" and later opted for the OC job instead and now RE was contacted as early as last spring, something just isn't making sense to me and there has got to be a lot more going on than meets the eye in my opinion.

I could be looking into this way too far but does anyone think that Randy sees this as a 2-3 year opportunity to make good with the UConn fanbase, rid himself of any lingering guilt, and then sail into the sunset by leaving the keys with RL? It just seems to me that when you look at his twitter and he had Florida set as his home location (already having one foot in the door for retirement), saying at his press conference that the only HC job he'd ever do again would be UConn, his desire to finish up the playoff stint with the Lions and not come immediately to UConn (which seemed a little uncharacteristic but I guess I understood), to letting RL have complete autonomy, etc. that it just isn't the same guy. He was an absolute control freak/micro-manager and I don't understand how a man at that age could change that drastically, unless it's just a different agreed upon role pitched by AD Dave. I'm just thoroughly confused (in a good way). But I really wonder if this is really RL's team.

No way is it Lashlee's team now, but it will be if things go well and he sticks around. I think AD David Benedict wanted Randy to right the ship, teach Rhett the nuances of running the program and introduce him to recruiting contracts and so on over the next few years. If things work out and Rhett is still around, the job is his when Randy is ready to leave. There is a small possibility that Randy has a time line to exit, but I can't see it being meaningful. He needs 4 years to see things through at a minimum and if we start winning with style, Rhett is going to have lucrative offers right away. It is a pipe dream to think Rhett will take over in 5-6 years, he'll be long gone.

For those looking for a bigger, more exciting mystery, tell me the reason why we have 4 career ADs on staff and got a great coaching staff on the super cheap. I am still somewhat hopeful that we have a verbal reassurance from a P5 conference, even it takes several years to get there. The AD spending on administrators just makes no sense under current circumstances.

 

[History Geek]

No way is it Lashlee's team now, but it will be if things go well and he sticks around. I think AD David Benedict wanted Randy to right the ship, teach Rhett the nuances of running the program and introduce him to recruiting contracts and so on over the next few years. If things work out and Rhett is still around, the job is his when Randy is ready to leave. There is a small possibility that Randy has a time line to exit, but I can't see it being meaningful. He needs 4 years to see things through at a minimum and if we start winning with style, Rhett is going to have lucrative offers right away. It is a pipe dream to think Rhett will take over in 5-6 years, he'll be long gone.

For those looking for a bigger, more exciting mystery, tell me the reason why we have 4 career ADs on staff and got a great coaching staff on the super cheap. I am still somewhat hopeful that we have a verbal reassurance from a P5 conference, even it takes several years to get there. The AD spending on administrators just makes no sense under current circumstances.

I agree, especially with the point about the plethora of AD talent and how the football staff was built. All of this continues to give me hope regarding realignment.

 

[RedStickHusky]

That is diacobolical... He'd need a whole lot of things to go right over the next few years but I could see it being an extended try out. I also imagine he'd need a lot of tutelage on all the aspects of running a program beyond putting an offense together but if he was as close to Malzahn as we've heard maybe he's already gotten some of that.

 

[RedStickHusky]

somewhat hopeful that we have a verbal reassurance from a P5 conference

Can we say that out loud?

 

[Sprague03]

I love how this coaching staff uses twitter. They post GIFs, they retweet and favorite key recruits tweets, and even Randy Edsall is getting in on the fun lol. To compare, the prior staff didn't even know how to post.

For those of you who don't know (and I don't mean to change the subject)-Former Head Coach Diaco is now on twitter, and he's made a total of 2 tweets in 2 weeks. Makes you think if he was forced to use it once he got to Nebraska.

 

[uconnell]

Way to go Athletic Director...Dave!!

I read this in Forest Gump's voice.

 

[31GuardTrap]

It's going to be a sad day when AD Dave moves on to a bigger school.

Nice job pissing in my Cheerios

 

[HuskyHawk]

I am beyond impressed. I wasn't initially on board with Randy Edsall v 2.0, but I was wrong. As he brought together such an outstanding staff, especially grabbing Lashlee, it became clear that he knew what needed to be done to win here. I was concerned that we wouldn't have enough buzz, which shouldn't matter, but does. But the energy of these guys and grabbing an SEC OC, and then an SEC RB transfer shows me that HS kids are seeing that UConn can win and are excited.

 

[polycom]

Nice job pissing in my Cheerios

Can't deny reality.

 

[JSM1970]

Glass 1/2 full: I do think there are some pleasant surprises in the class and certainly a coaching change can be tough

Glass 1/2 empty: Rankings wise this is the worst class in the AAC and the worst UConn class in the last 10 years or more

Going forward though I think Edsall and Lashlee will get it back good

I am beyond impressed. I wasn't initially on board with Randy Edsall v 2.0, but I was wrong. As he brought together such an outstanding staff, especially grabbing Lashlee, it became clear that he knew what needed to be done to win here. I was concerned that we wouldn't have enough buzz, which shouldn't matter, but does. But the energy of these guys and grabbing an SEC OC, and then an SEC RB transfer shows me that HS kids are seeing that UConn can win and are excited.

 

[jojipoji]

http://247sports.com/Season/2017-Football/CompositeTeamRankings?Conference=AAC

According to 247 were number 9 in aac as of now