Ugly Wins Vs Not Winning

[huskysupporter]

I honestly think the people who complain are one if the following:

1. Football fans who think every game is a P4 referendum

2. Secret football haters who are mad they are winning and would rather program seize. Ugly wins are infuriating.

3. Fans can't get over the fact that winning is more important than performance. And I don't mean that rhetorically. How you win matters in cfb, because rankings are subjective.

But, for UConn, just winning is most important now. Huskies are sindsr removed from a top 50 program, gotta chill there. Win games.

I agree, and I wouldn’t agree if this were 20 years ago. Times are just vastly different.

This program is close to dead - people get so steamed when I say that but it’s true, we can argue the reasons, but it’s true. But that is not to say there is not a small chance that UCONN can climb out of this abyss and eventually many years from now can compete for the G5 playoff spot (I know we have to be actually in a G5 conference but I digress). Some of the things needed have nothing to do with things occurring on the field.

It doesn’t matter what the strength of schedule is, it doesn’t matter how bad the teams we beat are or how much we beat them by. It matters that we win. Because no one is going to remember if we beat a horrid Rice team by 55 or by 5 points. They will just see a W. And that’s important. It’s important to recruiting, it’s important to maybe getting some mor NIL investment. And it’s a step forward. Keep improving, not matter how little, and things can get better.

 

[cohenzone]

Fans want to see high scoring and dominate wins. If we can achieve that, it will only help growing the fanbase.

Partially true. Fans want to see winning more than anything. High scoring dominating wins don’t happen that often routinely for even most really good teams. High scoring losses are not that satisfying. Then people will bitch about the defense. Honestly, I think independents not named Notre Dame don’t regularly have the kind of years you are talking about. I’m not sure how many respected opponents out of 12 are going to be on our schedule from year to year to attract the talent that will often produce dominating, high scoring wins. We have a few of them this year and would probably need 9 FAU type teams a year to produce a lot of lopsided wins and few want that kind of schedule. I hope somehow we land in a power conference that suits football and basketball.

 

[JMick]

You know that two things can be true at the same time, right? You can be happy we're winning and also be disappointed that one of the most talented teams we've had in the last decade is being held back because we don't have average production from the most important position on the field

 

[mikedog10]

I want to win against syracuse. I'd trade 1-2 if the one win is cuse.

I’d rather lose a close one to Syracuse and pummel UMass. I am okay with this team only being on the verge of beating P4s again, but let’s NEVER lose to UMass.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I think ugly wins does more for the team than blowing out the competition. Shows them they have the fight to dig through the trenches and avoid sitting on the benches.

 

[giddyup]

I honestly think the people who complain are one if the following:

1. Football fans who think every game is a P4 referendum

2. Secret football haters who are mad they are winning and would rather program seize. Ugly wins are infuriating.

3. Fans can't get over the fact that winning is more important than performance. And I don't mean that rhetorically. How you win matters in cfb, because rankings are subjective.

But, for UConn, just winning is most important now. Huskies are sindsr removed from a top 50 program, gotta chill there. Win games.

Good performance and winning are highly correlated but not perfectly correlated. Smart fans are always trying to project what the team could do against future opponents and hypothetical opponents. Example - Syracuse. Could we beat them? Yes, if we play at our highest level and they play poorly. Is it likely? No. Why? 1. Because we lack offensive consistency. 2. We are missing an effective passing game and our RPO has no real R. 3. P4 speed will be much better defending the edge. 4. Our D is very good but breaks down being on the field way too much. It’s fantastic where we are, but the quest to be better never ends, not should it.

 

[AllHusky]

Good performance and winning are highly correlated but not perfectly correlated. Smart fans are always trying to project what the team could do against future opponents and hypothetical opponents. Example - Syracuse. Could we beat them? Yes, if we play at our highest level and they play poorly. Is it likely? No. Why? 1. Because we lack offensive consistency. 2. We are missing an effective passing game and our RPO has no real R. 3. P4 speed will be much better defending the edge. 4. Our D is very good but breaks down being on the field way too much. It’s fantastic where we are, but the quest to be better never ends, not should it.

Is it my imagination or is Syracuse coming to it pretty nicely?

 

[businesslawyer]

The day after the season ends the only thing anyone will care about this season is the total number of wins this season. The higher the better. The rest is noise.

The last 10 seasons have had win totals of 3, 6, 1, 2, 1, 3, 3, 6, 2, 3. Posting an 8-5, 9-4, or OMG, 10-3 record would be huge for the program, P4 win or no P4 win. Next season's job would be to back up this season's total. After that P4 wins start to matter as program builders, though as one-offs they would still be a nice gift for the fanbase.

This year is a big step forward and it’s great to leave the stadium after winning 6 out of 7 weeks. But there is reality. It’s not just, or even primarily, that we haven’t beaten a P-4 team. We haven’t beaten even a mediocre G-5 team.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Not really.

I think how you win college football matters for cfp and bowl purposes. But, with UConn in this current state, there really is no reason to care how they win.

It is so infrequent, and expectations so low, that Huskies just getting to a bowl game and a winning recirdnis critical.

We aren't really fighting for anything other than pride and an open bowl slot.

I want to win against syracuse. I'd trade 1-2 if the one win is cuse.

An interesting take on high ceiling vs low floor.

This team has shown it is better than the basement dwellers of CFB 2024. It hasn't shown it can beat a higher tiered team.
7-5 with a win against 'cuse
or 8-4 with a loss to 'cuse.

Spicy.

I think I like the 7-5 option with a win against an ACC team.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I think winning is the important thing. Beatin P4 teams is something we want to do for us, but I don’t know how essential it is. Let’s look at SMU. They play ok 1-2 P4 teams a year. Mostly lost pretty big. They are in the ACC. What Houston and SMU and the rest did was win games on a regular basis. Not P4 games. Those they played 1-2 a year and for the most part lost. We play 4. We need to win most of the non-P4 games, win an occasional P4 game, and we’ll be fine. I’d personally like us to get into a league for football, AAC or PAC would be best, and compete for championships. Maybe even get the G5 playoff slot. But we simply do not need to win 3 P4 games. We don’t even have to play 3-4 of them. We just need to win the majority of the games we play.

SMU bought their way in. Houston was successful playing in the best G5 conference and beating the P4 teams on their schedule plus beating P4 teams in their post season bowl appearances.

 

[freescooter]

This year is a big step forward and it’s great to leave the stadium after winning 6 out of 7 weeks. But there is reality. It’s not just, or even primarily, that we haven’t beaten a P-4 team. We haven’t beaten even a mediocre G-5 team.

Houston has an occasional win against a P4-5 school, but mostly losses. And they only play 1-2/year. Look at Army, currently ranked in the Top 20. They have basically played UConn’s schedule, minus the P4 teams. Temple, FAU, Rice, UAB, Lehigh,East Carolina, Air Force, Tulsa, The biggest difference is they are unbeaten. I don’t know FCS Lehigh’s record, but exactly zero of the rest of those teams have winning records. End of the day, Army will play 3 teams with winning records. They play 1 P4 game against Notre Dame. Our schedule is at worst comparable. I would argue it’s tougher. They are unbeaten so they are ranked. If we replaced Maryland, Duke and Wake with Tulsa, East Carolina and Air Force, and won them we’d be ranked. Instead we play one of the most P heavy G5 schedules PPP knowing 1-4 is likely our ceiling. The important thing is to win most of the games we play and NOT to over schedule. Just like nobody is talking about how ARMY has played a weak schedule, but only how they are undefeated, we’d be in the same conversation with only Syracuse or Duke not 4 P4 games.

 

[noeynox]

These are the teams we are playing. I would rather win against this schedule than lose to these same schools. Just last year we got trashed at GA State and lost at home ro FIU.

If we really are near the top (2)of G5 in NIL as I heard Mike Burton say on a podcast with Steve Culley, I would expect this trend to continue. Aside from QB, they hit it out of the park with the number of impact players they brought in through the portal. McDonald and Barton who both transferred to P5 schools and then transferred here before ever playing a game at those schools have been huge impact guys for us. The fact that Mora embraces the portal and doesn't loathe it like Edsall or Dabo Sweeney is a huge plus.

 

[giddyup]

Houston has an occasional win against a P4-5 school, but mostly losses. And they only play 1-2/year. Look at Army, currently ranked in the Top 20. They have basically played UConn’s schedule, minus the P4 teams. Temple, FAU, Rice, UAB, Lehigh,East Carolina, Air Force, Tulsa, The biggest difference is they are unbeaten. I don’t know FCS Lehigh’s record, but exactly zero of the rest of those teams have winning records. End of the day, Army will play 3 teams with winning records. They play 1 P4 game against Notre Dame. Our schedule is at worst comparable. I would argue it’s tougher. They are unbeaten so they are ranked. If we replaced Maryland, Duke and Wake with Tulsa, East Carolina and Air Force, and won them we’d be ranked. Instead we play one of the most P heavy G5 schedules PPP knowing 1-4 is likely our ceiling. The important thing is to win most of the games we play and NOT to over schedule. Just like nobody is talking about how ARMY has played a weak schedule, but only how they are undefeated, we’d be in the same conversation with only Syracuse or Duke not 4 P4 games.

I expect Army to get dismembered by ND (though I’ll be in Army’s corner). And, if ND foes, just like it tore Navy apart, it only reinforces what we all know - to become higher level competition you must play and prove you can beat higher level competition.

 

[ZooCougar]

These are the teams we are playing. I would rather win against this schedule than lose to these same schools. Just last year we got trashed at GA State and lost at home ro FIU.

If we really are near the top (2)of G5 in NIL as I heard Mike Burton say on a podcast with Steve Culley, I would expect this trend to continue. Aside from QB, they hit it out of the park with the number of impact players they brought in through the portal. McDonald and Barton who both transferred to P5 schools and then transferred here before ever playing a game at those schools have been huge impact guys for us. The fact that Mora embraces the portal and doesn't loathe it like Edsall or Dabo Sweeney is a huge plus.

This 1000%.

It’s fortuitous that Mora has an NFL pedigree and he is comfortable with free agency. Versus these pure college coaches who are coming to grips with it.

Even though the QB didn’t work out, I appreciate the effort that went in to get him.

 

[ScottVib]

UConn winning against REALLY BAD G5 teams will soon not be good enough for spying P4 eyes - also yes (i believe).

While I agree that for program development and to demonstrate the kind of progress we all want, there needs to be P4 success; I'm not sure who or how they win matters to the P4.

UConn getting into the P4 is not going to be primarily to add the football program. As a result, I think they just need to stack enough wins to eliminate the easy argument that UConn is "one of the worst programs in FBS." Win 8 games even against this schedule regularly and it would go a long way to eliminating that crutch as a reason to not invite UConn (I’m sure another will be found, but.). They need to give the Yormark’s of the world enough help to get things over the goal line.

 

[UCan3]

I think many are forgetting how long it’s been since we had a winning record. How many time before we’ve seen games like this weekend slip away with collapses in the 4th quarter.

We are in no position to complain about “ugly” wins. For now, every win is to be cherished.

The one thing we do need, however, is one statement win - win against a team we were underdogs. This is of the utmost importance for our program.

Syracuse is the one game we have left to collect such a win. It is a big challenge - they are a top 30 team but with the Defense we have, there‘s a chance.

UAB is no pushover either - focus on this game for now.

 

[freescooter]

While I agree that for program development and to demonstrate the kind of progress we all want, there needs to be P4 success; I'm not sure who or how they win matters to the P4.

UConn getting into the P4 is not going to be primarily to add the football program. As a result, I think they just need to stack enough wins to eliminate the easy argument that UConn is "one of the worst programs in FBS." Win 8 games even against this schedule regularly and it would go a long way to eliminating that crutch as a reason to not invite UConn (I’m sure another will be found, but.). They need to give the Yormark’s of the world enough help to get things over the goal line.

Exactly, and if you somehow manage to have a great year and go 10-2 it helps even more.

 

[Jetskies]

They need to give the Yormark’s of the world enough help to get things over the goal line.

do you think there is more than 1 yormark?
lol i feel like no one wants us at all except him.
presumably cuz no one has a vision for basketball like he does.

 

[BlueandOG]

This program is close to dead - people get so steamed when I say that but it’s true, we can argue the reasons, but it’s true.

Wrong. The program may have been close to death during Bobby D's flying circus and the RE 2.0 mess; however, the program emerged from the ashes and is on the ascent. All of the key metrics are trending in the right direction: wins/losses, fan attendance, national press coverage, recruiting, and use of the portal. We are poised to maintain, perhaps accelerate, the positive trajectory thanks to 1) NIL, 2) Connecticut's affluence, 3) UConn's fans' willingness to spend money to win, 4) AD Dave, and 5) Coach Mora and his staff. This is an exciting time to be a UConn fan!

 

[JohnFSilver]

lol UConn WOULD beat syracuse and then turn around and lose to UMass the following week.
But i'd take that trade too... i guess?

Yep.

But no one remembers the miss. They remember the win. Its why this season Is frustrating. All anyone would remember if they finished 8-4 was kiss to to all four P4 teams.

They need that win over Cuse
To get legitimacy.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Wrong. The program may have been close to death during Bobby D's flying circus and the RE 2.0 mess; however, the program emerged from the ashes and is on the ascent. All of the key metrics are trending in the right direction: wins/losses, fan attendance, national press coverage, recruiting, and use of the portal. We are poised to maintain, perhaps accelerate, the positive trajectory thanks to 1) NIL, 2) Connecticut's affluence, 3) UConn's fans' willingness to spend money to win, 4) AD Dave, and 5) Coach Mora and his staff. This is an exciting time to be a UConn fan!

People who say program Is close to death whine too much. It is an aspirational thought.

What is the recent event in this state that can potentially draw 30,000 people to it? A concert at Xfinity?

I think those that protest UConn football are off their rockers when they say dead.

We go nuts over 10k for a hoops game, but whine over 30k for a football game. Basketball team couldn't draw 30k on a regular basis, maybe just big games.

 

[B1GEast]

I would have taken ugly wins against Duke or Wake

 

[metsfan2323]

I think most of the complaints are just people who think we are playing the wrong QB. There is sound statistical evidence they are right.

 

[Jetskies]

Yep.

But no one remembers the miss. They remember the win. Its why this season Is frustrating. All anyone would remember if they finished 8-4 was kiss to to all four P4 teams.

They need that win over Cuse
To get legitimacy.

so frustrating. I guarantee the talking twitterheads and podcast-heads will harp on and on about the 4 P4 losses if we end up going 2-1 over the last 3 games here. Heck, We'll even win our bowl game against that meh G5 school.

a 9 win team is "TRASH, BRO".

I am so sick of uconn being pooped on.