WATCH: Randy Edsall on What Makes Freshman OL Ryan Van Demark Unique

[UConn07]

 

[History Geek]

This video makes me very excited. Yes, RVD looked like a freshman at times (I remember him getting schooled on an inside spin move once), but I saw what HCRE saw -- and underweight but athletic freshman tackle holding his own. Huge potential.

 

[Husky25]

The kid is going to be easy to root for.

 

[huskymedic]

Yes, RVD looked like a freshman at times (I remember him getting schooled on an inside spin move once)...

He knew it too... From the a Fuller article in ECU Game Week Thread (good read if you didn't see it there):

>>However, rather than pat himself on the back for one of the most impressive blocks in the game, the first play he mentioned was one that didn't go quite as well. "One play I overstepped the guy and he came inside so you can't really do that but going against a different color jersey it helped," Van Demark said.<<

Another that will be real easy to root for w/ his attitude that was captured in full article:

>>I asked Edsall how many times he played a true freshman at offensive tackle. "Not a 261-pound tackle," Edsall said. "He is a competitor, what you look at is do they have the confidence in themselves to handle that situation. If I can look into a kid's eyes and tell if he's got that competitiveness, that want to go out there, know that he is not going to back down." Edsall said the plan was the use Van Demark on every third series and to him credit, it wasn't immediately evident that he had replaced Hopkins in the Virginia game. He most noteworthy moment came when he went about 20 yards down the field to throw a block on a screen pass to Arkeel Newsome.<<

>>Van Demark committed to UConn only a couple of weeks before Bob Diaco was fired which made for some anxious times. "The coaching change was pretty tough," Van Demark said. "When I heard that Edsall got rehired, I was pretty ecstatic coming from his rep and when I heard Coach Grimes was coming to UConn, that was like, 'OK, UConn is it, let's go.' Coach Edsall came down to the Hun School to meet me and once I met him I knew I wanted him to be my coach."<<

 

[SubbaBub]

Was this kid a Diaco recruit or a late pick up by RE?

 

[gioff23]

I like the kids we have along the OL, including the 18 recruit. It may take a bit, but I definitely see light at the end of tunnel

 

[huskymedic]

Was this kid a Diaco recruit or a late pick up by RE?

From the Fuller article linked in post above:

>>Van Demark committed to UConn only a couple of weeks before Bob Diaco was fired which made for some anxious times. "The coaching change was pretty tough," Van Demark said. "When I heard that Edsall got rehired, I was pretty ecstatic coming from his rep and when I heard Coach Grimes was coming to UConn, that was like, 'OK, UConn is it, let's go.' Coach Edsall came down to the Hun School to meet me and once I met him I knew I wanted him to be my coach."<<

 

[Pudge]

This should be obvious ...

For the last 10 years, we continue to have this debate about "recruiting" ... and why can't we GRAB more OLine guys with bigtime P5 offers. This little story tells you a lot. EDSALL ... for the first time in the last 6 years ... is, once again, talking about "smart" kids on the OLine: Cam DeGeorge and Ryan Van Demark. This was an emphasis with HCRE back to when it was Krug, Markowski et al. Find raw kids with confidence/competitiveness. Coach them up. In 4 years, I expect Peart & Van Demark & DeGeorge + others to make up a solid OLine; it is what we did before. They are kids - amongst the 39m Demo of the Tri-State + New England - that UConn can be a prime football Program. In the long run, IMHO, this is the core of why we can be a good top 40 FBS Program ... and not a frigging messy me-too.