Do you actually follow the team, recruiting, pre season practices, etc and the news stories about the team that come out almost daily? Or do you live in Manchuria? If you're such a huge HCRE fan you must have read what he has said about his incoming freshman class, especially those on defense. It may be his best class ever in all the years he has coached at UConn. Especially the lineman and linebackers. Yet you post the following crap....
....and insist on dwelling on last year and projecting that to this year with players RE didn't recruit and players that have graduated. Keep it up, you're doing well, and continue wondering what happened to last year's pass rush. Lol
Yes, I am a big HCRE fan, was an original apologista, and unlike many on here I am willing to be extremely patient with him because he inherited such a dumpster fire. He has two classes under his belt and we won’t see the true fruits of his labor until 2-3 years. I expect this team to consistently go bowling after this season.
With that said, playing true freshman, especially on the lines, will pay dividends down the road, but will likely cause a trying year. Nothing beats game-time experience. But inconsistency will be an issue (Ryan Van Denmark’s freshman year is a good example. The talent was obvious, but he was up and down with technique and missed assignments. But due to that experience, he is poised for a monster year).
I project based off returning players, with the hope many will take big leaps. (And from what I read, players like Coyle and Beavers are ready to become huge playmakers).
Saying that i think this team might win 2-3 games does not make me a lesser fan than you. I want to see improvement on the field this year and that can actually happen without the corresponding wins. Tough for you to understand, I know.
I will be screaming my lungs out supporting these guys next Thursday. I will be rooting for Kevon Jones to have a great game playing down the road from his home. I want Travis Jones to throw offensive lineman into the backfield. I want Kevin Mensah to continue to build off what I saw last year (vision, quickness), I want everyone to see what I believe is one of the best and deepest WR crews we have had here.
And if it doesn’t work out. If they lose by 3 or 45, I will be back the next home game screaming my lungs off again.
I apologize to you if you think that being critical of a team is somehow reflective of someone’s fandom.