Well, it's a full fledged disaster and it's only going to get....

[uconndogs]

.....much, much worse.

I said before the season started that if we could not control the offensive line of scrimmage and run the ball this team would be in enormous trouble with a defense that had huge holes to fill from the previous season.

This team, and in particular the defense, is now completely demoralized. I think TJ is in way over his head and I think he's probably lost the team in terms of getting them ready for games.

How bad is it going to get? Louisville will be playing for style points and revenge for last season's upset. Strong will drop 80 on this program if he gets the chance and if the defense UCONN put on the field yesterday shows up that is a distinct possibility. After that, maybe this group gets up for a home date with Rutgers, but who knows. 0-12 is squarely on the table.

There will not be a sole left on this coaching staff after this season. The rebuilding process will take at least two seasons. There is no reason to believe that we have anything on the OL coming up, we are without a pass rush from our DEs, plain and simple we do not have good RBs, we're in trouble at TE especially if McQuillan goes down, and if Davis jumps we will be young and inexperience with our receivers. From what I can see, I don't think P's rein developed much of anything except horrific OL play and we'll spend the next couple of seasons digging out of the mess.

All this having come out of a BCS bowl....and yes, I know we didn't score a TD from scrimmage against Oklahoma, but we did play a heck of a lot better game than we just did against **ing Bufallo!

 

[Palatine]

Get a grip.

L'ville will not drop 80 at the Rent. They should score plenty with our non-existent pass rush giving QBs all day to pass. But this team is due for some breaks if nothing else. And they do play better at home. UCF was exacerbated by a thousand missed tackles. I don't think they will miss that many in a game again this season.

 

[uconndogs]

I watched the entire debacle yesterday. That defense was ill prepared, unmotivated and is now devoid of fundamentals. If you don't think Louisville can do as much damage or worse than UCF, then I don't know what to tell you. I hope I'm wrong, but when Tymer Brown doesn't breakdown and gets embarrassed by a freshman QB, you can be pretty well assured the wheels have come off. At one point, Hughes grabbed Joseph by the shirt to bring him into a group to talk and Joseph yanked himself away and walked away.

I hope they can regroup, but from where we stand today it's broken.

 

[noeynox]

We haven't won a game. Worst is we don't win a game all year. Every one of your posts speaks to how bad the coaching is, but some of this is on the players as well. When you see a safety come up to make a tackle and get absolutely crushed.... that pretty much summed up the effort on defense. There was none all day on defense. These guys need to look in the mirror and they won't. P already got fired, they can't fire him again. They are playing worse without him. It is a rebuilding job from top to bottom, but there are players out there... that I'm glad some are graduating and there are others who are not who I hope aren't back. No excuse for playing so listlessly. They have gone all out effort wise for one game all year. The Michigan game.

 

[uconndogs]

I know this is piling on and speculation, but I'm wondering if strength and conditioning went out the window as well. Campenni looks like he weighs about 3,000 LBs and it seems we ware down big time late in games especially on the OL. Stewart has not a clue what he's doing. He blitzed in Q1 and whiffed by a mile leaving the whole right side of the field open for the score. I don't think he saw the field after that. I'm going to guess there may have been a reason FLA wanted to move him and his 4*s to FB.

 

[UC990411]

When do we just cut ties with the program and go back to the old big east with our tail between our legs

 

[uconnell]

When do we just cut ties with the program and go back to the old big east with our tail between our legs

No, no, no. We are not quitters. Never go back to the BE.

 

[noeynox]

When do we just cut ties with the program and go back to the old big east with our tail between our legs

Never. It would behoove you to stop dreaming of the days when we once again battle Seton Hall and Villanova. Our dreams are much bigger than that, even if we are now caught in a perpetual nightmare.

 

[uconndogs]

When do we just cut ties with the program and go back to the old big east with our tail between our legs

That's not the intention of my OP. Certainly not. I'm just trying to be realistic about the timeframe necessary to fix this mess.

 

[concerned143]

it will take at least 5 to 6 years to be competitive again. Recruits are going to the other conferences and schools After a few underclass man bail out this year they will have to completely rebuild. Rent expansion is doomed

 

[sportsart]

I know it's easy to blame the players, and they do get some blame here, but I'll say it again..

3 DC's in 4 years

3 OC's in 4 years

An OL coach that did more damage than can be put into words.

A HC that couldn't coach a flea to jump.

An injury to a WR we could not afford.

I have never played football at this high a level and I'm guessing 99% of this board hasn't either. But if you think all of the above does not have a major impact on player's performances you just don't get it.

The biggest damage was done by GDL, in a very big way.

If you've ever been is sales and had your sales manager and upper management changed constantly, with an Alec Baldwin type boss (Glengary Glenn Ross), i.e., GDL, you would get it.

These guys were given very little chance to succeed. If RE was still coach, at the very least, we go bowling the past 2 years. This year, who knows.

If you haven't walked in the players shoes you really just don't know. You may think you do, but you don't. None of us do.

 

[uconnell]

it will take at least 5 to 6 years to be competitive again. Recruits are going to the other conferences and schools After a few underclass man bail out this year they will have to completely rebuild. Rent expansion is doomed

Wow Mr Sunshine, not.

 

[noeynox]

Art, 100%, of the board has never been a high level college coach. Doesn't stop us from holding their feet to the fire. If you think this team has all 11 players playing hard I dont know what to tell you. Hughes gets skewered on this board weekly, yet on the opening drive you have both ashiru and Tymeer whiff on tackles in the backfield on a play that results in a touchdown. Second drive he calls a perfectly timed and concealed blitz that was so poorly played by Stewart it allowed the slow footed Bortles to walk into the endzone. The tackling yesterday was abysmal. That speaks to effort.

When we were transitioning up from the FCS, we were getting hammered but the kids played hard, a game against Va Tech stands out. How this team put forth the effort against Michigan and been virtually a no show for every other gam?. I know the coaching has been horrible, that guy was fired for it. You can't do much more than that. All the bluster about the energy TJ brought has been just that because it really hasn't improved the effort on the field.

Its not easy to blame the players as you say, but let's not lie to ourselves either that these kids are suffering from some sort of Stockholm syndrome as the result of the P era. Their play and effort looks like a team that has quit, and looks a lot like what we saw against Towson. Maybe its warranted given the traumatic experience they've had to endure being coached by P and GDL.

It was clear the players quit on P. P probably deserved it, but that says a lot about the players themselves, once you quit once, it becomes easier to do so in the future. I would not be shocked if the next coach that comes in has to execute a Randy Edsall at Maryland like purge of the roster and start over.

 

[sportsart]

Art, 100%, of the board has never been a high level college coach. Doesn't stop us from holding their feet to the fire. If you think this team has all 11 players playing hard I dont know what to tell you. Hughes gets skewered on this board weekly, yet on the opening drive you have both ashiru and Tymeer whiff on tackles in the backfield on a play that results in a touchdown. Second drive he calls a perfectly timed and concealed blitz that was so poorly played by Stewart it allowed the slow footed Bortles to walk into the endzone. The tackling yesterday was abysmal. That speaks to effort.

When we were transitioning up from the FCS, we were getting hammered but the kids played hard, a game against Va Tech stands out. How this team put forth the effort against Michigan and been virtually a no show for every other gam?. I know the coaching has been horrible, that guy was fired for it. You can't do much more than that. All the bluster about the energy TJ brought has been just that because it really hasn't improved the effort on the field.

Its not easy to blame the players as you say, but let's not lie to ourselves either that these kids are suffering from some sort of Stockholm syndrome as the result of the P era. Their play and effort looks like a team that has quit, and looks a lot like what we saw against Towson. Maybe its warranted given the traumatic experience they've had to endure being coached by P and GDL.

It was clear the players quit on P. P probably deserved it, but that says a lot about the players themselves, once you quit once, it becomes easier to do so in the future. I would not be shocked if the next coach that comes in has to execute a Randy Edsall at Maryland like purge of the roster and start over.

You can continue to blame players all day if you want. But until you walk in their shoes you'll never understand. That's not open for debate.

If you are coached horribly for 2.5 years, have constant coaching changes and philosophies thrust upon you, you are given next to no chance to succeed.

If you have no idea what it's like, how can you judge them? They are in an impossible situation. Just because you and others think you know doesn't mean you do.

Everyone has an opinion, and that's great, but it's really just that...opinions. It's not fact.

The only ones who know the facts are people who have walked in their shoes.

BTW...poor tackling technique was not a huge issue for this team, for the most part, in the past. But when you don't know what you are supposed to be doing and are not focused, you exhibit these lack of fundamentals. Coaching changes and coordinator changes will do that. Keep in mind PP was calling most of the defense this year.

 

[noeynox]

I'll agree to disagree with you, because I know you're close with player families. I think that sometimes slants your perspective, and clearly provides with a walk in their shoes perspective I'm not privy to. Nothing you stated has changed my mind about the effort. It has been clear going back to the Buffalo game, but even in the very first game of the year the signs were there.

 

[metsfan2323]

I'm hopeful Warde will make a good hire and things will be much better next year. There is talent on the roster. This season has snowballed into a mess but good coaching and leadership can turn the program around quickly.

2013 is better then 2012 because PGDL are gone and we have a new coach to look forward to, plus we might still beat Rutgers.

The worst thing that could have happened this year would be 6-6 and another year of PGDL, I prefer what we are going through now and wish this happened last year.

 

[sportsart]

I'll agree to disagree with you, because I know you're close with player families. I think that sometimes slants your perspective, and clearly provides with a walk in their shoes perspective I'm not privy to. Nothing you stated has changed my mind about the effort. It has been clear going back to the Buffalo game, but even in the very first game of the year the signs were there.

I know 3 parents of players on this team. Don't believe everything you read. Slanted I'm not. Honest enough to say I'm ignorant to what the players are going through.

 

[Pudge]

I think many of you are weak-minded. The Sun will come out tomorrow ... ('bet your bottom dollar ..")

We are a young Team; and restless and immature and lacking confidence. But, I don't think ... EVER ... that we are that far from our talent level of 2003-2011. I just don't think that happened. We play good opponents (Cincinnati and UCF) in a away game environments ... and we puke all over ourselves. One good home game ... maybe Louisville. Maybe one of the others ... and a win. We won't go 0-12.

And picking ourselves up (and I am fully aware HOW AWFUL this is doing to our National Perception) ... will not be all that difficult. NOTE the media and individuals pissing on us now: they never liked us. They want Kevin Ollie to fail. Geno. We are going to come back.

 

[uconndogs]

This team is not young Pudge. Both lines are full of upper classman and on offense, when Whitmer was QB, most of the skill positions were filled with RS Jrs. We're in a bad spot. I'm confident we'll come out of it, but it will take time.

 

[Carl Spackler]

You can continue to blame players all day if you want. But until you walk in their shoes you'll never understand. That's not open for debate.

If you are coached horribly for 2.5 years, have constant coaching changes and philosophies thrust upon you, you are given next to no chance to succeed.

If you have no idea what it's like, how can you judge them? They are in an impossible situation. Just because you and others think you know doesn't mean you do.

Everyone has an opinion, and that's great, but it's really just that...opinions. It's not fact.

The only ones who know the facts are people who have walked in their shoes.

BTW...poor tackling technique was not a huge issue for this team, for the most part, in the past. But when you don't know what you are supposed to be doing and are not focused, you exhibit these lack of fundamentals. Coaching changes and coordinator changes will do that. Keep in mind PP was calling most of the defense this year.

Ok - quick question - I don't give a hoot about what you think of Pasqualoni as a coach, and if the palyers liked him or not.

Is the defense better now, or worse since Pasqualoni was fired and running the defense? Is the entire team playing better now, or worse since Pasqualoni was fired? Answer that honestly.

Don't get me wrong, Pasqualoni had to go, and he had to go because he failed to fire his buddy Deleone after last season, and I believe whole heartedly that his allegiance to Deleone is what cost him the trust and support of his players - so he had to go.

But you are being dishonest and misguided if you can't see that the players are responsible for what's happening on the field now, and that they are worse without Pasqualoni as the head coach.

There is partial effort all over the place, there are stupid penalties being committed all over the place by both freshmen and extended year seniors, and there are players that have no business, talent wise, effort wise, and leadership wise to be showboating, and there is no discipline in place to point out that you better frigging get back to the huddle and do your job as accurately and forcefully and with the most effort you can, and do what you can for the team to get a win, before you go out and put some kind of nonsense celebration together after a play on TV being broadcast across the entire country.

Trust me - if I had my way, Lyle McCombs would never play another down of UCONN football after his reaction to the long run on Saturday, and he's just the most visible example, there are more. It would be done, because there are no players on the team to take care of the attitude problem on their own.

This entire program needs to clean house. Randy Edsall's greatest strength, which eventually became his greatest fault at UCONN, was his micromanagement, - but his micromanagement, created the will to win, by demanding that players be disciplined and committed to the team and play with a chip on their shoulders at all time to be on top on the scoreboard - playing to win - at all times.

I remember when Jordan Todman scored against Notre Dame, and did the touchdown Jesus impersonation. Edsall, ran out on the field as he was coming off, and freaked out about as hard as I did on Saturday in my living room, when McCombs flexed his arms after running play on Saturday that didn't even result in a touchdown because he's too slow.

The difference? McCombs has done nothing, hje didn't even score!!! He got caught from behind AGAIN - by a player cutting across the entire field that was faster, and his team is winless, and undisciplined and has accomplished NOTHING but the worst season in 35 years of UCONN football. Todman's teams were winning and disciplined. Donald Brown was a huge trash talker - but they won, and were disciplined.

THis entire 2013 team is playing with leadership from the players, that is very much like they have a sense of entitlement, that they are better than they are because they play at UCONN, and have friends in the NFL, and Weist's has enabled it. You want to blame coaches, sure - they deserve a good portion of the blame, but the coaching has changed, the players have not.

They are an 0-7 team and getting worse, and every single one of them better look in the mirror and decide what kind of football player they are going to be, and leaders, disciplinary leaders, the emotional leaders, and the players that truly care about the scoreboard, need to get up and do something, or this team will continue to fold like a house of cards in the remaining 5 games.

I swear, I am still fuming, that there is no one on this roster or coaching staff, preferably a player, that was tearing McCombs a new after that play and showboat on the sidelines, and grabbing him by the head and forcing him to look at the scoreboard. For me - the game was over - that early. It was 7-0 on the scoreboard, and our players are celebrating on the sideline after a NON-scoring play.

That little arm flex was seen by UCONN fans from the east coast to California, and those of us that know what we're looking at felt the same way. I'm not joking about that.

Yes - I'm making example of him - somebody's got to, because that single play, and his reaction, and the team's reaction to him, sums up entirely in my little world, why this team is 0-7 and getting worse.

I believe 1000%, that if the attitude that I portray here, existed, and that someone - more importantly a player - not the coaches - was there to set McCombs straight after that play - in the way I"ve described, that we would not be a winless team, and threatening to go winless for an entire season.

But no TJ Weist - you are wrong - we WERE an 0-6 team,. and they want to Orlando and played like an 0-6 team, and they are now an 0-7 team.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Get a grip.

L'ville will not drop 80 at the Rent. They should score plenty with our non-existent pass rush giving QBs all day to pass. But this team is due for some breaks if nothing else. And they do play better at home. UCF was exacerbated by a thousand missed tackles. I don't think they will miss that many in a game again this season.

UCF could have easily put up over 70 points. They started pulling starters in the third quarter. I kind of wish that O'Leary hadn't taken the foot off the pedal.

Our players need to be taught some humility.

 

[businesslawyer]

I think many of you are weak-minded. The Sun will come out tomorrow ... ('bet your bottom dollar ..")

Is there any surer sign about how far we've fallen than having to watch Pudge resort to quoting Broadway show tunes? (Not that there's anything wrong with that my friend.)

 

[Jimdish255]

Pretty sure we took care of the humility thing. At this point I wouldn't advocate wholesale changes except for the guys who are showing a total lack of discipline. They can take the first half off next week. The thing that keeps sticking out in my mind was the late shove out of bounds. If a team is really hitting people they don't need to do that, and if they do they don't let up. Partly frustration on his part, but I'd like to see a few more hard hits from whoever is ready. And maybe give Wilbert Lee a shot somewhere.

If things don't improve in 2 weeks we need to see lots of new faces. Cycle them in and see if we have players who are still hungry. I'll bet we do. I feel for the players but it does them no good feeling sorry for themselves. Show up for the game and let's hope we never see this week again.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Pretty sure we took care of the humility thing. At this point I wouldn't advocate wholesale changes except for the guys who are showing a total lack of discipline. They can take the first half off next week. The thing that keeps sticking out in my mind was the late shove out of bounds. If a team is really hitting people they don't need to do that, and if they do they don't let up. Partly frustration on his part, but I'd like to see a few more hard hits from whoever is ready. And maybe give Wilbert Lee a shot somewhere.

If things don't improve in 2 weeks we need to see lots of new faces. Cycle them in and see if we have players who are still hungry. I'll bet we do. I feel for the players but it does them no good feeling sorry for themselves. Show up for the game and let's hope we never see this week again.

I don't feel bad for the players at all. I lost my chance, and had to pay for my education.

 

[Carl Spackler]

look guys - I'm livid - if you can't tell, at the effort, and more specifically - the attitude - I see on the field from this entire team. They are entitled to NOTHING. They've earned nothing but the label of the worst BCS conference team in the country.

They've got an opportunity to change that. They don't have to finish the season as the worst BCS conference team in the country. But it's their responsibility to change that. The coaches - they're not dumb - they'll come up with decent game plans, but the players got to practice and go out and do it. This never changes - it's football. What changes, is the attitude and effort, and that can change quick - and slower change over time, is talent and skill level.

The players aren't going to change the future of the program, the leadership above anyone in the football offices is responsible for that now, but if these guys can't see, that they hold the rest of the season in their own hands, and more importantly their own futures, in their own hands, and do something positive with it - it's entirely their own fault.