What are you looking forward to next year?

[EdgewoodNHV]

Between all of the "Screw P and GDL" threads, this place is really starting to turn into a buzzkill. It's not even pleasant to visit the BY forums these days.

So let me ask a question: What are you looking forward to next year regarding our team? Here are a few things I am interested in:

1. Cochran getting a shot
2. Further development of Whitmer
3. Another year of the beast that is Yawin Smallwood

 

[metsfan2323]

A new offensive coordinator
A new offensive line coach
Whitmer
Cochran
A new offensive coordinator
Rickey Guttierez
Hopefully the emergence of another running back (mariner)
Zach Rugg
Tyler Samra
Hemmingway
A new offensive line coach
The transfer linebacker from Florida

 

[UConnMatt813]

1.) The development of Whitmer
2.) Shak Phillips & Geremy Davis
3.) The next line of UConn linebackers
4.) Stomping Maryland & Michigan

 

[ZooCougar]

The day P and D clean out their offices.

I have no confidence in these two clowns.

 

[Husky68]

Posters that don't find it pleasant to visit the Boneyard anymore stop posting.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

The day P and D clean out their offices.

I have no confidence in these two clowns.

Hey, as long as you get to hijack another thread with your complaining, I don't see what the problem is.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Posters that don't find it pleasant to visit the Boneyard anymore stop posting.

Not true. One can exercise some control and even attempt to, oh, I don't know, improve things?

 

[uconndogs]

First, to have any hope for success next season we have to re-establish a solid running game. That will depend a lot on the development of the young OLmen in the classes of 11 and 12, and the development of a back to compliment or suplant McCombs. If our running game is at or near the bottom of college football next season as it was this past season we will be a 2 or 3 win team.

Second, I am optimistic that in Whitmer we have solid QB. His continued development and the ability to provide him pass protection will be key. A solid running game will go a long way in providing this. I think Davis and Philips offer some real promise as our WRs.

Third, the defense will need to replace two NFL caliber LBs and CBs and a two-time all-conference DE. With the return of Smallwood and hopefully Joseph and the group we have at LB I think the front seven is solid. CB is going to be a real crapshoot and we need some young guys to step up there. I hated to lose Brown, but there is a part of me that wonders how effective his style was likely to be without Blidi and Gratz around for man coverage.

My summary is this. If we don't have an OL ready to run the football with a bigger back used to compliment McCombs I don't see how we get to a bowl. In fact, knowing the defense is not likely to be nearly as good, it could be an unmitigated disaster. Given the nonsense we saw on the offensive side of the ball the last two seasons I am not optimistic.

GDL made this offense way too complicated and I am pretty sure that is because he viewed the talent as subpar and felt he could compensate for that with his superior football intelect.....and, yes, there is sarcasm there, but not so much.........

 

[Jimdish255]

Our QB and RB play should be much improved with solid recievers. But
until GDL is separated from this offense I'll be looking forward to the wine in my cellar getting a year older. It's a shame because metsfan makes some good points about our new guys which could be wasted if Whitmer is getting pounded like he did this year, and we have a 1 rb rotation with stale play calling.

 

[ktuck911]

Right now it's hard to look forward to anything with this team... We are still in the dark with are coaching status.... Unless somebody on here is actually apart of the entire process and truly knows what's going on... As far as we know we don't have a complete coaching staff..no DC, no ST, no RB coach... Our current conference affiliation future is in limbo.. We know nothing as alumns/supports/fans of UCONN football. I can't honestly have anything to look forward to until I find out more of where we're going from the top down, which should happen at or around Feb. 6th...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

1. What will our OL look like? Does Bockeloh get a shot? Does Bennett return? Who starts at OG? IMO all 5 spots should be open to competition. Nobody should have a spot locked up. Nobody.

2. I'd like to see more of J. Williams running the football. Or at least more than just McCombs.

3. Dhameer Bradley

 

[jackl]

A) A decent offensive scheme
B) Better use of our time outs
C) The coaches out coaching the fans for once
D) Developing running backs including Reuben Franks at FB
E) Fannies in the stands before the National Anthem
F) More 3:00PM games, no midweek games for TV sake
(I'm retired and I think these suck)
G) A solid conference landing Somewhere

Not Too Much but one can dream.

 

[huskymedic]

Right now it's hard to look forward to anything with this team... We are still in the dark with are coaching status.... Unless somebody on here is actually apart of the entire process and truly knows what's going on... As far as we know we don't have a complete coaching staff..no DC, no ST, no RB coach... Our current conference affiliation future is in limbo.. We know nothing as alumns/supports/fans of UCONN football. I can't honestly have anything to look forward to until I find out more of where we're going from the top down, which should happen at or around Feb. 6th...

Here - look forward to this enthusiasm...

RichardLagow 12:46am via Twitter for iPhone
the first time I throw @TommyMyers7 @ImSoFarSoGone and @DBradley_7 tds we are gonna get hyped... we have to get the #Rent ROCKIN

 

[huskymedic]

. 3. Dhameer Bradley

DBradley_7 12:57am via Twitter for Android
When I score my first touchdown I'm gonna jump in the dog pound.. #UConn #HuskyNation

DBradley_7 1:42am via Twitter for Android
I don't know about other recruits but I got something to prove in 2013... Always been #underestimated . #BleedBlue #HuskyNation

 

[pj]

GDL made this offense way too complicated and I am pretty sure that is because he viewed the talent as subpar and felt he could compensate for that with his superior football intelect.....and, yes, there is sarcasm there, but not so much.........

This is my belief too. I think he may also be a control freak and it may be more important to him that he personally win / demonstrate his genius than that his team / players win. Thus he is reluctant to give his players options to audible/react to what they see on the field. But I am only guessing, I would like to hear what players think in private.

 

[uconNYC]

I'm looking forward to seeing Michigan and Maryland at the Rent. That is about it.

 

[uconndogs]

This is my belief too. I think he may also be a control freak and it may be more important to him that he personally win / demonstrate his genius than that his team / players win. Thus he is reluctant to give his players options to audible/react to what they see on the field. But I am only guessing, I would like to hear what players think in private.

I think it may be even more basic than that. As much as many folks want to wing the ball all over the field, most college games are won with solid defense, ball control and limiting turnovers. Under Edsall we got to a point where those fundementals to winning were pretty well embedded in the program. Granted, he may of had his limits in further development of the program, but with that approach a lot of games were won. In particular, our OLs were very physical and well conditioned. Late in games they took over and pushed folks around. Now, that critical aspect of our game no longer exists. That we are so impotent in the second half of games tells me a couple of things. One, our coaching staff cannot make the necessary adjustments and, two, our line is not well conditioned. Just basic stuff.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm looking forward to:

1) 14-0
2) Whitmer improving in his decision-making and check-downs, thus limiting interceptions and increasing productivity. Also to get a look at Cochran after a year of prep.
3) The offensive line getting better in both run and pass protection, due to 1 year more experience and weight room (Friend, Mateas, Bullock, Greene, Cruz, Samra, *Bennett, etc.).
4) The wide receiving corps getting better through the steady improvement of players like Geremy Davis and Shakim Phillips, as well as the arrival of players like Dhameer Bradley and Noel Thomas, etc.
5) Watching how Graham Stewart develops as an LB, along with Donohue and Vann, to join with Smallwood.
6) 14-0

Plenty more to look forward to, but I'll restrict my list to this for now...

 

[weyuo]

Between all of the "Screw P and GDL" threads, this place is really starting to turn into a buzzkill. It's not even pleasant to visit the BY forums these days.

I agree 100%. Some of these broken records are getting down right boring. But...back to your main topic, what I am looking forward to in 2013:

1. Most importantly and most immediately, who Coach P taps for the next D-Coordinator. If it's gonna be Hughes we should hear this week only because that would help slow down the whirlwind of uncertainty around Husky Nation.
2. How the 6'5" kid from Texas does in the Spring game and what does he bring to the table. Can he run the wildcat? I know he'll most likely red-shirt to grab some weight, get acclimated to what P&D want on offense and to get used to D-1 speed but lets face it, Whitmer was a temporary plug-in for a team that was QB-less and Cochran might be the real deal but he has to prove it first. Lets keep in mind he's the shortest of all the QB's. Might not mean anything, might mean a lot.
3. Want to see a lot more Joe Williams and Max DeLorenzo. McCombs is the man but he can't break tackles, just not enough meat on them bones to out muscle linebackers. The competition at Tight End should be fun to watch also.
4. I want to see Puyol boot a 55-yarder.
5. I want to see what Stewart can do.
6. I want to see what they do about the loss of Nick Williams. Who's back on punts and kickoffs.
7. I want to see some surprise signees that were not on anyone's radar but gets some excitement going about this program. Feb. 6th is like a second Christmas. Lets hope it's a merry one.
8. I want to see UConn upset Michigan and give this program some credibility. I want to see Randy get boo-ed off the field.
9. I'd like to hear rumblings by this time next year of a new all sports conference brewing in the North with NBC working the back burners to help convince schools that a new version of the Big East(call it the Big North if it saves being litigated against for years) makes more sense for fans than traveling down to the Carolina's and farther south.
10. Mostly I'd like to see a lot less sniping at the program by folks in here in 2013.

 

[B1GEast]

Lagow under center

 

[Husky25]

I'm looking forward to my buddy's venison burgers. I'm also looking forward to my other buddy's grilled pizza....Im looking forward to my son's first live football experience (He was too young this year). Oh you mean on the field? Let me get back to you...

 

[coachcap]

Looking forward to:
1. National signing day to see which young men wish to represent my alma mater both on the field & in the classroom.
2. Blue & White Spring game for an excuse to tailgate & to get a glimpse of how the team is shaping up.
3. Welcoming Michigan to the Rent. They are the highest rated non conference opponent ever to visit the Airstrip. (Their new QB is scary good).
4. FHCRE on the visitors side of the field. I hope that UConn crushes Maryland.
5. Enough UConn wins to ensure a trip to a post season bowl game.
6. Major improvement in the offense in all phases. Put the best players on the field.

 

[rich1122]

So far not one rant about firing anybody. Actual positive football talk. Wow.


In general more games like Louisville.


Another year from Whitmer. Gradually he began to make better decisions and the picks did drop in the 2nd half of the year I am sure. He is a gamer.

Redshirt OL pushing the existing line. Last year we took Rugg Levy and Samra as scholarship players. Hopefully we see Rennick Bryan someday.

Punishing D Line. Those young kids stepped up. Get Joseph back!! Myers Battles Norris all 3-Star

Backers look real good still. Can we keep Smallwood out of the NFL?

WR Gutierrez and speedster Green. Neally Cunningham at Military Academy in New Mexico??

Joe Williams to get into the act. Did he lose the Red Shirt?

Worried TE CB.

 

[metsfan2323]

Lagow (if he comes here) should not be expected to play at all next year. If he does play it probably means Whitmer and Cochran have been injured and we are in the middle of a terrible season. Even the great Johnny Manzel didn't play as a Freshmen.

 

[Husky25]

Looking forward to:
...
6. Major improvement in the offense in all phases. Put the best players on the field.

... Put the best players on the field in a position to be successful on each and every play...