WHAT I BELIEVE ABOUT BOB DIACO

[Confident Carl]

Carl, don't buy into that BS, AAU status and transcripts do not matter...it's big time college athletics. On field performance, fan support/TV ratings, merch dollars that's what matters.

Not if you want to get into the B1G! Scholastic ratings and AAU matters! Nebraska just lost their AAU status around the time they were entering the B1G. However UCONN chances of a B1G invite would be greatly enhanced if they belonged to the Association of Accredited Universities.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...ska-chancellor-harvey-perlman-big-ten-members

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Not if you want to get into the B1G! Scholastic ratings and AAU matters! Nebraska just lost their AAU status around the time they were entering the B1G. However UCONN chances of a B1G invite would be greatly enhanced if they belonged to the Association of Accredited Universities.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...ska-chancellor-harvey-perlman-big-ten-members

That crap is a red herring. The B1G took a name brand school in the first round (Nebraska) and then went heavy for markets (NY & DC) the second round. Academics played little to no role at all. Our academics are plenty good enough for the B1G. Unfortunately we don't have the cache of a Nebraska or the geographic golden ticket that the other 2 schools have.

 

[Confident Carl]

Recruiting class 2015 rankings.... #76 Rivals #83 247Sports #100 Scout ... well at least they are big and tall

As long as he promised a conference championship, I say we keep him

Read what Bob Diaco says about the star system. Don't get me wrong, I will take a bucket load of 5 stars but listen to what he says:

Diaco was more direct on the ratings.

"The star rating is ridiculous, convoluted, non-essential for team building," he said. "It is a fan, money-making component, which I respect and I'm good on. I love the fact that football — high school, [youth] football, college football — gets more and more and more [publicity] and press and excitement. That's not a bad thing, but we're not going to do our business based on it. And whether one guy was a one-star, two-star, four-star, five-star is irrelevant to what our needs are."

It's all about the evaluation of players and then the development of those players that will determine success.

"They key is, if you're UConn and you don't win games, you're not going to win the hearts of the four- or five-star ballplayers right now," Lemming said. "So what you do is make sure your coaching staff is out there working their butts off to find athletes that are going to develop into four- or five-star type-players while the big schools don't take a chance on them. Barry Alvarez did that at Wisconsin, Kirk Ferentz did it at Iowa. They turned around programs that were struggling, and they turned them around by evaluating and developing.

"There's no secret, genius coach out there ... you win with impact players. If you can't get them outright, you get ones that have the potential to be an impact player and develop them, and that comes down to very, very strenuous and hard-working recruiters that know how to get there and get the job done."

Brian Dohn, the northeast recruiting analyst for Scout.com, said you can't compare this round of recruiting to any other at UConn, but he sees the path Diaco is following.

"He's done a good job assembling guys that have certain characteristics: big frames, athletic but need to grow into their bodies a little more or need to develop physically," Dohn said. "I've seen a lot of the players, and there's a lot of talent there. It's a class heavy on projection, and I mean that in a good way. You look at a kid like Tyler Davis who I've seen a few times. He throws a good ball. Refine his mechanics a little bit, get him stronger and he could have really good arm strength.

"Kevin Murphy [defensive tackle from West Chester, Pa.]? I love Kevin Murphy. He's a grinder. His motor never stops. Ian Campbell [Pompton Plains, N.J.] is a big tight end. If he gets bigger and stronger — I always think of UConn as having good tight ends — I think he can fit that mold. Nazir Williams [wide receiver from Bridgeton, N.J.] can play a couple of positions. He just needs to get a little bit stronger. I think if you look at what Diaco has done ... recruiting is about projections. He has taken kids that are athletic and maybe slightly under being BCS kids, but that's the situation they're in."

Diaco alluded to that reality as well.

"It's important that everybody understand it's a different parameter now, period," he said. "We don't play in a BCS conference. We don't have an automatic tie-in. There's a conversation about the Power 5. It's just flat-out the reality.

"Now, can we put a good-to-great team together? Absolutely. And we will — with the guys we need."

Diaco said he has the best strength and conditioning coach in the United States in Matt Balis, who has been working to change body composition of players so each is in optimal condition to perform.

 

[Confident Carl]

That crap is a red herring. The B1G took a name brand school in the first round (Nebraska) and then went heavy for markets (NY & DC) the second round. Academics played little to no role at all. Our academics are plenty good enough for the B1G. Unfortunately we don't have the cache of a Nebraska or the geographic golden ticket that the other 2 schools have.

It's not crap. Rutgers and Maryland are both AAU members. Nebraska lost their accreditation around the same time they entered the B1G. They are the only school in the B1G that is not an AAU member.

http://studychacha.com/discuss/192770-list-aau-accredited-universities.html

 

[Husky68]

That's Carl's Number 3. He could have thrown more to Davis and played him a lot more. Instead of going for the wins he decided to work the younger guys. Davis not part of the future.

Here is another. I really think we could have gotten more out the Wildcat with Foxx. 3rd and 1 against SMU and we could get that. Instead go up the middle and have to punt. Why? no Foxx and no Wildcat next year. Why should they waste plays.

What intrigues me is that they almost NEVER threw to a TE. Bloom caught a TD otherwise zero. Claxx never materialized out of the backfield.

How much did playing Whitmer help next year? How does playing any senior help next year unless having the best guy play and winning this year helps next year?

Don't understand how playing to win this year hurts next year. It's not like the starters were so good that the 2nd string could not get any burn, or that injuries wouldn't get younger guys playing time or that didn't need to keep DL fresh by playing a lot of guys.

Had 4 running backs with oldest a junior. Lot of young TE's. These guys were going to play even if fhcRE was the coach, needed bodies out there.









Had

 

[nycscooby]

It's not crap. Rutgers and Maryland are both AAU members. Nebraska lost their accreditation around the same time they entered the B1G. They are the only school in the B1G that is not an AAU member.

http://studychacha.com/discuss/192770-list-aau-accredited-universities.html

Carl, let's just say that the importance of those criteria are wildly inflated. I'm not saying there's no importance attached to them but that wouldn't be too far from the truth.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

And you don't think Bob Diaco and staff shared a vision to his 20 recruits? You have to be kidding me!

Well then let's see how his recruiting classes (this one and the next one) go.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Then you would do better off being a North Carolina fan. I don't think they care about real college courses or transcripts and those types of thing as well. Did you like it when UCONN men's Bball was suspended from post season play two years ago because of poor test scores? Also if you have any desire for UCONN to go to the B1G you had better care about transcripts/character/background checks. UCONN is close to becoming an AAU university and trust me, transcripts matter!

And even more importantly, just win baby. Gonna play against the big boys, you better have the big boy talent to match it. UConn's gonna need to take chances on kids because the choir boy types (if they are talented) are gonna be at the Notre Dames of the college football world.

 

[Confident Carl]

How much did playing Whitmer help next year? How does playing any senior help next year unless having the best guy play and winning this year helps next year?

Don't understand how playing to win this year hurts next year. It's not like the starters were so good that the 2nd string could not get any burn, or that injuries wouldn't get younger guys playing time or that didn't need to keep DL fresh by playing a lot of guys.

Had 4 running backs with oldest a junior. Lot of young TE's. These guys were going to play even if fhcRE was the coach, needed bodies out there.

The quarterback situation was kind of weird. It was always a fluid situation. Once Casey was out, it became clear that Whitmer was the better QB/leader. My guess is that Diaco stuck with him and gave Boyle limited play for any of the following or all of the above:
1. He made certain commitments to Chandler to convince him to come back and wanted to keep his word
2. He had a better chance of winning (even with all the experimentation) with Whitmer
3. Early on he didn't want to get Boyle too discouraged or too beat up because of inexperience and poor O line play
4. Prior to the Army loss there was an outside chance UCONN could become Bowl eligible
5. Once we were no longer Bowl eligible and the line play improved we saw more of Boyle and less of Whitmer







Had

 

[whaler11]

Football coach tree:

If recruiting class is highly ranked: Ignore our record the calvary is coming.

If recruiting class isn't highly ranked;
Ignore our record and class ranking the calvary is coming.

 

[UconnFamily]

Read what Bob Diaco says about the star system. Don't get me wrong, I will take a bucket load of 5 stars but listen to what he says:

Diaco was more direct on the ratings.

"The star rating is ridiculous, convoluted, non-essential for team building," he said. "It is a fan, money-making component, which I respect and I'm good on. I love the fact that football — high school, [youth] football, college football — gets more and more and more [publicity] and press and excitement. That's not a bad thing, but we're not going to do our business based on it. And whether one guy was a one-star, two-star, four-star, five-star is irrelevant to what our needs are."

It's all about the evaluation of players and then the development of those players that will determine success.

"They key is, if you're UConn and you don't win games, you're not going to win the hearts of the four- or five-star ballplayers right now," Lemming said. "So what you do is make sure your coaching staff is out there working their butts off to find athletes that are going to develop into four- or five-star type-players while the big schools don't take a chance on them. Barry Alvarez did that at Wisconsin, Kirk Ferentz did it at Iowa. They turned around programs that were struggling, and they turned them around by evaluating and developing.

"There's no secret, genius coach out there ... you win with impact players. If you can't get them outright, you get ones that have the potential to be an impact player and develop them, and that comes down to very, very strenuous and hard-working recruiters that know how to get there and get the job done."

Brian Dohn, the northeast recruiting analyst for Scout.com, said you can't compare this round of recruiting to any other at UConn, but he sees the path Diaco is following.

"He's done a good job assembling guys that have certain characteristics: big frames, athletic but need to grow into their bodies a little more or need to develop physically," Dohn said. "I've seen a lot of the players, and there's a lot of talent there. It's a class heavy on projection, and I mean that in a good way. You look at a kid like Tyler Davis who I've seen a few times. He throws a good ball. Refine his mechanics a little bit, get him stronger and he could have really good arm strength.

"Kevin Murphy [defensive tackle from West Chester, Pa.]? I love Kevin Murphy. He's a grinder. His motor never stops. Ian Campbell [Pompton Plains, N.J.] is a big tight end. If he gets bigger and stronger — I always think of UConn as having good tight ends — I think he can fit that mold. Nazir Williams [wide receiver from Bridgeton, N.J.] can play a couple of positions. He just needs to get a little bit stronger. I think if you look at what Diaco has done ... recruiting is about projections. He has taken kids that are athletic and maybe slightly under being BCS kids, but that's the situation they're in."

Diaco alluded to that reality as well.

"It's important that everybody understand it's a different parameter now, period," he said. "We don't play in a BCS conference. We don't have an automatic tie-in. There's a conversation about the Power 5. It's just flat-out the reality.

"Now, can we put a good-to-great team together? Absolutely. And we will — with the guys we need."

Diaco said he has the best strength and conditioning coach in the United States in Matt Balis, who has been working to change body composition of players so each is in optimal condition to perform.

I'm sorry Carl stars do matter, nothings perfect, so of course there's some flaws, but for some to say the star system is just for show is ridiculous. Yes, it's part for fans, but at the same time these recruiting sites put effort in evaluating a lot of these athletes.

We recruit majority of 2* players and then when we can barely beat STONY BROOK, or lose to Tulane, Army, etc... that's when we say we lack talent. The same people who say we lack talent are the ones who defend the 2* players. Most, not all, impact players in D1 football are 3, 4, and 5 * recruits and that's a fact. Two star recruits are projects, not all can come in right away and compete, most you have to red shirt. Unlike most 4 and 5 * players, they can come in and make an impact immediately. If we want to win and compete with the best then we HAVE to focus on at least recruiting more 3* star athletes than 2* athletes. We have according to Rivals four 3* players and 16 or 17 2* players for 2015.

Diaco recruited a lot of 3, 4, and 5 star players at Notre Damn, and at the same time he says recruiting stars doesn't mean anything.

 

[Confident Carl]

I'm sorry Carl stars do matter, nothings perfect, so of course there's some flaws, but for some to say the star system is just for show is ridiculous. Yes, it's part for fans, but at the same time these recruiting sites put effort in evaluating a lot of these athletes.

We recruit majority of 2* players and then when we can barely beat STONY BROOK, or lose to Tulane, Army, etc... that's when we say we lack talent. The same people who say we lack talent are the ones who defend the 2* players. Most, not all, impact players in D1 football are 3, 4, and 5 * recruits and that's a fact. Two star recruits are projects, not all can come in right away and compete, most you have to red shirt. Unlike most 4 and 5 * players, they can come in and make an impact immediately. If we want to win and compete with the best then we HAVE to focus on at least recruiting more 3* star athletes than 2* athletes. We have according to Rivals four 3* players and 16 or 17 2* players for 2015.

Diaco recruited a lot of 3, 4, and 5 star players at Notre Damn, and at the same time he says recruiting stars doesn't mean anything.

I know it sounds like I was promoting that stars don't matter to Bob Diaco and you are correct in pointing out that there is validity in the star system.

I would rather have a coach that preaches he can coach 2 & 3 star players up and that he doesn't rely on the star system, than have a coach say we're fucxxed because we can't land 4 & 5 star players.

There are legitimate 4 & 5 star players in the system for sure and everyone wants them. What he is saying is there are many 4 & 5 stars players that shouldn't be rated that highly and there are 2 & 3 star players that should be rated higher.

Good shoppers know how to find bargains and diamonds in the rough! Diaco was saying that the star system is overrated!

Gino is a great coach but he is always landing the best players in the World! Alabama and the other top P5's go after the 4 & 5 star players. Diaco knows where he is at strategically. He saw the success that Iowa had when competing against Michigan and Ohio State in the Big 10. He understands his system and the type of players that will have success within that framework. He is really saying when it comes to team building at a Northeast school, my staff and I know the type of student athlete that we are looking for to build the best team and although stars have importance they shouldn't be the sole criteria for building a winner. In the end his type of player together with developmental players (I think of Pierre Paul from USF and the Giants) will make up for the incremental talent deficits.

if you read into what he said:

"And whether one guy was a one-star, two-star, four-star, five-star is irrelevant to what our needs are." The key word's here are irrelevant to what OUR NEEDS are.
That signifies to me that the staff knows exactly the types of athletes "size, speed, IQ, attitude, personality, etc. that they need to win Championships within their system. A case in point is UCONN mens basketball in the final vs. Kentucky. Granted KY was full of 5 stars future NBA'ers but the team chemistry that Ollie mustered together and the fact that UCONN was peaking overcame the huge talent differential. That's what the great coaches can do.

 

[willie99]

Well then, he and JC would have something in common. Sacrifice early to succeed late, so I hope you're correct.

He can blame it on a mess he inherited for one year. Year number two has to show more player development and improved execution

stated differently, we have to field a competitive product

 

[KOD594]

This team had talent and even with real QB issues should have easily beat Stony Brook and Army, and Villanova and Army who amazingly might be favorites in the first two games at the Rent , both teams would trade rosters with us in a heartbeat. For instance there were two NFL caliber receivers on roster, one was able to slip away to BC and the other was not used properly. I think Diaco is a smart guy and can figure it out but needs to do that sooner as there might not be later if there is a repeat of this year.

The first thing Diaco has to is build the trust of his players. Step one is stop talking about the guys he inherited vs type of guys he is recruited and is recruiting and since this is his second off season he should be talking about a UCONN brand of football he has established that the collective team is part of and talk about recruiting players who fit the UCONN brand. Talking about losing culture does not help when 2-10 as sounds like he is building his own losing culture. Step two is shared accountability, when you win like we did against UCF it can not be because your process is working but the next three games you lose because of your players. When you get us bowl eligible you can talk about the turn-around as you will sound profound but now sounds like excuses.

On the field hire an OC with a modern offense with full control of offense, as while Diaco knows defense he thinks offense as a DC who is risk adverse and is afraid of a mistake that that would put his defense in a short field. He strikes me as a micro manager and might scare off some candidates but will need to let go and let OC decide design, play calls and who plays, as if you play not to lose you usually do, we need to play to win.

While there is plenty of other issues especially QB, the first win of 2015 is winning his team back and figuring out a offense over the next nine months. While might be harsh on HCBD, he is the coach and we need to start seeing progress now and I believe he has the smarts and drive to still fix this.

 

[hjoerring]

ConfidentCarl, thank you for bringing sanity to this forum. Things reached the point where I thought all had gone mad. Many here thought that some coaches have a magic plan that they carry around and can transform a poor program into a top one. We have never been a FB school and a FB program- that is what this new organization is trying to build. Will they succeed?

 

[Confident Carl]

ConfidentCarl, thank you for bringing sanity to this forum. Things reached the point where I thought all had gone mad. Many here thought that some coaches have a magic plan that they carry around and can transform a poor program into a top one. We have never been a FB school and a FB program- that is what this new organization is trying to build. Will they succeed?

I truly believe that Bob Diaco and staff are talented quality coaches and cream always rises to the top! Yes give this Rose a little time to bloom and it's gonna be a beautiful thing!

 

[Waquoit]

While I spent the afternoon in the cold rain on December 6th, I didn't see a team on the field that was interested in competing. I saw a squad that was content to get their asses kicked by the then-worst team in the country. Makes it tough to get on the confident bandwagon.

 

[UconnFamily]

I would rather have a coach that preaches he can coach 2 & 3 star players up

there are 2 & 3 star players that should be rated higher.

although stars have importance they shouldn't be the sole criteria for building a winner. In the end his type of player together with developmental players (I think of Pierre Paul from USF and the Giants) will make up for the incremental talent deficits.

if you read into what he said:

"And whether one guy was a one-star, two-star, four-star, five-star is irrelevant to what our needs are." The key word's here are irrelevant to what OUR NEEDS are.
That signifies to me that the staff knows exactly the types of athletes "size, speed, IQ, attitude, personality, etc. that they need to win Championships within their system. A case in point is UCONN mens basketball in the final vs. Kentucky. Granted KY was full of 5 stars future NBA'ers but the team chemistry that Ollie mustered together and the fact that UCONN was peaking overcame the huge talent differential. That's what the great coaches can do.

* Not all coaches can coach a 2* player to a 3 or 4* player like Edsall did here. We need at least more 3* players than 2* players on the roster to compete with the best, not compete with Stony Brook. UConn should be destroying teams like Stony Brook and Army like we did when Edsall was here.

* The 2* players who should be rated higher are kids who come from football states, like Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, etc... These kids who are 2* players in these football states would most likely be 3 or 4 * players in states like CT, NY, MA, etc... they're talented 2 * kids. You can look at Darius Butler as an example.

* What team has built a winner, and competes/win with teams like Alabama, Oregon, Stanford, with a roster full of 2 * players?

* Jason Pierre-Paul was a 4* player coming out of high school, so whats is your point there?

* Two star players are not what we need, we need more talented players on the roster plain and simple.

* That Kentucky team even though we did win fair and square were all Freshmen's there's no comparison. UConn's squad were full of a lot of vets and let's not forget UConn basketball recruits well too. Shabazz Napier 4 *, DeAndre Daniels 5 * player and was a Kentucky lean, Ryan Boatwright 4 * player, Niels Giffey is from a different country so who knows, he could of been a 4 or 5 * player in the United States. I just think that was a bad comparison cause UConn basketball recruits 4 and 5 * players to compete with Kentucky, not so much UConn football with Alabama because the talent level is different, why? cause teams like Bama care about the star system and their needs.

 

[UconnFamily]

I truly believe that Bob Diaco and staff are talented quality coaches and cream always rises to the top! Yes give this Rose a little time to bloom and it's gonna be a beautiful thing!

When the rose blooms then we can finally beat teams like a winless SMU, a Stony Brook, and Towson? Nice!

 

[UconnFamily]

I give you props for being confident Carl, but facts are facts... I want this team to win and I'm a fan just like you, however I have to call it like I see it.

 

[Bubba1957]

Hello my name is Bubba1957 and I'm a Diacoholic.

With me it started on his first presser. I started drinking the koolaid and couldn't get enough of it. By the time the BYU game came along, I was in the stands for the first time in several years. I was full of anticipation and excitement, drenched in koolaid watching him lead his team out on to the field. I'm a CT guy with a chip on his shoulder and he was going to lead us back. Screw the ACC, Big10, BC and everyone else.

Shortly thereafter things started getting a little weird. Taking Casey out in the middle of a drive, pulling Davis off the field on 3rd down - all the things chronicled on this board all season started taking a toll on me and I began to slow down my drinking.
Eventually I got tired of all the disappointing game hangovers and had to stop drinking altogether.

Sobriety was boring. Now the season is over and I'm back on the juice and I'm staying on it! Been reading about his recruits and the new Sheriff in town. Some impressive players are coming in for visits (check Rivals). I hope my family can forgive me, cause I'm a Diacolholic and I ain't going to change.

 

[Dogged]

I shot the Sheriff but I did not shoot the deputy...the deputies will be more important going forward!!!

 

[huskymedic]

The 2* players who should be rated higher are kids who come from football states, like Georgia, Florida, California, Texas, etc... These kids who are 2* players in these football states would most likely be 3 or 4 * players in states like CT, NY, MA, etc... they're talented 2 * kids .

Help me understand this point you are are trying to make...

 

[UconnFamily]

Help me understand this point you are are trying to make...

More than not, two star athletes who come from football states usually end up really good players in college. A kid from Texas ( A known football state ) who receives a two star from the recruiting sites has a lot more upside in college than a kid from, let's say, New Hampshire where it's not known as a football state. Players from Texas are different animals compared to players in states like New Hampshire.

If we're going to recruit two star athletes which I'm okay with, just not a whole recruiting class full of them, then let's recruit the two star players out of states where football is a religion, such as Texas, Cali, Florida, etc... not from MA, NY, NH, VT, etc... because more likely than not they won't have a lot of upside.

But hey, if some here want to believe that UConn can win games against big name programs in a consistent basis with a roster full of two star players, then good for them. In the end, I'm going to stick to reality and say UConn will not beat teams we should beat ( Towson, Army, etc... ) with a team full of two star athletes. Stony Brook gave us a run for our money and that should not had happen.

 

[BNich]

If we're going to recruit two star athletes which I'm okay with, just not a whole recruiting class full of them, then let's recruit the two star players out of states where football is a religion, such as Texas, Cali, Florida, etc... not from MA, NY, NH, VT, etc... because more likely than not they won't have a lot of upside.

I get what you're saying. It makes a lot of sense. But that is easier said than done for a school in the AAC in New England. Sure they might pull one in every now and again, like Mike Smith, but don't expect the class to be full of them. The Texas schools have a strong grasp on that region. Not just the big boys, but all Texas schools and many others, think Big 12. Florida is much more reasonable, but California, not so much. Uconn has and has had it's fair share of athletes from Florida. Some better than others. Just because a 2* athlete hails from one of these "football states" as you call them, doesn't make them any better than a 2* athlete from another state. They're all still being "rated" as football players.

The difference IMO, is the consistent and well spread out level of competition kids in these "football states" compete against. I am under the impression, the level of talent these kids face year after year and week after week in the "football states" is better and the some teams are made up of many more 2* athletes than non football states. While yearly, the top 4 and 5 star athletes come from many of these football states, their teammates often make up a good mix of the 2 and 3 star athletes as well. Not saying all of them, but I am sure you can find a lot of good talent on many teams in those states you have highlighted.