where's the beef? err.... talent?

[BUConn10]

Yes, I do. There are over 14 million people in New England. The issue is not that there is a lack of talent. The issue is that we lose those recruiting battles to ND, OSU, Michigan, etc...

Population doesn't matter so much as culture does. People in New England barely care about college football, let alone HS football, whereas high schools for small towns in Texas regularly hold tax referendums for multi-million dollar stadiums, and they pass unanimously in the land where "taxes are the devil".

Our kids have a fraction of the motivation to be great at football as they do down south.

 

[UConnDan97]

Population doesn't matter so much as culture does. People in New England barely care about college football, let alone HS football, whereas high schools for small towns in Texas regularly hold tax referendums for multi-million dollar stadiums, and they pass unanimously in the land where "taxes are the devil".

Our kids have a fraction of the motivation to be great at football as they do down south.

Nobody is arguing that we will recruit like LSU. But we certainly have every opportunity to recruit like programs such as Rutgers, BC, or other regional D1 schools. The fact that we don't is more about us than the region itself.

Edsall made a feast out of eastern Pennsylvania. there's no reason we can't continue that...

 

[noeynox]

How about Wyoming, which looks like a very competent football team right now. The idea that the 6 New England states are devoid of talent is ridiculous...

They hired Kirk Bohls who was kicking at North Dakota State. The right Coach wins,anywhere. Chris Peterson built powerhouse at,Boise and has,turned Washington around.

 

[uconnphil2016]

I know that if I had been a football recruit growing up and had a chance of going P5 there is very little chance I'd come to UConn. Who wants to play in front of no one, against irrelevant opponents, and on some obscure network? Can't blame all the CT kids who leave.

 

[zls44]

Of course all of that matters but being a CFB coach is part coaching and part selling.

And how can you expect Diaco to sell when all he does is talk about what UConn can't do. It's never about what UConn can do.

We can't throw.
We can't be up-tempo.
We can't play strong man-to-man defense.
We can't return punts.
We can't try and win games in year 1.

I'm sick of being told what my team can't expect to do.

I want someone who believes in what it can.

 

[UConnDan97]

I know that if I had been a football recruit growing up and had a chance of going P5 there is very little chance I'd come to UConn. Who wants to play in front of no one, against irrelevant opponents, and on some obscure network? Can't blame all the CT kids who leave.

Well, the network is ESPN, and there will be around 30k at the first game while there is still blind hope for the season, and you've got a much better chance to start here than at ND or Michigan.

Add a top 20 public education and a chance to be a local hero, and I can't understand how they leave...

 

[BUConn10]

Nobody is arguing that we will recruit like LSU. But we certainly have every opportunity to recruit like programs such as Rutgers, BC, or other regional D1 schools. The fact that we don't is more about us than the region itself.

Edsall made a feast out of eastern Pennsylvania. there's no reason we can't continue that...

But that's the thing I'm getting at.

Look at the names you want us to compete to become peers with, how depressing is it that that's our ceiling?

Even traditional powers that had a head start at the sport like BC (isn't Rutgers one of the earliest college programs as well?) are showing that the lack of talent and cultural relevance in this area makes it almost impossible to stay relevant beyond one or two seasons before your head coach era poached and you are back to square one.

 

[Devland]

And how can you expect Diaco to sell when all he does is talk about what UConn can't do. It's never about what UConn can do.

We can't throw.
We can't be up-tempo.
We can't play strong man-to-man defense.
We can't return punts.
We can't try and win games in year 1.

I'm sick of being told what my team can't expect to do.

I want someone who believes in what it can.

You forgot to add that we can't run the ball either. I get the impression here that some people here think our run game is better than it actually is. We are ranked 100th in the country out of 128 teams in rushing yards while we are 42nd in passing yards . You could argue that if we could run the ball decently the rest of the offense would improve. You could also argue that the passing game is actually ahead of running game. After all our one offensive weapon (Thomas) is a receiver.

 

[UConnDan97]

But that's the thing I'm getting at.

Look at the names you want us to compete to become peers with, how depressing is it that that's our ceiling?

Even traditional powers that had a head start at the sport like BC (isn't Rutgers one of the earliest college programs as well?) are showing that the lack of talent and cultural relevance in this area makes it almost impossible to stay relevant beyond one or two seasons before your head coach era poached and you are back to square one.

That's not our ceiling. That's what is currently ahead of us. But the top 5 of each of those states go to the Big10, ND, or the occasional Florida (i.e., Jordan Reed).

Our ceiling would be to consolidate half of that talent, which would put us on par with most teams in the top 25. We would have a higher rated team than Boise, etc., even if we would fall short of OSU and Alabama. I'll accept a Boise level of success here...

 

[zls44]

You forgot to add that we can't run the ball either. I get the impression here that some people here think our run game is better than it actually is. We are ranked 100th in the country out of 128 teams in rushing yards while we are 42nd in passing yards . You could argue that if we could run the ball decently the rest of the offense would improve. You could also argue that the passing game is actually ahead of running game. After all our one offensive weapon (Thomas) is a receiver.

Yeah, but Bob thinks we can be a good running team.
It's about the only thing he's said he thinks we can do well.

 

[tduconn]

Yeah, but Bob thinks we can be a good running team.
It's about the only thing he's said he thinks we can do well.

Don't forget.......its all about the wind! It's all about being cold and wet. Those are reasons why we can't throw in the NE.

Doesn't seem to bother teams from the south that play here once every two years.

Must be colder in Maine.....but they throw the ball.

Just an excuse for inability to recruit a QB.

 

[zls44]

Nevermind that it POURS at some of these games in the South...

 

[SAMCRO]

I haven't read all three pages of this thread, so apologies if I'm repeating what someone else said.....

the biggest difference re: talent/recruiting classes is that under RE and his staff, players developed and greatly improved during their time here. Under PP/GDL (and apparently BD) there appears to be very little improvement/development over the years. RE's recruiting classes were in the same ballpark as the last 5-6 years, or even worse, but by the time his kids were juniors/seniors the majority of them were playing at the same or greater levels than those higher rated recruits who went else where. That has rarely happened the past 6 seasons, it's more of an exception when it does happen. RE's gift was projecting how good a player would be in 2-3 years, and then coaching them up to reach their potential... PP/BD and their staffs lack that

 

[freescooter]

There is an old saying about good coaches. He can take his and beat your or take yours and beat his. Unfortunately we have had two consecutive coaches who couldn't take anybody's and beat a jr. high team.