Where's weist?

[Husky25]

Who is this PP that people keep writing of, and why is he/she driving an epic failure of Ford manufactured automobile?

never mind.

In my entire recollection of UCONN football personally, I cannot recall a team that folded, and frankly backed down, from adversity they way the 2013 team did. In our worst years of transition from 1-AA to 1-A from the late 90s, we played tougher mentally. Going up against the U as the #1 ranked team in the country, on the road, with the players we had, they didn't fold and put up a battle against overwhelming odds and no chance of winning. The last time I can recall a team that even came close to that kind of mental weakness was the team that lost to New Haven at home in Storrs. It was disgusting to watch, and it made me frothy at mouth mad.

Something happened though, at half-time on the road in Philly in the wet and cold, with nobody watching. Whatever, whomever, however, whichever what way whatever it was happened in that game - continued to the end of the season. We played mentally tough, and we won, against the competition we were lined up with - which admittedly - was Temple, Rutgers and Memphis.

Every season is a new beginning though, as corny and cliché as that is. It's true. How well.whatever, whomever, however, whichever what way whatever it was mentally turned this team around in Philadelphia last November....how well that transfers to Aug. 29, 2014 and beyond, will go a long way as to whether or not we are playing for more than pride, come November 2014.

Diaco, driving the boat, gives hope - but it is a new coaching staff, yet again. The players remain, and the players build programs.

Agreed. Even though I went to every game last year, 2013 brought with it the weird sensation of exactly zero expectation for a win. Even if UConn was winning at some point during the contest, You got the feeling that the 11 players had no confidence in 1) the coaching staff, 2) The plays being called, and 3) each other. It was 11 individual players. Not once did I get the feeling that the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. The regime 4 years ago and prior never conveyed that feeling.

 

[Excalibur]

Agreed. Weist was not afraid to open up the UConn offense (loved that he threw 56 times against Memphis). The result was an offensive onslaught over the last three games unlike anything we've seen from the Huskies since the Dan O era . . . and it sure was entertaining football.

The second half of 2009 says hello . . .

 

[Excalibur]

My optimistic nature ...

I have knowledgeable cousins who think PP left such a mess that we may have several years re-build before we are even back to the Edsall type results.

I HOPE that is wrong. I THINK that PP actually knew talent and brought good kids in. So ... we aren't lacking in crucial depth. A Diaco has the clay to make a decent 2014 ... and then advance to Bowl eligibility soon.

I HOPE that he actually knew talent, but he was so poor at all other aspects of running a program that I can't assume that. If he was as bad at talent evaluation as he was at player development, I think your cousin may be right . . .

 

[Carl Spackler]

Agreed. Even though I went to every game last year, 2013 brought with it the weird sensation of exactly zero expectation for a win. Even if UConn was winning at some point during the contest, You got the feeling that the 11 players had no confidence in 1) the coaching staff, 2) The plays being called, and 3) each other. It was 11 individual players. Not once did I get the feeling that the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. The regime 4 years ago and prior never conveyed that feeling.

There were a few people that saw the game against Rutgers. There were far less that saw the game against Memphis. There were a lot that saw the mess early on in the season.

It's most definitely a combination of the level of competition we were up against, as well as what we did ourselves...the end of the season, we weren't going against the best in the land, but you still got to strap up and play every week. This is entirely speculation, but my untrained eye and my experience tells me that Casey Cochran must have had enough of the shiiite flowing through this program and channeled a little bit of his father somehow into the locker room to close out the season. Maybe it was somebody else that finally stepped up in the locker room, but I guarantee somebody got up in the locker room and had enough. That would be my best guess as to what happened to turn the mentality of the team around.

Diaco, needs to do the best he can to find whoever the leaders are, and cultivate them, so that the team stays mentally strong and together and never folds like they did last year again.

Whatever it was, the team played with some heart and mental toughness as a team, to close out the season. They were a disgusting bunch to watch through the first 2/3 of the season.

let's hope that never happens again.

 

[Husky25]

There were a few people that saw the game against Rutgers. There were far less that saw the game against Memphis. There were a lot that saw the mess early on in the season.

It's most definitely a combination of the level of competition we were up against, as well as what we did ourselves...the end of the season, we weren't going against the best in the land, but you still got to strap up and play every week. This is entirely speculation, but my untrained eye and my experience tells me that Casey Cochran must have had enough of the shiiite flowing through this program and channeled a little bit of his father somehow into the locker room to close out the season. Maybe it was somebody else that finally stepped up in the locker room, but I guarantee somebody got up in the locker room and had enough. That would be my best guess as to what happened to turn the mentality of the team around.

Diaco, needs to do the best he can to find whoever the leaders are, and cultivate them, so that the team stays mentally strong and together and never folds like they did last year again.

Whatever it was, the team played with some heart and mental toughness as a team, to close out the season. They were a disgusting bunch to watch through the first 2/3 of the season.

let's hope that never happens again.

I don't think I've ever agreed with one of your posts more than I have the last two in this thread.

Leaders lead, even if they are Freshmen and aren't wearing a "C" on their chest on August 29.

I knew before, but the last straw of incompetence of the Former regime was during Pro Day, when one of our starting Offensive Linemen (I forget who) could not do more than 20 reps of 225 lbs.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

The second half of 2009 says hello . . .

You are correct. Who could forget Easley's contributions - good times, too bad they couldn't continue on in a more consistent basis.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I don't think I've ever agreed with one of your posts more than I have the last two in this thread.

Leaders lead, even if they are Freshmen and aren't wearing a "C" on their chest on August 29.

I knew before, but the last straw of incompetence of the Former regime was during Pro Day, when one of our starting Offensive Linemen (I forget who) could not do more than 20 reps of 225 lbs.

Hindsight is always 20/20 twofive.

In some cases it's a lots sharper than 20/20. The signs were all there, and it took a lot longer for some, including me, to finally put it all together, blinded by the respect that was once there for certain past achievements. When a key part of your offense - when the QB of your most successful offensive package and a projected regular players shows up as out of condition and shape as Scott McCummings did for fall camp last season....the signs go on and on.

Let's try not to reflect on it too much. Learn from the mistakes of past performance, and move forward.

I will never be blinded by past success and/or reputation again when it comes to who's coaching my alma mater.

It's about what you do right now.

It's 112 days until kickoff against BYU. We should be full bore in the middle of recruiting season right now for the coaching staff. I wonder what everybody is doing to get better today.

 

[Nostical]

I know you're a big fan of Suzy. I also know, that you know, it's always smart to praise your present employer as the best you ever worked for. Sorry just my skeptical nature at work.

I understand your point but it was nothing like that. It was candid and genuine. He expressed an unabashed respect and admiration for her acumen, decisivemeness, leadership, fairness, etc. And as a topper, TJ's wife was nodding heartily in agreement.
So take off your skeptic's hat, put down your cynic's glass and rejoice.

 

[Nostical]

Did you happen to ask him for any tidbits on AD Manuel? I'd be interested to hear how TJ thought he compared to AD's at those other schools.

Not really. But I did ask his opinion on WM's longevity, given the Va Tech rumors. He felt that WM is here for the duration with the possible exception of Michigan (which would be a no-brainer for him) but he added that Dave Brandon will be at UM for quite a while. While TJ's opinion may be an educated one, even he would admit it's a bold guess.

 

[uconnfan68]

I don't think I've ever agreed with one of your posts more than I have the last two in this thread.

Leaders lead, even if they are Freshmen and aren't wearing a "C" on their chest on August 29.

I knew before, but the last straw of incompetence of the Former regime was during Pro Day, when one of our starting Offensive Linemen (I forget who) could not do more than 20 reps of 225 lbs.

Actually it was 2 of them that couldn't do 20.

 

[jackl]

I don't think I've ever agreed with one of your posts more than I have the last two in this thread.

Leaders lead, even if they are Freshmen and aren't wearing a "C" on their chest on August 29.

I knew before, but the last straw of incompetence of the Former regime was during Pro Day, when one of our starting Offensive Linemen (I forget who) could not do more than 20 reps of 225 lbs.

Yes I agree this is piss poor but I was just reading a bio for Clowney that said he did 21 reps at the combine.

 

[Carl Spackler]

20 reps of 225 is a good 'bench' mark, really that's all it is. If you ask me, all those kinds of tests and physical things are measures not of a players strength, but their dedication to their craft. Robert McClain as a defensive back, benched 225, twenty nine times if I'm not mistaken. He was either the last guy drafted a couple years ago, or was close, and he's still playing in the NFL and just signed a new veteran deal with the Falcons I'm pretty sure.

There is no way that McClain can line up against a 280-300 defensive lineman and beat him, even though he was able to bench that much. But it's no surprise, that he's a multiple year veteran in the NFL now, with the dedication that had to go in being able to train to bench 225 that many times.

There are lots of different ways to generate strength and demonstrate strength. What hitting 20 reps at 225 means, what most of those tests you'll hear about endlessly in the next few days mean - are entirely about the time and effort into developing what it takes to do it. It involves learning and perfecting both physical technique as well as breathing and things like that to build and maintain power.

None of us needed to see our OL's maxing out at 16 reps to know that they weren't very strong on the field.

My hope is that the work has been put in, since January, and is still ongoing - to fix it.

 

[Husky25]

Yes I agree this is piss poor but I was just reading a bio for Clowney that said he did 21 reps at the combine.

I realize that we can't really take a ton from just one number on one day, but different positions require different attributes. An O-lineman needs upper body strength to push and pull behemoth D-linemen and Line backers on every play. A speed rushing End like Clowney won't be going through O-tackles as much as he will be racing around them. His 4.53 sec. 40, 7.27 sec. 3 cone drill, and 4.5 20 yard shuttle are pretty impressive, speed-wise.