Who is calling the plays???

[huskymedic]

[QUOTE="Skiblets, post: 1074316, member: 13" I'm sorry but WTF is he saying? Seriously.[/QUOTE]

I really think he's sitting back laughing his arse off saying "Hmmm, let's see what I can spin them poor bastards on the BY up over today"...

 

[Skiblets]

Parsing these quotes from the article

"Each decision is made on a daily and continuous basis,"

"For example, you're doing a speech and standing next to you is a sign language specialist. Is the sign language specialist doing the speech or are you doing the speech?

"Mike Cummings details out the game plan for the day and then he's giving jobs to his staff to accentuate assets and limit liabilities."

Patterson followed Cummings' plan, which wound up being altered by Diaco to scrap the passing game because of a combination of issues ...But Cummings maintains control of the offense.

"He's a manager of a unit and the way we present that is that there are certain jobs that need to be done and he organizes and coordinates assets and liabilities to decide who should do the jobs," Diaco said.

"From drawing cards, to writing scripts, to recruiting hand-written letters to marketing campaigns to video productions to running the copier and everywhere in between, and we also don't feel like any one job is more important than the other as it relates to calling the game."


"Because it's not just last game, it's all season long – the game is pre-called based on what we believe to be the profile and how we want to attack and then we have people in the chain of custody of information during the game. Don Patterson is one of those people. "




.

Ok ...quoting my own post is grounds for banning but just re-read again the above. Seriously read the above and tell me ur comfortable. And please someone tell me what drawing cards, marketing campaigns and video productions have to do with calling the offensive game. I'm at a loss

 

[Stinger92860]

What I got from that article was Diaco saying that all plays are scripted prior to the game and no matter who in up in the box, which is not scripted, only the scripted plays are called. Unless he calls bs on the scripted plays and tells the person in the box what to do. Also, it s good to have someone important on the sidelines who can instill confidence in the team.

Sound crazy? It does it me.

 

[Skiblets]

What I got from that article was Diaco saying that all plays are scripted prior to the game and no matter who in up in the box, which is not scripted, only the scripted plays are called. Unless he calls bs on the scripted plays and tells the person in the box what to do. Also, it s good to have someone important on the sidelines who can instill confidence in the team.

Sound crazy? It does it me.

Makes sense but he is really starting to sound like that Chapalwaug dude

 

[BNich]

And ignore my question. Sure.

 

[Carl Spackler]

[QUOTE="Skiblets, post: 1074316, member: 13" I'm sorry but WTF is he saying? Seriously.

I really think he's sitting back laughing his arse off saying "Hmmm, let's see what I can spin them poor bastards on the BY up over today"...[/QUOTE]


Well, medic, if he really is paying attention, I'll tell you what it isn't making me laugh at all. No, I'll show you. It's going to take 3 posts.

 

[mets1090]

Ok ...quoting my own post is grounds for banning but just re-read again the above. Seriously read the above and tell me ur comfortable. And please someone tell me what drawing cards, marketing campaigns and video productions have to do with calling the offensive game. I'm at a loss

Diaco implements classic deflection strategies when answering critical questions. You ask what's the deal with play calling, he deflects into something about organizational structure and how jobs are delegated on a rolling basis etc. After the Stony Brook game I decided it wasn't worth it to listen to his answers to virtually any questions because it's all coach speak, albeit bizarre coach speak.

I think at the end of the day your average fan perusing quick quotes will read them and think nothing of it while diehards on message boards see it week to week and realize it's virtually all nonsense.

 

[Carl Spackler]

and this

 

[Carl Spackler]

leading to this:

Our new CEO coach better start getting his stuff going in the right direction, because this stuff matters, and it's called FUNDAMENTALS. Blocking and tackling.

 

[Jimdish255]

What I got from that article was Diaco saying that all plays are scripted prior to the game and no matter who in up in the box, which is not scripted, only the scripted plays are called. Unless he calls bs on the scripted plays and tells the person in the box what to do. Also, it s good to have someone important on the sidelines who can instill confidence in the team.

Sound crazy? It does it me.

Glad you said it first. He seems more dedicated to his scripts than DeNiro and Brando combined. Isn't anyone qualified to think during a fluid situation or are they just using the word scripted in place of narrowing our options? It's a football game not a Broadway play!

 

[VAHuskyFan]

"[T]he game is pre-called based on what we believe to be the profile and how we want to attack."

This can't be right. You can't pre-call a game. I have to believe this is hyperbole. I just can't figure out why anyone would say something like this.

The scary thing is that in the USF game it looked like we had a pre-called offensive plan and then simply threw it away, rather than adapting the offense to the game and weather conditions.

 

[Confident Carl]

That is totally bizarre...and the sign language reference, WTF is that? I read that and the Twilight Zone theme entered my head. He's either a mad genius or just mad. There's no apparent gray area with HCBD. I hope he's not in over his head. Here's the analogy as I see it - when college players go to the NFL they often talk about the speed of the game being overwhelming but that over time the game slows down for them. It seems like the head coach game is too fast right now but I hope it slows down for him quickly

Bill Belichick is pretty bizzare when it comes to the media. There is some deflection going on here and you guys are falling for the bait. You are never going to get a perfectly straight answer from Diaco, akin to the upper and lower body injuries. Here is an example done in Belichicks own unique way:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000249741/article/bill-belichick-being-bill-belichick

 

[Confident Carl]

That is totally bizarre...and the sign language reference, WTF is that? I read that and the Twilight Zone theme entered my head. He's either a mad genius or just mad. There's no apparent gray area with HCBD. I hope he's not in over his head. Here's the analogy as I see it - when college players go to the NFL they often talk about the speed of the game being overwhelming but that over time the game slows down for them. It seems like the head coach game is too fast right now but I hope it slows down for him quickly

Gonna have to get used to Diaco being Diaco. These head coaches are unique birds. They don't always communicate to the public in the way the public wants.
Again, totally different personalities but Bill Belichick and the media...

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think people are reading too much in the sign language statement. With that he merely said "It's still Cummings script regardless of whether it is being read by Cummings or Patterson". My concern with the change is where the coaches are stationed are a) that the QB coach is no longer on the sideline to talk with the QB (about mistakes, reads, adjustments) when we don't have the ball and b) that Diaco felt that Foley alone wasn't sufficient to speak with the offensive linemen on the sidelines.

 

[FastEddie]

Was very happy with the Diaco hire, have been supporting his "process", and looking for positives in every game, but that article was a head scratcher. Really don't get the whole "The game is pre-called." I get having a plan in place, but a large part of football is making in-game adjustments.

 

[06029]

Everyone harps on the AAC compared to who ND plays. Two totally different levels. Especially now. There is a reason a HC has coordinators to help with other areas. Look at the average opponent both clubs play year in and year out. He has been around some good HC's. He knows how to get it done. OF and DF are 50% of the game plan.

Please support your conclusion that he knows how to get it done? Just because he was a coordinator a ND? Because some sweat from Kelly hit him and he inherited winning DNA? Diaco is the anti Kelly when it comes to coaching. No screaming at the kids. No calling them out during a game when they screw up. And certainly way more conservative in his offensive philosophy.

Given the performance of the O, who is calling the plays is a legitimate question. Diaco's strength was D prior to Uconn. And he was as conservative of a DC as you could find but with a D that had great athletes.

It is my opinion that Diaco has set low expectations and continues to tell the media and the fans to expect very few wins this season. Uconn will therefore have game plans that reflect that expectation. The game plan, as I have seen it unfold over 4 games, is to minimize injury and promote personal/positional growth more than wining. That is why the game plans are pre-scripted. That is why it does not matter who calls the plays. The outcome this year does not matter since throwing this year away is part of a larger plan and is only the first step in the "process".

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think people are reading too much in the sign language statement. With that he merely said "It's still Cummings script regardless of whether it is being read by Cummings or Patterson". My concern with the change is where the coaches are stationed are a) that the QB coach is no longer on the sideline to talk with the QB (about mistakes, reads, adjustments) when we don't have the ball and b) that Diaco felt that Foley alone wasn't sufficient to speak with the offensive linemen on the sidelines.

I think people are just looking for things to whine about. Do we agree that they are in communication with the booth? I think it is obvious since they adjusted on the fly and scrapped the passing game. So clearly Patterson is making adjustments to Cummings' script and is talking to Diaco and probably Cummings during the game. Diaco is saying, as I read it, that the offense is so young that he wants Cummings on the sideline to coach and teach them during the game.

Short answer, Patterson is calling plays based on Cummings' game plan, and any feedback he gets from either Cummings or Diaco during the game.

 

[Sean]

Was very happy with the Diaco hire, have been supporting his "process", and looking for positives in every game, but that article was a head scratcher. Really don't get the whole "The game is pre-called." I get having a plan in place, but a large part of football is making in-game adjustments.

Exactly right, but from what we have seen, very few adjustments are made. You can tell by the way the Boise State game went. Certain packages worked great and then completely disappeared. If you were making adjustments, you would go back to the ones that were working.

But the thing is - you don't need to make adjustments if you are just practicing. You only need to make adjustments if you want to win the games. I'm not sure he cares this year. I think we may see a very different Bob Diaco in year 3, if we can make it that far, once he tries to win.

 

[uconnflyer88]

Not trying to piss anyone off, but can someone explain why it is such a big deal who actually calls the plays?

Maybe Cummings is better at game planning and Patterson (who by the way is the associate head coach) is better at physically call the plays.

Or maybe Cummings wants to be involved in actual in game coaching and deligates the play calling to Patterson. They are all on the same frequency and talking to each other. I'm sure Cummings is telling Patterson what he wants to see based on being on the sidelines, but Patterson is just the one physically relaying it to Whitmer (which is where the sign language comment comes in). If you think about it, it actually makes sense because he is the one individually coaching Whitmer all week and knows he easiest to communicate with him.

 

[RedSoloCup]

Not trying to piss anyone off, but can someone explain why it is such a big deal who actually calls the plays?

Maybe Cummings is better at game planning and Patterson (who by the way is the associate head coach) is better at physically call the plays.

Or maybe Cummings wants to be involved in actual in game coaching and deligates the play calling to Patterson. They are all on the same frequency and talking to each other. I'm sure Cummings is telling Patterson what he wants to see based on being on the sidelines, but Patterson is just the one physically relaying it to Whitmer (which is where the sign language comment comes in). If you think about it, it actually makes sense because he is the one individually coaching Whitmer all week and knows he easiest to communicate with him.

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[whaler11]

Not trying to piss anyone off, but can someone explain why it is such a big deal who actually calls the plays?

Maybe Cummings is better at game planning and Patterson (who by the way is the associate head coach) is better at physically call the plays.

Or maybe Cummings wants to be involved in actual in game coaching and deligates the play calling to Patterson. They are all on the same frequency and talking to each other. I'm sure Cummings is telling Patterson what he wants to see based on being on the sidelines, but Patterson is just the one physically relaying it to Whitmer (which is where the sign language comment comes in). If you think about it, it actually makes sense because he is the one individually coaching Whitmer all week and knows he easiest to communicate with him.

So then it should be a fairly easy question to answer without getting into handwritten recruiting notes and who handles PC Load Letter error messages on the printers right?

 

[upstater]

If Diaco had white hair and was a mouth breather, I think he'd be out of a job already.

 

[UConnDan97]

...but Patterson is just the one physically relaying it to Whitmer (which is where the sign language comment comes in). If you think about it, it actually makes sense because he is the one individually coaching Whitmer all week and knows he easiest to communicate with him.

If Patterson is in the box, how is he the one "physically relaying" the information to Whitmer again?

It's more likely that he makes the call, it goes to Cochran's headset, Cochran gives the hand signals (or the guy with the sign boards gives them), and then Whitmer tells the guys in the huddle or audibles at the line with it.

Look, I'm not sure what all this means. I'm not sure what I would rather have happen, or who is best suited for the box or the field calls. But what I am certainly hoping for is for Coach Diaco to learn from this in terms of how to present information to the public. Because whether it's good or bad, it certainly doesn't instill confidence in our system going forward...

 

[Carl Spackler]

Not trying to piss anyone off, but can someone explain why it is such a big deal who actually calls the plays?

Maybe Cummings is better at game planning and Patterson (who by the way is the associate head coach) is better at physically call the plays.

Or maybe Cummings wants to be involved in actual in game coaching and deligates the play calling to Patterson. They are all on the same frequency and talking to each other. I'm sure Cummings is telling Patterson what he wants to see based on being on the sidelines, but Patterson is just the one physically relaying it to Whitmer (which is where the sign language comment comes in). If you think about it, it actually makes sense because he is the one individually coaching Whitmer all week and knows he easiest to communicate with him.

It's not a big deal who calls the plays, and furthermore, the play calls themselves, don't really matter much until you can fix the stuff that I put up in those photos up there, so that you have 11 players on the field that are reliable.

 

[Stinger92860]

Not trying to piss anyone off, but can someone explain why it is such a big deal who actually calls the plays?

Shane Day made a huge difference last year

 

[Dogged]

Not trying to piss anyone off, but can someone explain why it is such a big deal who actually calls the plays?

Maybe Cummings is better at game planning and Patterson (who by the way is the associate head coach) is better at physically call the plays.

Or maybe Cummings wants to be involved in actual in game coaching and deligates the play calling to Patterson. They are all on the same frequency and talking to each other. I'm sure Cummings is telling Patterson what he wants to see based on being on the sidelines, but Patterson is just the one physically relaying it to Whitmer (which is where the sign language comment comes in). If you think about it, it actually makes sense because he is the one individually coaching Whitmer all week and knows he easiest to communicate with him.

It doesn't matter who calls the plays if you've scripted them ahead of time. It's a good game approach.

On the other hand if you don't respond to what you see happening on the field why play the game?

 

[uconnflyer88]

It's not a big deal who calls the plays, and furthermore, the play calls themselves, don't really matter much until you can fix the stuff that I put up in those photos up there, so that you have 11 players on the field that are reliable.

This is basically my point, we spent almost two pages over what Diaco meant in his press conference over who actually calls the plays when it doesn't matter if we can't fix what is up front

 

[uconnflyer88]

Shane Day made a huge difference last year

Also my point, people seem to believe that just because Cummings is the Offensive Coordinator that he must be the guy calling the plays.....not always the case.

Some people are just better at it that others, doesn't undermine Cummings or make him any less the Offense Coordinator

 

[Marty Jackson]

B. Have to disagree. A D coordinator has roughly 35% of the responsibiltiies of a head coach. Beyond game planning, there are the media and donor commitments, the time with the AD, the time with the direct reports, the time with recruiting etc. Great coordinators often don't translate to the great head coaches as a result of the time commitments

don't forget running the copier?

 

[Carl Spackler]

This is basically my point, we spent almost two pages over what Diaco meant in his press conference over who actually calls the plays when it doesn't matter if we can't fix what is up front

At least he demonstrated the ability to recognize what's happening, and scrap what wasn't working. That's a big step, and a good one. It blows my mind, how few people really get that, and that it kept us in the game, and absolutely did give us opportunity to compete and win, and that the real thing that should be knocked about his game time decisions, is why he didn't stress the importance of catching the punts, or if he did, what happened there? Play calling? Who gives a crap right now?

That's why a kid like Callahan, who is pretty good, at what he does, needs to stick with analyzing games for awhile, before spouting off on things that aren't important. Does Diaco realize that we lost the field position battle, and therefore our chances of actually doing something good, in the way that game was played, because their returner was fielding punts and we weren't? Was Foxx instructed to make his own decisions, or did he show confidence in his player, given the way the game was being played, and tell him to catch the damn ball? Was he was worried about drops? Why worry about drops? Have you practiced it enough? Have your players practiced outside on afternoons when it's raining to catch kicks? But that's fundamentals, too, perhaps he didn't have confidence in that, which brings me back to what makes me nuts.

What the hell are we doing in practices?

I hope that when we take the field on Saturday, it shows that we've really practiced well this week.