Why UConn isn't good (spoiler alert)

[whaler11]

They spent the last half decade getting their a**es kicked in recruiting. Beat FCS teams for players and you've got an FCS team.

Thank God Diaco doesn't subscribe to the fever dream that you can take a bunch of guys no one wants and coach them into the little engine that could.

 

[noeynox]

We need playmakers. Every team we face has players that turn what should be short to average gains and break a,big play. We don't and it puts enormous pressure to be perfect in play calling and execution. Same thing on defense. It can't all be on the schemes at all times.

 

[DoctorWho85]

They spent the last half decade getting their a**es kicked in recruiting. Beat FCS teams for players and you've got an FCS team.

Thank God Diaco doesn't subscribe to the fever dream that you can take a bunch of guys no one wants and coach them into the little engine that could.

I want to argue against this, but the more I watch this team the more it is apparent that the talent level is behind the rest of the conference.

 

[JMick]

We need playmakers. Every team we face has players that turn what should be short to average gains and break a,big play. We don't and it puts enormous pressure to be perfect in play calling and execution. Same thing on defense. It can't all be on the schemes at all times.

Yup. Who is going to be the Donald Brown on offense? Who's going to be the Scott Lutrus on defense? Or the Sio Moore? We don't have any of those types of players right now. They very well may be on the roster - but they're not at that level yet.

 

[whaler11]

I want to argue against this, but the more I watch this team the more it is apparent that the talent level is behind the rest of the conference.

Some will argue. It's silly. As soon as you see them against a Cincinnati - it's clear the roster is paper thin.

 

[whaler11]

When you tell me I'm wrong - let me know who on this team is going to be all-conference. Or should be all conference. Puyol has the best chance. Think about that.

 

[noeynox]

I see Beals and some of the other freshmen and kids like Quayvon Skanes, and Dixon and Rose, see some hope for the future. If we exceed 4 wins this year it is a major accomplishment.

The necessary playmakers are not here yet or ready if they are.

 

[UCFBfan]

So where does Newsome fall? I think the kids good. Just wondering some thoughts here. He easily can be the RB we need. Beals is another one who can be solid for us

 

[zls44]

BUT CONNECTICUT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111111

 

[JMick]

So where does Newsome fall? I think the kids good. Just wondering some thoughts here. He easily can be the RB we need. Beals is another one who can be solid for us

This is part of the argument. Our best playmakers are Freshman and Sophomores. That speaks volumes to the current talent level of the team. They should both be very good their Jr and Sr years, especially now that we actually have a strength training program. Look how much Newsome improved in just one year. No chance he makes those strides under PP

 

[Dooley]

I'm hoping that our recruiting classes from last year and this year will help level the talent gap with some of our opponents, like Cincinnati. It's clear that we're recruiting big frames - which should help us if we want to continue playing "Pro Set" football.

Also, a part of the blame goes to S&C from the prior regime. We have SR players that are below average size for this level of football. Coach Balis is every bit as important as any coach on our staff and if he's able to transform some of these big frames into NFL sized playing bodies, then it'll just be a matter of proper coaching and execution.

 

[noeynox]

Newsome is the closest thing to a game breaker we have imo. He is overused as an every down back because no else has shown they can handle 10 plus carries and not kill the team with a lack of production. IMO that affects Newsome ' s explosiveness. I still feel he would be most effective getting like 10 to 12 rushes and 6 to 8 receptions.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The ironic thing is we may be more talented (while exceptionally young) at skill positions (WR, TE, TB) than we ever have been. What GDL did to our offensive line warrants a mandatory jail sentence.

 

[JSM1970]

He is good, but O line not great, lousy QB, and so-so WRs. D is worn down because of how bad the offense is.

So where does Newsome fall? I think the kids good. Just wondering some thoughts here. He easily can be the RB we need. Beals is another one who can be solid for us

 

[Dooley]

Newsome and Beals (and Thomas) are our playmakers in 2016. I do think Shirreffs is an improvement over any QB we've had in the past half decade but he'll need much better protection if we're going to go bowling next year. Maybe Davis will see the field next year and hit the ground running much like Lynch has in Memphis (to continue the Memphis - UConn comparison).

On defense, I can't wait until Stewart graduates and we can move guys like Diggs and Levenberry more in the mix. I'm also hoping that once Adams graduates, our younger classmen will push Obi too. We can't win if we line our safeties up 20+ yards off the LOS.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

They spent the last half decade getting their a**es kicked in recruiting. Beat FCS teams for players and you've got an FCS team.

Thank God Diaco doesn't subscribe to the fever dream that you can take a bunch of guys no one wants and coach them into the little engine that could.

You're not wrong. There's a few posters (including me) who've taken a lot of heat on this board for saying this the last few years, but I doubt even those people will argue it any more.

Before people start throwing out some individual players as proof that you're wrong, there certainly are outliers. But we don't have a full roster full of legitimate AAC caliber players.

 

[whaler11]

For the love of God they need to start redshirting as many as possible again.

Mayala and Tarbutt were redshirts set on fire for example.

 

[Dooley]

For the love of God they need to start redshirting as many as possible again.

Mayala and Tarbutt were redshirts set on fire for example.

Completely agree. Happy to see Davis' RS preserved this year. I like giving FR a year to add necessary muscle needed to play at this level. I understand the recruiting pitch in promising high school kids playing time as a FR. But I do hope that we'll eventually get back to using redshirt years again.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

He is good, but O line not great, lousy QB, and so-so WRs. D is worn down because of how bad the offense is.

I think calling Shirreffs lousy is BS. Give him some protection and time to learn his progressions and he's at least decent.
Lousy? A bit too strong. It applies to our o Line, our defensive game plan and game management, but not to Bryant. He's tough as nails and is doing his best with no time to think in there.
Give him a reasonable FBS-level line where our talented TE's aren't wasted as habitual blockers and then judge him
He wasn't sharp last night, but I'm still impressed by him.

 

[Yonick]

Our OL is our weak spot. What do we have on the 2016 recruiting commits so far? Just 1 OL

 

[gioff23]

I think the talent level at the fresh and soph level is better than I am reading on this thread, but it would not be a bang the table argument. I see improvement in some areas, but we looked really bad yesterday, especially on D. Now, if it were one game, I'd let it go, but it is now 6 straight quarters of bad angles, worse tackling, and yesterday, quit. I very much despise the calling out of kids who aren't old enough to buy a beer, but there is not a senior the team will miss next year, and that is sad.

I am not sure how starting a guy at WR is equiv to burning the RS of the kicker - then again, you get 5 to play 4 and the RS is not related to the first year. Any of these kids could RS later - e.g., Tarbut could RS next year.

 

[jdb50]

The talent/depth issue is still part of our problem. But letting Washington line up in the slot on 3rd and 6 with no defender within 15 yards is more than a jimmies and joes issue. We better adjust to the level of passing in this league and the college game in general. Our LB's are a problem in coverage let alone holding the edge. Play the younger guys. Hopefully they have more speed and instinct. The D has given big cushions all year. Opponents count on it. The next 2 games are winnable but we need to fix some things, the same formula is not going to get it done.

 

[whaler11]

The talent/depth issue is still part of our problem. But letting Washington line up in the slot on 3rd and 6 with no defender within 15 yards is more than a jimmies and joes issue. We better adjust to the level of passing in this league and the college game in general. Our LB's are a problem in coverage let alone holding the edge. Play the younger guys. Hopefully they have more speed and instinct. The D has given big cushions all year. Opponents count on it. The next 2 games are winnable but we need to fix some things, the same formula is not going to get it done.

Here is how I'd reply to that.

Diaco coached the defense at Cincinnati when they were a clock malfunction away from a BCS title game.

He coached the defense at Notre Dame to a BCS title game.

Do you think maybe he knows how to scheme a defense and he's doing what he can with the pieces he has?

If you pit me and Bobby Fisher at chess and don't give him bishops or rooks - guess what - he's going to lose.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Here is how I'd reply to that.

Diaco coached the defense at Cincinnati when they were a clock malfunction away from a BCS title game.

He coached the defense at Notre Dame to a BCS title game.

Do you think maybe he knows how to scheme a defense and he's doing what he can with the pieces he has?

If you pit me and Bobby Fisher at chess and don't give him bishops or rooks - guess what - he's going to lose.

I agree with your line of thought and do believe in Diaco's defensive abilities, but I think it has to be conceded that we've had a lot of head-scratching scenarios on that side of the ball the past few games that go beyond personnel issues

 

[jdb50]

So Williams and Summers can't ever play within 5 yards of the wideouts? we can't put in another DB to play the slot. Hate to say it but Stewart is useless in coverage.