Year 7 in the Wilderness

[BlueDogs]

Another season mercifully closes and we all now go into winter hibernation. Seven long and painful years and it just doesn't seem to get any better. But, it has.

Despite a miserable 3 win season, there are reasons to remain positive. RE has to let Lashlee have free reign next year. The offense seemed to regress as RE imposed ball possession control to cover for a broken defense. Grimes and Lashlee are two key assets in this program and we can't afford to lose them. Our OL will get better and better as will our Offense if RE2 stays out of the way.

Keeping Crocker around after producing the very worst defense in CFB by wide margins is a mistake. We have made a lot of them by hiring the wrong guys and keeping them around too long. Let's not make another by keeping a historically bad under performer around. We need experienced P5 quality coordinators, not guys with oy 1AA lifetime experience who have no feel for big boy football. RE guessed wrong and needs to fix it.

We need to restock with quality football players. Recruiting 185 pound track and field guys with no football acumen is a huge mistake. Football is about more than just speed as we have seen. Find guys that have aptitude for making football plays, not guys that clock out the best. We have to get the non- protypical height, weight and speed players that can play the game well.

The AAC is a good football conference with terrible football brands. This will improve because the competition is driving improvements. Aresco needs to start going to war against the P5 cartel and making life miserable and aggressive OCC scheduling is a must. There should be an open challenge for our best teams to play head to head in season against any P5 conference champs, and watch them squirm. He has to undermine the scheduling strength excuse. UCF, USF and Memphis need to tear apart some P5s in bowl season.

The core fan base needs to hang tough. As much as folks complain, it's a pretty hardy bunch of 20,000 or so who have endured some pretty crappy football. Yes, they show up late, leave early, but given the last 7 years they deserve credit.

I'll be back for another season with overly optimistic expectations, because that what fans are...fanatics who refuse to accept defeat and continue to believe when they shouldn't.

Hang tough boys, the promised land is out there. We've been there before, even if but for a short stay.

 

[SubbaBub]

I'm on the fence about Crocker and the 3-3-5 in general. Actually, I'm not down with the 3-3-5 at all. I'd prefer a 4-3 if only to protect the inside and let the LB focus out wide.

But, it is/was clear that we didn't have the personnel for the 3-3-5. Not enough beef on DL, not enough speed at LB, and not enough clue at DB.

So, here is the dilemma. We can't nor should we wait 2-3 seasons to fill in enough spots to run this defense (strike 1) that few other teams run (strike 2).

Edsall needs to decide what pieces he has or can get on the field in the next 1-2 years to put our a top half of FBS defense as it is the only way we are going to win games. The offense is taking a step back next year unless we rediscover the RE 1.0 running game. If he thinks he has the pieces to make this work, umm OK but, more likely he doesn't which means he should strongly consider parting ways with Crocker and call it an idea that just didn't work out.

As it sits, we have no DL, no LB and a young secondary. Look at the roster, look at the recruits coming in this fall and make the best judgement on who can play at this level. This is one area where blindly following the initial plan is not likely going to work.

 

[BugsyCT]

Pass defense absolutely destroyed this season. Gotta be statistically the worst in FBS by far. UConn has to fix that the most on top of everything else. Crocker's coaching didn't help much either. Hard to play the 3-3-4 when you know you have players that aren't built to play it.

Goes without saying we need speed, size, and players who know how to TACKLE.

Was good to see our offense actually look like an FBS level offense. Hope Lashlee sticks around for awhile, at least one more year.

As a fan, the whole season was draining. Losing the way we did yesterday was a real kick in the nads. Glad it's over. Still remaining hopeful for next season that Randy can turn this thing around.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

I think Crocker in year 2 will have a better D. This off season, we need the coaches go out and get people who will represent UConn in great lights. I'm not sure, but can alumni go out a recruit. I'd love to see DO, Fincher and a few others (John Dorsey) recruit for UConn.

I bet there's a rule against it...

 

[kemba]

Totally on board with whatever Edsall wants to do with Crocker. All the issues with our defense were things that were not an issue with RE 1.0. Those teams were known for being tough, physical, and smart, this team was the opposite. Edsall knows what it takes to get us there. Obviously we need better players. But whether the coaching was the problem too, I think you need to watch him, and the position coaches, in practice to really see whats going on. I trust Edsall's judgement in that area, if he thinks Crocker is the guy and its just going to take time to get guys who can play in here, great. If he thinks a lot of the mistakes had to do with coaches not teaching techniques well enough, and not making enough adjustments with the scheme, then I'll go along with that too.

 

[RSTuthill]

After agonizing over this question for a long time I come down on the side that Crocker was not the problem. I think that they truly looked at the talent, experience, and size of the players and decided what approach would produce the least worst result. Sux, but it was what it was. And even with all that went on, they were a hair away from winning 5.