I expected improvement

[Colt house75]

I couldn't agree with you more. Fire Diacco. Offer Saban $5MM a year.

Chris, You're low...Saban makes $7mm plus the endorsements. Understand your frustrations with HCBD but realistically, the entire situation regarding the OL and QB situation is a $ hitstorm. Hopefully, time will resolve the OL.
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/12/14/5209876/nick-saban-alabama-contract-salary

 

[Fishy]

I am ready to fire Warde. Everything Warde touches turns to dung, and Diaco is just another in a long list of Manuel mistakes which the university can not afford. I would fire him tomorrow and make Calhoun Acting AD and first try to bring Pendergast back as soon as possible.

What mistakes would those be?

And Pendergast is not an AD - he's a sales exec, for all intents and purposes. And not a young one anymore - he has to be pushing mid-70s by now.

 

[huskyniner]

Just offer Saban $12MM per year. We'd basically be guaranteed a spot into a P5 conference so our new conference revenue could pay that anyway.

And I'm only half-kidding when I say this.

 

[Oregon Owl]

I am not ready to fire Diaco even if we lose out. I think he could be good eventually, he is just learning on the job. I don't think he was the best choice, but he is our problem now and i don't think kicking him out helps even though I wish we had hired Weist.

I am ready to fire Warde. Everything Warde touches turns to dung, and Diaco is just another in a long list of Manuel mistakes which the university can not afford. I would fire him tomorrow and make Calhoun Acting AD and first try to bring Pendergast back as soon as possible.

I can't comment about your university's athletic department, but regarding a coaching learning curve, I serve as direct evidence Matt Rhule, who went 2-10 last year after inheriting a team that went 4-7 the year before. There were many Owl fans who were incredulous at losses to Idaho and Fordham. I think UCONN's problems extend beyond new coaching. There was a significant talent gap today. Your defense actually played well. Our offense only scored 20. Your O has major rebuilding written all over it (except for the freshman tailback who scored the TD). I thought the 3rd string QB showed flashes of talent and athleticism. And QB is the position that propels everything forward. He may be sitting on your bench.

 

[bigAbruns]

We don't have five years to get this right.

The odds on upward mobility in terms of a power conference are long enough as it is and even those long odds are predicated on the football program actually showing competence.

If he's the wrong guy, and people in the athletic department would know far better than we do, better to make the call at the end of the year and move on whatever the costs. We can't tread water at this level without drowning for good and for ever.

Personally, I don't want to see him fired, but holy s---, he's produced a train wreck like I never imagined.

Somehow, I doubt they know anything.

 

[Pudge]

And on the other sideline ...

Temple is 3-1. After going 2-10 last year. I guarantee you that the University of Connecticut devotes a multiple of 2x the resources to Football. Things change year to year (and frankly, that's one of the reasons we love college sports). Temple looks decent & on the uptick.

I dunno about Diaco. But the original post is silly from a guy who's watched UConn Football for awhile. Nothing should surprise: we all know the background of that OLine - we simply are in a Total Rebuild. Against decent opposition - not Yankee Conference. Whitmer has a huge issue on ball control. And we seem to have a predisposition to make penalties & turnovers at crucial moments. Coaching must take the blame.

I think we have time. But we need to be a solid football program. Frankly, for all you talking about leaving early, that was a great crowd on a nice day yesterday. Wasted. We could WIN? And build from there.

Warde Manuel criticism comes from a fool. End of that thought.

 

[J187Money]

I couldn't agree with you more. Fire Diacco. Offer Saban $5MM a year.

Saban makes $6.9/year. Of course he would come here for $5. He wouldn't go to Texas for $10.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

I am not ready to fire Diaco even if we lose out. I think he could be good eventually, he is just learning on the job. I don't think he was the best choice, but he is our problem now and i don't think kicking him out helps even though I wish we had hired Weist.

I am ready to fire Warde. Everything Warde touches turns to dung, and Diaco is just another in a long list of Manuel mistakes which the university can not afford. I would fire him tomorrow and make Calhoun Acting AD and first try to bring Pendergast back as soon as possible.

I'd be more worried about Michigan coming in and hiring Warde as their AD.

If Warde ever leaves us (this soon)that is the signal that a P5 conference invite for us is pipe dream.

Everyone should just back off the ledge.

 

[J187Money]

To be honest I'm more worried about him quitting at the end of the year if we don't get any better. If he walks there is no way we get anyone decent to come in here.

 

[UCFBfan]

I'd be more worried about Michigan coming in and hiring Warde as their AD.

If Warde ever leaves us (this soon)that is the signal that a P5 conference invite for us is pipe dream.

Everyone should just back off the ledge.

If Warde DIDN'T leave for Michigan I'd be worried for his sanity. Alma Mater, P5 school, oh and did I mention it's freaking Michigan.

Him getting HIRED by Michigan is not a sign we are not going anywhere. Him walking away like JMoney said, is the sign we're not going anywhere.

 

[J187Money]

To be honest I'm more worried about him quitting at the end of the year if we don't get any better. If he walks there is no way we get anyone decent to come in here.

To be clear I mean Diaco walking away.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

If Warde DIDN'T leave for Michigan I'd be worried for his sanity. Alma Mater, P5 school, oh and did I mention it's freaking Michigan.

Him getting HIRED by Michigan is not a sign we are not going anywhere. Him walking away like JMoney said, is the sign we're not going anywhere.

Him getting HIRED by Michigan is not a sign we are not going anywhere. Him walking away like JMoney said, is the sign we're not going anywhere.[/QUOTE]

Didn't mean Warde wouldn't take the job(of course he would)-meant that we would be in trouble if he did leave now.

 

[UCFBfan]

Didn't mean Warde wouldn't take the job(of course he would)-meant that we would be in trouble if he did leave now.

I don't think we'd be in that much trouble. Did he really do anything amazing during his time here? Seriously? I'm not someone who wants him fired, but I'm not totally enamored with him either. To me, he hasn't really done anything above and beyond to make me think he needs to be here for us to get to P5.

 

[Uconnalliance]

Earth to boneyarders WERE REBUILDING! It's gonna take more than 5 games, relax

 

[SAMCRO]

We have the worst OL in FBS and possibly FCS today, that alone is a huge obstacle for any newly hired coaching staff to overcome. We lost our starting QB (who was a big reason for the 3 wins Weist got last year) and have turned to a guy who is trying his hardest but is just over his head at this level (and it doesn't help the he and Boyle are pretty much getting drilled every time they drop back). We are not good on that side of the ball, period. Some of that falls on these coaches, but most of it is due to L.O.F.T. (Lack Of F'ng Talent). Part of that LOFT is due to youth, and those kids will get stronger and better over time, but a lot of it is due to 3 years of kids not being coached properly, developed on the field, or in the weight room (go eat a bag of s PGDL and JH).

I'm not ready to tar and feather Diaco yet (although I am beginning to research the price and availability of tar on-line just in case), but he has made some suspect decisions in his game and player management 4 games into his career here. We will see if this is all part of the master plan that delivers much success over the coming seasons, or if this is a guy who is following his GPS down a road that leads to a cliff with no bridge. Only thing I am positive of is this is not the time to be the worst FB team in FBS.

 

[whaler11]

Diaco is not walking away from $8 million dollars and UConn is not going to find another $8 million to replace him.

They could go 2-22 and he'd be back for 2016.

Nobody is firing Warde and it's a long shot Michigan gives him a shot while his football program burns around him.

 

[Adios]

Worst case scenario is we're going to the ACC.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Diaco is not walking away from $8 million dollars and UConn is not going to find another $8 million to replace him.

They could go 2-22 and he'd be back for 2016.

Nobody is firing Warde and it's a long shot Michigan gives him a shot while his football program burns around him.

I agree on Warde not being hired by Michigan. What major program would hire an AD that has let the football program get worse every year he has been in charge and clearly hired the wrong coach when presented the choice of two alternatives?

My concern is the basketball program. UConn is a Final Four away from some NBA team offering Ollie money. Maybe Ollie stays anyway, but $10mm a year is $10mm a year. Does anyone trust Manuel to replace Ollie if the NBA takes him?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I can't comment about your university's athletic department, but regarding a coaching learning curve, I serve as direct evidence Matt Rhule, who went 2-10 last year after inheriting a team that went 4-7 the year before. There were many Owl fans who were incredulous at losses to Idaho and Fordham. I think UCONN's problems extend beyond new coaching. There was a significant talent gap today. Your defense actually played well. Our offense only scored 20. Your O has major rebuilding written all over it (except for the freshman tailback who scored the TD). I thought the 3rd string QB showed flashes of talent and athleticism. And QB is the position that propels everything forward. He may be sitting on your bench.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry, but that 3rd string QB you speak of is our starting slot WR. He's a senior.

 

[TheJerk]

I couldn't agree with you more. Fire Diacco. Offer Saban $5MM a year.

doesn't he make $7Mil already?

 

[upstater]

Please tell me how another coach could make the OL block better. Foley didn't get stupid overnight.

Is Foley in charge? I didn't know that.
If I can predict that Whitmer is going to drop back 11 steps with his back to the play as he fakes a handoff, then roll into the outside rush, so can the opposing coaches.

And this is why I closely watched the DEs all game yesterday, and they rarely if ever tried inside moves. They knew they could rush upfield with no regard and Whitmer was not going to hurt them by stepping up in the pocket.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

I agree on Warde not being hired by Michigan. What major program would hire an AD that has let the football program get worse every year he has been in charge and clearly hired the wrong coach when presented the choice of two alternatives?

My concern is the basketball program. UConn is a Final Four away from some NBA team offering Ollie money. Maybe Ollie stays anyway, but $10mm a year is $10mm a year. Does anyone trust Manuel to replace Ollie if the NBA takes him?

I do trust Calhoun-who would have a large say in the matter (again).

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I couldn't agree with you more. Fire Diacco. Offer Saban $5MM a year.

Wow.... Why not just offer Bill Belichick $4 million.

Evidently you didn't hear that Texas offered Saban $100 million last winter and he turned it down:
http://espn.go.com/college-football...epared-offer-100-million-nick-saban-book-says

He preferred remaining at Bama for a mere $55 million:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...contract-extension-assistant-coaches/9914115/

I'm sure a $2 million per year pay cut to come here is quite appealing.

 

[CL82]

are you crazy?? If you canned a head coach in his first season you would NEVER get a decent coach in that program again. Sorry folks, you need to give the guy some time, like at least into his third year.

Uh oh, PP flashbacks...but I agree.

 

[Oregon Owl]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry, but that 3rd string QB you speak of is our starting slot WR. He's a senior.

Then I think you should cry. He looked better than anybody else you threw out there behind center.