Some More Perspective (Diaco Teleconference)

[Carl Spackler]

Tulane is a team with 2 wins. UConn and SE Louisiana.

They are 86th in points against (giving up on average 29 points/game). We scored 3 points against a team that gives up 29/game. SE LA scored 20.

Here is the drive chart for some "perspective".

FG
Punt
Punt
INT
Fumble
Half
Fumble
Safety
Punt
Punt
Missed FG

Believe it or not, I had a sense of the offense actually starting to find a rhythym through the first 3 possessions, gaining some confidence. They hadn't turned it over, they had point up points.......I had a good feeling. Then Diaco pulled the senior QB, leading all these freshmen and sophs....... for the Boyle experiment.

 

[freescooter]

Carl, I actually agree with you. I thought they were starting to get a bit of rhythm a few times when something went haywire. Both fumbles came after we started to move the football and were at least in field goal range...maybe long field goals but range none the less.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Carl, I actually agree with you. I thought they were starting to get a bit of rhythm a few times when something went haywire. Both fumbles came after we started to move the football and were at least in field goal range...maybe long field goals but range none the less.

It's just my impression, my opinion, but when Boyle came in the game, I was completely floored. WTF would you do that? Why would you pull the starting QB when the offense is actually working and he's not hurt? It still makes me feel like I'm watching an inexperience youth sports coach coaching kids that all need playing time - spread it out. I wrote that the other night. Haven't changed my mind. The game went downhill from there. As for Newsome, he's clearly a big play potential back. He demonstrates good field vision, and has great speed. What he's not used to yet - is getting hit by division 1 football players. He wasn't getting the kind of contact he's getting this fall, when we was running the ball at Ansonia last fall a year ago - he wasn't getting much contact at all really, because he was running into the endzone most of the time. He's fighting for yards, and he gets the ball ripped out of his hands. (Happened to Davis this year too - a standing hand fight for the ball - and lost), on the second one, a pretty sure it was a DT that got off the line in backside pursuit and caught up to him as he was fighting forward, and flipped him, onto his shoulder and head while stripping the ball. He wasn't getting hit like that playing in the NVL - I can guarantee that.

I wasn't joking when I wrote the other night, that they should scrap a day of formal practice for a nice long game of spear the queer for our ball carriers and ball handlers. It would probably help our tackling too.

 

[Bonehead]

It's just my impression, my opinion, but when Boyle came in the game, I was completely floored. WTF would you do that? Why would you pull the starting QB when the offense is actually working and he's not hurt? It still makes me feel like I'm watching an inexperience youth sports coach coaching kids that all need playing time - spread it out. I wrote that the other night. Haven't changed my mind. The game went downhill from there. As for Newsome, he's clearly a big play potential back. He demonstrates good field vision, and has great speed. What he's not used to yet - is getting hit by division 1 football players. He wasn't getting the kind of contact he's getting this fall, when we was running the ball at Ansonia last fall a year ago - he wasn't getting much contact at all really, because he was running into the endzone most of the time. He's fighting for yards, and he gets the ball ripped out of his hands. (Happened to Davis this year too - a standing hand fight for the ball - and lost), on the second one, a pretty sure it was a DT that got off the line in backside pursuit and caught up to him as he was fighting forward, and flipped him, onto his shoulder and head while stripping the ball. He wasn't getting hit like that playing in the NVL - I can guarantee that.

I wasn't joking when I wrote the other night, that they should scrap a day of formal practice for a nice long game of spear the queer for our ball carriers and ball handlers. It would probably help our tackling too.

Nutcrackers...

 

[Palatine]

Perfect for the Millennial Generation.

 

[whaler11]

I don't claim to have a football mind, but I think I'm semi-rational. Let's see. The worst - and it's not close - unit on the team is the O line. It's coached by the holdover everyone wanted - Foley. It doesn't block for runs and it doesn't pass protect often enough to sustain drives, it makes them go in reverse. The best QB among the top 3 is gone. The result is a very predictable O which makes it much easier to stop because longer developing pass plays become pointless. Diaco is young and often too much the cheerleader, but Knute Rockne or Bud Wilkinson would never have become legends with this line play. It's either the line coaching sucks or the players aren't talented or mature enough to compete at this level.

Maybe a multiple threat QB would help. I don't advocate for Foxx, but it's pretty funny how much ragging on HCBD there was when he experimented with Foxx - a senior, lose player development opportunity, blah blah blah. Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention. Fans want to see a winner or at least be entertained. The coach and the AD both want a winner, because winning is more entertaining and pays better. But you can't get blood from a stone. If people think that PP left the program a mess too big to fix quickly, maybe that is the answer for year one of the Diaco era.

Let's talk Foxx for a second:

So they put in a package for Foxx.

They spent coaching and practice time on it. You know at the same time they made a big deal about simplifying things on offense.

They were in another close game and didn't use him.

So what exactly is the coach doing there and why isn't we can't be critical about? What he is doing with Foxx makes less than zero sense.

 

[Marty Jackson]

the great thing about this board is that if Uconn goes out and beats ECU or UCF, everyone on here will go back to their man crush on BD and the debate about who's the greatest Uconn HC of all time will rage on.

 

[Stinger92860]

Let's talk Foxx for a second:

So they put in a package for Foxx.

They spent coaching and practice time on it. You know at the same time they made a big deal about simplifying things on offense.

They were in another close game and didn't use him.

So what exactly is the coach doing there and why isn't we can't be critical about? What he is doing with Foxx makes less than zero sense.

And the package(s) they stayed with produced 3 points against Tulane.

 

[whaler11]

the great thing about this board is that if Uconn goes out and beats ECU or UCF, everyone on here will go back to their man crush on BD and the debate about who's the greatest Uconn HC of all time will rage on.

ECU has been less than impressive the last few weeks.

They are ahead of Marshall in the polls but have fallen well behind in the computers (21-33).

Who knows what criteria they will use for the sympathy bowl - but I anticipate ECU will be highly motivated to make a statement on a night they will get some exposure.

They are going to be a 5-6 touchdown favorite next Thursday in an environment that UConn hasn't seen on the road in a while.

It would probably be the biggest upset in college football all season of they were to win.

 

[cohenzone]

ECU has been less than impressive the last few weeks.

They are ahead of Marshall in the polls but have fallen well behind in the computers (21-33).

Who knows what criteria they will use for the sympathy bowl - but I anticipate ECU will be highly motivated to make a statement on a night they will get some exposure.

They are going to be a 5-6 touchdown favorite next Thursday in an environment that UConn hasn't seen on the road in a while.

It would probably be the biggest upset in college football all season of they were to win.

Might be the biggest upset this season if they were to score.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Might be the biggest upset this season if they were to score.

Well, they managed on O to get through the first possession and quarter without turning it over, and actually getting point on the board for us, instead of them while we had the ball. After that, it seemed like they felt they had accomplished all they wanted to do for the day against Tulane.

Hopefully, against ECU, they can repeat that start to the game, and then actually keep playing the same way til the end.

 

[cohenzone]

L

Well, they managed on O to get through the first possession and quarter without turning it over, and actually getting point on the board for us, instead of them while we had the ball. After that, it seemed like they felt they had accomplished all they wanted to do for the day against Tulane.

Hopefully, against ECU, they can repeat that start to the game, and then actually keep playing the same way til the end.

Carl, hope springs eternal.

 

[pepband99]

Let's talk Foxx for a second:

So they put in a package for Foxx.

They spent coaching and practice time on it. You know at the same time they made a big deal about simplifying things on offense.

They were in another close game and didn't use him.

So what exactly is the coach doing there and why isn't we can't be critical about? What he is doing with Foxx makes less than zero sense.

Sorry - you can't blast Diaco incessantly for trying Foxx at QB, then complain when it might have just not worked in practice. Would you rather him try more "exhibition games" to ease him in?

Maybe you were right all along, and it was an impending horror show, but you can't flip and complain it wasn't used, in that case!

"The food was bad, and the portions were too small!"

 

[whaler11]

Sorry - you can't blast Diaco incessantly for trying Foxx at QB, then complain when it might have just not worked in practice. Would you rather him try more "exhibition games" to ease him in?

Maybe you were right all along, and it was an impending horror show, but you can't flip and complain it wasn't used, in that case!

"The food was bad, and the portions were too small!"

I'm complaining that the semblance of a plan here is impossible to discern.

I wouldn't bother with playing Foxx at QB - but if you are going to waste time putting in a package for him why wouldn't you use it?

If it's not to win games in 2014 when is it for?

 

[Carl Spackler]

I'm complaining that the semblance of a plan here is impossible to discern.

I wouldn't bother with playing Foxx at QB - but if you are going to waste time putting in a package for him why wouldn't you use it?

If it's not to win games in 2014 when is it for?

Sooner or later, I will stop trying to figure out what's going on, and I'll be happier.

Until then......wouldn't surprise if me Foxx never took a single snap in practice over the 2 weeks leading up to Tulane, or if he was given the majority of snaps, and Diaco chose not to play it out on game day. WTF knows what's going on.

All I know, is I watched the game again, and I think it was dumb not to go for it on 4th down with 10 minutes to go, that was a huge opportunity missed for Coach Diaco, to inject a bit of confidence into the offense -even if they failed on the conversion. I thought we had learned from this after the BYU game.

We lost because basically of what reduces down to the fact that we have the weakest hands on the ball as an entire offense that I have ever seen at UCONN, we have TE's that don't know how to line up in short yardage situations, our tackling while good, is not consistently good, and we didn't make the effort to catch every single punt that we can get to. That's fact and it's on the recording of the game, and the previous 5 leading up to it. THese things are not difficult to fix, as long as you focus on them relentlessly. Everything else is just spouting opinion.

 

[freescooter]

whaler,
I agree with you that I don't see much in the way of a plan. I don't read too much into the Foxx thing though. My guess is there are a few things involved.

• UConn is thin at the quarterback position. We don't have a 3rd quarterback so Foxx has been drafted into the job in case of emergency. And remember Boyle has or had some mystery ailment. My own view is that the staff questions Boyle's ability, too, but of course they will never say that.
  
• The Temple game was over, so Diaco used the final 5 or so minutes to get Foxx a little play, protecting Whitmer. Normally this would be mop up duty for the #2 but he was hurting so why not use a guy who needs experience in case he's ever actually needed? It is also not unheard of to use the 3rd quarterback during garbage time. That's all that was going on.
  
• Now that he's shown the Foxx thing, his presser comments we just a little misdirection. Give Tulane (or anyone else) something to worry about, game plan against. Its like running a trick play. Once its out there the other teams have to look for it. Hey, when you're 1-4 you use anything you have.

Bottom line: Foxx at quarterback isn't part of any "plan" to the extent such a thing exists.

 

[whaler11]

whaler,
I agree with you that I don't see much in the way of a plan. I don't read too much into the Foxx thing though. My guess is there are a few things involved.

• UConn is thin at the quarterback position. We don't have a 3rd quarterback so Foxx has been drafted into the job in case of emergency. And remember Boyle has or had some mystery ailment. My own view is that the staff questions Boyle's ability, too, but of course they will never say that.
  
• The Temple game was over, so Diaco used the final 5 or so minutes to get Foxx a little play, protecting Whitmer. Normally this would be mop up duty for the #2 but he was hurting so why not use a guy who needs experience in case he's ever actually needed? It is also not unheard of to use the 3rd quarterback during garbage time. That's all that was going on.
  
• Now that he's shown the Foxx thing, his presser comments we just a little misdirection. Give Tulane (or anyone else) something to worry about, game plan against. Its like running a trick play. Once its out there the other teams have to look for it. Hey, when you're 1-4 you use anything you have.

Bottom line: Foxx at quarterback isn't part of any "plan" to the extent such a thing exists.

That may be the case it's just misdirection. Which is fine.

 

[Carl Spackler]

That may be the case it's just misdirection. Which is fine.

That would be my first, best guess, that Foxx didn't take a single snap over the entire 2 weeks. But given the way Diaco has operated the offense, it's not outside the realm of possibility or probability that they did indeed run practice reps for him, and then not use it. Either way - it's a minor wrinkle that opposing defenses will need to deal with, and more importantly, Whitmer showed the threat of running in the past game. The offense - for me now, multiple days after the fact, is really not that far away from being successful. It's attention to detail that's lacking, and until we can get that detail for this I formation base offense, defenses are going to continue to throw all kinds of pressure at us, which makes it look a lot worse than it is.

What's bothersome to me is the QB rotation itself, Diaco's been consistent with it throughout since game 1, so there is no reason to think it will change, and it's entirely within reason that if Cochran were still playing, that he and Whitmer would still be dividing reps. I don't understand it, and I don't agree with it, and to date - the results do not support it.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I simply can't concern myself with what his plan is any longer. It's bizarre. At this point I'll just close my eyes and hope that I'm wrong.

Interest here was waned so much that not only didn't we get the View from 241, but nobody has even asked for it. And I swear I saw BL on a milk carton this week.

 

[junglehusky]

whaler,
I agree with you that I don't see much in the way of a plan. I don't read too much into the Foxx thing though. My guess is there are a few things involved.

• UConn is thin at the quarterback position. We don't have a 3rd quarterback so Foxx has been drafted into the job in case of emergency. And remember Boyle has or had some mystery ailment. My own view is that the staff questions Boyle's ability, too, but of course they will never say that.
  
• The Temple game was over, so Diaco used the final 5 or so minutes to get Foxx a little play, protecting Whitmer. Normally this would be mop up duty for the #2 but he was hurting so why not use a guy who needs experience in case he's ever actually needed? It is also not unheard of to use the 3rd quarterback during garbage time. That's all that was going on.
  
• Now that he's shown the Foxx thing, his presser comments we just a little misdirection. Give Tulane (or anyone else) something to worry about, game plan against. Its like running a trick play. Once its out there the other teams have to look for it. Hey, when you're 1-4 you use anything you have.

Bottom line: Foxx at quarterback isn't part of any "plan" to the extent such a thing exists.

Makes sense. I wouldn't be surprised either way if we see Foxx at QB again or if we never do. Maybe Tulane spent 10% of its practice preparing for Foxx? Wound up not factoring in but maybe it will in a future game. Or as you say, just a way to reduce the # of snaps on Whitmer/Boyle after a game is decided, which could happen in the 4th quarter @ECU.

A freescooter post that is well-reasoned... now I've seen it all.

 

[Huskygamble19]

What do you mean? I watched all but the last 6 minutes. It was on ESPNews the entire time. ESPN3 carries all ESPN content. It wasnt an ESPN3 exclusive, like last year.

Been away for awhile...Just saw your post. when I checked my taping, it was a Miami Heat basketball game on, not the UCONN football game. did it switch later?

 

[J187Money]

Sorry - you can't blast Diaco incessantly for trying Foxx at QB, then complain when it might have just not worked in practice. Would you rather him try more "exhibition games" to ease him in? Maybe you were right all along, and it was an impending horror show, but you can't flip and complain it wasn't used, in that case! "The food was bad, and the portions were too small!"

They already used it in a game. With some success. Why waste practice time on it if you aren't going to deploy it?

 

[J187Money]

I'm not worried about Foxx's practice time. But if that is a different set of plays for the OL to practice I'm not sure that's a good use of time given how behind they are.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Been away for awhile...Just saw your post. when I checked my taping, it was a Miami Heat basketball game on, not the UCONN football game. did it switch later?

yes. about 5 minutes into the game.

 

[Husky25]

Been away for awhile...Just saw your post. when I checked my taping, it was a Miami Heat basketball game on, not the UCONN football game. did it switch later?

It didnt even go to commercial. Switched over immediately.

ESPN was obligated to complete the broadcast of the Heat game, which went into overtime, because of the Heidi Rule. Find a copy of Not So Great Moments in Sports, Part II, and then thank the TV sports gods that nothing, let alone a childrens movie, will preempt the last 5 minutes of a game you've been watching for 3 hours.