UConn Football is Dead

[junglehusky]

Good post fleudslip.

Only nit to pick is that judging the timeout handling assumes the HC would approach the situation the same way in a competitive game with a lot on the line. That might be the situation 2 years from now (Diaco will still be a young HC) but I think the approach with this young team is to teach them whenever situations arise. That is a higher priority right now than situational coaching. We just wish it wasn't.

 

[ctchamps]

Good post fleudslip.

Only nit to pick is that judging the timeout handling assumes the HC would approach the situation the same way in a competitive game with a lot on the line. That might be the situation 2 years from now (Diaco will still be a young HC) but I think the approach with this young team is to teach them whenever situations arise. That is a higher priority right now than situational coaching. We just wish it wasn't.

Absolutely a valid point and a mitigating factor to my statement if true. We won't know unless the press asks, but no matter how it is explained I wan't intending to put too much emphasis on just two sequences. Which you obviously accounted for in your preamble.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

A huge concern for me going forward is recruiting. With HCRE you knew not to judge the players he had coming in by their stars or offers due to his track record.

HCBD though is putting together a full recruiting class of kids that have FCS, MAC, and C-USA offers.

Nobody wants to say it to hamper the enthusiasm on new recruits, but if it's bad now... what does Year 3 bring with a roster of guys that should be at URI, Lehigh and Middle Tennessee state.

 

[huskysupporter]

Did a little research. UMass' QB is a Marshall transfer tracked down and personally interviewed by Whipple prior to committing to come to UMass. He came in knowing there was competition but he and Whipple both saw something in each other. I think him becoming a pro prospect already this year is another major feather in Whipple's cap.

Umass is competing against everyone. We escaped with a win over Stony Brook due to a Foxx run back. Best play Fiaco called all year.

I will say this, the board as a whole was very much against Whipple as head coach. I remember posting non stop about how I thought he could be a good hire. He took UMASS to the a 1-AA national championship, had a wealth of experience working with qb's (including Ben Roethlesberger in Pitt). He had to recruit to a Division 1-AA team, he has to have an eye for talent and moldable players. That is imperative at this job.

 

[gars44]

Have to find a way to get players. Fast, athletic players that are capable of playing in an aggressive scheme. When you watch the team, it's clear that there just isn't much there. So the question is, is Diaco capable of finding the kids that are maybe a notch below what the top programs can get and can be developed? He needs a couple of years to show that he can or can't. However, this conservative style does nothing. It's a feeble effort to keep games close in the hopes of stealing a win here or there. It doesn't appeal to fans and more importantly, recruits. Based on that alone I suspect he is headed towards being replaced in a couple of years.

Yeah. The thing is, even teams like Umass and Buffalo are getting kids that are more talented than what we have now. So, the players are out there. I'm putting all my hope in the belief that PP and GDL were such downers that they just could not attract the recruits needed to run a competent program, and I'm hoping that Diacco's youth, energy, and positivity will change that. I do believe that. You see too many other non P5 teams that have it together. Even in the AAC. So, yeah, we are bottoming out this season. You don't turn the Queen Mary on a dime.

 

[uconnbill]

You don't fire someone because your not pleased with how things are going. I don't think he is happy about this and the cupboards were bare when it came to the offensive line. The strength coach brought in will help more and more. We gave FHCPP more time before people mentioning he should be canned.

 

[huskysupporter]

You don't fire someone because your not pleased with how things are going. I don't think he is happy about this and the cupboards were bare when it came to the offensive line. The strength coach brought in will help more and more. We gave FHCPP more time before people mentioning he should be canned.

That is the only thing that gives me hope for the O Line, another year in the weight room. Some of the guys are pretty light, and the young guys don't look overly strong. The hope is guys like Oak, Crozier, Hopkins, and Gifford put on some weight and strength.

 

[cryjeremiah]

Knock it off.

I'm over and done with it, Fishy.

 

[ktuck911]

No coach in their right mind would ever say this to a fan base. Not sure how anyone would ever expect and/or appreciate a coach saying such a thing.

I get that but am I the only one that feels like what coach is saying gives us hope for this season that we never really had?

 

[CTBasketball]

You'd be surprised how much a serviceable offensive line can do.

 

[BNich]

I get that but am I the only one that feels like what coach is saying gives us hope for this season that we never really had?

Yes. People on here talk about how this program has already lost the casual fan. If the staff came out and said "don't expect much, you're all in for a long season" those casual fans wouldn't have bothered showing to any of the games this season. Attendance would be even worse than it currently is and they quite honestly would probably be lost forever. When have you ever heard any organization flat out say we suck, we're going to suck, this season will be looooong? I presume never, but that's just me.

 

[huskymedic]

I get that but am I the only one that feels like what coach is saying gives us hope for this season that we never really had?

Yes. People on here talk about how this program has already lost the casual fan. If the staff came out and said "don't expect much, you're all in for a long season" those casual fans wouldn't have bothered showing to any of the games this season. Attendance would be even worse than it currently is and they quite honestly would probably be lost forever. When have you ever heard any organization flat out say we suck, we're going to suck, this season will be looooong? I presume never, but that's just me.

He's been saying it. Over and over again. Some folks just didn't/don't want to hear it or believe it. Others said he was just setting expectations low for self serving reason. He knew what he had in the locker room.

• "We're in Year One," he said. "As has been articulated over and over again, we have so, so far to go. So this whole year is going to be about getting better. It will always be about getting better, but we're not going to compromise anything for getting better."You might want to write something contrary to that or the people want it to be different. I don't know what to tell you. Too bad, it's not."

• "We're taking over a downtrodden, losing program that was losing in almost every area. [We are] working on winning; it's going to take some time and everybody understands that inside and everyone understands how far we have to go. We have a long way to go."

Now, there have been some clearly strange decisions/calls made by HCBD (and staff) so far this year, there's plenty of things to look crooked at, HCBD is learning to be a head coach on the job, but he's been saying that this team has so, so far to go since camp broke.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Bob is a new coach and deserves extra leeway no doubt. As a fan I will support him this year and all of next year despite his deplorable results to date- and then I'm done. I think that is more than fair. That said we are arguably the worst team in Division 1 and he is the head coach. Stop making excuses Bob, YOU need to do a hell of a lot better.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I get that but am I the only one that feels like what coach is saying gives us hope for this season that we never really had?

If you had unrealistic expectations based on what the coach was saying, that's on you.

 

[J187Money]

We need a running QB. He needs to be able to throw but he can't be a non threat on the ground. A QB that can take off makes up for shortcomings on the OL. Look at the wins Lorenzen produced with no talent as a passer. He just got first downs and got out of trouble. It was ugl and sometimes boring, but it was better than this. We've let our running QBs slip away again and again without a real shot at playing meaningful minutes. Nebrich, Taylor and McCummings all gone.

Didn't McCummings eat Nebrich and Taylor?

 

[J187Money]

Wait until Davis goes to the NFL. Then the folklore will be how bad this team was with a roster full of NFL talent.

 

[Greathusky]

Watching the game last night, I could call exactly what stupid play would happen when a big play was needed.

How freaking predictable was that the Max run at the one yard line for the safety.

 

[ktuck911]

If you had unrealistic expectations based on what the coach was saying, that's on you.

I hear you, but its hard to look at this b.s..... Seriously.... Watching with hope that your team show improvement on the scoreboard ad the season goes on as opposed to improving from one play to the next by each game that passes. Its tough to take. Regardless I still bleed UConn Husky blue...

Thank God my Dallas Cowboys are playing well.. I still have decent football to watch on the weekends this year...

 

[ZooCougar]

Show me something Bob.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

This program is certainly at its lowest point since I've been a Season ticket holders, and really committed a bunch of time to studying the team, and investing myself in being a UConn Football fan in the mid-2000's. It kills me to watch them play this way, and have a really solid defense, but absolutly NOTHING on offense. A terrible O-line, a terrible QB, metiocre WRs and RBs. But if nothing else, I have faith in Diaco. He's the right guy to rebuild this thing, because he'll recruit the right kind of kids we need. It all starts next year for us, and Diaco's recruits coming in.

 

[sub legacy]

This program is certainly at its lowest point since I've been a Season ticket holders, and really committed a bunch of time to studying the team, and investing myself in being a UConn Football fan in the mid-2000's. It kills me to watch them play this way, and have a really solid defense, but absolutly NOTHING on offense. A terrible O-line, a terrible QB, metiocre WRs and RBs. But if nothing else, I have faith in Diaco. He's the right guy to rebuild this thing, because he'll recruit the right kind of kids we need. It all starts next year for us, and Diaco's recruits coming in.

I honestly believe the talent at the skill positions is better than they get credit for. It's hard to really gauge or judge the talent in that area with a weak offensive line and below-average quarterback play.

 

[J187Money]

Btw it was dead prior to the Rent opening IMO. This sucks but I think I went to one game as an undergrad when it was on campus in 4 years. As bad as it is it is still better than being FCS.

 

[Srqhusky]

Relax mike. Just think we can't lose today

 

[junglehusky]

Relax mike. Just think we can't lose today

so you're saying there's a chance....

 

[uconnric]

One of the all-time stupid thread titles in the history of the Boneyard. Way too dramatic and over-stated, just plain wrong.