UConn's Bob Diaco Hopes To Expand Role Of Preferred Walk-Ons (Des)

[whaler11]

It's not about one player. It's a numbers game.

 

[metsfan2323]

This board is getting really tough to read.

I 100% agree with you. Nothing worse than seeing posts like, "I am getting close to calling a time of death"

stuff like that is hardly constructive criticism, complaining about the incoming class is hardly constructive either.

 

[whaler11]

I 100% agree with you. Nothing worse than seeing posts like, "I am getting close to calling a time of death"

stuff like that is hardly constructive criticism, complaining about the incoming class is hardly constructive either.

I'm not the man's boss I don't owe him constructive critcism.

Feel free to block me if you don't want to read my comments.

Will give you more time to defend the AAC and that is time well spent.

 

[metsfan2323]

Will give you more time to defend the AAC and that is time well spent.

I root for UCONN sports and because of that and only because of that I root for the conference they are in to do well. Do you have a problem with that?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I 100% agree with you. Nothing worse than seeing posts like, "I am getting close to calling a time of death"

stuff like that is hardly constructive criticism, complaining about the incoming class is hardly constructive either.

Are you the team dad? This is big boy football. Diaco is paid millions. He can handle me, CHB, and whaler criticizing him. Who gives a crap about constructive criticism on a message board anyway? The program is near death. You don't have to agree with that. But if you only want to hear pollyanna bullspit about where we are and what the future holds just put us on ignore and you and a few others can gush about "measurables" and "character". Rip us all you want but I was one of the 5k in the seats for SMU. I spend time and money on the program. You think I give a damn about what you, Pudge, SRQ, weyuo, and the Bnichs of the board think of me? Not even a little.

 

[whaler11]

I root for UCONN sports and because of that and only because of that I root for the conference they are in to do well. Do you have a problem with that?

You can root for the AAC if you like. That's different than trying to portray it as something it isn't.

 

[Pudge]

Quite Frankly

Jimmy Serrano & whaler11 have driven the mildly positive posters away. I've been on this board as long as any. What you 2 & a few others do is deplorable. Imagine whaler11 saying I'm the "name caller". Shame on you all. We've invested as much as any of you in this Program. I've been on this board asking as any. I'm certain you'll rationalize your bad behavior; you're like the worst Ex wives.

We need the regular guys ... NOT more of your grousing. You don't know football more. You don't know business more. You aren't a Vegas king of gambling. You are just s few guys that have made this board far less for many.

 

[UConnDan97]

Once again, this board refuses to live in a world outside of simple black and white. Uggh.

Fact 1: There are a lot of undervalued recruits at the 2 star level (and sometimes 3 star) that have a great deal of upside. Some of them even have enough upside to turn into NFL-caliber talent.

Fact 2: The teams with the 4 and 5 star recruits as their entire recruiting base are the teams that win a lot of games and win championships at the college level. Period.

When people act like Fact 2 doesn't exist, it drives me up a friggin' wall. Yes, we at UConn have to make our living with Fact 1, and hope that we are better at identifying those kids than the other programs are, in order to get our program running well again. But by all means, feel free to name for me the last national championship team that didn't feature in the top 25 of the college recruiting rankings? Don't worry....I'll wait...

 

[UConnDan97]

Keep in mind that even after I posted my post above, I believe that we have identified some real quality talent. I also believe that we already possess some quality talent. And I look forward to Bob Diaco and company developing these kids and their system to the point where we are winning a lot more than we are losing...

 

[metsfan2323]

Rip us all you want

I accept that challenge.

 

[whaler11]

Quite Frankly

Jimmy Serrano & whaler11 have driven the mildly positive posters away. I've been on this board as long as any. What you 2 & a few others do is deplorable. Imagine whaler11 saying I'm the "name caller". Shame on you all. We've invested as much as any of you in this Program. I've been on this board asking as any. I'm certain you'll rationalize your bad behavior; you're like the worst Ex wives.

We need the regular guys ... NOT more of your grousing. You don't know football more. You don't know business more. You aren't a Vegas king of gambling. You are just s few guys that have made this board far less for many.

Yes Pudge it's posters pointing out that the team is 5-19 the past two years that is the issue, not 5-19.

It's me and Jimmy who single handedly reduced attendance for BYU to 5k people.

It's a broken record with you. When you don't have the facts on your side you just attack the posters.

You should really think about how silly your premise is.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Quite Frankly

Jimmy Serrano & whaler11 have driven the mildly positive posters away. I've been on this board as long as any. What you 2 & a few others do is deplorable. Imagine whaler11 saying I'm the "name caller". Shame on you all. We've invested as much as any of you in this Program. I've been on this board asking as any. I'm certain you'll rationalize your bad behavior; you're like the worst Ex wives.

We need the regular guys ... NOT more of your grousing. You don't know football more. You don't know business more. You aren't a Vegas king of gambling. You are just s few guys that have made this board far less for many.

Yeah Pudge, sure. Whaler and I have driven people away. Has nothing to do with winning 5 games the last 2 years and getting screwed in conference realignment. Maybe you can blame us for keeping all those people home for Senior Day against SMU.

 

[Bonehead]

Yeah Pudge, sure. Whaler and I have driven people away. Has nothing to do with winning 5 games the last 2 years and getting screwed in conference realignment. Maybe you can blame us for keeping all those people home for Senior Day against SMU.

You didnt keep me home on that lovely autumn day, if that makes you feel any better...no one on the BY could keep me away; people in the AD office could if the past isnt changed fairly soon and we end up in the same conference as Stony Brook...

I am against all poster attacks - fyi.- it doesnt win any discussion.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I still have yet to see anyone comment on how our recruiting rankings were at the bottom of the Big East and the AAC and the fact we've only had two winning seasons in conference the past decade.

Must not be related at all.

 

[whaler11]

You didnt keep me home on that lovely autumn day, if that makes you feel any better...no one on the BY could keep me away; people in the AD office could if the past isnt changed fairly soon and we end up in the same conference as Stony Brook...

I am against all poster attacks - fyi.- it doesnt win any discussion.

Yeah it won't let me edit now to SMU. haha.

 

[Bonehead]

I still have yet to see anyone comment on how our recruiting rankings were at the bottom of the Big East and the AAC and the fact we've only had two winning seasons in conference the past decade.

Must not be related at all.

And a Fiesta Bowl appearance.

 

[UConnDan97]

And a Fiesta Bowl appearance.

And 5 losses.

Again, I don't understand why people are so offended that the star ratings matter in aggregate. Whaler is correct in saying that it is a mathematics game. If your team is full of players from the top 200, then you are going to win a crap-ton of games. If your team is full of 2-star players, you are going to drop a few games at minimum. That's the way it goes.

And again, UConn has to focus on getting the absolute best 2 and 3 star kids we can, because our program is not currently attractive enough for the top200 recruits. But that's okay. We actually happen to be in a league where we can win a crap-ton of games with the right 2- and 3-star kids! We aren't playing in the SEC or the B1G (yet). So let's continue to focus on what we can do, and continue to try to do it well. But it shouldn't offend people's sensibilities that the 5 star kids are really really really good players...

 

[ConnHuskBask]

And a Fiesta Bowl appearance.

2 winning conference seasons, to 8 losing conference seasons.

I feel like I'm losing my mind on here sometimes.

It's kind of like saying a high payroll in baseball doesn't give you the best shot to field a successful team.

The payroll (recruiting stars) isn't the end all be all, but it's certainly a huge predictor of success.

You make a comment like that here and people go nuts and point to the Royals and Devil Rays as their debate when in reality the Yankees and Sox alone combined for over half the AL world series appearances the past twenty years.

 

[Bonehead]

2 winning conference seasons, to 8 losing conference seasons.

I feel like I'm losing my mind on here sometimes.

It's kind of like saying a high payroll in baseball doesn't give you the best shot to field a successful team.

The payroll (recruiting stars) isn't the end all be all, but it's certainly a huge predictor of success.

You make a comment like that here and people go nuts and point to the Royals and Devil Rays as their debate when in reality the Yankees and Sox alone combined for over half the AL world series appearances the past twenty years.

Take the good with the bad my friend...just presenting all the facts - not looking for an arguement.
You are correct and just wanted to add to the wikipedia account of our last 10 years...

You are not losing your mind - There isnt much too cherish and I just cherish that Fiesta Bowl appearance.

 

[noeynox]

Once again, this board refuses to live in a world outside of simple black and white. Uggh.

Fact 1: There are a lot of undervalued recruits at the 2 star level (and sometimes 3 star) that have a great deal of upside. Some of them even have enough upside to turn into NFL-caliber talent.

Fact 2: The teams with the 4 and 5 star recruits as their entire recruiting base are the teams that win a lot of games and win championships at the college level. Period.

When people act like Fact 2 doesn't exist, it drives me up a friggin' wall. Yes, we at UConn have to make our living with Fact 1, and hope that we are better at identifying those kids than the other programs are, in order to get our program running well again. But by all means, feel free to name for me the last national championship team that didn't feature in the top 25 of the college recruiting rankings? Don't worry....I'll wait...

I agree with you wholeheartedly. What I don't get is that people who lauded Edsall's recruiting knock it now.

Given our current status in CFB, we have zero chance of landing 4,5 star kids. Some chance of landing kids with multiple offers. If the argument is Diaco isn't a good enough coach to win with the caliber of player he is recruiting off of one year I think it's premature. I don't think any is making that arguement per se, but 5-19 as you say the last two years. The American Conference, the fact that all of our regional conference rivals from the Big East have ended up in better/P5 conferences, make recruiting tough. I can't realistically expect to see a huge "uptick" in recruiting given our current overall standing/status.

I'm just resigned to another tough year, and year 3 of Diaco we will see if there is any chance he is the guy

 

[FDNY99]

It's not about one player. It's a numbers game.

Then take a look at the class Huggins was in, and the class RU promoted Flood to keep. Outside of Leonte Caroo who they had fall into their lap because Michigan had issues with his character and cut ties..pulling their offer at the end of the recruiting cycle they haven't really made a splash..Darius Hamilton included (who was the prize of that class). Now Whaler if you want to tell me that those kids have made RU a better 2 deep overall..I'll buy that. But history shows that your 3 star kids usually elevate their games and turn into 4-5 star college players. I can see your point, but you seem to have gone from supporting the moves Diaco has made with replacing Cummigs as OC, to dumping on him and ready to bail on the program after he talks about the Walk-On-Program.

 

[whaler11]

Then take a look at the class Huggins was in, and the class RU promoted Flood to keep. Outside of Leonte Caroo who they had fall into their lap because Michigan had issues with his character and cut ties..pulling their offer at the end of the recruiting cycle they haven't really made a splash..Darius Hamilton included (who was the prize of that class). Now Whaler if you want to tell me that those kids have made RU a better 2 deep overall..I'll buy that. But history shows that your 3 star kids usually elevate their games and turn into 4-5 star college players. I can see your point, but you seem to have gone from supporting the moves Diaco has made with replacing Cummigs as OC, to dumping on him and ready to bail on the program after he talks about the Walk-On-Program.

I'm not talking about stars.

I'm talking about the schools you win recruiting battles against.

I guess I haven't gotten the point across on the PWO comments. It's the 'serve your state university' crap that is annoying. If he wants to label some walk ons as preferred who cares - it's a nearly meaningless designation.

 

[UConnDan97]

I agree with you wholeheartedly. What I don't get is that people who lauded Edsall's recruiting knock it now.

Given our current status in CFB, we have zero chance of landing 4,5 star kids. Some chance of landing kids with multiple offers. If the argument is Diaco isn't a good enough coach to win with the caliber of player he is recruiting off of one year I think it's premature. I don't think any is making that arguement per se, but 5-19 as you say the last two years. The American Conference, the fact that all of our regional conference rivals from the Big East have ended up in better/P5 conferences, make recruiting tough. I can't realistically expect to see a huge "uptick" in recruiting given our current overall standing/status.

I'm just resigned to another tough year, and year 3 of Diaco we will see if there is any chance he is the guy

I'm not resigned to another tough year.

Part of my optimism is that I think that there is already talent in the building to utilize. We will finally have juniors and seniors on the field primarily, with some exciting sophomores in certain areas. And I think that we are in a league where we can make the transition from worst to first much more easily than in the P5. If there is any benefit to not being in the P5 right now, well then that is it. And I hope we take advantage of that. If Diaco has learned as much from his first year as I think he has, then this year will be a lot less painful...

 

[itgoeslike]

I can't figure out why anyone would be against preferred walk-ons. Our recent past has relegated UConn to reverse the tide with 2 and 3 star recruits (with many, if not most, without P5 offers). If a POW evolves into a scholarship player worthy of "stars" it's a win. At the very least, PWO's will provide a more competitive practice environment. In addition, I don't buy the suggestion that the staff is not offering a Connecticut recruit a full scholarship because they want them to come play for "free". If he's your best option and you need him, you offer him. This year's recruiting class is the best in four years, but it would delusional to expect it be loaded with 4-star recruits with offers from P5 programs. This is going be a lengthy process that builds upon one incremental success after another.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

@Bonehead I loved those two Big East title teams and went to Charlotte and Arizona to see them. Absolutely nothing can take away a championship won on the field. It doesn't mean you can't objectively say we were 8-5 and didn't score an offensive TD our last two games.

@noeynox I think it's fair to criticize the recruiting now, while giving the benefit of the doubt to Edsall because he earned that.

I agree will never get 4 or 5 star kids, but I also think guys with FCS offers or very low FBS setting the bar too level.

We should fight for the local 2 and 3 star kids and if we miss out, move to the kids with AAC or good MAC type offers. Take a chance on a couple of kids with academic issues or a few JUCOs. Something, anything, is better than the death spiral we're on.