Worst decisions in UConn coaching history | The Boneyard

Worst decisions in UConn coaching history

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whaler11

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I went to my first UConn football game in 1986. I've been a season ticket holder since 1998. I've been to at least 40 road games.

My top 3 worst decisions:

3. 2011 at Vanderbilt. The pass. Enough said.

2. 2003 at North Carolina State, Edsall tries to drive the long field with almost no time and no kicker in a tie game only to see Orlovsky throw a pick 6 as time expires.

1. Down 21 points in fourth quarter at home: Bob Diaco kicks a field goal to cut lead to 18. Bonus points for listening to an interview where he wasn't asked what in the hell his motivation was.
 

Huskyforlife

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I went to my first UConn football game in 1986. I've been a season ticket holder since 1998. I've been to at least 40 road games.

My top 3 worst decisions:

3. 2011 at Vanderbilt. The pass. Enough said.

2. 2003 at North Carolina State, Edsall tries to drive the long field with almost no time and no kicker in a tie game only to see Orlovsky throw a pick 6 as time expires.

1. Down 21 points in fourth quarter at home: Bob Diaco kicks a field goal to cut lead to 18. Bonus points for listening to an interview where he wasn't asked what in the hell his motivation was.
And before someone says the kicker needed experience...
 

whaler11

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And before someone says the kicker needed experience...

You know what? I'd bump it down if they had kicked the FG down 18 to make it 15. At least then there would be a mathmatical argument.

You made it a three score game and then didn't take one of the three scores?
 

UConnDan97

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The worst part is that everyone in the stadium knew it. After Puyol nailed the kick, the concourse was swamped with people heading for the exits. I just threw my hands up in the air, wondering what mathematical plan he had worked out that led him to that conclusion. Uggh...
 
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I went to my first UConn football game in 1986. I've been a season ticket holder since 1998. I've been to at least 40 road games.

My top 3 worst decisions:

3. 2011 at Vanderbilt. The pass. Enough said.

2. 2003 at North Carolina State, Edsall tries to drive the long field with almost no time and no kicker in a tie game only to see Orlovsky throw a pick 6 as time expires.

1. Down 21 points in fourth quarter at home: Bob Diaco kicks a field goal to cut lead to 18. Bonus points for listening to an interview where he wasn't asked what in the hell his motivation was.
Your #2 and #3 were both far worse...

Not even close.

Of course, that wouldn't let you declare something that happened tonight was "OMG TEH WORST EVERZ" but ya know
 

whaler11

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Your #2 and #3 were both far worse...

Not even close.

Of course, that wouldn't let you declare something that happened tonight was "OMG TEH WORST EVERZ" but ya know

The outcomes were worse but the decisions weren't.

At least the other two horrible decisions were attempts to win.
 
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I hate to say it, but I really think he was not playing to win a game as much as get the team play time. He is playing long ball. I did not care for his nonchalant attitude post game and his spin. - this a loss at the Rent.
 
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I went to my first UConn football game in 1986. I've been a season ticket holder since 1998. I've been to at least 40 road games.

My top 3 worst decisions:

3. 2011 at Vanderbilt. The pass. Enough said.

2. 2003 at North Carolina State, Edsall tries to drive the long field with almost no time and no kicker in a tie game only to see Orlovsky throw a pick 6 as time expires.

1. Down 21 points in fourth quarter at home: Bob Diaco kicks a field goal to cut lead to 18. Bonus points for listening to an interview where he wasn't asked what in the hell his motivation was.

I thought you were gonna mention the fake FG.
 
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I went to my first UConn football game in 1986. I've been a season ticket holder since 1998. I've been to at least 40 road games.

My top 3 worst decisions:

3. 2011 at Vanderbilt. The pass. Enough said.

2. 2003 at North Carolina State, Edsall tries to drive the long field with almost no time and no kicker in a tie game only to see Orlovsky throw a pick 6 as time expires.

1. Down 21 points in fourth quarter at home: Bob Diaco kicks a field goal to cut lead to 18. Bonus points for listening to an interview where he wasn't asked what in the hell his motivation was.


If that's the worst coaching decision you've seen in 28 years, you have had some pretty good coaching.
 

Waquoit

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Diaco got a pass from Joe D and Bob Joyce tonight but the reality is that he handled this game as if it was pre-season

I believe you are correct. Now is that a good thing?
 

formerlurker

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I thought you were gonna mention the fake FG.

The one where we wanted to pass but didn't have anyone break off the line of scrimmage to actually be an eligible receiver? Still scratching my head at that one.

I just walked in the house. One of the quietest rides home after a loss I can remember. I'm going to get even more drunk, treat my glaucoma and comment more tomorrow when I hopefully have something to say that isn't negative.
 

zls44

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Everything about the way he went about the game makes me think that Diaco treated it like it was an exhibition, a chance to see what he had in a game environment against a good opponent. I can understand why he would do that.

That said, if the season-ticket holders who shell out a lot of time and money for the program are quite upset about that, you can't blame them.

This is a long process, folks. This was the first time Bob Diaco took the field as a head coach. Ever. He did so against a good team with a very good coach.
 

formerlurker

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Everything about the way he went about the game makes me think that Diaco treated it like it was an exhibition, a chance to see what he had in a game environment against a good opponent. I can understand why he would do that.

That said, if the season-ticket holders who shell out a lot of time and money for the program are quite upset about that, you can't blame them.

This is a long process, folks. This was the first time Bob Diaco took the field as a head coach. Ever. He did so against a good team with a very good coach.

BYU is a good team but we looked lethargic at times. There was at least 2 times where we had a BYU player wrapped up in a scrum and I saw UConn players stop and literally stand and watch the pile, waiting for the whistle.

That's unacceptable.
 
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I hate to say it, but I really think he was not playing to win a game as much as get the team play time. He is playing long ball. I did not care for his nonchalant attitude post game and his spin. - this a loss at the Rent.

Pretty much. Didn't see much of a killer instinct from Bob tonight. Hope that changes.
 
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Everything about the way he went about the game makes me think that Diaco treated it like it was an exhibition, a chance to see what he had in a game environment against a good opponent. I can understand why he would do that.

That said, if the season-ticket holders who shell out a lot of time and money for the program are quite upset about that, you can't blame them.

This is a long process, folks. This was the first time Bob Diaco took the field as a head coach. Ever. He did so against a good team with a very good coach.

Meh. Still the wrong mentality if that indeed was his mentality.
 

Fishy

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He doesn't have a hell of a lot of talent to work with and if we forgot what P did to this program, we sure remembered it tonight....but even grading on the curve, Diaco was a mess tonight.

The existence of a quarterback platoon scares the holy hell out of me. First, it screams indecision and second, I'll wager these kids will throw some picks coming in cold and trying to force the issue. Third, it's a bad idea.

Nothing good happened tonight. I am going to pretend it never happened.
 
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There was no pass option on the fake punt it was a run all the way, lineman were downfield. It was poorly executed and done from too long a line to gain. The FG down 28-7 was wrong as our only chance to win was to get a TD there. Strange decision. It was a practice kick.
 
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Ehh. That call doesn't bother me that much. It was 4th and TWELVE. You know the probability of converting there? Less than 20% on average (even worse in the red zone). We aren't winning the game at that point. And Diaco had already tried to go for it 4th-and-long with the fake FG. No real problem with us putting "show points" on the board at that point to get to double digits and give the team something positive to build off of.
 
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I went to my first UConn football game in 1986. I've been a season ticket holder since 1998. I've been to at least 40 road games.

My top 3 worst decisions:

3. 2011 at Vanderbilt. The pass. Enough said.

2. 2003 at North Carolina State, Edsall tries to drive the long field with almost no time and no kicker in a tie game only to see Orlovsky throw a pick 6 as time expires.

1. Down 21 points in fourth quarter at home: Bob Diaco kicks a field goal to cut lead to 18. Bonus points for listening to an interview where he wasn't asked what in the hell his motivation was.
NO!! I seem to remember a certain old bastard who split his "just returning from a concussion" starting QB out wide and made him a receiver.

I can't count on one hand the number of times I have been himicidally agree due to a sports related play. This is number 1 on that list, and by far the worst coaching decision in Uconn Sports History. Now I am going to bed.
 

Chin Diesel

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Diaco got a pass from Joe D and Bob Joyce tonight but the reality is that he handled this game as if it was pre-season


Agreed. It's his one game learning how to be a head coach and not a coordinator game.
 

Chin Diesel

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He doesn't have a hell of a lot of talent to work with and if we forgot what P did to this program, we sure remembered it tonight....but even grading on the curve, Diaco was a mess tonight.

The existence of a quarterback platoon scares the holy hell out of me. First, it screams indecision and second, I'll wager these kids will throw some picks coming in cold and trying to force the issue. Third, it's a bad idea.

Nothing good happened tonight. I am going to pretend it never happened.


Yup. It's one thing to be indecisive as to being a pro-style or option team with two different QB's. But to alternate two know pro style QB's is scary. They've both taken snaps in live games. There's film on it. And they both competed in spring and fall camps.

Today was his one freebie on how to coach in a live game situation.

Lesson to learn is that being a head coach for the first time is a steep learning curve. He didn't ace the test tonight.
 
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