UConn v. Utah State Aggies @ Rentschler Field (Saturday 9/30/23 @ Noon on CBSSN)

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[CL82]

The "have the right staff" comment was one of the things that gave me pause because I have a healthy amount of skepticism about our OC.

He made some mentions of if you've got a spot that you need to occupy on the line and someone's fighting you you need to get there, if you've got a contested catch you've got to come up with the ball. Those seem like low-key effort criticisms.

About the wide receivers the comment was that P5 programs offered the kids $40-$50,000. Connecticut is not in a position to do that.

I like Coach Mora and I especially like listening to him because he is an extremely disciplined speaker, for the most part, who stays on message. The upside to that is he sounds fairly convincing in a press conference. The downside to that is that he is a very difficult man to read. Overall that's a good thing, but he definitely doesn't show his cards so it's hard to know what he's actually thinking.

 

[KryHavok]

The "have the right staff" comment was one of the things that gave me pause because I have a healthy amount of skepticism about our OC.

...

I like Coach Mora and I especially like listening to him because he is an extremely disciplined speaker, for the most part, who stays on message. The upside to that is he sounds fairly convincing in a press conference. The downside to that is that he is a very difficult man to read. Overall that's a good thing, but he definitely doesn't show his cards so it's hard to know what he's actually thinking.

When Spanos was let go last year, Mora didn't say much outwardly. We may be seeing the same with Charlton. Inside, Mora may be livid, God knows how pissed off I am, but he's not throwing his staff under the bus (yet). As many of you have said, it's nice to have an adult in the room, but I would love to be a fly on the wall hearing Mora chew out the offensive coaches after the losses.

 

[ZooCougar]

Is the Damelio NIL Collective actually a real thing?

 

[CL82]

Is the Damelio NIL Collective actually a real thing?

It appears to be. I know that he has hired a bunch of athletes for his apparel/shoes company. I think the intended benefit of the D'Amelio NIL collective is to connect players with different companies, rather than directly compensate them.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[ZooCougar]

I can believe this. Only Notre Dame and Army ought to be Indy. We are seen as scrub Indy football program with no conference and no bowl tie ins. So we have to overpay.

 

[ZooCougar]

It appears to be. I know that he has hired a bunch of athletes for his apparel/shoes company. I think the intended benefit of the D'Amelio NIL collective is to connect players with different companies, rather than directly compensate them.

So basically they are a middle man and it doesn’t really exist.

 

[CL82]

So basically they are a middle man and it doesn’t really exist.

I think it's more than that. I think it's designed to be an access point and also designed to teach athletes had to develop and monetize their online social presence. That has value.

Don't underestimate the value of putting people together. That is very valuable in the business world. But if you were hoping for the D'Amelio N I L collective to be Mark with his hand in a big bag of cash, then you are probably going to be disappointed.

 

[Wildgopher]

Are we trying to be an offense we apparently can't buy? I hate what I just said. This doesn't feel like college football anymore. If we can't afford players, then why aren't we looking to run an offense we can afford with a Qb with speed and quickness that knows he isn't going to the NFL. Just like us normal people, adjust to what you can afford and stop chasing things you can't. If you can't afford it, don't waste your time chasing it.

 

[Hornet22]

I will say this. I’m noticing that more and more he’s bringing up where this program was which indicates to me that he’s feeling real insecure about where he’s at now and the job he’s currently doing.

 

[Chin Diesel]

So, no consequences for any of the players who mailed it in last week.

Or, worse yet, in spite of the indifference shown on the field by several players last week, there isn't anyone on the depth chart who can challenge them. This is what really scares me. What we have been seeing on the field, really is the best product UConn football has to offer this season.

 

[Luna]

What i got out of his press conference is..we are trying really hard but we just can’t get the talent we need to compete because of past years and not enough of money… if that is the case maybe we should try to get into the MAC for football… that is if they would even take us

 

[Marbles90]

I have not lost faith in Mora but his recent press conferences have left me losing a little bit of trust. Last year, I felt everything he said was spot on and moving things in the right direction.

I don't like the "we can't afford players because we are not P5" comment. Fine but 2/3 of our schedule is against G5 schools. Can we at least compete with them? Every time he says we gotta execute, I hear Edsall's voice. And he keeps saying the coaches need to put players in a position to succeed. Well, since what we are doing is not working, what are the coaches changing to put players in better position?

I do agree that expectations may have been overblown for this year. But I don't get why he is comparing this team to the teams from years ago. That is ancient history and has no bearing on this team. Anyway, It will be interesting to see how this team finishes the year.

 

[huskymedic]

I will say this. I’m noticing that more and more he’s bringing up where this program was which indicates to me that he’s feeling real insecure about where he’s at now and the job he’s currently doing.

I’m not a big fan of his pointing backwards historically (we’ve all experienced it - but I get why he’s doing it from the expectation perspective).

I do get the sense his personal pride/program expectation fuse is burning faster. He’s an experienced presenter @ the CFB/NFL level. I’m more interested in his messaging. Parsing away the normal “coach-speak” is getting easier. I don’t get the sense his choice of words/wording/examples are happenstance. He’s sending internal and external messages.

@Dizzy21 posted this in one of the postgame Duke threads… I found his wording interesting regarding personnel decisions.

 

[huskymedic]

Sideline Pass if needed <<

-> Kicking game - Joe McFadden, who won the place-kicking job after recovering from knee surgery, is 1-for-3 on field goals. Noe Ruelas, the kicker last season, came on for the PAT after UConn’s late touchdown against Duke. “There’s a competition this week between those two,” Mora said. “Joe had a tough road back off the knee injury,” Mora said. “Seems a little unsure, a little down, we need to pull him out of that because he’s a talented kid. It’s tricky at that position, you only get so many chances and you miss a couple of field goals your confidence dies. You can’t let it die.”. <-

 

[KryHavok]

I wrote on another thread that I think Mora walks away this year, and this is based on his responses. For that reason, I fully agree with what @Hornet22, @Marbles90, & @huskymedic wrote above.

On a different slant, it seems our matchups against MWC teams can be competitive (notwithstanding the 2021 game against Utah State). The team can match up well...if we were more geographically compatible, a formal football relationship with the MWC wouldn't be terrible. Anyways, I'm hoping Mora lit a fire under the boys @$$&$ and drives them to a win this weekend.

 

[RSTuthill]

Exactly the point I made on the Structural thread. If you can't afford P5 things, you will never be P5.

 

[Skies2018]

I have not lost faith in Mora but his recent press conferences have left me losing a little bit of trust. Last year, I felt everything he said was spot on and moving things in the right direction.

I don't like the "we can't afford players because we are not P5" comment. Fine but 2/3 of our schedule is against G5 schools. Can we at least compete with them? Every time he says we gotta execute, I hear Edsall's voice. And he keeps saying the coaches need to put players in a position to succeed. Well, since what we are doing is not working, what are the coaches changing to put players in better position?

I do agree that expectations may have been overblown for this year. But I don't get why he is comparing this team to the teams from years ago. That is ancient history and has no bearing on this team. Anyway, It will be interesting to see how this team finishes the year.

If we had better players - we’d clearly be playing them. That being said, I highly doubt the talent at URI is better than ours. But they still manage to put together a competent product. Which leads me to assume it’s a culture/coaching issue as much as a talent issue. The players clearly do not care and it shows. And I’m just not sure how you fix that.