Why UConn’s offensive coordinator Nick Charlton left head coaching job in Maine: ‘We’re here to win’ (Mike Anthony)

[huskymedic]

-> “There’s a misconception, because of what happened in the past here, that there’s not talent on this team,” Charlton said. “I said it to the offense right before they left for break. I was very honest. I said, ‘Men, we’re not watching last year together.’ I’ve watched that on my own, the staff has, and we’ve evaluated guys. But I have no interest in watching that tape. To me, it is all about moving forward and developing these guys and finding out who is able to play and what they do well.”

The framework is as follows: Charlton will call the offensive plays, as he did the previous four seasons at Maine, three as head coach. The Huskies will run a no-huddle offense. Some staples won’t be put in place until spring practice or preseason camp because Charlton isn’t married to a particular style. Charlton said, in a general sense, the NFL offense his tends to most resemble is that of the Rams. <-

-> At UConn, the product will be tailored to what he identifies as strengths. The offense will operate quickly. Some basic plays and formations will have a lot of window dressing. There will be a lot of movement in an effort to create matchup advantages. <-

-> “It starts with a more rudimentary level, with a relationship with players,” Charlton said. “There is nothing more important. Football-wise, we’re going to be diving into that and finding out what they do well but this is a relationship business. These guys need positive relationships and familiarity with their coaching staff, but also know they’re going to get coached hard and that we have a high level of expectation — because we’re here to win. That’s why I took this job.”<-

 

[Palatine]

Remember when Diaco got to UConn and he said he would not watch any tape of the players from the previous year because he wanted to see the players himself and draw his own conclusions. I always thought that was one of the stupidest things I ever herd a coach say. I also thought it made him sound lazy. Those days are gone. Hurray.

Charlton sounds like a professional. He also said the word win. Which is always a good sign. But the proof will be in the pudding.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Remember when Diaco got to UConn and he said he would not watch any tape of the players from the previous year because he wanted to see the players himself and draw his own conclusions. I always thought that was one of the stupidest things I ever herd a coach say. I also thought it made him sound lazy. Those days are gone. Hurray.

Charlton sounds like a professional. He also said the word win. Which is always a good sign. But the proof will be in the pudding.

Edsall said the same thing to me when he came back. There is a specific style that coaches coach players toward. You can only evaluate them based on that style. That is why coaches say this. THE BIG DIFFERENCE is RE ran guys off while this new staff let the guys go who clearly were to be passed on the depth chart.

 

[Samoo]

Big difference between not watching the tape at all (stupid), and just not watching it with the players (not reminding them of the nightmare of past seasons).

 

[SubbaBub]

I hope this no huddle doesn't result in giving up 50 pts a game on defense as it has in the past. Every coach we've had has said something similar.

Getting the talent we have to execute (another old coachspeak favorite) is the thing. Though, losing to other sub-100 teams would indicate this is the major problem with the program right now.

That and the Utah walkon engineering a late TD with against OhiofingState in the Rose Bowl with an extremely limited playbook hurts the we don't have talent or a sophisticated offense arguments.

Just throw it quickly to the open guy.

 

[Exit 4]

Anything is better than the salad bowl offense of post Lashlee era. Previously we ran plays based on what looked cool from film study in the off season from "others." We didn't understand how plays mesh and build off each other. We didn't understand how to coach up blocking schemes (gross understatement), particularly dynamic schemes that shift based on defensive play and we didn't coach up our QBs to better process decision making (ie find the hot routes).

Not watching last season WITH the players sounds fine to me....as long as he watched it alone.
Not wanting to pigeon hole the offense to a certain format sounds fine as well...better to see what you have and what you do best and design around it. Again, the last administration never seemed to be able to devise a plan around the talent we have and that was evident in simply the boost Mazzone gave this program with his short time.

Regarding the hurry approach, the O played very flat footed the second 1/2 of the season. I don't at all expect this O to play hurray up all season, but maybe playing up tempo would change the mentality of the players to think about attacking rather than thinking about not screwing up.

One of the hallmarks of the past 5 years has been offensive and defensive play that indicated players were thinking too much....

 

[metsfan2323]

I love everything being said here. Great to hear he had been calling plays for Maine even though he was the head coach.

BTW "No huddle" doesn't necessarily mean "Hurry-up" although it does give you that option. I love it when the offense gets to the line quickly in order to look at what the defense is doing and then they call a play.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Not watching last season WITH the players sounds fine to me....as long as he watched it alone.
Not wanting to pigeon hole the offense to a certain format sounds fine as well...better to see what you have and what you do best and design around it. Again, the last administration never seemed to be able to devise a plan around the talent we have and that was evident in simply the boost Mazzone gave this program with his short time.

I said, ‘Men, we’re not watching last year together.’ I’ve watched that on my own

 

[freescooter]

Anything is better than the salad bowl offense of post Lashlee era. Previously we ran plays based on what looked cool from film study in the off season from "others." We didn't understand how plays mesh and build off each other. We didn't understand how to coach up blocking schemes (gross understatement), particularly dynamic schemes that shift based on defensive play and we didn't coach up our QBs to better process decision making (ie find the hot routes).

Not watching last season WITH the players sounds fine to me....as long as he watched it alone.
Not wanting to pigeon hole the offense to a certain format sounds fine as well...better to see what you have and what you do best and design around it. Again, the last administration never seemed to be able to devise a plan around the talent we have and that was evident in simply the boost Mazzone gave this program with his short time.

Regarding the hurry approach, the O played very flat footed the second 1/2 of the season. I don't at all expect this O to play hurray up all season, but maybe playing up tempo would change the mentality of the players to think about attacking rather than thinking about not screwing up.

One of the hallmarks of the past 5 years has been offensive and defensive play that indicated players were thinking too much....

I thought that often our offense looked like it was just a bunch of plays, with no sense of how they could build off each other and how they could be used to take advantage of the defense. A fake to the running back when you plan to throw only works if you actually might give the back the ball at least sometimes. Faking the handoff on 3rd and 15 at your own 35 doesn’t fool anyone as a very simple example. Faking on 3rd and 1 from their 35 might, especially if you’ve been running the ball some.

 

[businesslawyer]

I love everything being said here. Great to hear he had been calling plays for Maine even though he was the head coach.

BTW "No huddle" doesn't necessarily mean "Hurry-up" although it does give you that option. I love it when the offense gets to the line quickly in order to look at what the defense is doing and then they call a play.

The no huddle also makes it difficult for the defense to change personnel unless the offense chooses to substitute.

 

[Exit 4]

I thought that often our offense looked like it was just a bunch of plays, with no sense of how they could build off each other and how they could be used to take advantage of the defense.

And I found this easier to recognized by watching other programs where you could see plays that build off each other.

 

[Chin Diesel]

This board....... OC says he has watched film as has other coaches. Palatine- this reminds me of when Diaco said he wouldn't watch film.

-> “There’s a misconception, because of what happened in the past here, that there’s not talent on this team,” Charlton said. “I said it to the offense right before they left for break. I was very honest. I said, ‘Men, we’re not watching last year together.’ I’ve watched that on my own, the staff has, and we’ve evaluated guys. But I have no interest in watching that tape. To me, it is all about moving forward and developing these guys and finding out who is able to play and what they do well.”

Remember when Diaco got to UConn and he said he would not watch any tape of the players from the previous year because he wanted to see the players himself and draw his own conclusions. I always thought that was one of the stupidest things I ever herd a coach say. I also thought it made him sound lazy. Those days are gone. Hurray.

Charlton sounds like a professional. He also said the word win. Which is always a good sign. But the proof will be in the pudding.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Remember when Diaco got to UConn and he said he would not watch any tape of the players from the previous year because he wanted to see the players himself and draw his own conclusions. I always thought that was one of the stupidest things I ever herd a coach say. I also thought it made him sound lazy. Those days are gone. Hurray.

Charlton sounds like a professional. He also said the word win. Which is always a good sign. But the proof will be in the pudding.

I also think he's saying that most of the film on offense is going to be mostly worthless. Outside of a few flashes here and there, the offense was pretty offensive.

 

[History Geek]

...the offense was pretty offensive.

I see what you did there.

 

[Watchdog]

Just another sign we now have adults in the room who are here to win and not carry grudges or punish those they didn't recruit.

Two things it's really encouraging to hear Charlton talk about:
1. Using the skills of the players they have (as opposed to what they'd ideally like to have and are working towards in recruiting)
2. Building a playbook and offense that can take advantage of matchups.

 

[Exit 4]

Just another sign we now have adults in the room who are here to win and not carry grudges or punish those they didn't recruit.

Two things it's really encouraging to hear Charlton talk about:
1. Using the skills of the players they have (as opposed to what they'd ideally like to have and are working towards in recruiting)
2. Building a playbook and offense that can take advantage of matchups.

Just fyi - if you go back and look at most posts from the winter Edsall 2.0 was hired; "adults in the room" was certainly one of my preferred phrases at the time. Edsall was an adult compared to the weird decision tree followed by Diaco that final season, but of course after 5 years its clear that being an adult is not enough!

 

[freescooter]

Just fyi - if you go back and look at most posts from the winter Edsall 2.0 was hired; "adults in the room" was certainly one of my preferred phrases at the time. Edsall was an adult compared to the weird decision tree followed by Diaco that final season, but of course after 5 years its clear that being an adult is not enough!

Perhaps competence in the room? We hope at least.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Just fyi - if you go back and look at most posts from the winter Edsall 2.0 was hired; "adults in the room" was certainly one of my preferred phrases at the time. Edsall was an adult compared to the weird decision tree followed by Diaco that final season, but of course after 5 years its clear that being an adult is not enough!

We went from a great grandfather in the room (PP) to a child in the room (Diaco) to a grand dad (Edsall) in the room back to an adult in the room with Mora.

 

[UConnJim]

Just fyi - if you go back and look at most posts from the winter Edsall 2.0 was hired; "adults in the room" was certainly one of my preferred phrases at the time. Edsall was an adult compared to the weird decision tree followed by Diaco that final season, but of course after 5 years its clear that being an adult is not enough!

With Edsall, we thought we were getting adults in the room, but it didn't pan out that way. Edsall was too set in his ways and he did not do a good job of delegating, roster management, or hiring assistant coaches. Settling on Guifre as OC in 2019 meant UConn's offense would only get worse and it did. BTW, how did any of the coaches think having 2 Canadian QBs on the roster who never played American football was a good idea?

I was hopeful with Edsall and I was wrong which kind of jades my view of Mora even though I like everything he has done and is doing.

 

[freescooter]

And I found this easier to recognized by watching other programs where you could see plays that build off each other.

Right. The Patriots are masterful at this. But you see it from good teams at all levels.

 

[Greedo]

I definitely like seeing that he's not married to a particular play style and will evolve based on the strengths of the team. I don't understand why so many coaches insist on running "their system" when they don't have the personnel to do that, and trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

 

[huskymedic]

I definitely like seeing that he's not married to a particular play style and will evolve based on the strengths of the team. I don't understand why so many coaches insist on running "their system" when they don't have the personnel to do that, and trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

“We’re very multiple in what we do,” Charlton said. “We talk about ourselves as a hybrid offense. We’ve been able to implement a number of pro-style schemes and also a number of spread ones. I have a system, we have terminology, all those things that everybody has but, ultimately, it’s all about the players. So our quarterback, our skill players, who (we) have up front, whatever our team does best is what we are going to do. I’m not coming in and saying, ‘This is what we’re doing because this is what I like to do.’ There are obviously things I like to do, but it’s about the players and what they do well. We will institute a number of different things and we’ll be a little more spread.”

 

[DoctorWho85]

I see what you did there.

I'm good for a pun once in awhile.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Just fyi - if you go back and look at most posts from the winter Edsall 2.0 was hired; "adults in the room" was certainly one of my preferred phrases at the time. Edsall was an adult compared to the weird decision tree followed by Diaco that final season, but of course after 5 years its clear that being an adult is not enough!

I think we confused competences with nostalgia with Edsall 2.0. Edsall did amazing things his first go around here. And did amazing things in the opposite direction he second time here. That being said, definitely left talent on offense and special teams. Mixed in a few players on defense. But we've never had a coach with the coaching pedigree of Mora in the history of our program. And it shows how serious he is about actually righting the ship and winning asap.

 

[Nostical]

Charlton said "there are obviously things I like to do, but it’s about the players and what they do well.”

Can't ask for mora than that.