We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

[thesportsguru11]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

NFL’s Black Knights fire Lewis after another early playoff exit; Diaco at top of shortlist

After a third straight January with an early exit from the AFC Playoffs, one of the NFL’s biggest markets is in win at all costs mode.

After a defeat to the Miami Dolphins in the Divisional Round of the 2020 NFL Playoffs, the London Black Knights, formerly known as the Jacksonville Jaguars, have fired fourth year head coach Marvin Lewis. Owner Shad Khan cited a desire to “bring in some new energy so we can win now” and that three consecutive playoff exits before the Super Bowl is “not enough for me, given the talent we have”.

The Black Knights won the AFC South for a second consecutive season, clinching a first round bye after winning 9 of their last 11 games, including a sweep of their divisional rivals, the 10-6 Tennessee Titans. However, the early playoff exits are not enough for a franchise with a lot of money invested in the profitability of overseas football.

In recent seasons, the Black Knights have made major splashes in free agency in hopes to become competitive immediately, signing wide receiver Dez Bryant and defensive end J.J. Watt from the divisional rival Houston Texans. The Black Knights have been drafting well in addition to the big signings. Second year QB Jerrod Heard finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in 2020 and unheralded tailback Silas Redd finished fifth in the NFL in rushing. It’s clear the talent is there, but the playoffs seem to be too tall a mountain to climb.

As for who replaces Lewis, Khan has his eyes locked in on one giant target: UConn head coach Bob Diaco. Khan made it clear at his press conference that he needs a winner and a spark plug as the Black Knights seek to take the Lombardi Trophy overseas. Diaco seems to be a perfect fit on paper, having shaped a football doormat at UConn into a rising powerhouse with smarts and a one of a kind passion for success.

Since his hire in 2014, UConn has compiled a 71-23 record, won a national title, played in a second, and made a third New Year’s Six appearance in 2016. Diaco has, in recent seasons, had internal power struggles with athletic director Bobby Valentine and was suspended for the opening two games of 2019 after it was found that he violated NCAA rules when recruiting former defensive end Sam Rourke.

Diaco declined comment.

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Author's Note: So this is the first post from the supplementary Madden franchise that I talked about earlier in the season. We'll have lots more to talk about from the NFL world real soon!

[thesportsguru11]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

Archie turning pro

Already set to lose their top four wide receivers to graduation, UConn has received another big blow in the pass catching department. Redshirt junior tight end Royce Archie, a two year starter, has announced that he will declare for the NFL Draft this spring.

Archie, a transfer from West Virginia in June 2018, emerged late to finish as the second-leading receiver for UConn in 2020, finishing with 45 catches for 608 yards and 5 touchdown grabs. Archie was at his best in the playoff for the Huskies this year, catching a total of 12 passes for 201 yards against Nebraska and Oregon.

As such, Archie's draft stock has risen and viewed now as the optimal opportunity to take the next step.

I appreciate everything Coach Diaco, Coach Cubit and the rest of the UConn family has done for me. They welcomed me in with open arms in the summer of 2018 and coming to Storrs has been the best decision I ever made. However, my dream has always been to play in the NFL. I have my degree off the field, and on the field, now seems to be the best opportunity to throw my hat in the ring. I wish the staff and all of the players nothing but the best moving forward.

Archie's departure will leave UConn thin at tight end with just two returning players at that position: Fifth year senior Ryne Thomas from Tiverton, RI, and senior Ja'Montres Jones from New Jersey. UConn has not been actively seeking any tight ends on the recruiting trail this year.

Thomas started a couple games in 2019 when Archie was injured, but both have been career backups otherwise. Thomas has 24 catches for 337 yards and two scores in his career, while Jones has 10 career catches for 144 yards and a touchdown.

-------------------

Williamson, Jackson, Cox each spurn NFL Draft; cite "unfinished business"

Three of UConn's stars seem unhappy about how the 2020 season ended.

In a joint press release, junior quarterback Isaac Jackson, redshirt sophomore tailback Luke Williamson and junior linebacker John Cox each announced their intentions to return to UConn for the 2021 season, turning down the NFL.

After much thought, we decided that we can't leave on that note.
We're returning to UConn for one more year -- one that will end with a national championship.

Jackson struggled against Oregon in the CFP Title Game, tossing three interceptions while playing his worst game of the season. Williamson missed the title game altogether, having suffered a lower back injury in the semifinal game against Nebraska.

Though Jackson and Cox were a part of the national title winning team in 2017, both were redshirted as true freshmen and didn't play. Both said that they want to win one while playing a meaningful role.

Both All-Americans, Cox and Williamson will return for their third years as starters in 2021. Cox tallied 96 tackles in 2020 and garnered 2nd team All-American honors. Williamson of course finished second in the Heisman race after running for 1900 yards and a school record 27 touchdowns.

Jackson, barring injury or other off the field drama, is expected to hold the quarterback job from Week 1 on in 2021. The Georgia native threw for 2,700 yards and 17 touchdowns despite starting just 10 games last season; he was viewed as a possible mid-round prospect had he declared. Jackson won the starting QB job for good over Tanner Dean-Lowry in October; Jackson also started seven of the last eight games in 2019.

Jackson's decision to stay could spell intrigue for TDL; now a senior, TDL graduated in three years and can utilize a grad transfer as a true senior. Additionally, there are several young players at QB whom Coach Diaco would take a long look at for the future, including sophomore Alex Paige, redshirt freshman T.J. Appleby and incoming commit Kelly Carlson. Despite his inconsistent play at QB, many big-time programs in need of a quarterback would surely extend a scholarship his way if he elects to take that route.

[thesportsguru11]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

California Dreamin'

TDL using grad transfer, headed to USC

The former savior has left the building.

Rising senior quarterback Tanner Dean-Lowry, who will graduate this spring in just three years, has announced his intention to transfer via the graduate transfer rule.

His destination? That might surprise you a little more. The 95-overall rated, Torrington, Connecticut native will pack up shop and move out west to play for coach Quinn Shea and the USC Trojans in 2021.

No hard feelings, but this is a decision I had to make. I'm a little concerned for the well-being of the squad moving forward, and my role was going to be uncertain. I want to spend my last year in college starting and playing for a national title contender.

TDL will have to battle junior Cody MacLaughlan, sophomore Maverick Boston as well as freshmen Giovanni Verduzzi and Carlton Corder in Los Angeles, but should immediately gain the starting job as Heisman finalist Cam Miles graduates.

At UConn, the move assures Isaac Jackson no competition or obstacles in the way to the starting QB job in 2021. While Jackson was already expected to start, the two had been in a long-standing battle over who exactly was the quarterback of the future.

---

The former three star prospect Dean-Lowry will be remembered as a "what might have been" player with a lot of upside, but plagued by inconsistency and injuries. He was the top backup in his true freshman year at UConn in 2018. He started for most of the second half of the season following a shoulder injury to starter David Hamilton.

Following Hamilton's transfer to Old Dominion, TDL started week 1 of the 2019 season, but was soon supplanted due to inconsistency and an injury of his own. After returning to gain player of the game honors in the Cactus Bowl, TDL was named starter week 1 again in 2020. After four legendary games that thrust him into the Heisman race, TDL suffered rib and pectoral injuries against Oklahoma that kept him out for much of the remainder of the season. By then, he had lost the starting job to Isaac Jackson and saw his role evaporate.

As mentioned in the prior post, TDL would've had to compete for the backup role this year with sophomore Alex Paige, redshirt freshman T.J. Appleby, incoming freshman Kelly Carlson and possibly Jordan Brown as well, should he commit to UConn. Instead of doing that, he understandably bolted for an opportunity to play immediately.

TDL will finish his time at UConn having completed 323 of 537 pass attempts for 5,088 yards, 42 touchdowns and 23 INT's, adding 646 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

We're honored to have a player of TDL's caliber.
I've spoken to Coach Diaco a bit in seasons past and he's said some good things about him. He should be a leader and a star for us right away and we're all excited to have him as we chase a national title.

Coach Shea won a national title with the Trojans in 2018, and lost the National Title Game to Ohio State the next season. USC slipped to 9-4 last year, but finished on a high note with a win in the Las Vegas Bowl against a good Fresno State squad.

[whughes]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

I wish nothing but the best for TDL going forward. Although he never quite lived up to his expectations he looked to be poised to have a great season this past year until he got injured. It'll be interesting to see how he does under Coach Shea. Id love to get a player of his caliber at CMU, it might be enough to push us over the edge

[thesportsguru11]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

A look back at the 2016 UConn Recruiting Class

UConn Huskies Recruiting - 2016
NAME	POS	CLASS	HOMETOWN	HT	WT	CALIBER
Josh Parrish	G	HS	Wallingford, CT	6'3	261
Tim Duchane	LB	HS	Bethesda, MD	6'2	239
Jeff McNeal	ATH	HS	Belton, SC	6'1	179
Rashad Harris	WR	HS	Hendersonville, TN	5'11	176
Kevin Lacey	WR	HS	Holdenville, OK	6'1	202
Trent Ginn	T	HS	Braintree, MA	6'8	256
Brantell Webb	T	HS	Norwich, CT	6'6	327
Jake Crowder	CB	HS	Kearny, NJ	6'0	185
Quintin Harrell	DE	JUCO Jr	Waterbury, CT	6'4	249
Brent Howard	DT	HS	Northview, OH	6'1	302
Willie Chase	LB	HS	Atlantic City, NJ	6'2	204
Tashawn Coleman	LB	HS	Hesperia, CA	6'0	204
Sammie Leonard	LB	HS	Hyattsville, MD	6'4	236
Travis Lumpkin	CB	JUCO Jr	Redland, MD	6'3	175

Today, as we bid farewell to the class of 2020, we stop and take a look back at the UConn recruiting class of 2016, with most of its members graduating as part of this year's bunch.

The 2016 class was ranked a pedestrian 68th. However, many had bigger impacts than their initial ratings indicated, and there were no true busts, meaning this class had more value than the 68th best ranking gave credit for.

A select few became key members of the national title run of 2017 and many of these names were starters on this year’s playoff team. And.. a few left in a huff. But that’s a story for another time.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane by re-evaluating the 2016 recruiting class for UConn, with a career recap for each prospect and a grade of their success level at UConn.



OL Josh Parrish

A four year starter, Parrish eventually moved from guard to tackle. Nevertheless, he was all-league candidate every year and was the rock on the offensive line for a long time. He was a fourth round draft pick last spring. Parrish lived up to his four star billing, without a doubt.

Grade: A


LB Tim Duchane
Career Stats: 132 tackles (21 for loss), 3 sacks, INT

It took a long time for Duchane to gain traction in the linebacking race (and actually didn’t play the Tennessee game as a coach’s decision), but came on strong late in his fifth season. Nevertheless, his “grade” suffers from the fact that he barely saw the field until his redshirt junior year, and didn’t gain a full-time starting job until the third week of his senior year.

Grade:B-


ATH Jeff McNeal
Career Stats: 134 rush, 589 yards, 3 TD, 76 rec, 1249 yards, 7 TD, 15 tackles, 3 INT, defensive TD

I personally hyped up McNeal probably way too much when he was being recruited, but deservedly so. With his speed and size, I thought McNeal would be the running back of the future.. Back when I had no faith whatsoever in Josh Marriner. McNeal, after acting in super utility early in his career, finally appeared poised to take his running back job in 2019. However, he left injured in the season opener against Illinois and lost his job by the time he returned. McNeal did find a home as a third down back for us this year and as one of our slot/split end receivers and as our return man. While he wasn’t a superstar, he definitely made an impact at UConn.

Grade: B

WR Rashad Harris
Career Stats: 160 rec, 2882 yards, 25 TD

Harris kind of appeared out of nowhere in 2019. Then a junior, Harris was tasked as the #1 wideout following graduations of Damon Mitchell and Jon Haden. Harris shone in 2019 and 2020, tallying over 2500 yards while becoming UConn’s all-time leading touchdown catcher. Plus..he has a play named after him. You know you’re good when…

If UConn didn’t focus so much on the run game, Harris could’ve been UConn’s greatest receiver of all-time. The Tennessee native has a bright future in the NFL and I am really excited to continue to track his progress.
Grade: A

WR Kevin Lacey
Career Stats: 54 rec, 734 yards, 7 TD

A lesser offensive recruit in 2016, Oklahoma native Lacey may be most notable for beginning UConn’s pipeline into Big 12 territory, which has now produced stars such as J.P. Byers, also from Oklahoma. It took Lacey about four years to hit the field, but was capable when he played. Lacey worked alongside Jeff McNeal out of the slot primarily as a senior, and played well in his role, catching 42 balls for over 600 yards and six scores.

Grade: C+


OT Trent Ginn

A Massachusetts native, Ginn won the starting right tackle job as a redshirt junior in 2019. Very streaky player who could play like an All-American one game and a JV player the next. He led the team in sacks given up in 2020, but somehow still garnered All-Big 12 honors last year. Though I call bull.

Grade: C+


OT Brantell Webb

Trapped behind Ginn for a lot of his career, Webb moved inside to right guard as a redshirt senior and played quite well. Much like Duchane, however, his grade suffers because it took a long time to develop into that.

Grade: C+


CB Jake Crowder
Career Stats: 80 tackles (4 TFL), 1 sack, 8 INT

Oy vey. Where do we start here. Crowder toiled on the scout team for a couple seasons until emerging out of nowhere in 2019 to tally 8 INT’s and garner All-American honors. Expected to team with Shavlion Wade as a good corner duo in 2020, Crowder struggled mightily in spring practice, and it carried over in game-play as he got torched for 10 catches and at least 100 yards by both of his assignments in the opening two weeks. Wade outshone Crowder quickly, and then Crowder got benched after the Michigan game and left the team after a spat with Coach Diaco in September. It’s hard to grade a player like this, but as I see it, he had zero career INT's outside of 2019. He had one good year and that’s it.

Grade: C+

DE Quintin Harrell (JUCO)
Career Stats: 76 tackles (27 for loss), 10 sacks, 4 INT

Harrell was one of the early superstars of our dynasty, alongside names like Deshon Foxx, Geremy Davis, Jefferson Ashiru and “Maquise” DeLorenzo. Harrell was a jack of all trades at UConn. He walked in in 2016 and won the starting defensive end job, garnering all-conference honors. When he got pushed out of the rotation by mega-freshman Sam Rourke, Harrell moved to linebacker and thrived, showing impressive hands and edge rushing skills for someone who was 6’4 and 249 (though he looked a lot bigger). The Sportsman Award was named in his honor for being a great teammate who was willing to accept any role given to him, ensuring his legacy at UConn will remain. This grade may be more sentimental than anything else, but I think Harrell played well enough to deserve it.

Grade: A-


DT Brent Howard
Career Stats: 40 tackles (16 for loss), 7 sacks

Depth issues squeezed Howard onto the bench until his fifth year, but Howard still made the most of his opportunities and played well as a serviceable starting nose tackle in the 3-4. Also won the aforementioned Harrell Sportsman Award in 2020.

Grade: B-


LB Willie Chase
Career Stats: 2 tackles

Never saw the field much and eventually grad transferred back to New Jersey to play for Rutgers.

Grade: D


LB Tashawn Coleman
Career Stats: 32 tackles (5 for loss), sack

Same as the above.. Though Coleman actually did start a few games in 2018 and 2019. However, Coleman was slow and not good in coverage. With Marcus Bradford and Tim Duchane firmly entrenched as starters in the middle, Coleman left as a grad transfer for San Jose State last year and tallied 66 tackles and two sacks. Good on him, but that doesn’t affect his grade at UConn.

Grade: D


LB Sammie Leonard
Career Stats: 230 tackles (54 for loss), 18 sacks, 2 INT, other various forced fumbles and recoveries

Leonard will go down as one of the most underrated players in dynasty history. Everyone remembers Sam Rourke and his 78 TFL’s, but few will notice that Leonard finished his career with 54 TFL’s, coming in second all-time at UConn behind Rourke. Leonard was a two or three year starter depending on how you look at it, but contributed in all four of his years as an active player, be it on special teams or in the base 3-4, where was a fantastic edge rusher alongside John Cox. A two-star prospect, Leonard played much bigger than his rating ever indicated. He probably won’t stick in the NFL, but here’s hoping. I think he’s good enough.

Grade: A


CB Travis Lumpkin (JUCO)
Career Stats: 70 tackles (6 for loss), sack, 5 INT

Another player who gave me headaches for a long time. After redshirting in 2016, Lumpkin was slotted as the slot corner in 2017. And he was horrendous in that role. I hoped that by moving him to the outside in 2018 would provide better results, and Lumpkin did play better. However, there would be plenty of moments where he got burned or just looked lost on defense. Coming in with a 76 overall rating plus the extra redshirt year to develop, Lumpkin disappointed me.

Grade: C

I wish nothing but the best for TDL going forward. Although he never quite lived up to his expectations he looked to be poised to have a great season this past year until he got injured. It'll be interesting to see how he does under Coach Shea. Id love to get a player of his caliber at CMU, it might be enough to push us over the edge

TDL is going to fit well with Coach Shea.. believe it or not, TDL was the best running QB we had on the team.. Shea runs a spread option attack so his talents are probably going to be well-utilized. Beyond that, Shea has a good track record with QB's of TDL's caliber. Brad Ewing was the QB in 2019 and he was a Heisman finalist, while Miles was an All-American and national award winner last season.

How TDL does is going to be a nice wake-up call for us.. The last time a talented QB left us, D-Ham set the world on fire at Old Dominion. We're going to learn more about his future soon.

But I must say.. It'd be some kind of cosmic karma if TDL leads USC to the playoff or a national championship. I would feel very apoplectic.


---

CMU actually does have a player of that caliber, surprisingly. I erred in the season recap by saying that Paul O'Toole graduates for you this year.. that is incorrect apparently, as he showed up in the editor as still part of your team now that I am at the Cut Players screen. Further, he's 93 overall. I guess we'll see what happens!

That doesn't rule out, say a star running back or a good wide receiver from using a grad transfer into CMU, however.

[orlegend0208]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

Love that last write up! I've always loved revisiting recruiting classes to see if guys lived up to their star rating/potential.

[thesportsguru11]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

New Dominion

College Football world flips finger on UConn as former washout Hamilton completes meteoric ascension, declares for NFL Draft

Somebody out there hates Bob Diaco. Or so I’m led to believe.

Two years after drinking and crashing himself (literally) out of UConn, former quarterback of the future David Hamilton (95 OVR) has completed his ascent to the forefront of college football. Just not in a UConn uniform, as some of us may have once predicted.

Hamilton, then a true sophomore, parted ways with UConn in December 2018 and washed up at Old Dominion, where he redshirted the 2019 season because of NCAA transfer rules. As such, Hamilton was first eligible to play for Coach James Coley’s Monarchs this fall. And did he ever shine. Leading the Monarchs to a 12-2 record, a Conference USA championship and a Liberty Bowl win over Texas A&M, Hamilton completed 291 of his passes for 3,903 yards and 43 touchdowns in 2020, ranking second in the nation in each category. D-Ham was a unanimous first team All-Conference USA selection and an honorable mention All-American. Now, having had his fifteen minutes of fame in Norfolk, Hamilton has announced his intentions to go pro, forgoing his fifth and final year of eligibility.

Hamilton is projected as a mid-round prospect.

For those unfamiliar with why we’re reporting on a random quarterback from Old Dominion.. Hamilton was recruited out of Maryland in the same recruiting class as Isaac Jackson in 2017. Hamilton was viewed as the better prospect and immediately gained the backup quarterback job as a true freshman in 2017, spotting Bryant Shirreffs in garbage time. Expected to be the starter in 2018 after Shirreffs graduated, Hamilton got himself suspended for the opening half of the season opener at Boise State for showing up to a team meeting late and drunk in February. D-Ham guided the comeback win in Boise and played very well early, as was expected. However, his play started to decline a bit before ultimately tearing his rotator cuff in UConn’s win over Oklahoma State in October. As it turned out, that would be the last time we saw D-Ham in a UConn uniform. Hamilton was involved in a car crash in December 2018 while under the influence, and Coach Diaco promptly kicked him off the team.

While he may have busted out of UConn.. He sure as hell found his calling elsewhere. And we’re sure as hell going to follow his path in the NFL.

Other Noteworthy Early Declarees:

LB Eric Jamison - 93 OVR - rJR - USC
TE Marcello Stevenson - 92 OVR - rJR - Alabama
LB Bryce Sintez - 92 OVR - rJR - Alabama
RB Anthony Beach - 92 OVR - rJR - Oregon State
S Skylar Drexler - 91 OVR - rSO - Notre Dame
LB Michael Gross - 91 OVR - rJR - Michigan
WR Deon Huff - 91 OVR - rJR - Notre Dame
WR Chris Broussard - 91 OVR - rJR - Stanford
S Samson Newby - 91 OVR - JR - Auburn
WR Andrew Chingon - 90 OVR - JR - Florida
WR Ty Haley - 90 OVR - JR - Notre Dame
DE Trevor Gates - 90 OVR - rJR - Tennessee
LT James Colvin - 90 OVR - rJR - USC
LB Carlton Rollins - 89 OVR - rJR - Oklahoma
WR Victor Wheatley - 89 OVR - JR - Ole Miss
LT Carnell McCoy - 88 OVR - rJR - Oklahoma
RT John Retonzes - 88 OVR - JR - USC

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Nelly wants more, returning to Oregon for senior year

In a move that will stun (and disappoint) everyone in the football world, everyone's favorite annoying a-hole isn't going anywhere. Oregon’s star quarterback Se’Nelquez “Nelly” DeWeaver (progressed to 99 OVR) has announced his intention to stay in school for his senior season. Despite winning a national title and looking likely to be a first round pick right now, DeWeaver wants to try for the shot at defending Oregon's national title, upping his draft stock preferrably to #1 overall and winning the Heisman Trophy.

I haven’t won the Heisman yet, right? I haven’t proven myself as the best ever yet, right? Well then I’ll come back to prove it. Let’s go. Quack quack.

Nelly figures to be a Heisman favorite entering 2021, along with running backs Luke Williamson from UConn and Braylon Norton from Auburn. Nelly figures as well to be the top quarterback available for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Alas... Oh my. One more year of blinding egotism. I hope we see this kid again.

------------------------

Love that last write up! I've always loved revisiting recruiting classes to see if guys lived up to their star rating/potential.

This is the second such post I've done in this dynasty.. frankly it's not something I've done before (off-site or not) but it's been really enjoyable.. you're absolutely right.

It's scary looking back because I remember recruiting some of these kids.. this was over two years ago now in real time.

I remember all the hype I placed on Jeff McNeal, and I remember thinking that these lower ranked kids named Rashad Harris and Sammie Leonard were never going to turn into anything.. both have been massively impactful in their time here. And now everyone's graduating! This is the second recruiting class I put together in this dynasty.. It's so rewarding to look back.

In the next couple seasons, when we look at upcoming recruiting class reviews we'll see the stars of the present such as Luke Williamson and Shav Wade. Neither were blue chip prospects either.. It will be well worth it to give them A+ recruiting grades, to say the least.

[thesportsguru11]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)



Author's Note: I owe the molotov cocktail line later in this post to this article.. I thought it was pure genius.

I haven't done a storyline post like this.. in a long time. Maybe not even in this dynasty before. While it's been mostly news articles, I don't do much in terms of story dialogue stuff anymore. But I had a jolt of inspiration and now seems like a good time to try it out. This should make a lot more sense soon. Here we go!

Diaco, Valentine have meeting; Transcript

Diaco: I just want to know why you want to do this [move to the ACC]. We have a great TV deal right now, we’re in a good position right now.

Valentine: I think the opportunities are better in the ACC. Close geographically, Notre Dame is likely coming in with their huge NBC TV deal. I have a good relationship with ESPN. The Big 12 doesn’t have that affiliation..

Diaco: Fox, Bobby. Fox broadcasts most of our games. And NBC and ESPN have absolutely no relationship with one another.

Valentine: Who cares!? We could make TV history if we make a relationship. ABC, ESPN, NBC working together.. we'd be unstoppable! The ACC, and in turn us, would be at the forefront of college football. Notre Dame is going to make this whole thing go around, but only if we buy in. This is a good thing.

Diaco: No. It’s not. The only good thing you’re saying right now is more money. I don't care about money. I'm worried about the fantastic relationship with [Bob] Bowlsby [Big 12 Commish] that you're about to piss away. He helped us immensely to get here and I want to stay loyal to them. They praise us for the fact we’re bringing in fans and revenue way out east. We're expanding their market. Same goes with West Virginia.

Valentine: What about travel times, Bob. Do you not remember Oklahoma? You guys looked jetlagg--

Diaco: NO. We played like a molotov cocktail of ugliness that day. Travel had nothing to do with it. We're playing good teams, and that's what I care about. I will not let you break this up. I paved the way for you to even come close to sniffing this job. Warde and I pushed this program to new heights.. Unfortunately he left for a better opportunit--

Valentine: Opportunity. Yes. Which is what we’ll have more of in the ACC. Warde is gone. I am here now.

Diaco: More opportunity for what? Playing BC every year? We're already doing that. Saving the goddamned ACC from going extinct? They turned us away multiple times, and only came knocking on your door now because they are so beyond desperate.. Two playoff teams in seven years. They knew you’d be stupid about it, like usual, so they came calling you. They didn’t realize what they could’ve had way back then. This is only your second year here.. I’ve seen way more than you have and I’m telling you, straight up, this is a garbage deal.

Valentine: The fact that you've seen more gives you the authority to talk down to me?

Diaco: You have no sense of what the word leadership actually means.

Valentine: This university hired me for a reason.

Diaco: Not a very good one. I wanted to do this job, or at the very least get Brad Edwards [George Mason A.D.] in here, but they couldn’t do that. No, we have to make a splash, whatever that means. We won a national title, there is no splash to be made here! Splashes are for universities down on their luck. Get the worst leader in sports history up here... Fired in one year by the Red Sox because everyone hated you.

Valentine: My managerial experience is completely separate from my ability to run an athletic department, which I have done before and have done well at before.

Diaco: Yeah at puny Sacred Heart. They worshipped the ground you walked on just because your name alone put them on the map. You make me sick.

Valentine: Likewise. I’m in the leadership position here. Let me do my thing. You worry about controlling your players.

Diaco: I’m not having that argument.

Valentine: The facts speak for themselves. You had two players leave the team this year.

Diaco: Who were distractions. I tried to work with them, but they didn't want it. These were two senior starters.. we still nearly won the national title without them. If you can’t appreciate what I’m doing here as coach, where we're at now compared to before I came.. You don’t understand anything at.. *phone vibration*... Hang on just a sec.

Valentine: Don’t you dare answer that phone -- you are in a ****ing meeting Bob!

Diaco: Hello? … oh hi Shad, I’m doing fine. 4:00 tomorrow? Sure thing. I’ll be there. I'm suddenly available.

Valentine: What the **** are you doing?

Diaco: Bobby. I’m out.

[BookWork123]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

Well.......I don't know how to respond other than I saw it coming...gonna be interesting to see who UConn goes with next...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[young22]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

So he's gone... this season will be an interesting one. Hopefully y'all can whoop Nelly's *** this year.

Sent from my SM-G386W using Operation Sports mobile app

[bryan3169]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

Uh-oh?! Good god what dimwit move with Bobby V make if Diaco does officially jump to the NFL or another program. You know he's gonna bring in a dimwit


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[thesportsguru11]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

Well.......I don't know how to respond other than I saw it coming...gonna be interesting to see who UConn goes with next...

Sadly you aren't the only one. I had envisioned doing this a little more abruptly.. but I built up the story throughout the year and it made sense to draw to a crescendo like I did.

I'm looking forward to seeing who exactly we can get.. the Coach Carousel is quite weak this year and there aren't a lot of big name guys available. We'll take a look at this in the next post.

So he's gone... this season will be an interesting one. Hopefully y'all can whoop Nelly's *** this year.

Yeah, you're right.. if it wasn't interesting enough breaking in a bunch of new starters, it really will be interesting now that we're likely headed out of the Big 12 and finding a new head coach.

I want Oregon so badly.. you don't even know. I think a rematch this season would be the most anticipated game in the dynasty's history.. moreso than the first or second playoff runs, or anything else.

Uh-oh?! Good god what dimwit move with Bobby V make if Diaco does officially jump to the NFL or another program. You know he's gonna bring in a dimwit.

Bobby V has his own master plan.. hey good on him but you're absolutely right. Because he was worried about his own legacy, he forced out the heartbeat of UConn football, the most successful coach the school has ever known. Just because they couldn't agree. There are a couple names I have on my list for the next post who will be "total Bobby V hires".. we'll see if any of those come to fruition.

For his sake, I hope the new head coach works out. Or else it's . For a long time.

[thesportsguru11]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

Crossing the Pond

UConn’s Diaco turns pro, accepts head coaching job with NFL’s Black Knights

The savior has left the altar.

Bob Diaco, after a now-public fallout with athletic director Bobby Valentine, has officially resigned as UConn head coach and accepted the same, vacant position with the NFL’s London Black Knights.

Diaco’s contract is for three years and is slated to net him $6 million per year - making Diaco the fourth highest paid coach in the NFL. Diaco will also act as director of player personnel, making him a de facto general manager who will be responsible for all roster moves and decisions, a deal-breaker when accepting the job.

Owner Shad Khan announced the move moments after Diaco signed the contract.

I’m very excited. Bob is a tremendous coach, as we’ve all seen at the college level, and a great decision maker when it comes to personnel. More importantly, he can bring some new energy into the franchise that has been sorely lacking as we chase London’s first ever Super Bowl. We’re thrilled to have him on board.

Diaco takes over for Marvin Lewis, who was fired after failing to advance past the first two weekends in the playoffs each of the past three years. The Black Knights, formerly the Jacksonville Jaguars, most recently lost to the Dolphins in the divisional round of the playoffs despite earning a first round bye.

Hired in December 2013 to replace Paul Pasqualoni and interim head coach T.J. Weist, Diaco leaves UConn having accumulated a 71-23 record over seven years. While the Sam Rourke pay for play scandal (causing a two game suspension in 2019) and several player conduct incidents will mar his image slightly, Diaco is widely regarded as the most successful coach in program history. Diaco won a national championship (2017), five wins in eight bowl games, two American conference titles (2016, 2017) and a Big 12 title last year. He also won National Coach of the Year honors when UConn won it all in 2017, and produced two Heisman finalists in tailbacks Josh Marriner (2017) and Luke Williamson (2020).

I’m honored and thankful to Shad that I have this new opportunity and the chance to kind of run my own team here. I’ve never really thought about coming to London before, but the specifics were to my liking, Shad and I have gotten along well so far.. He’s going to let me do my thing here and I hope to reward him with the Lombardi Trophy. We’re in real good shape to win and win right now, the fans seem rabid and I’m just as excited as Shad is. It’s truly a pleasure to be coaching one of the rising teams in the NFL and I’m ready to tackle this new challenge.

Athletic Director Bobby Valentine, the reason Diaco left, declined comment other than to say that a search for UConn’s next head coach is underway.

--------------

A dozen candidates who could replace Diaco

Now of course, while this is a very exhaustive (and creative, if I do say so myself) list, some of these names are more for fun and to elicit a general laugh. Our pixies behind the scenes have rated each of the candidates on the Woof-O-Meter (5 Huskies = likely, 1 Husky = yeah right go back to your conspiracy theory) to help determine exactly who is a favorite in the job search.



Dale Miller, Head Coach, Louisiana

A member of the CAC fraternity, Miller was promoted from within UL Lafayette’s system after Tony Gibson left for Maryland last year. Miller had a ferocious running attack, with a 2200 yard rusher in Antoine Wilson and an 1100 yard guy in Justin Huston as the Cajuns won nine games and a bowl. Miller will likely be scooped up by someone.. why not UConn? Experience is a concern but he is a very good coach, is schematically similar to Diaco (run first) and will have a lot of toys to be successful at UConn right now.

Woof-O-Meter:


Gary Patterson, former TCU head coach

Patterson got kind of a raw deal.. After leading TCU to two straight playoff berths, a pair of 5-7 campaigns and deteriorating relationships with leadership sent Patterson packing. Though not a splashy hire, he’s still a hell of a coach and would be a home run anywhere, especially at UConn.

Woof-O-Meter:


Sam Freday, Head Coach, UNLV

The UNLV coach and CAC fraternity member is a UConn alum, and will probably make a very good head coach someday, but I do not think the time is now. In his first year as Rebels head coach, things went from good to bad really quickly, and UNLV missed a bowl a year after tallying ten wins. I would not be surprised to see Freday get an interview and be in consideration, and if this were happening two years from now, Freday might be the lead candidate.. Or the only candidate. This year, however.. We’ll have to wait and see. Still, a solid candidate to take seriously in this job search.

Woof-O-Meter:

Credit to RT for the image.

Barry Odom, defensive coordinator, UConn

Another lead candidate, Odom may make the most sense of anyone on the list. Having now been the defensive coordinator for three years, Odom has overseen the growth and stardom of Shavlion Wade, and helped several other obscure names become stars (James Mandrell, Sammie Leonard, Altarri Gardner, Victor Castalanetta). Odom knows the system, he's still young (44), he’d be complacent with Bobby V.. It just makes sense, right?

Woof-O-Meter:


Bill Cubit, offensive coordinator, UConn

Like Odom, been around for three years, knows the system, groomed Luke Williamson into a star as well as several wideouts, including Rashad Harris. Plus, he coached at Western Michigan with success for several years. Main concern is his age (68). I'd imagine UConn wants a younger selection, and Odom better fits in that criterion. However, if UConn wants Freday in two-three years, Cubit could serve as a stopgap until UConn is ready.

Woof-O-Meter:


Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator, New England Patriots


This may be another lead candidate. McDaniels has been buying his time getting another head coaching job in the NFL, and may not find anything interesting at all. Bring in UConn. McDaniels can do it all and be his own boss.. As long as he’s willing to put up with Bobby V. Hey, if you can put up with Bill Belichick, I suppose you can do anything. The question may be does McDaniels want to step back into the college game when his entire coaching knowledge and background lie in the NFL?

Woof-O-Meter:

Stephen Belichick, safeties coach, New England Patriots


A very interesting idea here.. The young Belichick spent some time at Rutgers with Greg Schiano and has spent lots of time with his now retired father as safeties coach in New England. But I question his know-how, his experience and his overall skill. He is young, though, and his name alone may make Bobby V salivate. We’ll see.

Woof-O-Meter:

Bob Stitt, former head coach, New Mexico State

The former Montana head coach was hired at New Mexico State.. And flopped. Things got so bad that Stitt actually handed in his resignation letter at the end of the season and will be looking for new work. Stitt is familiar with New England, having spent a year as an assistant at Harvard.. But he hasn’t been back since. Nevertheless, the offensive guru will be pleased to know that UConn could be bringing in some big-time athletes in recruiting.. the thought of playing with jet sweeps and all of that athleticism may be a tantalizing interview for Bobby V. But he is not a really good fit for UConn right now.

Woof-O-Meter:


Jim Harbaugh, head coach, San Francisco 49ers

Again.. Less likely. He is still out there in the NFL as well, but success has been limited in recent years. Michigan seems content with Brady Hoke, so Harbaugh couldn’t return to his alma mater. Harbaugh has said he’d interview at UConn if they reached out, and there’s no questioning his football IQ, but he’s going to clash with Bobby V. That’s an absolute given and makes Harbaugh unhireable at this juncture.

Woof-O-Meter:


George Whitfield, QB Camp Owner

For all of UConn’s struggles at QB in the last seven years.. Maybe this isn’t so bad? Good college QB, and offensive guru. But coach? Not sure. This hire would have Bobby V written all over it.

Woof-O-Meter:


Les Miles, retired


Unlikely. Miles retired after 2018 and probably would interview, but it would take a lot to get him to Storrs.

Woof-O-Meter:

Eric Mangini, formerly of ESPN

OK, I wanted a chuckle here. We all know this isn’t going to happen. But I can have a little fun, right?

Woof-O-Meter: Yeah right, there's no chance this is happening.


So what do you guys think? Who should be named the new head coach? Who will be named the head coach? Is there someone else you think could be considered who isn't on the list? (no not Nick Saban). Sound off below! I want to hear your opinions!

[whughes]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

I heard Peyton Manning was thinking about getting into coaching...
Coach Crenshaw over at CMU needs a change of environment...
Gary Patterson would be a great hire I think.

Realistically I think Barry Odom makes the most sense

[bryan3169]

Re: We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

Hahaha Charlie Weis returns to his college roots for a last stand in the college ranks


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