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)

THE NEW WAVE

UConn has potential historic day, lands future centerpieces in LB Ash, OT Monroe, QB Ferguson

Stephen Belichick is proving to be a better recruiter than Bob Diaco. The soon-to-be third year headman Belichick pieced together the a school record third ranked class in the nation after pulling in some major recruits on signing day.

Despite just three commitments to cap off a smaller class than usual, those three commitments just happened to be possible centerpieces of UConn’s future.

Starting at the top, UConn landed Elite 11 quarterback Alex Ferguson from Delaware, the second-ranked at his position and the 19th ranked recruit in the entire country. His commitment was inevitable after he removed Penn State, the only other school he was seriously considering, off his board.

Ferguson will slot in anywhere between second or fourth on the depth chart with Jordan Brown and Kelly Carlson on the team, plus Linzell Tyson taking some snaps. Thanks to the depth, Ferguson may actually have the chance to redshirt this fall before perhaps having a shot to win the starting job next year if Brown elects to leave early for the NFL.

Ferguson compares favorably (skills wise) as a more polished version of former signal caller Tanner Dean-Lowry, a balanced quarterback who is a fair runner and a decent passer. Ferguson may end up being a better player than TDL, but it’s hard to not make that specific comparison right now.

The second important recruit is the guy who has been at the top of UConn’s recruiting board since day one, linebacker Payton Ash from Mississippi. A four-star linebacker, Ash is a great athlete with room to grow skills-wise. Ash is the highest rated defensive player we have signed in the now ten seasons of this dynasty, overall-wise. Ash comes to us at around 81 overall (not accounting for injury and awareness rating edits). Ash picked UConn after a late push from Coach Belichick and Coach Pellum, selecting the Huskies over BYU, his home school of Ole Miss and a host of others, citing the desire to play immediately.

Ash will likely play left outside linebacker, and with UConn breaking in an entirely new unit, he is almost assured a starting job barring injury or suspension.

Finally, with UConn’s struggles on the offensive line in recent years, landing Ohio offensive tackle Cole Monroe will be a great start on the road to improvement. With the need to replace left tackle Kevin Jones, Monroe immediately becomes the top candidate to start on the blind side this fall. “We see a lot in him [Monroe]”, commented new offensive coordinator Dan Orlovsky. “He’s a big part of our future”.

Elsewhere

Those three were the only prospects UConn signed to add to their mostly completed class. Though they won’t complain about who they got, they did miss out on four-star athlete Rondell Downs, who ended up signing with North Carolina to have a shot to play on offense. Five-star wide receiver Ben Hilliard elected to join Downs in Chapel Hill; Hilliard is from Greensboro.

Other noteworthy prospects going elsewhere include a trio going to NC State; center Frankie Martinez and athletes Kyree Brock and Ardarius Watts. Tight end Tate McCall will go north to Minnesota, and tackle Taevion Ellis will go play at Missouri; Ellis was a top offensive lineman in this class.

All told, UConn finishes with the third best recruiting class in the nation, the highest ranking for UConn ever. The ranking is nice, but now it’s time for UConn to get all of these guys to develop and contribute (#GuruRecruitingBusts). Given how some of them have a good chance to play immediately, we will get a good look at how this recruiting class will turn out early on. I expect Monroe, Ash, Demetris Sands and JUCO transfer Ahmir Rider to have fantastic chances to start as newcomers this fall while others, including Ferguson, tight end Evan Jeppesen and defensive linemen Quayshaun Wise, Jamar Sledge and Andre Cwik, will get a shot to be part of rotations at their respective positions and contribute sooner rather than later.

WELCOME HUSKIES!

Lower quality table with attributes located below.

Spoiler

Around the Nation

Recent power Oregon looks to rebound from a down year with the top class in the nation, headlined by Alaskan wide receiver Alex Jackson. Jackson was their only five-star prospect, but their top class was backed up by a whopping thirteen four-star prospects. Oklahoma finished with the second ranked class, headlined by a trio of blue chippers including athlete Juvon Ingram, the second-ranked prospect in this class. Michigan landed the sixth ranked class for Bob Diaco, the biggest name to move in this coaching cycle. Diaco’s class was headlined by a pair of blue chip running backs in Zhaire Akridge and Ben Evans.

Top prospect Rakeem Gilmore, an athlete who will probably play quarterback, committed to the Rose Bowl champion Washington Huskies to add to their ridiculous haul under center. They landed the top quarterback prospect last year in Corey Landon and have two other veterans on their roster -- all this despite losing their starter last year to graduation.

Top 25 National Recruiting Classes - 2023
RK	TEAM	5	4	3	2	1	TOTAL
1	Oregon	1	13	8	0	0	22
2	Oklahoma	3	4	17	0	0	24
3	UConn	1	9	7	0	0	17
4	Miami-FL	2	6	10	0	0	18
5	Penn State	2	6	9	1	0	18
6	Michigan	2	4	15	1	0	22
7	Notre Dame	0	6	14	1	0	21
8	Nebraska	0	9	4	2	2	17
9	Florida	1	5	13	1	0	20
10	Ole Miss	1	6	10	0	1	18
11	LSU	2	4	10	2	0	18
12	NC State	1	4	13	2	3	23
13	Virginia Tech	2	2	15	3	0	22
14	Ohio State	2	4	9	1	1	17
15	Minnesota	0	6	11	0	1	18
16	Wisconsin	2	5	4	1	6	18
17	Washington	1	3	15	2	0	21
18	Tennessee	1	1	17	2	0	22
19	Temple	0	6	6	8	0	20
20	Michigan State	2	4	7	3	1	17
21	Illinois	1	5	8	1	4	19
22	Boston College	0	5	11	3	2	21
23	Miami-OH	0	5	10	4	3	22
24	Texas	0	6	6	4	2	18
25	California	1	4	7	6	1	19

SPARQ Top 20

Temple (OC Sorbera) somehow landed the top CAC class this year, hauling in a half dozen four-star prospects on their way to the 19th ranked class. Quinn Shea rewarded his school’s new confidence with the 28th best class (three five-star prospects on signing day), while Washington State (HC Willingham, 35th) and Southern Miss (OC Davis, 36th) had other noteworthy classes near the top of the pylon. Notable new head coaching hires had mixed success - get the full results below!

Top CAC Recruiting Classes - 2023
RK	TEAM	5	4	3	2	1	TOTAL
19	Temple (OC Sorbera)	0	6	6	8	0	20
21	Illinois (DC Stephenson)	1	5	8	1	4	19
26	USC (HC Shea)	3	2	5	0	6	16
28	Texas A&M (OC Westside)	0	3	15	3	0	21
35	Washington State (HC Willingham)	0	4	7	5	3	19
36	Southern Miss (OC Davis)	0	3	10	5	1	19
40	Wake Forest (OC James)	1	1	11	5	2	20
43	Baylor (HC Turley)	1	2	8	4	3	18
48	Arizona State (HC Brihay)	0	3	8	5	2	18
49	Rutgers (OC Coley)	0	2	12	2	3	19
58	Oklahoma State (OC Nama)	0	1	14	3	0	18
68	Vanderbilt (HC Miller)	1	1	5	8	3	18
70	Duke (DC Smith)	0	0	14	5	1	20
71	Kansas State (DC Kilmer Jr.)	0	1	13	0	2	16
76	Eastern Michigan (HC Henderson)	0	1	9	7	2	19
78	Mississippi State (OC Baumann)	0	1	10	3	4	18
79	Memphis (OC King)	0	1	8	9	0	18
80	Louisville (OC Woodard)	0	1	9	6	2	18
84	UTEP (OC Mac)	0	0	12	4	3	19
85	Central Michigan (OC Crenshaw)	0	0	13	2	3	18
93	Texas Tech (HC Brooks)	0	0	11	4	4	19
95	Troy (OC Gilbert)	0	0	9	8	3	20
103	Bowling Green (OC Sorensen)	0	0	9	5	3	17
105	Iowa State (OC Jacobsen)	0	1	6	5	2	14
106	Western Michigan (OC Harrison)	0	0	7	9	1	17
107	UNLV (HC Freday)	0	1	3	8	7	19
110	Middle Tennessee St. (OC St. Brown Sr.)	0	1	4	6	6	17
115	Kent St. (OC Grant)	0	0	5	11	3	19
116	Hawai’i (HC Trebell)	0	1	5	6	1	13
120	UMass (OC Francisco)	0	0	6	7	4	17
122	Buffalo (OC Malloy)	0	0	7	3	8	18
125	South Alabama (OC Favre)	0	0	5	3	10	18

Diaco back in the FBS... maybe he'll bring Michigan back to the top? Bringing in Marriner too, I could have sworn I remembered you bringing him into UConn as the RB coach. Guess not.

My guy Stevenson going to the Illini huh? Not a bad first job, P5 school. They been any good lately?

Coach Marriner was something I think we had joked about, but never actually happened. Well.. until now that is. If I'm mistaken, though, please speak up!

I try to give defensive coordinators better jobs out of the gate because I don’t get many entrants for those positions - a power five gig almost acts as a reward for not taking the more fun offensive coordinator jobs. So far, DC entrants have gotten starting jobs at Purdue, Kansas State and now Illinois, with varying levels of success.

The Illini have improved in recent years - they went 7-6 in 2021 and won their bowl game, then just missed a bowl last year after a rough second half. They were ranked at one point, though. You’ll also get to work under a member of the UConn coaching tree, Tim Albin. There’s some talent on your side of the ball, but you’ll need to hit the recruiting trail pretty hard in the first year or two.

Wow, Diaco dropping bombshells again.

Just checking in! Last night, I stepped foot on the Rent grass for the first time ever. Such a monumental moment as a guy that virtually grew up at that place. Only 9 days until the #21 team in the land stops by to open the season. Hope you can catch some games on TV this year. If it's a home game, I'll be on the field.

Thanks RT, always great to see you in the thread. Diaco’s coaching rumors and moves are akin to the right arm of this dynasty. We can live without them, but it’s so much more fun with them!

Anyways, I’m excited to look for ya on the field LOL… I’ll definitely watch a few games this season, have for the last three years now. I had to fetch Joe Kelly’s coffee the other day at an autograph signing so I understand about feeling starstruck, no matter the person’s importance! Ten years’ time you’ll have Edsall’s job. Guaranteed. Either that or you’ll be directing the band.

Looking forward to seeing more of Diaco storyline. Very nice plot twist you have planted there.

Thanks, Cheese! Diaco is a very important part of our story no matter where he’s at. Despite us playing the Wolverines just a few years ago, I would expect a home and home against Michigan at some point in the near future, especially if our wily athletic director has any say in this.

Pretty hyped about the ASU job. That's insane. Almost crazier than what they did in real life. Lol. Hope it's not too much too fast like it was for Kiffin in Oakland... Can you imagine being graduate school age and the head coach of a D1 football team?

I can’t even imagine head coaching a team at 23.. In my freshman-junior years of high school, our basketball coach was fresh out of college himself and it didn’t end particularly well. On the other end, Coach Shea was 24 or 25 when he took over USC in this dynasty and he’s claimed a national title and three playoff appearances. No matter what, we can assume Foxke was hired because of his ability and potential, and will hopefully be given time to figure things out. After all, he led a ten-win team and conference champ at 22, so who's to say it can't happen again. ASU has some pieces, they just need a boost and a young guy could do it.

Goodbye Purdue you will not be missed! Hello Wallace Wade Stadium I hope to have some defensive successes with the ole Blue Devils!

It’s really a shame as Purdue had some solid young pieces, it just never came together for you after 2019 unfortunately. Duke’s hiring of Jimbo Fisher might be a boost to the program, as Duke has struggled the last two seasons. It may take a year or two, but there’s no reason to imagine that Duke won’t be good in short order.

Thanks guys!

[thesportsguru11]

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

2023 Summer Ball News/Notes

This season's most exciting recruit, Payton Ash makes a pass breakup. He looks FRESH in #3. His athleticism is one reason why he'll likely be starting as a true freshman.

Summer camp has closed and UConn is beginning to shape their starting lineups and depth chart for the upcoming 2023 season. Expectations are high after a bowl win and with many important players returning, but much as every other team in the nation, questions abound on the Huskies roster.

Training camp concluded this week with some 11-on-11 drills, attempting to get every player on the field for evaluation in game scenarios. To start, many players changed positions this summer; the three most noteworthy are former offensive skill players all with new homes.

With depth at safety thin after the departures of Vic Castalanetta and Tony Rush, the staff plucked from the offense to help fill the void. Wide receiver Collin Miranda, a redshirt junior, and quarterback Morgan Bench, a redshirt freshman, were both logjammed on their respective depth charts and agreed to the move to the back end. Miranda is in line to start at free safety while Bench will be the top backup to Aaron Brook on the strongside.

Finally, incoming freshman Tyree Tate was moved to the offensive line. A blocking tight end, the coaching staff encouraged Tate to move to have a better shot of playing immediately. Tate would have been fifth on the tight end depth chart this fall. That decision, little did they know, became the move of the summer.

Tate was the breakout star of camp, doing a phenomenal job in first-team work shutting down Kiel Hughes, the top returning defensive linemen for UConn. While Tate is a longshot to start in week one (he’s still only 64 overall and 230 pounds, much too light for a lineman), he’s certainly become a name to watch out for.

Tate’s move also brings to light a serious problem for UConn; the offensive line is struggling and it’s getting desperate. Coach Stephen Belichick tried about a dozen different combinations through the week, but none of them seemed to work well, giving up a sack or failing to open running lanes. “No one really showed up to play from the offensive line group”, commented Belichick.

This is especially disappointing because the skill players have looked sharp. Ashanti Swift looked good when he had space, and the wide receivers look better than ever; everyone returns from last year’s team at that position and all have improved. Jordan Brown struggled immensely, missing some easy reads, but I don’t expect this to be a big issue unless it crosses over into the regular season.

Last year's leading receiver, Devin Brown headlined a sharp looking wide receivers group this summer.

One other note is that option quarterback Linzell Tyson did not receive any snaps at quarterback. UConn is looking to replace both starters from last year, and while junior Tory Greening is going to get one of those spots, Tyson has been in a battle with Kelvin Cooke and newcomer Ahmir Rider for the other starting role. Tyson looked great defending Lonte’ Speier and Chamarkelle Byrom on a variety of routes, and likely has the inside track to start while Cooke would be relegated to nickel duty. It would make sense to keep Tyson at nickel and let Cooke start if the coaches intend to have Tyson run some wildcat again, but where he is performing well, it will be hard to keep him out of the lineup.

Two of UConn’s highly touted defensive newcomers, defensive end Demetris Sands and linebacker Payton Ash, took snaps exclusively with the first team defense and looked sharp, opening them up to likely start come week one. Other standouts on defense included senior linebacker Kion East, probably the top inside linebacker this year. The grad student who stands at six-foot-six looked adept in pass and run coverage, showing that the former athlete coming out of high school may have finally found himself a home on the defense.

Demetris Sands (in white, #1), will likely start as a true freshman, filling the spot of UConn mainstay James Mandrell.

Coach Belichick spoke briefly to the media after Friday’s final practice. “We’re still working out some things, as a coaching staff. We’re going to review our tapes from this week and make a few decisions, but I think we’re in good shape.”

Check out some additional analysis below:

Position Changes
ATH Ahmir Rider → CB
QB Morgan Bench → SS
WR Collin Miranda → FS
TE Tyree Tate → RT
RT Joe Sykes → C
RT Nate Dotson → RG

Number Changes
FS Collin Miranda - 83 → 8
DT Tarik Madison - 3 → 51
*this will either mean that Ash keeps #3 or #3 is held for a certain someone... we'll discuss later.

Who’s Hot:

RT Tyree Tate
The freshman was playing tight end four months ago, but now the Virginia native could compete for the starting right tackle job. He looked solid in run blocking, fair in pass blocking and did it while facing UConn’s returning sacks leader in Kiel Hughes. He’s just a freshman so we shouldn’t get our expectations too high, but if he keeps working hard we may finally have found a long-term answer to our struggles on the right side on the offensive line.

QB/CB Linzell Tyson
Tyson is best known as the option quarterback dynamo, but his cornerback skills were on full display during camp. The sophomore, in a battle for the second outside slot, looked solid in coverage against seasoned veterans Marky Byrom and Lonte' Speier, and just might start week one over Kelvin Cooke.

Pass Rushers
The defensive line toyed with the offensive line all week long, as several different players had great weeks. Tarik Madison looked like a man possessed in recording four sacks this week, while Jeremy Broadricke looks like he has finally turned the corner as he enters his fifth year in the program. True freshman Demetris Sands looked good and Brennick Samples made a few nice plays as well. UConn has run a 3-4 for many years, but they may need to reconsider after strong showings by four or five guys.

Wide Receivers
UConn has an abundance of riches at the skill positions, and the challenge becomes who gets the ball. Every receiver from last year’s team returns, especially the big four in juniors Lonte’ Speier and Chamarkelle Byrom plus seniors in Devin Brown and Marcus Rodgers. Senior Drew Talley has experience, and this group adds in highly touted freshman John Pratt also. Coupled with an experienced quarterback and running back, this group looks primed for a massive year.

Who’s Not:

QB Jordan Brown
Uh-oh. While Jordan is in no apparent danger of losing his starting job after a solid sophomore campaign, Jordan had a horrendous week under center. He missed at least a dozen easy throws, and struggled to even complete checkdowns. I wouldn’t be too concerned, however, unless this continues into the fall.

Interior Offensive Linemen
Guards and centers had a rough go of things in early practices. Returning starter Jylan Sowell looked sluggish and whiffed on many blocks, while Joe Sykes and Travonte Glascock couldn’t separate themselves as they vie to replace Lawron Leak at center. Right guard was a mess too outside of Korey Davis-Love, an established starter now entering his junior year.

Position Battles:

Left Tackle: Cole Monroe vs. Dustin Mansfield
While conventional wisdom states that the veteran should have the upper hand in a close situation, Monroe has higher upside than the veteran Mansfield. Barring something drastic, Monroe will be the guy week one and Mansfield will be the first guy off the bench.
EDGE: Monroe


Left Guard: Jylan Sowell vs. the field
A senior recruited late in the Diaco era, Sowell was supposed to be a lock to return at left guard after a solid debut season. However, after a poor week of practice, UConn is trying out other options at his spot, including seniors Mason Godfrey and Michael Clark, the starter at right tackle last year. Neither appears to have an advantage, but I’d expect Sowell to get the nod in week one thanks to his experience. If he slips at all in the regular season, though, watch out.
EDGE: Sowell


Center: Travonte Glascock vs. Joe Sykes vs. Deontay Bumbury
No one has shown they deserve to have the starting job just yet. Sykes has looked significantly better at center than he did at right tackle, but his pass blocking is still a liability. If neither veteran can get it together, Belichick seems more than willing to try out one of his new freshmen; Deontay Bumbury struggled in practice, but did play several reps with the first-team.
EDGE: Unclear


Right Guard and Right Tackle: Michael Clark vs. Korey Davis-Love vs. Nate Dotson vs. Tyree Tate
KDL will start at one of these spots, but he’s been getting work at tackle after starting at right guard every game in the last two seasons. Clark gave up 19 sacks as a junior, which is terrible; right tackle has been a liability for several years now. However, he hasn’t been playing any worse than some of his backups, especially former JUCO transfer Nate Dotson. Tate came out of nowhere to put himself in position for time at right tackle; he’s right there if Clark continues to struggle, but Tate would be a pretty large risk. It’s possible that KDL and Clark flip spots so KDL, the better player, can address the weaker tackle position.
EDGE: Clark, Davis-Love


Defensive End: Kiel Hughes vs. Brennick Samples vs. Demetris Sands vs. DeAaron Kensing
All four will likely play in a rotation, but who starts is anyone’s guess. Hughes likely has an edge after registering six sacks a year ago, while the freshman Sands has played quite well in early practices. Samples and Kensing have been around awhile and should be more than adequate backups.
EDGE: Hughes, Sands


Defensive Tackle: Tarik Madison vs. Jeremy Broadricke
Both have been great during practice, and each split the starts last year. Madison in particular shone in camp, but neither the youngster or the veteran (Broadricke a fifth year senior) showed they needed to start over the other. Expect a platoon role here.
EDGE: Unclear, but likely Madison


Right Outside Linebacker: Avan Goulding vs. Marlon Bush, Jr.
Here’s a true battle right here, with the Colorado transfer Bush has been getting most of the first-team reps this week. The redshirt sophomore has looked very eager to play after sitting out last year. Goulding played a little last year and did well enough, without looking inept or mistake-prone. However, Bush knows defensive coordinator Pellum’s system better and had a good offseason. Goulding may be better off as the first guy off the bench for now.
EDGE: Bush


Cornerback 2: Linzell Tyson vs. Kelvin Cooke vs. Ahmir Rider
I would have projected Cooke to win this job six weeks ago, but it looks like Tyson might be the guy after a strong spring. It also makes sense as to why Tyson hasn’t received any snaps at quarterback this summer; he was UConn’s third leading rusher last year.
EDGE: Tyson


Free Safety: Collin Miranda vs. Blake Kimbrough and Ahmir Rider
If Vic Castalanetta stayed for his senior year, this wouldn’t be a battle as Aaron Brook would have started here. However, only Brook returns and a new starter is going to be needed in the back. Kimbrough is a vital special teams player, and it’s possible the coaches want him to stay there. Miranda, an athlete coming out of high school and a wide receiver up until three weeks ago, intercepted Jordan twice and made some solid tackles. He seems ready for the challenge.
EDGE: Miranda

Likely Position Locks
QB - Jordan Brown
RB - Ashanti Swift and Mike Molden
WR - Chamarkelle Byrom, Lonte’ Speier, Devin Brown, Marcus Rodgers
TE - Alex Paige

MLB - Kion East, Marshawn Dortch
ROLB - Payton Ash
CB1 - Tory Greening
SS - Aaron Brook

Note from the Author: Welcome back to the glacier-like pace of this report! Back in school now, off-season just has a few more posts to go and then I can start playing actual games again along with the current season. One game and report per week might be a good de-stress tool for me. Thanks for continuing to read along everyone!

[RoundingThird]

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

I know it's the same generic practice facility that they use for every school, but our indoor practice facility does look something like that.

[SilverBullet19]

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

Some interesting position changes, I look forward to seeing how they turn out. Miranda, Bench, and Tate, in my mind, are the most notable. Going from the "glory" positions over to defense, that's a serious team player. Tate goes from catching passes to being forgotten about by fans on the O-Line (but, to be fair, probably to one of the most appreciated spots by coaches and those with real football knowledge).

Tate could be GREAT if you have a couple of trick plays in your playbook with a tackle eligible, I'm not sure if there are any lol. Still perfect for 2/3 tight end sets.

I didn't even realize an indoor practice facility was an option... I've been playing this game 6 years and never realized I could pick the location lol

[moose141]

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

Guru, I'll tell you what, that preseason/training camp recap was spectacular. Once I get further into my dynasty I think I'm definitely gonna try to do something similar. It really builds the suspense heading into the season and lets people really see who can make an impact in the coming season! Definitely going to be back in following this, I like the sounds of that pace you're going to be going at so I can keep up haha.

[thesportsguru11]

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

I know it's the same generic practice facility that they use for every school, but our indoor practice facility does look something like that.

Coincidence!!! I’ve always liked the indoor practice field, that’s just something I assume most schools have these days. Besides, it’s the only one that won’t drive me crazy (I hate the green and gray Nike field).

Nice to see UConn travel to Boise IRL just as I did in this dynasty’s 2018.. Too bad the result wasn’t the same though.

Some interesting position changes, I look forward to seeing how they turn out. Miranda, Bench, and Tate, in my mind, are the most notable. Going from the "glory" positions over to defense, that's a serious team player. Tate goes from catching passes to being forgotten about by fans on the O-Line (but, to be fair, probably to one of the most appreciated spots by coaches and those with real football knowledge).

Tate could be GREAT if you have a couple of trick plays in your playbook with a tackle eligible, I'm not sure if there are any lol. Still perfect for 2/3 tight end sets.

I didn't even realize an indoor practice facility was an option... I've been playing this game 6 years and never realized I could pick the location lol

The position changes were needed, for sure. Bench likely didn’t have a future playing QB at any school, but Miranda is in an interesting spot. He was an athlete coming out of high school and the depth we have at wideout made the move more legitimate. Being a redshirt junior who has not played means he’ll stick around until his eligibility runs out. With us losing at least three of our top five wideouts after this year (and likely all five), Miranda could easily play both ways in 2024. It’s not as if he was completely losing out on his opportunity to play receiver by moving.

Tate is an interesting case.. He’ll need to put on some weight and will almost definitely redshirt this year, but he’s a prospect if we’re patient. With Coach Belichick opening up the offense a bit, we have taken on more receiving tight ends in recent years with Alex Paige and now Evan Jeppesen in the fold. Tate’s “blocking” play style wasn’t going to work well within the quasi-spread we’ve started running. He was also a “bust” in recruiting and behind four other guys on the tight end depth chart, so I figured it wasn’t worth it to keep him stashed at tight end forever.

RT will remember the name, but in the first five seasons of the dynasty I had a guy named Steve Hashemi on the team. He was a tight end for the first two or three seasons, but I moved him to center later in his career. Hashy ended up playing on the line with the second team and was a part-time H-back also, being pretty solid at both. Carving out a similar role for Tate is absolutely a possibility - I’d just place him as second or third on the depth chart at either TE or FB. At some point we’ll need to replace both of our fullbacks on the roster.

As I said to RT, the indoor facility is the most realistic in my eyes and the most aesthetically pleasing for someone who has spent a lot of time in practice mode in recent seasons! Honestly though, it took me almost two years to discover it myself *shrug*.

Guru, I'll tell you what, that preseason/training camp recap was spectacular. Once I get further into my dynasty I think I'm definitely gonna try to do something similar. It really builds the suspense heading into the season and lets people really see who can make an impact in the coming season! Definitely going to be back in following this, I like the sounds of that pace you're going to be going at so I can keep up haha.

Thanks moose! To put the best product on the field, I like to run a bunch of practice sessions to see what happens. You have no idea who could impress (Tate) or falter (Jordan), just like a real college team would operate. Besides, it’s no fun to simply let the game set depth charts! Anyways, I write down what I observe and share it with you all, pretty simple TBH. I still have the de facto part 2 of this offseason practice news to post as well with the manual progression, which I still haven’t tabulated yet.

Bit of a rough start to school in terms of workload, so it’s been tough to find time to do any of this lately. This is compounded by the fact that I simply haven’t felt like writing and posting over the past three weeks. This has happened before and surely it will pass soon.. I was just hoping to be playing games by now. Nevertheless, I certainly do enjoy when you all can keep up, so this little break is probably a positive for all parties to get caught up before the new campaign (our tenth!!). When I fire up week one, I'll have some nice rust to work through, which is also good as a real college team would do the same. Nice to have you back as always!

[RoundingThird]

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

Coincidence!!! I’ve always liked the indoor practice field, that’s just something I assume most schools have these days. Besides, it’s the only one that won’t drive me crazy (I hate the green and gray Nike field).

Nice to see UConn travel to Boise IRL just as I did in this dynasty’s 2018.. Too bad the result wasn’t the same though.

Yeah, I wish I had tagged along with the team. Not at that point yet. I'm putting in the work in order to get there.

[thesportsguru11]

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

Off-Season Manual Progression

This is something I’m trying for the second time with the whole team. The progression did its thing in-game and I tweaked some ratings after the fact, given last year's performance and other factors such as past work ethic. This runs a little differently than Hellisan's format dictates, but it works just fine.

Here we go!

Overall: We return almost everyone from last year's unit and we should be just as good. It is certainly possible that we have the most talented offense, from top to bottom, in the entire country. Much of this lies on the recruiting efforts of Coach Belichick.


Quarterback: Though Brown struggled in spring ball, I wouldn't worry much just yet. He still has the talent to be the #1 pick in next spring's NFL Draft, but needs to develop that killer instinct to be a winner.

Running Back: Swift came on strong at the end of last year and his work this offseason should mean he's the starter come Week 1. Hard-work guy Mike Molden will return perhaps in a 3rd down or goalline capacity, but is an able backup. Jonathan Shaffer is the forgotten man in the Brown/Speier/Byrom recruiting class so look out for him to get some play this fall. He's from Oklahoma and may get frustrated if he can't find the field after three years.

Wide Receiver: Byrom still gets all the love, but Speier continues to be the most talented wideout we've got. Behind Michigan State's Landon Puckett, he may be the best possession receiver in the nation. Devin Brown returns in the slot after a tremendous junior year, and Marcus Rodgers burst onto scene as a return man; he'll look to be more of a factor in the pass game after working on route running and agility. Depth below the top five is worrisome, especially as Darrell Jones looks disinterested.

Tight End: Alex Paige has worked on his blocking to be on the field at all times. With all the weapons at wide receiver, his production may slip just a little. Neither of his backups from last year took steps forward, so look for true freshman Evan Jeppesen to back him up.

Tackle: The O-Line was a mess last year and saw no clarity through the spring. Dustin Mansfield is a top backup and will likely remain so, ceding the left tackle job to freshman Cole Monroe. Korey Davis-Love is listed at right guard but may move to right tackle to attempt to stabilize the position. Poor play from multiple players held the offense back at times in 2022.

Guard: Jylan Sowell had a terrible camp, but should return as a starter in the fall on the left side after a productive camp. Michael Clark and Nate Dotson from the right tackle spot might move to right guard if KDL takes over there. Look out for Roshawn Rowe as a dark horse to seize the right guard spot; he had a decent summer, looks hungry to play and looks like a better player.

Center: 3-year starter Lawron Leak is gone, and it looks like veteran Travonte Glascock will take over. Joe Sykes was given an opportunity and does not look any better than last year. It's officially time to label him a bust.

Overall: A lot of positions are up for grabs, so a good camp could really pay dividends.

Defensive End: Kiel Hughes was great last year, but as UConn switched up defensive formations toward the end of the year, he saw his role decrease slightly. He's back and looks ready to go. Brennick Samples and DeAaron Kensing are alright, but do not appear to have the killer instinct or tireless work ethic to supplant someone like Hughes or true freshman Demetris Sands.

Defensive Tackle: Jeremy Broadricke and Tarik Madison fought for the starting role last year, and it was Madison who was the star of camp. He put on at least 25 pounds of muscle, worked extensively with DC Pellum, and looks ready to be an every down starter. Broadricke, a fringe bust at this time last year, looks ready to play as well. I'm pleased with the development of our backups Ethan Buckingham and Matt Tellers, although Buckingham is still undersized.

Outside Linebacker: No one will catch Payton Ash on the left side, and our backups are struggling. Marlon Bush and Avan Goulding are in a tight battle on the other side; Bush is more of a technique guy who knows the Pellum defense better than anyone else. Goulding may likely be best suited for a sub package again.

Inside Linebacker: Kion East and Marshawn Dortch took steps forward this year; Dortch just needs to be consistent. I'm worried with our backup depth.

Corner: Tory Greening had one of the best offseasons of anyone, and will be the undisputed top corner. Kelvin Cooke has talent, but a lousy work ethic to match. Linzell Tyson played well, has improved his man coverage, and may be the other starter.

Safety: Collin Miranda has transitioned well to the defensive side of the ball; he has a steady veteran presence to learn from in special teams mainstay Blake Kimbrough. Aaron Brook returns as starter on the strong side and may be the unit's best NFL prospect.

Special Teams: Ricciardi will look to put a dismal sophomore campaign behind him; he put in some extra hours and kicks this offseason. Kyle January remains the quietest guy on the team.

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

Hi All!

Hope you all had a nice October. Season ten will likely kick off over my winter break; I'm really not sure I'll be able to go anytime before then. My intent is to play one more season and then evaluate the future of the dynasty from there. Ten seasons is certainly a good stopping place, and especially if we can win our third national title --- BUT, that's a discussion for a later date.

More importantly, I saw Cheese and Geezy have been up to stuff at other football venues lately, so I thought I'd throw in my own story. I will (most likely) be at College GameDay on Saturday when the crew visits Chestnut Hill for BC-Clemson! A friend of mine (Clemson fan) was interested in going to that game when it was announced so I bought tickets back in July. While she can't make it, I still wanted to go as a BC fan and hedged my bet on the game being meaningful. Needless to say, that was a good bet. Growing up a college football fan in a state without a D-I football team (Vermont), this is a really neat opportunity. I'll try and post some pics in my arena next week!

Thanks for hanging in there everyone!

[whughes]

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

Looking forward to this getting rolling again. Enjoy the Clemson-BC game, your Eagles are over performing so far this year. Let’s hope they keep it rolling

[Cheese2121]

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

Looking forward to the start of the new season. Have a great time at College Gameday! That should be a blast. I got to go a few times when they came to Virginia Tech and it was so much fun. I'll be pulling for BC!

[itsbigmike]

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

Good update. Can't wait for your dynasty to pick back up.

I went to College Gameday when they came to Western Michigan during WMU's Cotton Bowl season and it was super fun. So enjoy it, it's not every week they get out to BC!

[thesportsguru11]

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

2023 NFL Draft: Saints take Florida QB Browne 1st Overall

Continuing a recent string of good young quarterbacks entering the NFL, the New Orleans Saints are looking to rebuild with the selection of Florida quarterback Chase Browne as the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Gators’ signal caller was one of the better statistical passers in the country last year, leading Florida to the New Year’s Six.

The Colts, who were awful again last season, picked Auburn linebacker Donte Hammond second overall to bolster their young core of players. The Colts have had a top two pick each of the last three years.

Arizona drafted Ole Miss quarterback Devon McCullough third, a year after drafting J.J. Cooley at the same position and selection (#MaddenLogic).

The now Bob Diaco-less London Knights continued aggressive pushes in the Draft, selecting Colorado QB Justin Bain high in the first round after trading away Garth Fodelhoyer, last year’s first round pick, in the Shav Wade deal. The Knights picked up veteran Tyler Wiegers to replace All-Pro Jerrod Heard, who left for the Brooklyn Beats in the offseason, but Bain is expected to be the future for the team. London’s second first-rounder was used on Minnesota cornerback Reonta Ballester.

Other QB’s going off the board early in a deep class included Ohio State’s Dwayne Thompson (9th, Tennessee), Virginia Tech’s Jay Fuqua (10th, Houston), Alabama’s Zach Lock (13th, St. Louis), and Washington’s Tandrew Graves (27th, San Francisco). Graves was statistically the best signal caller in the nation last year, and the Niners are looking to replace the now-retired Aaron Rodgers. Heisman winner Justyce Tryson from Oklahoma was picked by Dallas in the fourth round.

Other noteworthy picks included a kicker, Oklahoma’s Ricky Congdan, going 21st overall to the Panthers. Congdan is the first specialist picked in the first round since Sebastian Janikowski, 23 years ago (#MaddenLogic).

Pick	Team	Player	Position/School
1	New Orleans	Chase Browne	QB/Florida
2	Indianapolis	Donte Hammond	LB/Auburn
3	Arizona	Devon McCullough	QB/Ole Miss
4	Carolina	Jeremy Carter	CB/Western Kentucky
5	New York (N)	Derek Lenton	DE/Florida
6	London (from TB)	Justin Bain	QB/Colorado
7	Kansas City	Jason White	OT/Marshall
8	New York (A)	Johnny Miller	CB/Georgia
9	Tennessee	Dwayne Thompson	QB/Ohio State
10	Houston	Jay Fuqua	QB/Virginia Tech
11	Pittsburgh	Leon Sims	TE/Florida State
12	St. Louis	Zach Lock	QB/Alabama
13	Oakland	Garvin Handley	CB/Notre Dame
14	Detroit	Tyree Johnson-Bowen	S/Florida State
15	Atlanta	Jonathan Carlson	DE/Oregon
16	Dallas (from NE)	James Hill	G/Florida
17	Brooklyn	Ronnie Huff	S/Michigan
18	New York (N)	Jerome Bray	WR/Ohio State
19	Minnesota	Josh Burke	WR/Arkansas
20	Seattle	Alex White	DE/Alabama
21	Carolina	Ricky Congdan	K/Oklahoma
22	Chicago (from SD)	Marcus Slaughter	LB/Oklahoma
23	Tampa Bay	Jaquarious Jack	WR/Ohio State
24	Cincinnati	Joseph Blanchard	TE/Texas
25	London	Reonta Ballester	CB/Minnesota
26	Washington	Dwayne Young	WR/LSU
27	San Francisco (from GB)	Tandrew Graves	QB/Washington
28	Baltimore	LaTroy Johnson	LB/Virginia Tech
29	Arizona (from SD)	Joe White	WR/LSU
30	Philadelphia	Tyrone Bishop	OT/Boise State
31	San Francisco	George Mitchell	RB/Miami-FL
32	Miami	Stephen Moatt	S/North Carolina

Byers Highest Picked UConn Player in Ten Years

UConn saw only two players drafted this year. Running back J.P. Byers (91 OVR) was picked in the second round, 51st overall, by the Minnesota Vikings. Byers is almost fully recovered from his broken collarbone and will be ready to play in rookie camp in a few weeks. Byers is the highest selected UConn player in the nine seasons of this dynasty, and the highest selected Husky since Kendall Reyes was picked by San Diego, 49th overall in the 2012 Draft.

All-American linebacker Mike Hill (88 OVR) from Canada was picked third from last in the entire draft by the reigning Super Bowl Champion Dolphins. Hill became the first player in the dynasty to record 100+ tackles last year, with 115. Linebacker Jevon Sapp (88 OVR), an early entry to the draft as a redshirt sophomore, went unselected and is rumored to have signed with the Knights for the preseason. FUN FACT: He is among the first NFL players to have graduated high school in the 2020s (we’re in the year 2023 now).

Vic Castalanetta (88 OVR), another early declaree from the safety spot, went undrafted and should be picked up by a team as a priority UFA very soon. Other noteworthy undrafted players from UConn include left tackle Kevin Jones (87 OVR) and defensive end James Mandrell (87 OVR). Safety Tony Rush (85 OVR) has reportedly signed with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL.

CAC Draft Picks

Pick	Player	Position/School/CAC
R2. 10 HOU	Patrick Tuivalea	RB/Washington St. (HC Willingham)
R3. 8 NYJ	Kelvin Lawson	TE/Cincinnati (OC Nama)
R3. 9 TEN	Jon Lilly	K/USC (HC Shea)
R3. 17 BKN	Brian Johnson	RB/Ball State (OC Baumann)
R3. 25 LON	Marcus Smith	G/Kent State (OC Grant)
R4. 5 DEN	Mike Harper	RB/Southern Miss (OC Davis)
R4. 8 NYJ	Jesse Loporillia	S/Kansas State (DC Kilmer Jr.)
R4. 25 LON	Shen Oliver	S/USC (HC Shea)
R4. 26 WAS	Aaron Houston	QB/UCF (HC Turley)
R4. 29 SD	Jayshawn Bryant	QB/E. Michigan (OC Henderson)
R5. 5 DEN	Shevon Young	QB/Kent State (OC Grant)
R5. 23 NE	Pierre Pope	WR/Vanderbilt (HC Miller)
R5. 26 WAS	Spencer Gibson	K/Texas State (HC Brooks)
R6. 20 SEA	Paul McKinney	OT/Mid Tenn St. (OC St. Brown Sr.)
R7. 27 GB	Terrence McDaniel	WR/Hawai'i (HC Trebell)

Looking forward to this getting rolling again. Enjoy the Clemson-BC game, your Eagles are over performing so far this year. Let’s hope they keep it rolling

Looking forward to the start of the new season. Have a great time at College Gameday! That should be a blast. I got to go a few times when they came to Virginia Tech and it was so much fun. I'll be pulling for BC!

Good update. Can't wait for your dynasty to pick back up.

I went to College Gameday when they came to Western Michigan during WMU's Cotton Bowl season and it was super fun. So enjoy it, it's not every week they get out to BC!

Thanks everyone! Unfortunately I got called into work the night before so I couldn't get up to Gameday as planned, but the game was still fun... at least for one half. . Disappointed that our season has unraveled since, but I'm hoping beyond hope that we can get a coaching change this offseason and continue trending upward. It's a real nice change from being flat-out bad like they were at times when I was a kid.

[Deegeezy]

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

It has been a while since I last chimed in here, sorry about that. It isn't fun having to play catchup after so long, so hopefully I can make more time to chime in on one of the great dynasties this forum has to offer.

Ole Miss winning the national title? Miami Dolphins winning 2 out of 3 Super Bowls?! Now you KNOW this is fantasy.

Going back even further, absolutely love the "Ice In His Veins" presentation and picture following the 2021 ACC title game. "Ice Jax," love it!

Amazing recap of the playoff run and congrats on winning the National Title.

Seems like the program took a step back this past year though, playing in the Citrus Bowl.

[moose141]

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

Spent probably the last 3 hours just reading through your updates from the last few seasons. The storylines building up from losing the Natty Ship to Oregon, and then getting revenge on them in the CFP Semis the following year followed up by the championship win over Nebraska was just unbelievable. It was a true redemption run to knock off Oregon and then for Ice-Jax to work his magic and lead you to a title was incredible. (So incredibly jealous that you can work in the CFP, that's the one thing I hate about having a teambuilder dynasty is that I can't get the editor to use the playoff and do some of the cool grad transfer and things that you can do.)

Also, I loved a lot of your recap stuff throughout the season and in the season wrapups and will definitely be taking some inspiration from that into my dynasty, slow as it seems to progress haha. Are you accepting any new CACs as the season hasn't started yet? I would love to get my name into the hat in this incredible storyline and maybe one day lead my beloved Pitt into battle against you!

[thesportsguru11]

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

It has been a while since I last chimed in here, sorry about that. It isn't fun having to play catchup after so long, so hopefully I can make more time to chime in on one of the great dynasties this forum has to offer.

Ole Miss winning the national title? Miami Dolphins winning 2 out of 3 Super Bowls?! Now you KNOW this is fantasy.

Going back even further, absolutely love the "Ice In His Veins" presentation and picture following the 2021 ACC title game. "Ice Jax," love it!

Amazing recap of the playoff run and congrats on winning the National Title.

Seems like the program took a step back this past year though, playing in the Citrus Bowl.

Thanks as always for the kind comments Geezy! Hopefully within the next month I should be back playing games and starting up season ten. If anything, I'm glad this little break has allowed folks like yourselves to get caught up again.

The 2021 season, in my opinion, was the pinnacle of the dynasty to this point both on field and in terms of my presentation. The fact that we rattled off ten straight wins against some of our toughest opponents, pulled off comebacks in the ACC Title Game and Playoff... speaks to just how good our team was that year. When you have all-time greats like Ice-Jax, Luke Williamson at tailback and Shav Wade at corner, you're supposed to win the big games!

Ice-Jax was coined by whughes a long time ago after one of his earlier comebacks and the nickname stuck. He always was best in clutch situations and that was on full display during the last few games of that second title run. He has without a doubt been the top quarterback to play for me in the first nine seasons - what is even better is that he was a three-star recruit who was not even the top quarterback we signed in his recruiting class.

2022 was bound to be a bit of a down year after losing the heart of that title team. Still though, winning perhaps the top second-tier bowl game is nothing to be ashamed about. We return almost everyone on offense this season, so if our young defense can hold up and everyone stays healthy we could easily make another title run this year.

As for Ole Miss, the Rebels had one of the best CPU teams in dynasty history last season and it's no surprise they went 15-0. They will likely start #1 again this year but they lost a lot to the NFL Draft. It's entirely possible they could take a step backward as a result, opening the door for some other teams; Michigan State made a Lazarus-like rise from the grave to make the CFP last year, so anything is possible!

The Dolphins tip me off the most that we're in fantasy land LOL. They have been a fascinating story as they have won both their Super Bowls as a wildcard team. Their QB Treon Harris was a bit of a rival of ours way back when; he was a former star QB at Florida and led them to a pair of playoff berths. He beat our running back Josh Marriner for the Heisman in 2017, and has had a better career in the NFL than any of our UConn alumni. The good news is we beat him in that first national title game though!

Spent probably the last 3 hours just reading through your updates from the last few seasons. The storylines building up from losing the Natty Ship to Oregon, and then getting revenge on them in the CFP Semis the following year followed up by the championship win over Nebraska was just unbelievable. It was a true redemption run to knock off Oregon and then for Ice-Jax to work his magic and lead you to a title was incredible. (So incredibly jealous that you can work in the CFP, that's the one thing I hate about having a teambuilder dynasty is that I can't get the editor to use the playoff and do some of the cool grad transfer and things that you can do.)

Also, I loved a lot of your recap stuff throughout the season and in the season wrapups and will definitely be taking some inspiration from that into my dynasty, slow as it seems to progress haha. Are you accepting any new CACs as the season hasn't started yet? I would love to get my name into the hat in this incredible storyline and maybe one day lead my beloved Pitt into battle against you!

Hi Moose, thanks for spending so much time reading this silly old thing! (LOL). As I mentioned to Geezy, that 2021 season was and always will be special in the dynasty history. The characters, the comebacks, the crown! The only thing that could have made that title run more perfect was playing USC in the title game (they lost to Nebraska of course in the Semis). Don't forget that USC had my CAC head coach as well as our grad transfer Tanner Dean-Lowry at quarterback that year, so that would have been quite the clash between two former QB rivals.

I regretfully do not have time to look right now, but I think it is possible to use the DB Editor for teambuilder files (though it's a little more work than usual). I got a file to load once, but never tried to actually edit anything. Might be worth a shot if you have some backup saves and some free time. Modding the Playoff is the most rewarding thing you can bring to a modern NCAA dynasty, in my opinion.

By all means, join the CAC ranks! CAC previews are actually my next order of business, so please send a form my way as soon as you're able! Copy all of this and PM me when you fill it out. Just note that becoming a defensive coordinator will more likely net you a Power 5 job out of the gate. I don't know what Pitt's staff looks like offhand (except for Kurt Roper as the head coach), but they have been a decent Top-25 team the last few years.

I'll make a minor edit to my coach carousel graphic and include you when I pick your school - CAC preview should go up at some point soon, I just need to adjust some coach sliders and create our one new DC into the game. Looking forward to hearing from you!