National Signing Day: The Last Day These Guys (recruits) Will Ever Be In The Drivers Seat…ever. ever ever.

// February 3rd, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

I remember way back when I inked my then unpracticed, untested signature on the dotted line, thus evaporating the very notion of being “wanted” or “pursued”.  The weeks before I ended up signing with UConn were like a new relationship; Fresh, interesting and plenty of sexting (there really is nothing like new love.)  My official visit was full of lobster and steak, and (if you can believe it) Head Coach Randy Edsall serving me hot butter.  The day after signing, and the following 5 season were more like “the morning after”….little regret, a hot shower, and some soul searching.  I enjoyed every minute at UConn, but you can bet your sweet ass I was serving my own butter once I was on campus.  Delicious, delicious, self-served butter. Hmmmm.  Memories.

That being said, I’m going to defer to my friends over at Every Day Should Be Saturday, who came in with this quote:

Honda, purchased: Just a reminder: when this is all over, the same coaches buttering recruits up will be the ones running them until they vomit, screaming at them in the weight room, and later possibly making taunts involving their dead or incarcerated  relatives. To be fair, though, the “sold a Rolls Royce and given a Honda” metaphor mentioned here in the Post is a bit inaccurate since Maryland isn’t even a Honda. Hondas, unlike Maryland football, are reliable and steady, whereas the Terrapins under Friedgen have been Chryslers at best.

Or, maybe even gas-pedal-malfunctioning Toyotas.  How topical of me.

Enter the Meat Grinder

// July 28th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Minnesota, scheduling, wob

Minnesota is jacking up the level of competition in the years to come. According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg they are looking to add Texas to a post-2009 slate that includes USC, Colorado and Oregon State after an already challenging 2009 schedule. Coach Tim Brewster ain’t scurred:

The schedule is extremely challenging, but that’s to my liking. I love the fact that we’re playing Air Force, we’re playing Cal, we’re playing Syracuse. We’re playing some really good football teams. Somebody said that we had the fifth most challenging schedule in America, and I like that. I think it’s a good thing.

Missing Indiana and Michigan during the conference schedule in 2009 helps the strength of schedule but eliminates two very winnable games. And going big seems to be helping recruiting:

But from a recruit’s perspective, I think that’s what they want. When I talk to recruits on the phone, they say, Hey, coach, who are you playing in the nonconference schedule? They want to know. When I say, We’re playing USC, you can sense an excitement in a young man’s voice. Kids want to play in marquee nationally televised games.

To be honest with you, I want the University of Minnesota to be on that stage. I want to play nationally televised games where tremendous exposure is put on our program. And when you play USC, that happens.

We’re going to play some other teams also that are going to give us exposure. I don’t think there’s a downside. I really don’t. We’re an ascending program the way I look at our program. We’re going to keep getting better. We’ll be up to the challenge of playing the type of schedules that we’re going to play at Minnesota through the next couple of years.

The added hypothetical exposure will be beneficial, but only with wins and bowl games. The big name teams seem to be offset by the standard BCS cupcake menu. Other schools currently on the docket from 2010-2015 are South Dakota, North Dakota State, Syracuse {Also the opening game of the ‘09 season.}, San Jose State, UNLV, Western Illinois, Miami of Ohio, South Dakota State and Ohio {www.gophersports.com}. Naturally this is incredibly premature and open to an abundance of change. They could conceivably play none of these teams if a school with a bigger checkbook comes calling. A lot of scheduling comes down to the strength of a school and the luck of hitting big name teams on a down swing and avoiding mid-majors on an uptick.

The final result will be interesting to see, but it will be difficult to ignore Minnesota scheduling big name teams from out of the conference. Although it will be a meat grinder, we’ll borrow words of wisdom from Wedding Crashers: Rule #76. No excuses. Play like a champion.

Why Edsall Wins By Recruiting Character

// February 6th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

The UCONN Huskies are not (yet) in a position to start pulling in recruiting classes chock full of 4 and 5 star recruits (those days are coming though). But guess what? It doesn’t matter.
Coach Edsall has built the premier program in New England, from the ground up, using players that, basically, no one else wanted. Who was Darius Butler, or Cody Brown, or Alfred Fincher coming out of high school? Deon Anderson (starting fullback for the Dallas Cowboys) was an absolute nobody.
He and his staff work tirelessly to find the best recruits. Not based on what Rivals.com has to say (cancel your subscription now) or what any other “scout service” thinks. Fortunately and unfortunately dropping the name “UCONN” to a potential recruit doesn’t always get them all hot-and-bothered. UCONN is not USC (there’s just something about Pete Carroll that does it for me).
Instead the UCONN Football staff weeds through tape after tape to find not only players that can compete and succeed at Divison I levels, but also young men of character.
It doesn’t matter if you are from the suburbs of New York (that’d be me), the ghettos of Miami, or the Tundra of Canada. If you can play football well, and you are of high work ethic and moral caliber then you will be found by Randy Edsall.
I am the first to say that over my five years at UCONN the sheer quality of athlete has improved. However, one thing has remained constant: men of character. Edsall believes it, and it is true, you can win with character.
The old adage “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard” couldn’t be truer than it is in Storrs. The practices are the toughest, the training the hardest, and the facilities the absolute best. The result is guys that can turn heads on Saturday afternoons.
However, this process is not air-tight, no one is perfect. And Coach Edsall is the first to take these “problems” head on. The 2006 season Edsall took a lot of heat from the media for kicking players off the team throughout the season. These individuals were just that: individuals. And while they were my friends, at the end of the day, they were a cancer doing nothing but bringing the team down.
It paid off. The 2007 UCONN Huskies were the Big East Champs. The 2008 Huskies won the International Bowl.
So with all this hoopla and fanfare surrounding National Signing Day, and the relative inattention paid to the University of Connecticut, I’d like to offer this:
It’s the quiet ones you got to watch.

The Top 5 Reasons You Should Be Excited About UConn Football

// February 4th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

The 4 Reasons you should be excited about the future of Uconn Football.
(Because I’m too tired to write a 5th)
This is the doldrums of the sports season.
A month away from March Madness and college are teams slowly wading their way into conference play.
The Super Bowl is over.
Hockey isn’t in the playoffs.
And Spring Training seems like an eternity away.
I’m left to watch obscure sports, like lawn mower racing and swimming (insert Michael Phelps joke here).
So here they are:

1. Better recruits.
I hate to quote Papa John here (we hate all things Louisville) but “better ingredients, better pizza.” In this case our pizza is a UCONN Football team and our ingredients are a fresh batch of recruits. Gone are the days when blown-up 1AA guys will be getting their shot to play for UCONN (I shed a tear knowing that a guy of my caliber isn’t even on the radar anymore). This signing class will have a handful of top-rated guys from Rivals and ESPN (think Top 100 and 4 and 5 star recruits). This is truly the benefit of having won the Big East in 2007. There is usually a year’s delay between on-field success translating to a recruiting class that can reflect it. So pay attention, there are a lot of future stars in the 2009 signing class.
*Of special note: Martin Hyppolite who is listed as “athlete.” Likely to be used in his freshman year as just a “returner”. This strays from typical Edsall behavior. And you know what?….I dig it.

2. Introducing the spread
So there is definitely a steep learning curve, especially with offensive linemen when transitioning a new offense. However, there are two (maybe three) reasons you should be excited about this. 1. With two talented running backs the hole left by Donny Brown should be filled, especially in an offensive scheme that promises a more balanced attack (Oh…so the UCONN quarterbacks CAN throw the ball!). Second is that the most likely starter for next year at the quarterback position is Zach Frazer, who ran the spread in high school and is, according to him, “the system I’m most comfortable running.” Also keep in mind that while Zach was in high school, running such an offense, he broke every major Pennsylvania state quarterback record. In doing so he knocked off Dan Marino, Joe Montana, and Joe Namath.

3. Defense. Defense. Defense.
2008 is going to be a tough act to follow, no doubt. UCONN finished #6 in the nation in total defense. But rest easy, Todd Orlando and Hank Hughes are still at the helm. The rushing presence off the edge by (future NFL talent) Cody Brown and Julius Williams will be adequately replaced by Lindsay Witten, A.J. Portee, and Marcus Cambell. The inside will also be as stout as ever with Juniors who have some serious game experience. The defensive backfield will hold strong with Robbie Vaughn, Jasper Howard, and Reggie McClain.

4. Syracuse is still in the Big East.
No more worrying that UConn will go winless in the Big East ever again.