Nice recap of the Huskies short time in the FBS with quotes from the new AD as they get ready for Maine:
UConn Football 2016: Bob Diaco's Foundational Recruits Assume Key Roles In Year 3
A Strong Program?
“You're talking about a program that has only competed at this level for 12 years,” athletic director David Benedict said. “It is difficult to do. Any program that moves up in class, it typically takes time to be competitive. What I would tell you is, that was not the case with UConn. We made the transition from what is now considered FCS to FBS and immediately started competing, and at that point we were in a BCS conference, which you could liken to a Power Five. And we were competitive..... But I think the interesting thing is, nationally, I'm not sure people really recollect and consider that we were competitive at a BCS level, previously. And that was not long ago. From 2004-10, we went to five bowl games in seven years. That's success, under any type of evaluation.”
In 2004-2010, UConn was 24-27 against current members of the Power Five. That's a better record than most other Big 12 candidates. Cincinnati was 21-24 in that span, BYU 14-18. Other examples: Memphis was 1-12, Houston 5-15, Colorado State 2-23. It's also a better record than some current Big 12 teams posted against the current Power Five teams in the same time period. Kansas, for instance, was 25-36, Kansas State was 22-42, Iowa State was 18-45 and Baylor was 15-49.
Renewed Energy
The pieces are in place for program stability, too. UConn's facilities remain among the best in the nation. Pasqualoni, the winningest coach in the history of the Big East, is an accomplished football man but he appears to simply have been an awkward fit, not the right person for the job at a particular time when there was a particular need. Maybe that need was a different kind of energy, which is certainly no longer lacking.
But one thing I can add is I think the writer needs to check his facts, he got the attendance numbers wrong. As a member of the Big East... Uconn had quite a few years they averaged more than the number he gives( 38,248) as the high water mark. Uconn actually played at 97% capacity attendance. They averaged more than that and beat his number many times, until the BCS Bowl and before the BE conference imploded. That's also in a period that 3 of the top draws ( Miami, Va Tech and Boston College) left the Big East, right at the start when Uconn joined. here's a look:
Uconn Football
Games/Avg Per Game /Capacity %
2003- 6/ 37059... 92.6%... (First year at Rentschler Field- Independent 9-3 )
2004- 7/ 39304.. 98.3%.. (8-4, joins BE early w/ loss of Va Tech, Miami & BC to ACC )
2005- 6/ 40000.. 100%.. (5-6)
2006- 7/ 38939.. 97.3%.. (4-8)
2007- 7/ 38205... 95.5%... ( Co-Big East Champion 9-4 )
2008- 6/ 39331.. 98.3%... (8-5)
2009- 6/ 38229... 95.6%... (8-5)
2010- 6/ 38248... 95.6%... ( Big East Champion, Fiesta Bowl)
First 8 year avg.= 38,664 ---97% capacity
UConn Football 2016: Bob Diaco's Foundational Recruits Assume Key Roles In Year 3
A Strong Program?
“You're talking about a program that has only competed at this level for 12 years,” athletic director David Benedict said. “It is difficult to do. Any program that moves up in class, it typically takes time to be competitive. What I would tell you is, that was not the case with UConn. We made the transition from what is now considered FCS to FBS and immediately started competing, and at that point we were in a BCS conference, which you could liken to a Power Five. And we were competitive..... But I think the interesting thing is, nationally, I'm not sure people really recollect and consider that we were competitive at a BCS level, previously. And that was not long ago. From 2004-10, we went to five bowl games in seven years. That's success, under any type of evaluation.”
In 2004-2010, UConn was 24-27 against current members of the Power Five. That's a better record than most other Big 12 candidates. Cincinnati was 21-24 in that span, BYU 14-18. Other examples: Memphis was 1-12, Houston 5-15, Colorado State 2-23. It's also a better record than some current Big 12 teams posted against the current Power Five teams in the same time period. Kansas, for instance, was 25-36, Kansas State was 22-42, Iowa State was 18-45 and Baylor was 15-49.
Renewed Energy
The pieces are in place for program stability, too. UConn's facilities remain among the best in the nation. Pasqualoni, the winningest coach in the history of the Big East, is an accomplished football man but he appears to simply have been an awkward fit, not the right person for the job at a particular time when there was a particular need. Maybe that need was a different kind of energy, which is certainly no longer lacking.
But one thing I can add is I think the writer needs to check his facts, he got the attendance numbers wrong. As a member of the Big East... Uconn had quite a few years they averaged more than the number he gives( 38,248) as the high water mark. Uconn actually played at 97% capacity attendance. They averaged more than that and beat his number many times, until the BCS Bowl and before the BE conference imploded. That's also in a period that 3 of the top draws ( Miami, Va Tech and Boston College) left the Big East, right at the start when Uconn joined. here's a look:
Uconn Football
Games/Avg Per Game /Capacity %
2003- 6/ 37059... 92.6%... (First year at Rentschler Field- Independent 9-3 )
2004- 7/ 39304.. 98.3%.. (8-4, joins BE early w/ loss of Va Tech, Miami & BC to ACC )
2005- 6/ 40000.. 100%.. (5-6)
2006- 7/ 38939.. 97.3%.. (4-8)
2007- 7/ 38205... 95.5%... ( Co-Big East Champion 9-4 )
2008- 6/ 39331.. 98.3%... (8-5)
2009- 6/ 38229... 95.6%... (8-5)
2010- 6/ 38248... 95.6%... ( Big East Champion, Fiesta Bowl)
First 8 year avg.= 38,664 ---97% capacity
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