Fran's Game 2 Press Conference | UConn

[JKinUtah]

I don't think the "new tackling style" or attempts to "minimize penalty potential" you described is a thing with this staff. They consulted and/or visited with NFL staff and other college programs (Iowa in particular) to address technique and drills. The emphasis all preseason, especially in open field situations, has been on taking proper angles, wrapping up, and exploding through the tackle "with violence." FB will frequently go to the Oklahoma drill if the players are not being physical enough in tackeling.

I'd sure others who have been at practice can confirm this.

Brown said recently: “Everybody can say the normal tackling drills, things of that nature. But at some point in time, you’ve got to take your facemask and put it on his facemask and be willing to go hit. “I’m just not aware of why we’re diving at legs and all that. We just didn’t play the right brand of football.”

Didn't Fran also that that practice has been mostly thud though? No doubting you but I'm almost certain he said that in the press conference

 

[007]

No doubt and was attempting to state as such for most tackling situations.

But not with the qb in the backfield in passing situations. There’s no doubt they’ve been taught what we saw Saturday, avoiding lunging and leading with the helmet and doing more the check style.

Yeah, IDK about that either. They lit up the QB a couple of times and I expected a flag. Tackling technique was the same not "check style."But obviously you have to pull up on the QB if he completed his throwing motion.

Not leading with the crown of the helmet is a no brainer in any tackling situation.

 

[007]

Didn't Fran also that that practice has been mostly thud though? No doubting you but I'm almost certain he said that in the press conference

Mostly thud makes sense. I'm not doubting you that Fran said that. I do know there are some sessions of full contact drills, situational stuff (goal line for example), and at least one of the 3 scrimmages was "live." Fran is intense, practice is physical and competitive. That's absolutely part of the culture.

 

[dollarbill44]

I've been saying this for decades; "Don't hit. Tackle!"

It started back in the ESPNification of sports. Gotta make that highlight reel!

It started way before that. Jack Tatum was known as "Assassin" because he drilled guys because of how he launched into receivers.

 

[Jake]

Didn’t Diamond Ferri add the other side of the ball the week before the BC game because of injuries?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Didn’t Diamond Ferri add the other side of the ball the week before the BC game because of injuries?

Ferri had a couple of carries against Temple the week before.

Reyes was out.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

Ferri had a couple of carries against Temple the week before.

Reyes was out.

And he started his time with Cuse as a RB right?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

And he started his time with Cuse as a RB right?

Came in as a RB, after his Soph year ran into some academic problems and had to leave school.

Begged Coach P to take him back, but at the time we had Reyes & Rhodes, so Ferri offered to be a DB.

He earned a starting job on defense.

 

[CNYGuy]

Mostly thud makes sense. I'm not doubting you that Fran said that. I do know there are some sessions of full contact drills, situational stuff (goal line for example), and at least one of the 3 scrimmages was "live." Fran is intense, practice is physical and competitive. That's absolutely part of the culture.

Believe they changed the ncaa rules on tackling in practice a few years back… there’s limits on how much of practices you can tackle now I believe

 

[Dick_in_MI]

And he started his time with Cuse as a RB right?

We used to recruit a lot of guys who, in high school, played one position. But P and his staff often saw something different in them at the college level. Or at least,multiple things in them.

My recollection is that the great Donovan Darius came in as a QB

 

[007]

Believe they changed the ncaa rules on tackling in practice a few years back… there’s limits on how much of practices you can tackle now I believe

That's kind of true. I could be wrong, but I believe the NCAA does not formally legislate specific limits on live-contact, but "strongly" recommends guidelines that most schools follow.

 

[sufandu]

Didn’t Diamond Ferri add the other side of the ball the week before the BC game because of injuries?

A little different. Ferri came in a RB the same time as Reyes then switched to safety after Reyes won the starting job as a sophomore at least in part due to Ferri's suspension. So he was kind of going back home for a game.

Crazy to think he was Big East offensive and defensive player of the week in the same week.

It's also crazy we landed both Ferri and Reyes in the same class.