How to compliment a bad team, by Dave Doeren

Photo by Lance King/Getty ImagesCoaches routinely face the challenge of having to say positive-sounding words about bad teams, and over time hone these skills to a degree that allows them to effortlessly put together 30-60 seconds of specifics-adjacent kindness.

[rubbing hands together] Let’s see what Dave Doeren has for UConn this week:

We’re playing a UConn team that has a veteran defense. They have a long bunch of defensive lineman. Their linebackers are experienced guys. They’re all 6-2 and 220 [pounds] or more. Coach [Jim L.] Mora is a veteran, proven coach at the NFL level and the college level, and he’s building a program. You can see that he’s doing it the right way. They’ve played…