Opportunity Knocks, Will the Huskies Answer?

@MattSchonvisky

The stage is set for UConn to host the winningest program since the turn of the century, in Boise State, today at noon, at Rentschler Field (ABC, ESPN2 reverse mirror).

The Huskies (1-1), come in winners of four of their last five and look to build upon their 19-16 win over Stony Brook, last Saturday.

It’s been a traumatic week for the team, as starting quarterback Casey Cochran was forced to retire, following the fourth concussion of his career.

Boise State (1-1) comes in, following a 37-24 win over Colorado State.

The Broncos present another challenge for the UConn defense. Boise State likes an up-tempo game, they ran 63 plays in the first half alone last week and have the star power on offense to sustain that level of play. QB Grant Hedrick and RB Jay Ajayi are two players the Huskies will have to contend with. Hedrick threw for 350 yards, ran for another 80 and accounted for 3 TD’s through the air and on the ground last week. Ajayi, who leads the nation in touches and yards from scrimmage, ran for 219 yards and two TD’s and also caught 4 balls for another score.

“We’ve gone up against BYU who’s an excellent team, they’re excellent in doing the up-tempo style, so we definitely already have a sense of what we’re going to get and what we have to stop,” junior LB and co-captain of the defense Marquise Vann said on Tuesday. “Looking at it as a defense we’re going to have to come to the game ready to go prepared, get the calls we need to get and just go play defense.”

Vann noticed a vast improvement from game one to game two from his unit.

“We came out more prepared,” Vann said, “began to really come together collectively as a defense, more unity, understood what we should do, each individual person to better help the team. So just looking at more effort, more time put in for the defense as a whole, it was definitely a good thing.”

UConn will have opportunities to attack against Boise’s defense. Despite an excellent rush defense, fourth in the country, the Broncos struggle against the pass (121st). There will be chances for both QB Chandler Whitmer and backup Tim Boyle to attack them through the air. As much as fans would like to see some smash mouth football from UConn this week, Boise only gives up 1.74 yards per carry on the ground. The front is stout and something that head coach Bob Diaco talked about on Tuesday.

“A lot of movement and penetration and aggressive downhill attack, they don’t mind plussing the box. They have a healthy amount of pressure, run stopping pressure, so those are some big factors.”

Going against an offense like BYU was great preparation for what the Huskies will see from Boise’s attack, later today.

“I think it’s a great thing for the players to go in understanding what it’s going to feel like, you know already been there, done that, been to this movie,” Diaco said on Tuesday. “Still a major challenge, but a little more settled feet, a little bit more settled eye progression, a little less anxiousness and anxiety from a player’s end, in terms of the things that are burning gas and creating an exacerbated feeling, which really ends up being smoke and mirrors.

“Week 1 we defended, 79 plays, week 2 we defended 72 plays, whatever the math works out to, so we were way more tired in game 1, than game 2 and why is that? Kind of unmasking the fact that it’s smoke and mirrors. Settle in, you’re in shape, you’re in condition, you’re prepared for this four quarter contest, the offense is by design, the hallmark, by design, is to create confusion, anxiousness and anxiety to create a mental and emotional crack in the defenders because they don’t know where the ball is going and everything is moving a little too fast. So, definitely gives you a good feeling that you’ve already kind of done that one time and you’re more prepared to do it a second time.”

Vann concurred.

“Just another opportunity to go against another excellent quarterback with all the abiliteis to run and throw. I just presents ourselves with another opportunity to show up as a defense and play to the level we know we can play.”

A win on national television will go a long way in bringing this program back to national relevancy.

PREDICTION:

The heart says UConn 31-27 Why? Passing game. Despite the fact that there were some struggles the first two weeks in this department, the Huskies possess a more than capable stable of receivers and two quarterbacks that can certainly attack down field. Look for a higher focus on the downfield passing game this week. The fans, however many show up, will make The Rent a hostile environment for the Broncos. This is a 10AM start for Boise State (MT), so the Huskies may be able to have an early edge. Possess the ball for long stretches, keep Boise State’s offense off the field and UConn will be on their way to 2-1.

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