The View From Section 241 – UConn vs USF
Courtesy of businesslawyer
So I missed the game Saturday. Shoot me. In 11 years, I had missed games for three reasons: parents days at a child’s college (only once); the Jewish holidays; and work. My wife, running for Board of Finance in our town (and people say I’m a glutton for punishment), decided to have a campaign event Saturday afternoon. I said I have a football game that day. Then both the Lt. Governor and the Attorney General accepted invitations to come to her event. And I did not think that saying “sorry honey, have fun but I’m still going to the game” was a viable, long term strategy. Too bad, because a great day outside and a good crowd at least in terms of size (and, given our season, all you can ask people to do is show up). So my comments are only from watching the game on TV (3 quarters live and the fourth quarter at night).
Our special teams play is just atrocious. We have two senior kickers and we get outkicked every single game except Towson. Our returns suck, and coverage is just fair. I don’t know that we’ve ever been this poor on specials. Kudos to the long snapper, who is the only guy who I’m never cursing out (which, if you’re a long snapper, is a good thing).
The defense, Spackler’s lunacy aside, was great. Yes, we have limitations, especially with the pass rush, but it was an outstanding team effort. I thought Vann, for his first real game, was a huge improvement. I’m not as sold on Ashiru but I also don’t think he’s doing any worse than Stewart was. Nice to see Adams back. Just a good, solid game against a not good offense.
The offense, however, didn’t get it done. Yes, the OL came out like they were being held up on their way to the Thanksgiving turkey, but that slowed in the second half. Clearly a huge improvement run blocking for the OL, and a great game for Lyle (I told you he wasn’t the problem), but not as much in the 2d half. Ironically, there is every chance we win the game if Whitmer got one more chance. I see potential in Boyle, and goodness knows Deshon Foxx did him no favors, but I have no reason to think Whitmer wouldn’t have completed just the few more passes we needed to win the game. That having been said, that is not a criticism of either Boyle, who looked like he had the tools but isn’t quite ready yet, or Weist, because having the right QB to lead the time is a lot more important than throwing the ball (see, e.g., Lorentzon, Tyler, despite the idiots on here who don’t get that).
Coaching — the team clearly came out with more focus and effort than the debacle in Western New York, but not enough for 60 minutes to beat even a bad and injured team at home. And, some criticism on the final drive for not calling the last time out sooner is fair (although I still think many here think it’s as easy in real life as in a video game, while in real life you just don’t know how quickly the team is going to reassemble at the line of scrimmage). My bottom line is that you’re not going to be able to judge the new coach on this season, because his team is inadequate. Does that mean the players suck? No, it may be that potentially competent players have lagged in development, and schemes are absurd, but there is only so much you can fix during a season.
That’s it. I probably would have been madder had I watched the end of the game in privacy, instead of from my wife’s event. Plus, the loss seemed less absurd against the backdrop of two state constitutional officers actually coming to a small cocktail party rally for one Board of Finance candidate in one town. I don’t hold high hopes for the rest of the season, and I still don’t see talent that is going to immediately be back where we were under FHCRE when a new coach comes in, but at least P and GDL gone is the necessary first step.
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