Getting there...

[whaler11]

Down 14-0 didn't turtle.

Down 14-0 didn't take a FG on 4th and goal.

Tied at 21 - Fourth and 4. 14 minutes left. At the ECU 41.

Here is your chance to be bold. You are on the road. You have some momentum. You have nothing to lose. They have a better team.

You have to be aggressive there. Game was there for the taking - you have to take your opportunity when it presents itself.

 

[microfich]

With even a little more talent, we could have claimed this game. ECU lacked focus. That happens all the time when facing an inferior opponent and we will start winning these type of games soon - this year or next.
Seeing how our D tackles and plays within the scheme it's proof positive of excellent coaching and what can happen when multiplied by good talent. There were coverage mistakes but Hardy is a star. The O-Line was like 5 new guys all of a sudden. Coaching, desire, pride.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

That punt was the only facepalm moment of the night for me.

I generally despise punting from the 35 yard line (first half after the Mateas penalty) but with 23 yards to go and kicking into the wind I could forgive that one. And it worked out fine.

But 4 & 4 from ECU's 41? I mean what do you have to lose there? The icing on the cake was the delay of game followed by a touchback.

 

[whaler11]

I figure the delay of game was intentional.

It took Edsall a decade to figure it out. Hopefully BD is a quicker study.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Generally, I don't feel good about a loss. However, this season was about building a foundation from which we can build upon. Not necessarily from just our players, but from our coach.

I really, really liked a lot of what I saw last night and I was expecting a blow out.

I agree Diaco should've went for it there and I said it at the time. But, unlike some of his crazy decisions in the past, this one could at least be debated in my eyes.

Games like this give me a glimmer of hope for the program, not just for the final score, but the fact down 14-0, the guys continued to play hard for themselves, Diaco and UConn football.

 

[noeynox]

The other face palm to me was the slow developing play action pass that resulted in Whitmer getting hammered on the near sideline. At least I could see why they tried it with ECU switching to zone, but for this year that should be scrapped. Quick passes and less complicated run blocking plays is the ticket for this group. Thought last night the coaches seemed to get it for 99% of the play calls. There was a toss sweep to Johnson in the fourth I didn't like either.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I figure the delay of game was intentional.

It took Edsall a decade to figure it out. Hopefully BD is a quicker study.

I hope so too. That kick, is when I started FFW'ding the recording last night. THe game is entirely about momentum swings when you are in the middle of it coaching. You got to take every chance you can to make the momentum - go your way.

 

[FastEddie]

Finally saw improvement in both play and attitude. This was the teams best performance since Boise St. Still lots of work to be done. Too many stupid penalties, even though I thought some of the calls were questionable. Losing still sucks.

 

[gandydancer]

I didn't have a problem with the punt. It's a tie game, your defense is playing well, try to pin them deep and play field position. Get a stop, get a fresh series of downs. If you don't make it you give them a short field to work with. Unfortunately, it was a touchback. Good planning, unlucky result.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I didn't have a problem with the punt. It's a tie game, your defense is playing well, try to pin them deep and play field position. Get a stop, get a fresh series of downs. If you don't make it you give them a short field to work with. Unfortunately, it was a touchback. Good planning, unlucky result.

You're D is also gassed, and when you put the onus to win games on your defense, you will fail a lot more than you succeed. It was one of those moments, yet again, where, success or failure, you get the opportunity to inject some confidence into your team, in their own ability to do their jobs, and ultimately - to get the win. Some coaches, will never take the aggressive approach in situations like that, and had we done it, and failed, and ECU come back and scored a TD on a 60 yard field, instead of an 80 yard field - people would complain that it was the wrong decision.

The one play that made me really upset was the false start by Samra on the FG try earlier in the game, now that I'm thinking about lining up for kicks. What a brainfart. Would have liked to see if Puyol had the leg for it.

 

[Excalibur]

That punt was the only facepalm moment of the night for me.

I generally despise punting from the 35 yard line (first half after the Mateas penalty) but with 23 yards to go and kicking into the wind I could forgive that one. And it worked out fine.

But 4 & 4 from ECU's 41? I mean what do you have to lose there?

.

Agreed. The D was playing well but clearly running out of steam. ECU's offense is too good to concede possession there. Plus, with the way their punter was kicking, we weren't likely to flip field position that much.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

That is a really hard punt for a college punter, even with the delay of game. The right move there was to go for it.

 

[beasteast]

I figure the delay of game was intentional.

It took Edsall a decade to figure it out. Hopefully BD is a quicker study.

how about a try to draw them offside

 

[tense50]

Bob Diaco should feel pretty good about the game last night. Not the final score; but the solid improvement that the offense showed in executing their plays. The o-line was much better at protecting Whitmer on passing plays, even though there were times when the happy feet that he is prone too happened. RB Ron Johnson did a great job of picking up the defensive rush and the WRs made the catches and then took the ball too paydirt after the catch. The team looked like they were ready to play and didn't give up when down 14-0. Diaco and his coaches have the Huskies on the right track and I think some wins remain to be had this season. Play like they did against ECU and there isn't a game left on the schedule that can't be won.

 

[rich1122]

We turned a corner for sure. It's the best I have felt without a win in awhile. What surprised me was the pass protection.

 

[SubbaBub]

We turned a corner for sure. It's the best I have felt without a win in awhile. What surprised me was the pass protection.

UCF comes to town next week. Back it up and we can talk about turning the corner. I thought Boise was turning the corner.

 

[whaler11]

UCF comes to town next week. Back it up and we can talk about turning the corner. I thought Boise was turning the corner.

Yeah progress isn't linear. Like trying to call bottom you can only see the corner in retrospect.

Would be nice if Tulane was bottom tho...

 

[UConnNick]

Down 14-0 didn't turtle.

Down 14-0 didn't take a FG on 4th and goal.

Tied at 21 - Fourth and 4. 14 minutes left. At the ECU 41.

Here is your chance to be bold. You are on the road. You have some momentum. You have nothing to lose. They have a better team.

You have to be aggressive there. Game was there for the taking - you have to take your opportunity when it presents itself.

No kidding, but if Diaco wouldn't go for it on 4th-and-1 from the Tulane 41 yard line, he sure as heck isn't going for it on 4th-and-4 from the ECU 41 yard line. Apparently he follows some book, like the one they use for figuring out whether you should go for a one or two point conversion, depending on the score of the game. His book must say you don't ever go for it on 4th down if you are outside the opponent's 40 yard line.