first off, biz, you did you. He did a solr usual great job on your analysis. I'm not sure I disagree with too much. I have a couple of thoughts on the game after watching it then rewatching the 1st half on SNY.
1. The offense is really not that bad...when they let it go. When it was operating properly, we did a nice job. Whitmer made some nice throws for decent yardage and even some in critical situations in the 1st half and in the 3rd quarter td drive. When we got the ball around mid-field in the 4th, I fully expected us to continue that approach and maybe score a couple more, at least 1 more. Instead, I don't think Whitmer threw another pass to a wide receiver of tight end the rest of the game. I get being conservative, but there's conservative and there's what we did. If it were politics, our play calling over the last 20 minutes or so of that game were like calling the Tea party a bunch of communists. I mean they were putting 8 and 9 men in the box on first and often put 8 in the box on 2nd down. Maybe a play action pass on 1st down???
I actually thought the bootleg call was an interesting one. Credit the Buffalo defenders with staying home. had they not, Whitmer might still be running. That play either works or it doesn't. When it doesn't it looks horrible.
2. People (not you biz) need to stop complaining about McCombs. When he has space he gains yards. He even moved the pile a few times for an extra yard. He caught passes out of the backfield, and did you see the block he threw on the long td run? His block was the one that really sprung Hyppolite and there was another pass play where he took on the linebacker and pretty much cleaned his clock too. If we had 22 guys who played their positions as well as McCombs plays his, we'd be 5-0.
3. Here's my problem with Don Brown's Mad scientist defense. It is very vulnerable to the big play. And I think with the injuries at defensive end we don't have the pass rushers on the front line you need to really make it work. Pruit is a tackle playing DE. did a solid job generally, had a blocked pass, but I suspect he doesn't have the speed you'd ideally look for in that spot and that has hurt us. And for the second year, our d-backs don't seem to know how to tackle. the hook and ladder play was on example. By the way, that play was a lot like the naked boot. Except it happened to work. Shouldn't have gone for a td if we could tackle, but those plays either work or they don't. Rarely a middle ground. When they work they are brilliant, but if the receiver messes up the pitch and UConn recovers the loose ball buffalo fans are talking about how they were desperate so had to try schoolyard stuff.
4. I had the feeling that like the Maryland game, and I think this resembled it in some ways, Pasquoloni didn't think Buffalo could go 80 yards against our defense. So he and DeLeone just decided that they wouldn't risk anything. run the ball, safe passes if you had to pass, punt them back and play defense. I also think P's old school thinking came into play here. We're up 17. Maybe we get another score, maybe not, but don't "run it up." Of course that didn't account for the other guys making a comeback. And once you get into that rythmn it is sometimes difficult to get back to playing your wide open game again.
