A Pivotal Play Houston – Incomplete Pass(es)

[Kgun7]

Second Quarter 9:04, UCONN 1st & 10 from their own 25.

After Houston’s second TD UCONN begins on their own 25 after a touchback on the kickoff.

#1 – UCONN in a 2TE Offset I … Houston in 3-4 Cover 0 Man SS Blitz. UCONN gets to the line quickly … Houston sets their D. #1 SS Davis on the D-line again … Thomas gets 1 on 1 vs #6 CB Wilson who is giving Thomas a big cushion.

 

[Kgun7]

#2 – Both teams look to their respective benches … Shirreffs calls out a few adjustments and blocking assignments … neither team makes any discernible formation adjustments.

 

[Kgun7]

#3 – Houston CB Wilson with inside leverage … no deep help

 

[Kgun7]

#4 – At the snap Houston D all bite on the play fake … UCONN max protect … 1 man pass route

 

[Kgun7]

#5 – 2 TE’s and O-Line all block down … Newsome adeptly picks up SS Davis … Thomas running free

 

[Kgun7]

#6 – Just out of reach …

 

[Kgun7]

Conclusion – The deep ball was there for UCONN in the first half. UCONN coaches prepared for it and recognized it. You could even argue that Verducci out coached Orlando because he put his team in a position to succeed. The team just didn’t execute … and Shirreffs definitely deserves the bulk of the responsibility on a few of the missed opportunities.

Houston’s DC Todd Orlando plays a base 3-4, with flexibility to switch to a 4-3 on the fly, much like UCONN. The wild card is Strong Safety #1 Garrett Anderson … who is used very heavily on the D-line to show (and bring) a variety of pass and run blitz packages.

Obviously … it is essential that UCONN figures this out. No other opponent dared UCONN to throw deep more than Houston did. A few completions could have opened up more running lanes for the UCONN running backs and changed the entire complexion of the game. It may sound crazy … but I think they’ll improve this over the remainder of the season …

 

[Greathusky]

Diaco said that it is the coach's fault for the over thrown balls. Not enough practice time.

Welcome to another UCONN "shaking my head " moment.

 

[Chief00]

Sheriffs can't throw anything over 15 yards - it is what it is.

 

[UConnJim]

Diaco said that it is the coach's fault for the over thrown balls. Not enough practice time.

Welcome to another UCONN "shaking my head " moment.

Diaco never throws players under the bus as his focus has been on developing a winning culture. You may disagree with his approach, but observers can draw their own conclusions about why UConn is struggling.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Diaco said that it is the coach's fault for the over thrown balls. Not enough practice time.

Welcome to another UCONN "shaking my head " moment.

He is obviouslyrotecting his players.
Maybe you should stop shaking your head.

 

[psilotic]

Sheriffs can't throw anything over 15 yards - it is what it is.

yes, with all the Davey O'Brien award winners UConn has produced over the years, fans are entitled to set the highest bar possible for performance at the position.

yes, he doesn't have a cannon. We know. We also know his 20th century OC isn't giving him much help (targeting TEs, rollouts, etc). Sorry, Verducci "system" is at fault here. BTW do you think he might have missed on those 1st half deep throws vs. Houston was b/c they had barely been tried in the first four games? Also, at Syracuse there were more than a few drops. I'm not gonna hammer the WRs with screenshots of same, though.

 

[Greathusky]

He is obviouslyrotecting his players.
Maybe you should stop shaking your head.

I am all for Diaco protecting his players. But can you come up with a better way to say it than that?

Diaco's way with words has many fans shaking their heads.

 

[psilotic]

Diaco's way with words has many fans shaking their heads.

In the latest example of that, Diaco talks of Newsome only getting six touches at Houston as if he had nothing to do with it.

 

[huskymedic]

I am all for Diaco protecting his players. But can you come up with a better way to say it than that?
Diaco's way with words has many fans shaking their heads.

The problem (imo) is he talks too much and in too much technical football detail when talking to the media...then their translation doesn't resonate due to context. He needs to be more vanilla and not try to attempt to educate the common fan on the intricacies. (well that and less weird metaphors)

In the latest example of that, Diaco talks of Newsome only getting six touches at Houston as if he had nothing to do with it.

>>“I don’t have an interest in watching him run and Arkeel not,” Diaco said. “For Arkeel to have six touches, for me that can’t happen. I don’t feel like I am compromising the state’s secrets. I don’t know what play he is really going to be electric but if it is on his 13th, we better give him his 12 to see what 13 looks like. He is just that kind of player and we need to get him the ball. We are underachieving by not getting the ball to Arkeel Newsome more than we did, it doesn’t make any sense.”

>>Diaco said that the limited number of carries could be traced back to the run/pass options that the Huskies have on a number of offensive plays. The way the defense was playing resulted in Shirreffs dropping back to pass rather than handing the ball off to Newsome.<<

Beginning to wonder if BS being able to audible in and our of plays is part of the problem after the initial play call.

 

[BNich]

I am all for Diaco protecting his players. But can you come up with a better way to say it than that?

Diaco's way with words has many fans shaking their heads.

I'm sure he has addressed issues with players and units privately in team meetings. He doesn't need to do it publicly through the media. He's saving face and protecting his players for sure. Who cares how he says it in front of all the microphones. On field performance will define his success and/or failure here. Sheriffs missed a number of deep balls in the game and as Kgun said, one or two completions could have changed the complexion and outcome of the game entirely.

 

[Rewster]

The problem (imo) is he talks too much and in too much technical football detail when talking to the media...then their translation doesn't resonate due to context. He needs to be more vanilla and not try to attempt to educate the common fan on the intricacies. (well that and less weird metaphors)





>>Diaco said that the limited number of carries could be traced back to the run/pass options that the Huskies have on a number of offensive plays. The way the defense was playing resulted in Shirreffs dropping back to pass rather than handing the ball off to Newsome.<<

Beginning to wonder if BS being able to audible in and our of plays is part of the problem after the initial play call.

The basketball equivalent of that is ball hog.
He may be doing it for good reason but makes you wonder what if some resentment is brewing.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Diaco blames coaching for not being able to have the arm strengh and accuracy to comeplete passes 20 yards down the field? Like what??!!!!?? We desperately need to work on recruiting a legit QB here sometime in the next decade. Right??

 

[pnow15]

UConn's first mistake was getting off the plane....