At game - observations

[uconndogs]

I think I'm pretty balanced with this stuff, but yesterday was very disappointing in terms of a prognosis for UCONN football. My thoughts on the game and moving forward:

• Beautiful day, nice stadium, great city. Had a very nice time.
• Lots of UCONN fans in attendance. I have no idea how many, but I would guess over 5,000. In general a nice crowd given two programs having difficult seasons.
• This game should be played every year as UCONN will get back to competitive football at some point, even if not in a P5 conference.
• UCONN came out well. Good energy on both sides of the ball.
• The "fake" field goal attempt was a complete hatchet job. I didn't even see Poyul line up, I think they just ran Anderson under center in a hurry-up. It was simply awful and at that moment I wondered if Diaco had sealed his fate.
• The team deflated after that. I'm not saying that we would have beat BC had we made the field goal, but momentum and confidence changed in a very noticeable way.
• Noel Thomas went into "combine mode" in the second half. I doubt we see him in a UCONN uniform again and I can't say I blame him.
• BC had some superior athletes, but not across the board. The kid Harris can run and their linebackers and DEs are much better than ours. They have one of the nations best defenses. Their program has issues as well.
• I am not a "fire the coach" guy. I've said this repeatedly, half the country wants their coach fired every weekend. That said, I don't see how we move forward with Diaco after this season. I think he's a good guy, knows some defensive football and has good energy. I don't think he was ready for a HC gig. The offense is a complete shambles and he exacerbated the problem swapping out OCs and QBs. I think the Verducci hire was his ultimate undoing and when you are the CEO, you live or die with your key hires.
• In spite of his horrific numbers, I think Donovan Williams has some talent. We have to hope this experience does not destroy his confidence.
• I will be at the Rent on Saturday and will re-up my season tickets for next season. It's simply what you do and endure as a fan.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

We'll be there as well, but for three main reasons:
1. Support the players.
2. Great Tailgate
3. Witness Bob Diaco's last game as head coach and give him a loud and clear sendoff.

 

[Papadukes]

Respect and appreciate the observations. Has Diaco been fired yet? I plan on going to game but only to make sure the entire staff is gone and that Jonathan is interim HC.

 

[Carl Spackler]

That play call and his subsequent explanation is the most bizarre football thing I think I've ever experienced. The fact that he couldn't sense what was happening? His explanation for the decision? It's really, really bizarre. Which is an amazing accomplishment given the previous 2.75 years of the Diaco era.

There is a part of my thinking in this, that I believe he really thinks his play calling is supposed to be entertaining or something. With the fake field goals and stuff.

The guy is a wing nut.

 

[mauconnfan]

Only Phil Simms and Bobby Johnson have an answer for a 4th and 18, what was this moron thinking?

 

[Carl Spackler]

I mean let's be clear about this now. The guy stood in front of the mic and the press and said he believed we needed to score a TD in that situation in the first quarter, down 7-0, to have a chance to win the game. Did he know what down it was? What quarter of the game it was? Then on 4th and forever in FG range, he sends in the FG unit to run a fake FG attempt - and apparently - wanted a TD and not just a first down.

Why not just stay on the bus Bob. Let the players do it themselves. They can draw plays up in the huddle on the palms of their hands and have a better chance of winning I think.

 

[mauconnfan]

I mean let's be clear about this now. The guy stood in front of the mic and the press and said he believed we needed to score a TD in that situation in the first quarter, down 7-0, to have a chance to win the game. Did he know what down it was? What quarter of the game it was? Then on 4th and forever in FG range, he sends in the FG unit to run a fake FG attempt - and apparently - wanted a TD and not just a first down.

Why not just stay on the bus Bob. Let the players do it themselves. They can draw plays up in the huddle on the palms of their hands and have a better chance of winning I think.

"button hook", "go to that small dirt spot and hard right", "button hook, ball fake and GO"

LOL

 

[FfldCntyFan]

There have been far too manyts the past three years

Only Phil Simms and Bobby Johnson have an answer for a 4th and 18, what was this moron thinking?

That one was fourth and seventeen (but point taken) and one of the all time monumental plays!

 

[UConnNick]

I've figured it out. He doesn't want our ace FG kicker getting all the postgame glory. He's worried it will all go to his head and ruin him for life.

 

[SubbaBub]

Here's my observations for those not in attendance;


1. Alumni Stadium is a dump. The expansion sections they added ten years ago are fine. The rest reminds me of old Fenway. The scoreboards suck, the food options were limited. The band was highly amplified to the point of diminishing effect. It was very easy to get to from the T. The campus tailgating scene was small but committed. Fans were accommodating, stadium staff was great. The only problem I saw was one group of younger UConn fans being a little too puffy after a 30 point loss.

2. UConn nation showed up and stayed way longer that the BC crowd. The students started leaving after the 1st quarter and most left by halftime. The lower bowl was full, the sideline upper decks were mostly full, and the upper endzone decks were mostly empty. UConn filled the southeast corner of the stadium from the goal posts to the 5 yd line all decks. Can't ask for a better showing from a visiting fanbase.

3. BD killed any enthusiasm that the travelling crowd had with his call on 3rd down and the fake FG. The consensus near me was that he should be shown the door. This was before the game.

4. Williams is not a college QB and never will be. I wouldn't waste any time waiting for him to get better. He doesn't have the ball skills or decision making skills. He may or may not be athletic. I have no idea and honestly neither can anyone else, but he doesn't make anyone miss and gets caught up in the wash of the linemen way too easily for a read option QB.

5. The line has gotten worse the last few weeks. They may have given up or are just not up to adjusting to the new QB on the fly.

6. If there was a high percentage time tested football decision to be made, Bob made the opposite one. Someone remarked that he is try to get fired. It's hard to argue. From timeouts to challenges to play calling, none of it is good.

The AD should absolutely keep this game on the schedule. You could see the people on both sides wanted it to be an event. In future years the games have to be better. I would go back to stadium. It was an easy and enjoyable trip outside the football part. After the game, the wife and I had a nice dinner in the North End and few drinks at a local bar before turning in.

 

[ktuck911]

Why not just stay on the bus Bob. Let the players do it themselves. They can draw plays up in the huddle on the palms of their hands and have a better chance of winning I think.

Run the ol Oopty Oop

.