Ball State Post Game Thread

[Scoe]

You should rip them even if they won. Your opinion means nothing anyway

And your opinion also means nothing. My opinion apparently meant something to you because you just responded to my post.

 

[RitzLuce1]

I’m a little surprised by the doom and gloom here. Yeah, Ball State isn’t that good, but that game never felt out of our control. Up until late in the game, the defense fixed quite a bit of its mistakes against Delaware.

-21 was way too big of a line and it’s probably why some are disappointed here. Just like we were a couple bounces from beating Cuse/UD, we were a couple bounces from blowing that game wide open and covering. Not much has changed for me, we should beat everyone left except BC and Duke

I’m not surprised by the doom and gloom at all. I don’t like the habits that are becoming very noticeable in the Mora era.

A game sealing TD run with 1:50 left to go up 14 should be ballgame. Instead they allow a TD drive and have to do an onside kick recovery. The refusal to make things easier for themselves and not seizing the game by making basic football plays at the key moments are become a staple of the Mora era. I don’t like it one bit.

 

[hardcorehusky]

I do not think it is a lack of talent on the defensive side. I see players who are diving at ball carriers feet instead of using technique. I see defensive backs not using their eyes. I see a disconnect between the LB's and DL in terms of gap control. These are all fixable. It takes all 11 guys to make a play. Everyone has to do their job. Right now, we have 7 guys doing their job. It is a matter of trusting each other and playing fast with good technique. The end of Syracuse and how they performed against Delaware took this unit out of kilter. It is up to Brock and Mora to get these guys focusing on basics like tackling and gap control. Do that, and you will see a better performing unit that won't have to carry us, but won't kill us.

 

[Purple Stein]

I didn't say it, but their offense is a bad matchup for a UConn defense that has yet to show the ability to stop a running attack. I could easily see it being another Delaware-esque game, where whomever can make the final big stop or whomever has the ball last will win.

I know you're talking about Rice, but it's the Air Force game I'm worried about. They've run for more than 250 yards in each game this year and they just hung 269 rushing yards on Boise. With how Ball State was gashing us, the Air Force game could be a long, long November afternoon.

 

[businesslawyer]

I’m not surprised by the doom and gloom at all. I don’t like the habits that are becoming very noticeable in the Mora era.

A game sealing TD run with 1:50 left to go up 14 should be ballgame. Instead they allow a TD drive and have to do an onside kick recovery. The refusal to make things easier for themselves and not seizing the game by making basic football plays at the key moments are become a staple of the Mora era. I don’t like it one bit.

You know, the end of the Syracuse game last year played out almost the same, except that Syracuse let us score to get back within a little more time on the clock to do something if we recovered the inside kick. I guess I missed all the theories about how Syracuse actually sucked because a game they won, not easily but not close to losing either, ended up within a score. Because Syracuse was actually pretty damn good last year.

 

[JMick]

I do not think it is a lack of talent on the defensive side. I see players who are diving at ball carriers feet instead of using technique. I see defensive backs not using their eyes. I see a disconnect between the LB's and DL in terms of gap control. These are all fixable. It takes all 11 guys to make a play. Everyone has to do their job. Right now, we have 7 guys doing their job. It is a matter of trusting each other and playing fast with good technique. The end of Syracuse and how they performed against Delaware took this unit out of kilter. It is up to Brock and Mora to get these guys focusing on basics like tackling and gap control. Do that, and you will see a better performing unit that won't have to carry us, but won't kill us.

There is no talent on the DL. LB play is serviceable and the DBs aren't too bad but the DL is so bad it's holding the rest of the team back. Worst DL I can ever remember at UConn

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Wins a win. Good to be back at .500 although we all know we should be 4-0 right now. The defense has to step up this week and learn to finish. They have issue up front moving the opposing line and getting to the QB that we’ve had in recent years. Letting the QB check down and then take off and run has to be contained more (hurt us at Delaware and vs. Ball State). TaQuan Roberson is going to be looking for revenge next weekend and we know he’s mobile.

Was talking with a former Husky LB from last year’s team post game. He was confident they’ll get it fixed and have the pieces to do it.

It’s a long season. Let’s have faith in Brock and the coaching staff this week that they can get it fixed.

 

[JMick]

Wins a win. Good to be back at .500 although we all know we should be 4-0 right now. The defense has to step up this week and learn to finish. They have issue up front moving the opposing line and getting to the QB that we’ve had in recent years. Letting the QB check down and then take off and run has to be contained more (hurt us at Delaware and vs. Ball State). TaQuan Roberson is going to be looking for revenge next weekend and we know he’s mobile.

Was talking with a former Husky LB from last year’s team post game. He was confident they’ll get it fixed and have the pieces to do it.

It’s a long season. Let’s have faith in Brock and the coaching staff this week that they can get it fixed.

The defense was literally fine last year. People loved Brock. It's amazing how quickly people flipped.

 

[huskymedic]

There is no talent on the DL. LB play is serviceable and the DBs aren't too bad but the DL is so bad it's holding the rest of the team back. Worst DL I can ever remember at UConn

The defense was literally fine last year. People loved Brock. It's amazing how quickly people flipped.

Problem is they a have a “Retention Budget” and a “Portal Acquisition Budget” - it all depends on how much you have to play with and what side of the ball you want/need to spend your dollars on YOY. Miss on a eval. or an injury crops up and you can be hosed. Gonna remain a challenge moving forward.

 

[RSTuthill]

Would 4 DL would be considered changing horses in the middle of a stream?

Yes. Not easy to do but not impossible.

 

[RSTuthill]

Worst DL I can ever remember at UConn

2018 was worse, but your point stands. Both unsuccessful three man fronts. The Rhode Island game was a track meet.

 

[Milo65]

I think we have all the tools on offense. I just don’t think that Gordon Sammis knows how to break down and exploit opposing defenses.

Unlike last year, we are often in third and long situations and when we are third and short, we often have a hard time getting the 2 or 3 yards we need.

 

[Jetskies]

As far as the D Line being this bad under RE2.0, not that I can recall. Our defenses were substantially worse overall (giving up 70+ points at times) but I feel like we always had at least 1 player on our D Line who could consistently apply pressure to the QB week after week. A guy like Travis Jones comes to mind.

Completely agree about the D Line looking like high schoolers. I chuckled when I saw someone else make the comment we are bouncing off O Linemen over and over like bowling balls. Like maybe try a spin? A swim move? Something other than a bull rush that clearly is NOT working? Lol

it's like when NFL players try to sumo wrestle, sumo wrestlers. that's what it looked like sometimes on saturday. Not always, but there were a few pass plays where i was absolutely speechless at the utter futility of the pass rush.

 

[ZooCougar]

I know you're talking about Rice, but it's the Air Force game I'm worried about. They've run for more than 250 yards in each game this year and they just hung 269 rushing yards on Boise. With how Ball State was gashing us, the Air Force game could be a long, long November afternoon.

We’ll lose both of those games.

 

[Hskies4Ever]

I don’t understand the hate for Sammis. This is the most productive offense we’ve had in a long time, and that is in spite of dropped balls and missed passes. I see lots of guys getting opportunities, but the players need to finish the plays.

If Joe can’t hit a guy downfield, unfortunately, the screen game is going to be featured more heavily.

I bet most of us on here would’ve expected us to be 3-1 at this point and we’re 2-2. And FWIW, more than a few prognosticators had us losing to Delaware. It was heart breaking how the two loses happened, but the season isn’t over by a long shot.

The defense needs to play better, but Brock will sort that out.

 

[JMick]

2018 was worse, but your point stands. Both unsuccessful three man fronts. The Rhode Island game was a track meet.

2018 had Beavers and Travis Jones...

 

[Tdaley]

2018 was worse, but your point stands. Both unsuccessful three man fronts. The Rhode Island game was a track meet.

Actually, Edsall played a 4 man front in 2018. He changed the 3-3-5 to a 4-2-5. The talent level left by Diaco was so poor that it really didn't matter what defense we played in 2018.

 

[Jetskies]

And your opinion also means nothing. My opinion apparently meant something to you because you just responded to my post.

honestly i think that was meant as an encouragement.. like.. just say what you wanna say lol, no one reads this except us

 

[RSTuthill]

2018 had Beavers and Travis Jones...

Yup. And Lwal Uguak, also a freshman that year. They were 1-11, the Rhode Island game being the only game they won, and the score was 56-49 I think. They also had Florida transfer Ryan Fines who was incredibly slow moving.

Tdaley advises that Edsall switched back to a four man front in his first year back. He is probably correct, but I seem to recall they played a fair amount of three man front in that game. I would really like to see a video of that game. The "honor" of the worst defense in the modern era is still up for grabs. Holding Syracuse for as long as they did, though, would kinda disqualify this year's team so far. Early days yet though. Things could still get much worse, although hopefully much better.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

UConn, URI depth chart 2018​

DEFENSE​

DEFENSIVE END
98 Lwal Uguak (Fr., 6-5, 261)
96 James Atkins (r-So., 6-5, 275)
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
52 Caleb Thomas (r-Fr., 6-0, 280)
94 Kevin Murphy (r-Jr., 6-1, 290)
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
57 Travis Jones (Fr., 6-4, 350)
69 Ryan Fines (r-Jr., 6-3, 304)
DEFENSIVE END
97 Jonathan Pace (Fr., 6-5, 260)
43 Darrian Beavers (So., 6-3, 235)
LINEBACKER
6 Eddie Hahn (r-So, 6-3, 220)
22 Eli Thomas (r-Jr., 6-1, 218)
LINEBACKER
48 Kevon Jones (Fr., 6-2, 230)
47 Santana Sterling (Sr., 6-0, 226)
HUSKY
44 Ian Swenson (r-Fr., 6-1, 197)
41 Marshé Terry (r-Jr., 6-4, 220)
CORNERBACK
14 Tahj Herring-Wilson (r-So., 6-1, 190)
39 Ryan Carroll (Fr., 6-1, 180)
32 Shamel Lazarus (Fr., 6-2, 170)
SAFETY
25 Tyler Coyle (r-So., 6-1, 205)
13 Messiah Turner (Fr, 6-1, 205)
SAFETY
27 Omar Fortt (So., 6-1, 189)
31 Oneil Robinson (Fr., 6-2, 177)
CORNERBACK
21 Jeremy Lucien (Fr., 6-2, 185)
24 Keyshawn Paul (Fr., 6-0, 170)

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Fines was a fat tub of skat. Beavers finished the year at DE, Think they tried alot of people on the left side there like a TJ Gardner or Thomas.. Hahn and Sterling at LB. Fortt at Husky? Edsall wasn't a Terry fan. IIRC, he said it would have been worse playing Diaco's upperclassmen.

 

[giddyup]

I’m not surprised by the doom and gloom at all. I don’t like the habits that are becoming very noticeable in the Mora era.

A game sealing TD run with 1:50 left to go up 14 should be ballgame. Instead they allow a TD drive and have to do an onside kick recovery. The refusal to make things easier for themselves and not seizing the game by making basic football plays at the key moments are become a staple of the Mora era. I don’t like it one bit.

Fair point. Expectations are/were high after last season. The good news is we have a very potent O which can score and keep us in games, notwithstanding Sammis making some drive killer calls at times. The D is plainly broken and it has as much to do with missing on personnel as it does a scheme that obviously doesn’t fit with the players we do have. Unless our DC can figure out how to get enough D line run stop pressure, more heartbreak will follow.

 

[JMick]

Yup. And Lwal Uguak, also a freshman that year. They were 1-11, the Rhode Island game being the only game they won, and the score was 56-49 I think. They also had Florida transfer Ryan Fines who was incredibly slow moving.

Tdaley advises that Edsall switched back to a four man front in his first year back. He is probably correct, but I seem to recall they played a fair amount of three man front in that game. I would really like to see a video of that game. The "honor" of the worst defense in the modern era is still up for grabs. Holding Syracuse for as long as they did, though, would kinda disqualify this year's team so far. Early days yet though. Things could still get much worse, although hopefully much better.

I never said the defense in 2018 was better. I said this is the worst dline we've had. The 2018 dline was better it was the rest of the defense that sucked. That's the worst secondary arguably in fbs history

 

[Palatine]

JMU academic standards let them bring in players other school can't touch. Don't know about Delaware.

 

[jdb50]

I know you're talking about Rice, but it's the Air Force game I'm worried about. They've run for more than 250 yards in each game this year and they just hung 269 rushing yards on Boise. With how Ball State was gashing us, the Air Force game could be a long, long November afternoon.

Watched a fair amount of the Boise vs Air force game. Air Force was able to throw the ball. Way different than Army. It is another game we had better be able to score more than 35 points.