nelsonmuntz
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I know more comprehensive analyses are being done elsewhere, but I will keep the same format as my other Big East writeups.
Offense
UConn has a quarterback!!! UConn fans have not been this optimistic about the QB position since Dan O walked off Ford Field for the last time almost 8 years ago. And there is a future QB too!!! We all hope and expect that UConn will be set at the QB position for the next 5 years, which is rare confidence for UConn fans to have about a position that has been terrible for the past 7 seasons. 1 UConn QB has flirted with mediocrity between bong hits, and the rest have been a major step below.
Part of my personal optimism is that the current staff does not have a track record of making QB's worse under their tutelage. McEntee actually played relatively well at year end, and is still a capable backup. Whitmer is cause for excitement. Strong arm, accurate, good pocket presence...a real QB. Expectations are manageable too. Average would be spectacular, good performance from the QB position would border on orgasmic for most fans. McCummings will continue to see snaps as a change of pace, and I am fine with that.
McCombs is a player. Quick, good open field speed, and learning the game. He had a tendency to string plays out early on but as the season went on he learned that sometimes a 2 yard gain is a good play. Unfortunately, I don't see a good 2nd back to lighten McCombs load, and McCombs takes too many hits as it is. He doesn't have a 250 carries a year body. He needs to be around 200. I expect to see a lot of FB this year, and Frank is solid as a blocker. Whitmer will be a big help for the running game, because it looked like the entire opposing defense was in the box on most plays. If Whitmer can keep defenses honest, McCombs' numbers will go way up.
I think we have four solid to good wide receivers in Smith, Williams, Philips and Jones, and Griffin is solid at TE. Dropped passes were a problem for everyone last year, and Griffin's fumble against WMU cost us that game. Nick Williams in particular has the potential to be a game breaking player, and he has to focus better on the easy plays. Griffin was essentially our deep threat last year, which is unacceptable. Williams has to run tighter routes and either Philips or Jones has to emerge as a deep threat. Smith is a possession receiver that has to hold onto the ball better.
As has been discussed last year, the offensive line stats were terrible. 3.1 ypc and 41 sacks against are stats for a 2-10 team. I feel that the stats were worse than the play for this unit. McCombs is a year older, and the QB position has upgraded dramatically, which will help. I don't feel this team got dominated other than the Pitt and WVU games. I thought the line play was OK to good against Vanderbilt, Iowa State, Syracuse, Louisville and Rutgers, all of whom had decent defenses. Petrus and Ryan are big losses, and the team is very thin in terms of depth. I don't think anyone expects Bennett to make it through the season, and it feels like a lottery after him.
Defense
UConn played tremendous run defense last year, and was OK against the pass too. Reyes and Martin will be missed, but Williams and Joseph are budding stars at DE, and Jennings is a tremendous "motor" guy. Wirth and Stephen are experienced and Stephen is a house. Depth could be an issue at DT.
A big part of the 2.7 ypc and 35 sacks was not just great line play, but also very good LB play. Johnson, Smallwood and Moore all return, and Moore could be poised for a monster year. Other than Steg, depth could be a problem.
Wreh-Wilson and Gratz will be one of the best CB pairs in the league, but depth remains a problem, with Jones moved to safety. Brown had a good year, and depending on St. Louis' status there will be some depth at safety.
This is a very good defense with several stars returning. Reyes and Martin are big losses, but most schools would kill for 9 returning starters on defense. There are a lot of good defenses in the Big East, but UConn's will be right up there.
Schedule
Another solid schedule, much like last year's. NC State will be pretty good and has one of the top QB's in the ACC. Western Michigan is a preseason favorite for the MAC West. Maryland was terrible last year and I expect only modest improvement, and Buffalo and UMass are games UConn should win. The Big East schedule features 4 road games, three of which, RU, USF and UL, are against top teams in the Big East.
Conclusion
Year 2 of a coach's regime is when the rubber really hits the road. The new system is in place, and the coach has had time to fill gaping holes in the roster. If the QB problem has been improved at all, and there was only one direction to go from last year, and the offense has another year under an experienced and successful OC like Deleone, this team should be a lot better on O than they were last year. Pasqualoni is a good coach, and he is upgrading talent across the board. I expect better development out of the QB position, and I think we finally have some skilled players at that position.
I expect 350 yards a game this year, and if we get that, this will be a good season for UConn, because the defense is still excellent. Overall, the league is better at the top, but Syracuse and Temple are weak, and I am not a fan of Pitt.
I think UConn splits NC State and WMU, and beats one of the good Big East teams somewhere. Prediction:
8-4 (4-3)
Offense
UConn has a quarterback!!! UConn fans have not been this optimistic about the QB position since Dan O walked off Ford Field for the last time almost 8 years ago. And there is a future QB too!!! We all hope and expect that UConn will be set at the QB position for the next 5 years, which is rare confidence for UConn fans to have about a position that has been terrible for the past 7 seasons. 1 UConn QB has flirted with mediocrity between bong hits, and the rest have been a major step below.
Part of my personal optimism is that the current staff does not have a track record of making QB's worse under their tutelage. McEntee actually played relatively well at year end, and is still a capable backup. Whitmer is cause for excitement. Strong arm, accurate, good pocket presence...a real QB. Expectations are manageable too. Average would be spectacular, good performance from the QB position would border on orgasmic for most fans. McCummings will continue to see snaps as a change of pace, and I am fine with that.
McCombs is a player. Quick, good open field speed, and learning the game. He had a tendency to string plays out early on but as the season went on he learned that sometimes a 2 yard gain is a good play. Unfortunately, I don't see a good 2nd back to lighten McCombs load, and McCombs takes too many hits as it is. He doesn't have a 250 carries a year body. He needs to be around 200. I expect to see a lot of FB this year, and Frank is solid as a blocker. Whitmer will be a big help for the running game, because it looked like the entire opposing defense was in the box on most plays. If Whitmer can keep defenses honest, McCombs' numbers will go way up.
I think we have four solid to good wide receivers in Smith, Williams, Philips and Jones, and Griffin is solid at TE. Dropped passes were a problem for everyone last year, and Griffin's fumble against WMU cost us that game. Nick Williams in particular has the potential to be a game breaking player, and he has to focus better on the easy plays. Griffin was essentially our deep threat last year, which is unacceptable. Williams has to run tighter routes and either Philips or Jones has to emerge as a deep threat. Smith is a possession receiver that has to hold onto the ball better.
As has been discussed last year, the offensive line stats were terrible. 3.1 ypc and 41 sacks against are stats for a 2-10 team. I feel that the stats were worse than the play for this unit. McCombs is a year older, and the QB position has upgraded dramatically, which will help. I don't feel this team got dominated other than the Pitt and WVU games. I thought the line play was OK to good against Vanderbilt, Iowa State, Syracuse, Louisville and Rutgers, all of whom had decent defenses. Petrus and Ryan are big losses, and the team is very thin in terms of depth. I don't think anyone expects Bennett to make it through the season, and it feels like a lottery after him.
Defense
UConn played tremendous run defense last year, and was OK against the pass too. Reyes and Martin will be missed, but Williams and Joseph are budding stars at DE, and Jennings is a tremendous "motor" guy. Wirth and Stephen are experienced and Stephen is a house. Depth could be an issue at DT.
A big part of the 2.7 ypc and 35 sacks was not just great line play, but also very good LB play. Johnson, Smallwood and Moore all return, and Moore could be poised for a monster year. Other than Steg, depth could be a problem.
Wreh-Wilson and Gratz will be one of the best CB pairs in the league, but depth remains a problem, with Jones moved to safety. Brown had a good year, and depending on St. Louis' status there will be some depth at safety.
This is a very good defense with several stars returning. Reyes and Martin are big losses, but most schools would kill for 9 returning starters on defense. There are a lot of good defenses in the Big East, but UConn's will be right up there.
Schedule
Another solid schedule, much like last year's. NC State will be pretty good and has one of the top QB's in the ACC. Western Michigan is a preseason favorite for the MAC West. Maryland was terrible last year and I expect only modest improvement, and Buffalo and UMass are games UConn should win. The Big East schedule features 4 road games, three of which, RU, USF and UL, are against top teams in the Big East.
Conclusion
Year 2 of a coach's regime is when the rubber really hits the road. The new system is in place, and the coach has had time to fill gaping holes in the roster. If the QB problem has been improved at all, and there was only one direction to go from last year, and the offense has another year under an experienced and successful OC like Deleone, this team should be a lot better on O than they were last year. Pasqualoni is a good coach, and he is upgrading talent across the board. I expect better development out of the QB position, and I think we finally have some skilled players at that position.
I expect 350 yards a game this year, and if we get that, this will be a good season for UConn, because the defense is still excellent. Overall, the league is better at the top, but Syracuse and Temple are weak, and I am not a fan of Pitt.
I think UConn splits NC State and WMU, and beats one of the good Big East teams somewhere. Prediction:
8-4 (4-3)
