Crocker

[Chief00]

Seems like the least of the problems in a 56-17 game.

Yeah, lots of problems - especially on one side of the ball.

 

[billybud]

A spread team that can pass the ball well.

A confused and inept defensive secondary for the opponent. Not going to be a good look.

The question is, how much can the defense improve?

With Boise State, and Syracuse on the near horizon, probably not enough time for a win...but enough time for a better showing.

The hope to keep it close will lie with legs of Pindell.

 

[UConnFranklin]

Maybe it is time we revisited how this game (and the next) got scheduled? Having your freshman secondary (or last year's returnees) get their butts kicked isn't my idea of a learning experience. Could someone refresh our memories so we don't have to go looking for a year old discussion?

Time after time again we had all the DB's deep but static. Milton played toss and catch with receivers in the voids of the matrix. The big interstitial spaces. What the heck is that about? No one is gonna move to a man at some point? And a lot of happy talk about no more big cushions. Well ... they're baaaaack!!

And don't get me started about turning to the ball, especially when the guy you are covering is running out of room (that's a clue about when to turn).

Actually I like our very tough early schedule. We were going to lose to UCF and most likely Boise no matter what time during the season we played them. As we get better so are they. Our only chance to play a good game against them is in the beginning of the season. Why not get our young inexperienced team ready to play college (FBS) football than by exposing them to the best right away. You take a few lumps (no one got really hurt) and you learn how good, good is. Now the for the rest of your schedule every game is a real opportunity for a win. From a guy who has played college football this is how I would rather have it.

 

[Excalibur]

Chief will be rooting for you and a couple other posters who seem to have similar issues.

Hilarious. It's amusing to watch you pretend that you have a clue about managing or organizations. Good show . . .

 

[Excalibur]

Just wondering what other FBS teams play the 3-3-5 that win games....

Doesn't really matter since we never have actually lined up in a 3-3-5 stack, but in conference Charlie Strong runs it at USF. SDSU continues to run it and has for a long time. With the coaching carousel I'm not even sure who is where at this point.

 

[huskymedic]

Doesn't really matter since we never have actually lined up in a 3-3-5 stack,

They actually talk abit about UConn and the 3-3-5 stack in this review:

 

[noeynox]

Actually I like our very tough early schedule. We were going to lose to UCF and most likely Boise no matter what time during the season we played them. As we get better so are they. Our only chance to play a good game against them is in the beginning of the season. Why not get our young inexperienced team ready to play college (FBS) football than by exposing them to the best right away. You take a few lumps (no one got really hurt) and you learn how good, good is. Now the for the rest of your schedule every game is a real opportunity for a win. From a guy who has played college football this is how I would rather have it.

Could also demoralize confidence. The one CB, Paul must be shellshocked.

 

[Excalibur]

Ok, I'll back off of never. Maybe 10% of snaps. I think he found the one play we used it last year. Even in those film highlights most of our formations were either 4 down or with lb's lined up in gaps.

 

[huskymedic]

Ok, I'll back off of never. Maybe 10% of snaps. I think he found the one play we used it last year. Even in those film highlights most of our formations were either 4 down or with lb's lined up in gaps.

I’m wasn’t disagreeing w/ your base point... we used a variety a schemes and nothing worked. I just remembered the 3-3-5 and the 4-3/4-2 discussion in the video from earlier this week.

 

[UConnFranklin]

Could also demoralize confidence. The one CB, Paul must be shellshocked.

Agree with you there. It's a toss up. You learn pretty quickly who's going to step up. Given more coaching and time he should recover. But I still like playing the tough games early.

 

[Guru13]

I’m wasn’t disagreeing w/ your base point... we used a variety a schemes and nothing worked. I just remembered the 3-3-5 and the 4-3/4-2 discussion in the video from earlier this week.

Well, they haven't run the 3-3-5 fully and I think that is evident. On Thursday they were running a 4-2-5 and I bet with the new redshirt rule Edsall is just trying his luck with the freshmen and see how well they do. I will not be surprised if we see every Freshmen play this season

 

[Stinger92860]

A lot of the former Bobby Diwhacko recruits are either already gone or have become marginalized. If Crocker is intent on starting five or six true freshmen on D, then he gets to own the results because those are his recruits, from his first full recruiting cycle, as you put it.

It’s not fair to judge results based on one game. With so many freshman it’s going to take more than one year to fully assess results.

 

[UConnNick]

A spread team that can pass the ball well.

A confused and inept defensive secondary for the opponent. Not going to be a good look.

The question is, how much can the defense improve?

With Boise State, and Syracuse on the near horizon, probably not enough time for a win...but enough time for a better showing.

The hope to keep it close will lie with legs of Pindell.

At some point, probably quite soon, our opponents will look at the UCF and Boise film and recognize we have no conventional rushing attack at the LOS, so stopping Pindell on his rushes will become the key for every D we face. If any of them are successful at keying on Pindell and shutting him down on the ground, he's forced to pass. He can't effectively stretch the field with the long ball, so we essentially become a one dimensional, short passing game, west coast type offense. We don't execute efficiently enough on offense to go on a lot of long, ball control, short passing drives. Sooner or later the O screws up, either with a dumb, drive killing penalty, or a turnover.

Hopefully we can figure out a way to gain yardage on the ground with running backs instead of putting Pindell in harm's way on almost every snap from center. He won't survive the season getting pounded on 20+ rushing plays per game.

 

[JMick]

At some point, probably quite soon, our opponents will look at the UCF and Boise film and recognize we have no conventional rushing attack at the LOS, so stopping Pindell on his rushes will become the key for every D we face. If any of them are successful at keying on Pindell and shutting him down on the ground, he's forced to pass. He can't effectively stretch the field with the long ball, so we essentially become a one dimensional, short passing game, west coast type offense. We don't execute efficiently enough on offense to go on a lot of long, ball control, short passing drives. Sooner or later the O screws up, either with a dumb, drive killing penalty, or a turnover.

Hopefully we can figure out a way to gain yardage on the ground with running backs instead of putting Pindell in harm's way on almost every snap from center. He won't survive the season getting pounded on 20+ rushing plays per game.

meh if they want to spy Pindell that just leaves more zones open to throw into, or it helps our subpar pass blocking by taking out a rusher. Pindell had no problem making guys miss. I'll take him 1-1 in the open field against a spying safety or LB.

 

[Chief00]

Hilarious. It's amusing to watch you pretend that you have a clue about managing or organizations. Good show . . .

Little do you know.

 

[Chief00]

meh if they want to spy Pindell that just leaves more zones open to throw into, or it helps our subpar pass blocking by taking out a rusher. Pindell had no problem making guys miss. I'll take him 1-1 in the open field against a spying safety or LB.

UConnNick is on target. He is absolutely correct - spying on Pindell’s running will be the book on stopping UConn. It’s not complicated.
Pindell is much more elusive than BS but he will still take a beating with 20 rushes per game.
Often Casual Fans overlook a QB can be vulnerable rolling out “running” because he is looking downfield and not paying enough attention to the guys setting their sights on him.

 

[JMick]

UConnNick is on target. He is absolutely correct - spying on Pindell’s running will be the book on stopping UConn. It’s not complicated.

like I said, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of a spy. Dunn is a smart guy. he'll figure it out.

 

[UConnJim]

UConnNick is on target. He is absolutely correct - spying on Pindell’s running will be the book on stopping UConn. It’s not complicated.
Pindell is much more elusive than BS but he will still take a beating with 20 rushes per game.
Often Casual Fans overlook a QB can be vulnerable rolling out “running” because he is looking downfield and not paying enough attention to the guys setting their sights on him.

This analysis is too simplistic. Mensah (we really don't know about Scott), proved to be a pretty good running back last year and it was pretty clear that UCF thought they needed to stop our running game and they pretty much did. This helped provide the opportunity for Pindell's running. If we can spread out the defense with Pindell's running, that will open up our traditional running game.

Putting a spy on Pindell will open up the passing game. I think that would help Pindell's passing.

Bottom line, you can take advantage of what the defense is doing if the QB can read it.

 

[Rewster]

Pindell will take his fair share of hits but he is hard to square up when you hit him which will help with keeping him in the games.

I was very impressed with his ability to side step the defenders is small spaces.