Duke Post Game Thread

[Bomber36]

No moral victories. We let that get away. I dont want to hear any spin on it. Win a game.

But this is how Mora has to spin it. And he will.

 

[Forte]

Kicking has become such a science that high schoolers are reliably hitting from 40+ now. It's weirder that we can't.

Bring back Teggart.

 

[KryHavok]

We were literally one play away from winning against a good defense. I'd prefer the win, but they competed, battled back, and the defense helped the team stay close. Still, gotta make those INTs

Oh, and get a better kicker. Hell, see if someone on the soccer team is interested.

 

[JMick]

It is possible to have a successful season if we run an offense that plays to our (incredibly obvious yet somehow elusive for Sammis) strengths and if the defense can continue to play relatively well. Evers's lack of accuracy and questionable decision making isn't great but can be worked around. Pryce Yates coming back at 100% would do wonders for us. Duke isn't good but they're significantly better than Temple, Rice, and UMass and definitely better than FAU, Buffalo, and UAB. Wake and Georgia St aren't unbeatable either, especially at home. There is a path to 6+ wins.

Evers misses too many open receivers or throws the ball way too late to guys that were open. We won't move the ball if that doesn't improve exponentially

 

[ZooCougar]

Nick Evers got talent, but he is not the QB that can help UConn win right now. His game management is horrible, and he could have 5 picks today.

What talent?

He is a throw it up and hope kinda QB.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Evers misses too many open receivers or throws the ball way too late to guys that were open. We won't move the ball if that doesn't improve exponentially

He has shown he can run the ball, especially against the defenses we will come up against the rest of the season. I think we really have something with the read option we used sparingly (and wildly successfully) tonight

 

[jdb50]

Mora needs to be asked why he let Ruelas leave the program. Frankly McFadden should not have been the kicker last year. So now it is 2 years in a row with a bad kicker.

 

[cellocgg]

No moral victories. We let that get away. I dont want to hear any spin on it. Win a game.

Man forget that. Outcome was far better than anyone was expecting. Celebrate growth when you see it

Boys hung right in there and I'm proud

 

[goalline]

Listen, Listen, they tried and came up short. Duke is a decent team, but, it seems that UC hasn't figured out how to win. If they make a field goal with 5:35 on the clock and hold Duke, then a FG wins. Old Guy knows playing QB after the game is easy. I defer to those who know more about the game than I do, but if they can win next week and be 2 and 2 I would be happy....Any injury report. Thanks to all who post..

 

[JMick]

He has shown he can run the ball, especially against the defenses we will come up against the rest of the season. I think we really have something with the read option we used sparingly (and wildly successfully) tonight

Who cares if he can run. We have 3-4 other playmakers on offense who can run better. Play the guy that gets the ball in their hands.

 

[RioDog]

A mediocre team with a kicker who can hit from 47 and 53.
SMDH.

Thats it in a nutshell.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Duke is not a good football team. This was a winnable game.

They were good last year. We are a bit better this year for sure but they took a big step back, especially at QB and on the LOS.

 

[uconnbill]

The defense was on the field too much at the end of the third and fourth quarter. The offense has to do a better job with the ball and stop with the trick plays, not one worked. That is something you use maybe once a game, not four times.

 

[superjohn]

Kicking has become such a science that high schoolers are reliably hitting from 40+ now. It's weirder that we can't.

The the science it's become? College kickers miss field goals constantly.

 

[Hamms30]

Defense played far above my expectations. Wish Brinson could have got his head around on the last touchdown. I know that's how they teach DB's to play facing the receiver, but if he looked back he would have been running 100 yds the other way.

Need a kicker
Need a pass rush
No more trick plays
Need to get a PI flag. I thought Bell got pushed out of the play on the INT and Buckman got mugged, but whatever on those.
Evers may need to take about 20% off his bullets because wide open receivers are having trouble handling the ball and he's throwing wild on some pitch and catches.

 

[calamity17]

Earlier today if you told me we lose a one score game I would’ve said sign me up. After how this played out It feels like a gut punch. I’m losing faith in this coaching staff’s ability to manage a game.

 

[gsmooth]

Mora should have gone for it on 4th and 7 at the Duke 30(ish). Even if he hits the FG (very questionable) you are down with five minutes left and you're assuming Duke doesn't score and you drove down the field again.
Lot of assumptions. 7 yards isn't 17. You're a 20 point dog on tbe road. Go for it.

That call to kick the FG baffled me as well. That is what made me annoyed with the 4th trick play of the game they called on 3rd down-it was a waste of a play. Even if they run the football and get between 3-5 yards that leaves a short 4th down conversion.

 

[Palatine]

Evers is clearly not ready. He throws short passes into the ground. He is a little slow processing and pulling the trigger. He is definitely a work in progress. Once we got ahead. Duke put everything into stopping the run. They dared Evers to beat them. He didn't come close. He was completely stymied in the 4th quarter. Game. Set. Match.

The question is how fast and far can he progress. At this point, it is questionable if he gives us the best chance to win. But I think that Mora will give him a long runway.

 

[freescooter]

Duke is not a good football team. This was a winnable game.

Duke is 3-0. Maybe not pretty but still 3-0. That said this was winnable and I liked they battled back down 17-0. After Maryland it would have been easy to throw in the towel.

 

[JohnFSilver]

good game. Both teams left a lot of plays out there. Encouraged, but not happy.

 

[History Geek]

The anti-Evers posts on here are nuts. Evers is the guy based on this performance and I think he is going to get better.

 

[Kemba429]

In the end, im more than content with the result. Could we have not gone for that field goal? Yes. Could we have managed our personnel better? Yes. Could we have managed the game better? Yes. But, we have an upward trajectory and are seemingly getting better each week. In previous years I couldnt fathom being close to a big road win, and a comeback win from down 17 at that.. Dont give up, and dont slam the staff. Change doesnt happen overnight, especially with the magnitude of UConn football “recent” history. Ill always love this team, even if were 0-12. But to have optimism, to see it coming to fruition, and to see people believe in it.. That just makes it that much better when it comes. Cant wait to see the rest of this season, and what the future holds. Lets keep it going.

 

[UConnDan97]

The jump the defense has made since week 1 is very impressive

I think Coach Brock might be the real deal. Looking forward to next week...

 

[Hoophound]

Evers doesn’t see anyone but Bell. He wasn’t good, he just wasn’t awful. I don’t see how anyone could possibly think he’s the answer. 15/29 for 135 yards and 1 INT. He also had 4 near picks and many of his throws were a mile off the mark.

 

[UConnDan97]

They were good last year. We are a bit better this year for sure but they took a big step back, especially at QB and on the LOS.

Bro, their QB is why they won the game...