Is anyone else feeling entirely dejected?

[TheDoggPound]

I'm dejected about 1 QBH, 0 Sacks and 1 pass breakup. That's not acceptable.

 

[whaler11]

Here are the only things to worry about.

1. Getting Pindell out of Idaho alive.

2. Beating Rhode Island.

When you can beat Rhode Island you can worry about beating someone else.

 

[uconnphil2016]

The order ahead is Boise, URI, Syracuse and then Cincy. Of those, I could see is not having a good feel for this team until we finish the Cincy game.

I’m watching Cuse now. They got a pick on their first defensive play. Offense is fast as usual, looks decent. I think Western Michigan probably has a better defense than us though.

 

[gioff23]

We all need to buy in to the fact that we are in a bad spot. We are playing nearly all freshmen. None of these were 4 star recruits, so we're talking about the kids we typically recruit, redshirt, develop, and then play. We are skipping steps 2 and 3, because the reality is we recruited so poorly for too many years. This is like playing with 50 scholarship players. If you are tired of the beating, I get it. But you have to understand this is a different kind of process. We need to stay on course and develop kids for 19 and beyond. I think 2-10 might be lucky. RE was crystal clear - we can not replicate the speed of our opponents in practice. I am not after wins, I am after progress this year. The only way to reengage P5 conferences in a discussion around realignment that includes us is to get this program back to being a perennial winner. There are no shortcuts (not any more, Diaco used them all up). Last year was cutting away the brush. This year is about getting the soil right and beginning the planting. Let's hope all this rain yields a good harvest in 19, and a better one in 20.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

We all need to buy in to the fact that we are in a bad spot. We are playing nearly all freshmen. None of these were 4 star recruits, so we're talking about the kids we typically recruit, redshirt, develop, and then play. We are skipping steps 2 and 3, because the reality is we recruited so poorly for too many years. This is like playing with 50 scholarship players. If you are tired of the beating, I get it. But you have to understand this is a different kind of process. We need to stay on course and develop kids for 19 and beyond. I think 2-10 might be lucky. RE was crystal clear - we can not replicate the speed of our opponents in practice. I am not after wins, I am after progress this year. The only way to reengage P5 conferences in a discussion around realignment that includes us is to get this program back to being a perennial winner. There are no shortcuts (not any more, Diaco used them all up). Last year was cutting away the brush. This year is about getting the soil right and beginning the planting. Let's hope all this rain yields a good harvest in 19, and a better one in 20.

Chauncey Gardner?

 

[NHRich]

It’s not going to change until recruiting somehow gets out of the basement.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

It's hard to judge our defense when it's basically a game of college seniors v. high school freshman. UCF would beat us without a coach just based on pure athleticism.

Agreed. But . . . that has to change. There shouldn't be that level of talent disparity. So let's hope it's inexperience and not a matter of athleticism.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

It’s not going to change until recruiting somehow gets out of the basement.

Agreed. Let's hope the younger players are the "improved recruiting", otherwise UConn's best talent is still in high school somewhere.

 

[Milo65]

Agree, if the URI game is close and the Cincy game isn’t competitive, then we know there are huge issues.

 

[Doggie Style]

They quit halfway through the 3rd. Didnt need Kevin Mensah to tell me that.

I posted in the game thread about the smiles on the sideline.

They quit a lot sooner than that! This secondary straight up blows!

 

[Hornet22]

We all need to buy in to the fact that we are in a bad spot. We are playing nearly all freshmen. None of these were 4 star recruits, so we're talking about the kids we typically recruit, redshirt, develop, and then play. We are skipping steps 2 and 3, because the reality is we recruited so poorly for too many years. This is like playing with 50 scholarship players. If you are tired of the beating, I get it. But you have to understand this is a different kind of process. We need to stay on course and develop kids for 19 and beyond. I think 2-10 might be lucky. RE was crystal clear - we can not replicate the speed of our opponents in practice. I am not after wins, I am after progress this year. The only way to reengage P5 conferences in a discussion around realignment that includes us is to get this program back to being a perennial winner. There are no shortcuts (not any more, Diaco used them all up). Last year was cutting away the brush. This year is about getting the soil right and beginning the planting. Let's hope all this rain yields a good harvest in 19, and a better one in 20.

This

 

[Scrutineer]

I’ve been surprised that a lot of talk on here has been pretty positive regarding last night. I didn’t expect to have a great game, but our defense was so putrid that I’m almost sure it’s worse than last year. And I’m just not sure how much longer we can wait to turn it around. We’re such an utter joke and the clock is ticking. The last time I watched us win at home against an FBS team was October of 2016. That’s absurd. My patience is running out and if we have a close one against URI I may just take the season off. We deserve better than that excuse for a defense, ucf or not

If you ask nicely, Chief may be willing to set up a meeting for you with Edsall so you can tell him just what he needs to do right now to turn it around.

And, please don't threaten taking the season off unless you mean it, as some people here may be looking forward to reading wild swings in emotion based on 8% of the season.

 

[J187Money]

We got beat the way we used to get beat when we played WV - UCF is probably just as good as most of those WV teams, and we are not yet competitive at that level. I saw some things I liked out of the offense. The D is not good - but I trust Edsall to get that sorted over time. I do worry about our running game though.

 

[UConnFranklin]

Dude, you have PTSD. Seriously, if you really look at the competition we faced last night (and again next week), you might just breathe a bit easier. No need for all the "staying home on game days" or "taking the season off." This team is not an "utter joke" but you're right...the clock is ticking. It's the game experience clock, and every tick just might pay off down the road. Remember that clocks don't just count down...they count up, too.

Your expectations are WAY too high for a D full of true and redshirt freshmen. It's going to be a long road. Breathe. And either quit or don't. I think it's a little premature to throw in the towel. Hope to see you on gameday.

I triple like your comments.

 

[Jimdish255]

1 game. A game we knew was a mismatch. The only chance we had to slow them down was to pressure Milton. No individual player was able to do it and the coaches apparently couldn't figure out how to get that done or didn't want to risk it. So we got torched just like a bunch of opponents on UCF's schedule probably will.

As for Mensah's comments that's his interpretation and he's frustrated. I think it was a mistake to throw other guys under the bus publicly because they didn't react as he would have liked. Have that talk privately. Better yet, go out and lead by example and play a competitive game next time out.

Coaches and players have a lot of film to look at. On offense much of it is promising. On defense the players are learning their roles, learning their reads still. Coaches may have to shift personnel, and better figure out where they can create a matchup that gets some pressure on the QB. Other teams watch film too and if we take an identical approach we can expect a similar result. I don't think our players are terrible given their experience level, but it will be a challenge for the coaches keeping their confidence up as they take a few lumps. If they can get one good week in the first 3-4 games you may see things start to turn quickly. Too early to be in the dumps with a bunch of puppies figuring things out.

 

[uconnphil2016]

1 game. A game we knew was a mismatch. The only chance we had to slow them down was to pressure Milton. No individual player was able to do it and the coaches apparently couldn't figure out how to get that done or didn't want to risk it. So we got torched just like a bunch of opponents on UCF's schedule probably will.

As for Mensah's comments that's his interpretation and he's frustrated. I think it was a mistake to throw other guys under the bus publicly because they didn't react as he would have liked. Have that talk privately. Better yet, go out and lead by example and play a competitive game next time out.

Coaches and players have a lot of film to look at. On offense much of it is promising. On defense the players are learning their roles, learning their reads still. Coaches may have to shift personnel, and better figure out where they can create a matchup that gets some pressure on the QB. Other teams watch film too and if we take an identical approach we can expect a similar result. I don't think our players are terrible given their experience level, but it will be a challenge for the coaches keeping their confidence up as they take a few lumps. If they can get one good week in the first 3-4 games you may see things start to turn quickly. Too early to be in the dumps with a bunch of puppies figuring things out.

I get it. They’re really good and a mismatch. But we played much better against them last year. Our D played them way better last year—and it was at their place.

 

[Exit 4]

I get it. They’re really good and a mismatch. But we played much better against them last year. Our D played them way better last year—and it was at their place.

Don’t look at it that way because that just hurts! Let’s just remember this year for Pindell’s improved command of the game and wiggle.

 

[Pudge]

... AM I the only one not bothered by the NOT-4Star recruit comment?

(Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Dwayne Gratz, Darius Butler, Tyvon Branch, Obi Melonfonwu, Jasper Howard, Justin Perkins, Andrew Adams)

 

[Redding Husky]

I fear we don't get three wins this year.

But the offense moved the ball and that doesn't suck.

 

[SubbaBub]

It reminded me of the Miami game. No shot at competing for the win. Thr other team moving the ball almost at will but UConn not looking so out of place that success down the line seemed impossible.

UCF was coming off 13-0, have a legit Heisman contender and visibly more talented players.

In spite of the drubbing on the scoreboard and without knowning how hard UCF was on the gas, the Huskies looked liked they belonged as a D1 squad. You haven't been able to say that the last 3 seasons.

We move on to the next game and hope history repeats the path that followed that Miami game.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Even after several years of Pastaroni's train wreck, Disastro's recruiting, coaching and program destruction, and only a single recruiting year by a guy who previously proved to identify good talent, it's somehow still understandable individuals with not so informed or inexplicably unrealistic expectations may feel a little dejected.

 

[cohenzone]

I kept my composure throughout the game. Internalizing the fury for now. Watching Boise may get ugly

It’s really only football. Yeah we are not nearly where we need to be, but furious is a bit much.

 

[CL82]

I fear we don't get three wins this year.

But the offense moved the ball and that doesn't suck.

I feel good about 3 wins. I'm less confident about 4 though.

 

[JMick]

I feel good about 3 wins. I'm less confident about 4 though.

If morale stays up after the early season "gauntlet" then I think 3 is doable.

 

[uconnphil2016]

It’s really only football. Yeah we are not nearly where we need to be, but furious is a bit much.

I know lol it’s hyperbole