Merrimack Post Game Thread

[HCCForever]

Great game to watch. They did what they had to do which gives everyone more confidence going to Duke next week. I am looking forward to being at Duke next week as well.

I love their WRs and RBs. Bell is obviously special, and a pretty good blocker as he had two big blocks on 2 running back TDs.

I would have taken Joe out earlier, but they probably wanted to get him reps since so early in the season. Nice that they were able to give all healthy QBs some playing time as well.

 

[UCan3]

Great game to watch. They did what they had to do which gives everyone more confidence going to Duke next week. I am looking forward to being at Duke next week as well.

I love their WRs and RBs. Bell is obviously special, and a pretty good blocker as he had two big blocks on 2 running back TDs.

I would have taken Joe out earlier, but they probably wanted to get him reps since so early in the season. Nice that they were able to give all healthy QBs some playing time as well.

I agree!

I think you got to start Joe next week regardless of any another factors.

He was poised, accurate and looks the best selection to take the helm on the road right now.

I thought he looked good on road at Maryland except for one pass.

I thought he claimed position to some extent today but certainly not a lock - let’s give others opportunities as they present themslves.

I like QB by whoever goes in and wins spot. It’s a season long competition. Evers can come off bench - win it back if he’s ready and/if Joe struggles.

Rather than worrying about confidence and reps - work it out on the field.

 

[Waquoit]

Perfect game to have for a home opener. Student Section already looked packed, they should stick around for more

A packed student section? Don't those crazy kids know the stadium is off campus?

 

[UCsports]

Just keep beating bad teams and win 6+ games. The support for the program from fans, government, and boosters is contagious and momentum from this season will lead to more NIL and money for coaches in the future.

 

[huskyblooz]

POSITIVE:
Attitude! came in wanting to dominate and we did!
Controlled the trenches.
Our speed was better than theirs.

NEGATIVE:
Safeties!
Seems every TD by our opposition has are HUGE plays. Always out of position.
Bad decisions. Bad angles. Bad tackling. And slow DB's.!

 

[Kembafan]

Great win! Made this UConn fan very happy. Let’s keep it going!

 

[Patman]

NEGATIVE:
Safeties!
Seems every TD by our opposition has are HUGE plays. Always out of position.
Bad decisions. Bad angles. Bad tackling. And slow DB's.!

I don't know which players are screwing up... BUT... maybe it could be the difference between a starter and a backup at a lot of schools on defense is just getting the playbook and assignments correct?

Physicality and speed you can see on a video. Correct behavior I would imagine might be harder and you don't find that out until they get to campus.

Thinking out loud.

 

[huskymedic]

I don't know which players are screwing up... BUT... maybe it could be the difference between a starter and a backup at a lot of schools on defense is just getting the playbook and assignments correct?

Physicality and speed you can see on a video. Correct behavior I would imagine might be harder and you don't find that out until they get to campus.

Thinking out loud.

I’m thinking that not having DL Pryce Yates and DB Malik Dixon-Williams still out injured has an impact. (Durante Jones was out for the first half as well).

 

[Bomber36]

I made a last minute decision to go today. I live 15 minutes from the Rent. My daughter joined me…we had a blast. Let’s get some more butts in the seats for the FAU game!

 

[gsmooth]

Just keep beating bad teams and win 6+ games. The support for the program from fans, government, and boosters is contagious and momentum from this season will lead to more NIL and money for coaches in the future.

Bingo!

For fan interest
UConn defeating G5 or low ranked FBS teams > UConn getting annihilated by P5 teams

 

[ktuck911]

we did great but defense is a work in progress, should be even better within a few games

Agreed. Need to do a better job holding the edges...sideline to sideline LB containment. We're not getting away with any of that next week against Duke on the road

 

[RSTuthill]

This is the first time we've looked the way we should have looked against an FCS team since Texas Southern at the dawn of P's tenure here.

This was a big step.

I was gonna go look for that game. My son and his friend had my tickets and a buddy of mine and I watched from a bar on the Island. Sold out Rent as I recall. Pumpkin spice beer. Like this one, over early.

 

[BugsyCT]

After what was an all-around horrible week where UConn football once again took a lot of crap from the pundits and social media big mouths for the Maryland blowout and the B12 pulling another Lucy, today was a beautiful and therapeutic thing to watch at the Rent. Even against an FCS team, we've been starving for a game like this. Great to see so many players break off long TDs. This is what solid P4 schools do to FCS teams. Jump on them and bury them early. We hadn't done that to anyone in about 20 years. The crowd was just fine today (32,351 announced) and a full & noisy student section makes every game better.

Last week was probably our toughest game of the year. Today was our easiest. What remains is a manageable schedule for a competent FBS school to get enough wins to go bowling. We have skill players that can play. Still much to improve on so let's improve on it. Feeling a lot better about our chances going forward this season than I did yesterday.

 

[DoctorWho85]

12-1 here we come and Big 12 is going to be pissed when we get the SEC invitev

 

[geohusky]

I tried watching on channel 3 but they had other programming on, anyone else have this problem?

 

[Hamms30]

12-1 here we come and Big 12 is going to be pissed when we get the SEC invitev

 

[BugsyCT]

If you missed the game:

 

[Kolumbo]

I couldn't watch the 2nd half and I'm fine with the score. No need to run it up further. But what did UConn do in the 2nd half to be outscored 10-7? We know Merrimack is not good. Did we play 2nd string, 3rd string?

 

[Bomber36]

Huzzah is right!

 

[Bomber36]

I couldn't watch the 2nd half and I'm fine with the score. No need to run it up further. But what did UConn do in the 2nd half to be outscored 10-7? We know Merrimack is not good. Did we play 2nd string, 3rd string?

They called off the dogs after we went up 63-7.

 

[ninety-nine]

I couldn't watch the 2nd half and I'm fine with the score. No need to run it up further. But what did UConn do in the 2nd half to be outscored 10-7? We know Merrimack is not good. Did we play 2nd string, 3rd string?

Fagnano played a couple of series in the second half. After UConn made it 63-7, Mora took him out and brought in the kid from Massachusetts. I was sitting too high up to see with a lot of detail, but the skill position players on offense were all second- and third-stringers after that. UConn pretty much just burned clock. Merrimack scored a TD on a blown coverage/bad tackle with about seven minutes left, and then kicked a field goal on the last play of the game. Nothing to see there. UConn likely would have scored 90 if they'd left in the starters. I'm not kidding. It was that easy.

I'll admit, I wanted to see us score 70, and if the refs hadn't called a lame illegal block in the back penalty on a kick return, I bet we would have gotten there.

 

[gsmooth]

After what was an all-around horrible week where UConn football once again took a lot of crap from the pundits and social media big mouths for the Maryland blowout and the B12 pulling another Lucy, today was a beautiful and therapeutic thing to watch at the Rent. Even against an FCS team, we've been starving for a game like this. Great to see so many players break off long TDs. This is what solid P4 schools do to FCS teams. Jump on them and bury them early. We hadn't done that to anyone in about 20 years. The crowd was just fine today (32,351 announced) and a full & noisy student section makes every game better.

Last week was probably our toughest game of the year. Today was our easiest. We have skill players that can play. Still much to improve on so let's improve on it. Feeling a lot better about our chances going forward this season than I did yesterday.

I remember in 2016 when UConn struggled and needed a comeback to defeat FCS Maine in the first game and when they got defeated soundly by FCS Holy Cross in 2021. Those losses told us those seasons were dead in the water. It's nice to see them actually blow out a mid to lower level FCS team.

 

[IndyLives]

A lot of overreactions last week. Ridiculous. With 1 loss, we still have a chance of making the college playoffs. Nice win today against a tough Merrimack team. Let's go!

 

[Tdaley]

I couldn't watch the 2nd half and I'm fine with the score. No need to run it up further. But what did UConn do in the 2nd half to be outscored 10-7? We know Merrimack is not good. Did we play 2nd string, 3rd string?

Yes. When Tucker McDonald came into the game he came in with the second stringers on offense. A lot of starters on the secondary stayed in the game but we have a lot of injuries in those positions.

 

[JMick]

Just keep beating bad teams and win 6+ games. The support for the program from fans, government, and boosters is contagious and momentum from this season will lead to more NIL and money for coaches in the future.

Yeah we just need to win. The schedule is pretty light this year. If we could go 1-1 over our next two it would go a long way.