Mike Anthony: Zergiotis struggles, Krajewski gets the call and UConn’s quarterback situation is a mess

[huskymedic]

Mike Anthony: Zergiotis struggles, Krajewski gets the call and UConn’s quarterback situation is a mess

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>>This is a really silly situation. But this is the silly 2019 reality. The season is a month old, four games have been played and a third starter has just been named. It will remain laughable unless Krajewski stabilizes the operation.

"You've got to find out," Edsall said. "When you really don't have somebody who has been proven, or when you have injuries, or through performance, or you see how somebody is reacting to a brand new situation, you have to make sure you take a look at all your options."

UConn knew all its options coming into the season, though. The most talented quarterback in the program, Marvin Washington, was either shown the door or simply opted to transfer and the most talented quarterback brought in, N.C. State transfer Micah Leone, underwent season-erasing shoulder surgery.

Because each player remaining is either too inexperienced or too limited to ask much from, we’re heading into October in an experimental phase. Not ideal.<<

 

[uconnphil2016]

Kind of a weird set of presuppositions here. First, the excerpt seems to imply that MW was mishandled. The kid clearly couldn’t take advantage of opportunities and had to go. Second, who was claiming that Leon was our most talented guy? I don’t know that anyone witnessed that. The QB situation is surely messy, but I don’t think we had any clear cut answers at the outset. It was an obvious case of a long line of recruiting blunders. Ideally, our starter would have been one of Tyler Davis, Donovan Williams, or Jordan McAfee. This is what happens when you recruit guys for years who can’t even play the position at the college level

 

[whaler11]

Kind of a weird set of presuppositions here. First, the excerpt seems to imply that MW was mishandled. The kid clearly couldn’t take advantage of opportunities and had to go. Second, who was claiming that Leon was our most talented guy? I don’t know that anyone witnessed that. The QB situation is surely messy, but I don’t think we had any clear cut answers at the outset. It was an obvious case of a long line of recruiting blunders. Ideally, our starter would have been one of Tyler Davis, Donovan Williams, or Jordan McAfee. This is what happens when you recruit guys for years who can’t even play the position at the college level

the writers at the courant are more lost than 3/4 of the BY. going into a season with no quarterback is a disaster. who knew?

 

[Pudge]

Washington is a Quarterback. He lacked discipline & wasn’t taking care of the full picture of HCRE leadership vision. That’s a certain mess. While we saw him in Syracuse & practice & Spring ... there’s a sense of we missed a real talent. But, he failed to grab his opportunity.

 

[AndOne]

Kind of a weird set of presuppositions here. First, the excerpt seems to imply that MW was mishandled. The kid clearly couldn’t take advantage of opportunities and had to go. Second, who was claiming that Leon was our most talented guy? I don’t know that anyone witnessed that. The QB situation is surely messy, but I don’t think we had any clear cut answers at the outset. It was an obvious case of a long line of recruiting blunders. Ideally, our starter would have been one of Tyler Davis, Donovan Williams, or Jordan McAfee. This is what happens when you recruit guys for years who can’t even play the position at the college level

I can't imagine any other fanbase that was as excited as some here about a walk-on/scouting team QB from another school transferring in for a scholarship. Of course these are the same fans who dogged Pindell's passing, while praising the other lightly recruited QBs who have now shown they can't pass against decent teams either.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I don't really fault RE for how the fall QB competition played out. I don't fault him for naming Beaudry the starter.
Biggest mistake by Edsall I think fans and news reporters can gripe about was the naming Zergiotis the starter and throwing all the accolades his way. That, and based on reports that Beaudry was healthy enough to play, having a true frosh start his first two games on the road against a B1G team and against a Top-25 AAC team. Threw Jack Zergiotis to the wolves.

 

[cthog]

Again, you have an offensive line coach "running" the offense and coaching qb's who have never statted a game.
Diaco's supposedly last straw was not agreeing to let kill get hired and run the offense, but benedict had no problem with edsall running lashlee out of town.

 

[Palatine]

Actually, this is the first time in a long time that the QB situation is being handled properly. Our usual practice of just leaving a guy in even when he is being completely uneffective never worked. It drove good QBs like Mike Nebrich out of the program and gave us Whitmer, Whtmer and more Whitmer.

This is better. Play guys and see how they perform when the bullets are flying. Chip Kelly went though five QBs at Cincy one season and the fifth, a walk on led them to the Orange Bowl

 

[UConnJim]

Again, you have an offensive line coach "running" the offense and coaching qb's who have never statted a game.
Diaco's supposedly last straw was not agreeing to let kill get hired and run the offense, but benedict had no problem with edsall running lashlee out of town.

Lashlee was not run out of town at UConn. He was pushed out at Auburn and took a $250k pay cut to come to UConn. Basically, Benedict and Edsall provided him a soft landing. He got a pay raise at SMU and he was going to learn from an offensive minded coach, Sonny Dykes, and run Dykes’ offense. Lashlee has high coaching aspirations and he thought moving to SMU and learning under Dykes was the best career move for him. Add in Dallas is about a 5 hour drive from both he and his wife’s hometown made the move even more attractive.

 

[SubbaBub]

Stopped at Marvin Washington...please. Made Tim Boyle look like Doug Flutie.

 

[Pudge]

Zergiotis May still shine someday

None of us would have been unnerved if Anthony Kay in his first three MLB starts had good moments & then struggled. Same deal. He needs to retrench. I always saw Krajewski is playing this year; and if he’s effective ... who cares what Randy said about Jack Zergiotis.

 

[noeynox]

Recruiting and developing QBs is something Randy has always struggled with. I think they tend to play very tight early in games because they're terrified to turn the ball over. That tightness in turn leads them to turn the ball over.

 

[metsfan2323]

Recruiting and developing QBs is something Randy has always struggled with.

I'll play. Since 2003 (the Rent Era, not counting this year) We have had decent QB play under Edsall 6 out of 9 years and 7 out of 9 if you liked Pindell's running game. Our worst years with QB play and scoring were 05, 06.

No doubt this year looks to be a down year as far as QB play goes but that is going to happen to most programs occasionally. The key is to develop someone this year so we have good QB play next year.

 

[CL82]

I don't really fault RE for how the fall QB competition played out. I don't fault him for naming Beaudry the starter.
Biggest mistake by Edsall I think fans and news reporters can gripe about was the naming Zergiotis the starter and throwing all the accolades his way. That, and based on reports that Beaudry was healthy enough to play, having a true frosh start his first two games on the road against a B1G team and against a Top-25 AAC team. Threw Jack Zergiotis to the wolves.

But he saw something, some Molson drinking goodness in Z’s soul...

I feel bad for Z. He was thrown into the lions den and, not surprisingly, wasn’t ready. I feel bad for Steven Krajewski too. He was passed over, which had to sting. I hope Steven Krajewski is the guy, partly because we need a steady hand to right the ship desperately and partly because I like it when a player doesn’t sulk and instead prepares himself for his opportunity.

We will see.

 

[noeynox]

I'll play. Since 2003 (the Rent Era, not counting this year) We have had decent QB play under Edsall 6 out of 9 years and 7 out of 9 if you liked Pindell's running game. Our worst years with QB play and scoring were 05, 06.

No doubt this year looks to be a down year as far as QB play goes but that is going to happen to most programs occasionally. The key is to develop someone this year so we have good QB play next year.

Define decent QB play.

Zach Frazer and 2nd year Lorenzen both QBed good teams but i wouldn't call their performance good QB play. Frazer's completion percentage was just above 50 percent.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Actually, this is the first time in a long time that the QB situation is being handled properly. Our usual practice of just leaving a guy in even when he is being completely uneffective never worked. It drove good QBs like Mike Nebrich out of the program and gave us Whitmer, Whtmer and more Whitmer.

This is better. Play guys and see how they perform when the bullets are flying. Chip Kelly went though five QBs at Cincy one season and the fifth, a walk on led them to the Orange Bowl

Brian Kelly did that also

 

[Chin Diesel]

But he saw something, some Molson drinking goodness in Z’s soul...

I feel bad for Z. He was thrown into the lions den and, not surprisingly, wasn’t ready. I feel bad for Steven Krajewski too. He was passed over, which had to sting. I hope Steven Krajewski is the guy, partly because we need a steady hand to right the ship desperately and partly because I like it when a player doesn’t sulk and instead prepares himself for his opportunity.

We will see.

Yeah, Jack Zergiotis got the Rodney Purvis Ferrari in the garage treatment.

As for Steven Krajewski, he's still a RS frosh. Really only got passed over for a 3 week period. Not like he was passed over for an extended period.

 

[Palatine]

Brian Kelly did that also

Excellent point!!!!!

 

[Slick]

Yeah, Jack Zergiotis got the Rodney Purvis Ferrari in the garage treatment.

As for Steven Krajewski, he's still a RS frosh. Really only got passed over for a 3 week period. Not like he was passed over for an extended period.

Steven Krajewski made some excellent throws in the second half.if he can build on that next week that would be terrific.

 

[Scrutineer]

Steven Krajewski was really playing his first game. I don't count 3 minutes in the last game of last season and a few minutes last week.
He was shaky early in this game but settled down and showed the kind of passing ability he showed in the high school playoffs in Georgia two years ago. The ball gets delivered on time, in the right place. Sure, it wasn't against many of UCF's starters, but so what. If he improves and wins a couple games it could mean a bright future.

 

[Pudge]

On all three - Beaudry, Zergiotis, Krajewski - I think you’d say there’s something to work with. They can get better & play.

On what basis. Think of what we’ve watched at UConn in the last 10 years. Without naming names ... all 3 ... have potential to rise to a solid QB. play. I didn’t feel that way about many of the quarterbacks who’ve been on our roster.