My Thoughts After USF Game

[huskysupporter]

Going into the season I wasn’t optimistic like some. I would not have been surprised with one win, based on our roster. But I was hoping to see continuous improvement throughout the year. I decided to focus on that while watching the game, I wanted to find some players that would give me hope. And I actually some some flashes this game, I also saw some players that did not belong on the field.

Some observations:

Ryan Van Denmark: I am an offensive line guy. It’s usually the first thing I focus on in a game because it all starts up front. Van Denmark utilizes good technique. He does have problems with speed to the outside at times, but I thought Shireffs didn’t do him any favors. On one sack he did an awesome job of inviting the d lineman inside buyback Shireffs didn’t roll out enough and got sacked. He is going to be a good one. As he gains weight and experience he is going to be a mainstay on that line. I was shocked at how good his technique was.

Marshe Terry: Finally someone decides to be aggressive! It was awesome to see. He’s got the size and athletic ability. And I finally saw him use it. Inconsistent, but I saw the ability.

Jordan Swann: Should not be on two deep, and it would be wise to switch to offense.

Foley Fatukasi: taking one for the team playing at the nose. Just a very solid player. Think he can be a starter in the NFL as a 3-4 end. I’m going to miss his play.

Tyler Cole: I have seen Tyler exhibit intensity that is sorely lacking on this team and he does every game. He is going to be a good one. He has speed and is not afraid to come up to make a tackle.

Darrian Beavers: it’s a shame he couldn’t red shirt so he could put on some weight but folks, this is the rush olb/end this defense needs. He has a very quick first step and I would love to see him utilized as a rusher consistently. He needs to put on some weight but he is the only player I have seen that has shown speed off the edge. I think he is going to be a good one.

Kevin Mensah: Dude ain’t 5’8 and he ain’t 198 pounds, but what he is is tough as nails. He is going to be an impact guy the next 3 years. He explodes taking that inside handoff, so fast.

Hergy Mayala: He is going to have a huge senior year. Very good receiver.

Defense: where is the intensity? Where is the gang tackling? Heck where is the tackling??? You can blame scheme all you want, I see a bunch of players lacking aggression. Hit somebody! So frustrating. There is a dearth of talent and I am not sure where it is going to come from next year. Based on what I have seen, I expect big leaps from guys like Coyle, Terry, Beavers, and Braydon Brown. But where else? We lose 3 starting down linemen, who replaces them?

 

[huskymedic]

Fair assessment...

I thought Fr DB Swenson was hitting a stride before he was injured and lost for year.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm actually bullish on the OLine for next year, so long as we can sort out the center position. Van Demark, DeGeorge, Peart, Leone, with folks like Holmes and Tunstall taking the redshirt year this year. And there are a couple of nice looking prospects we've landed on the recruiting trail which will likely redshirt next year to prep for the future. Maybe even a surprise or two if players like Cespedes can show us something.

Also of note, Hopkins looks like he's a nice RB to give us a 1-2 punch with Mensah. And what's not to like about Skanes. I think Beals gives us a nice receiving option as well. And McLean is the real deal, even with that back breaking drop at the end of the first half that got picked off.

Lots to be excited about, so long as we end up okay at QB. That obviously will be the key for everything...

 

[UConnNick]

I'm actually bullish on the OLine for next year, so long as we can sort out the center position. Van Demark, DeGeorge, Peart, Leone, with folks like Holmes and Tunstall taking the redshirt year this year. And there are a couple of nice looking prospects we've landed on the recruiting trail which will likely redshirt next year to prep for the future. Maybe even a surprise or two if players like Cespedes can show us something.

Also of note, Hopkins looks like he's a nice RB to give us a 1-2 punch with Mensah. And what's not to like about Skanes. I think Beals gives us a nice receiving option as well. And McLean is the real deal, even with that back breaking drop at the end of the first half that got picked off.

Lots to be excited about, so long as we end up okay at QB. That obviously will be the key for everything...

It always boils down to QB, which unfortunately was Edsall's weakness in recruiting the first time around. Except for winning the lottery with DanO, Edsall has never effectively recruited the position. A good one can be the difference between winning and losing the close ones, and a great one can carry an average team way beyond expectations, and cover up a multitude of sins.

 

[UConnDan97]

It always boils down to QB, which unfortunately was Edsall's weakness in recruiting the first time around. Except for winning the lottery with DanO, Edsall has never effectively recruited the position. A good one can be the difference between winning and losing the close ones, and a great one can carry an average team way beyond expectations, and cover up a multitude of sins.

Well, Lorenzen was a good one, and I thought Frazer was a good game manager. We may not have had Andrew Luck under Edsall, but we weren't worried about having to go to a walk on either...

 

[Pudge]

In picking the next QB ... could Lashlee be possibly more incisive than Rob Ambrose? I feel ... we were far deeper this year than anytime in the last 7. And then Krajewski.

 

[ktuck911]

Terry might've been around the ball more but he can't tackle for s***. Horrendous technique. Re-watch the game folks. He made a couple of nice stops, but on those "chunk" places watch him. (See the YSF 95 TD pass play) Sorry, but straight trash.

 

[Exit 4]

Terry might've been around the ball more but he can't tackle for s***. Horrendous technique. Re-watch the game folks. He made a couple of nice stops, but on those "chunk" places watch him. (See the YSF 95 TD pass play) Sorry, but straight trash.

My eyes agree, Terry is a big part of the problem back there. Not fast enough, not a good tackler. He is a bigger physical presence and might better suited for run support on goal line situations.

As for the rest of the young secondary, well I think Brown has shown an ability to be near the ball and has some speed. He could useful if he can get stronger. Coyle is hot and cold, but sometimes he really loses track of receivers. Fortt is physical, has some potential. All of them haven’t shown an ability to track the QBs eyes or the ball in flight.

All that said, I would not be surprised if larzarus and carroll are starting CBs next year (yes true freshman all over again), with Olaynian or fortt as third corner, and with some combination of Swenson, brown, coyle and banks (another true freshman) on the two deep for the two safety slots. In other words Terry is pushed out. Terry is playing now because Swenson, Watkins and McAllister are hurt and Olaynian is red shirting. We also have King redshirting too.

 

[Stainmaster]

My eyes agree, Terry is a big part of the problem back there. Not fast enough, not a good tackler. He is a bigger physical presence and might better suited for run support on goal line situations.

As for the rest of the young secondary, well I think Brown has shown an ability to be near the ball and has some speed. He could useful if he can get stronger. Coyle is hot and cold, but not sometimes he really loses track of receivers. Fortt is physical, has some potential.

All that said, I would not be surprised if larzarus and carroll are starting CBs next year (yes true freshman all over again), with Olaynian or fortt as third corner, and with some combination of Swenson, brown, coyle and banks (another true freshman) on the two deep for the two safety slots. In other words Terry is pushed out. Terry is playing now because Swenson, Watkins and McAllister are hurt and Olaynian is red shirting. We also have King redshirting too.

With these true freshmen being mentioned in the safety conversation, any love for Jordan Morrison? Kid apparently had a UVA offer.

 

[huskymedic]

There are plenty of young DBs (on campus/incoming) to work with to find the right combo... remember Herring-Wilson is also out injured.

We may have kids forced into action this year - redshirting next year.

 

[Exit 4]

With these true freshmen being mentioned in the safety conversation, any love for Jordan Morrison? Kid apparently had a UVA offer.

I think Morrison could surprise us and get on the field next year. But I’m just guessing the other guys start out ahead because they are already primarily playing d where I believe Morrison is primarily and offensive player, so more to learn.

 

[Tdaley]

Our offense may be even better next year than this year's team if one of our quarterbacks on on our current roster turns out to be decent. I am sorted hoping that Shirreff sits out the Central Florida game because of his concussion and comes back and plays the last two games which both seem like more winnable than the CF game. Shirreff has taken more hits than any quarterback should ever take at any program. The game off would give Brian an extra week to recover and give Pindall the reps than he clearly needs. He may not be our stater for next year, but he is going to to be in the mix and is likely to play next year even if its as a back up. Of course, I will change my mine if Pindall plays awful and we lose by 50 points.
Our defense on the other hand, could be scary bad next year. Believe it or not, it could be worst than this year's version. We may not be able to stop anyone on the ground let alone in the air. I actually have hope that Edsall will fix the secondary. He was forced to play too many kids who don't belong on the field yet. However, next year Edsall will have even more problems on defense than he had this year. Who is going to replace Joseph and Fatukasi? They are both really good players. Who is going replace Ormsby and Diggs? They are both pretty decent players. For those who want us to change our defensive scheme, I'm not sure we can play anything other than a 3-3-5. We don't seem to have the bodies never mind the quality in the defensive line or linebackers positions. I'm seeing more 70 to 30 games next year. Yikes!!

 

[coachcap]

Well, Lorenzen was a good one, and I thought Frazer was a good game manager. We may not have had Andrew Luck under Edsall, but we weren't worried about having to go to a walk on either...

I have to agree with this assessment: Recruitment of qbs. was not a huge problem for HCRE Version 1.0. He learned from his mistakes of not recruiting the position during the Orlovsky years (Bones was no replacement). Tyler Lorenzen was more than adequate until his hand injury as his NFL tryout attests. Randy can't be blamed for Cody Endres smoking himself off of the roster. Frazer seized the moment when given the opportunity & I've often wondered how much better he'd have been if he had signed on with the Huskies directly out of high school instead of the failed experiment in South Bend. Finally, wasn't the qb that Pasqualoni ran off & who Joe Moorehead brought to Fordham an Edsall recruit?

 

[huskymedic]

Finally, wasn't the qb that Pasqualoni ran off & who Joe Moorehead brought to Fordham an Edsall recruit?

Yes... Nebrich was a Moorhead/Edsall recruit.

 

[SubbaBub]

The biggest complaint is that USF was playing at less than half speed for most of the game. Flowers wasn't bothered hardly at all even when he was scrambling.

 

[Pudge]

Head Coach Randy Edsall would NEVER have started a season with a Jonny McEntee as our Starting QB. That was silly. I feel one of Edsall's primary strengths vis-a-vis the others is that he really can manage a full 85 man roster and recruit and backfill as needed. He has strengths in that: 3-5 RBs depth (which he didn't have this year); fast DEs (which he didn't have this year); OLine that develops over years including a solid core center (coming); DBs that get better; and a really quality grouping of 3 LBs (and he didn't have that this year).

Room for positive advancement.

 

[freescooter]

As I wrote on the cornerback thread I really think a huge problem this year is that we had far too many dbacks who were just not ready for this level. Very few college freshmen have great technique. Even at top programs. In high school you can usually get by with superior athleticism and strength. Not the case in college. A year in the weight room and on the practice squad would have made a world of difference for guys like Fort and Swan and Brown.

 

[Stainmaster]

As I wrote on the cornerback thread I really think a huge problem this year is that we had far too many dbacks who were just not ready for this level. Very few college freshmen have great technique. Even at top programs. In high school you can usually get by with superior athleticism and strength. Not the case in college. A year in the weight room and on the practice squad would have made a world of difference for guys like Fort and Swan and Brown.

People are forgetting this - way too early to decide that guys like Swann have to be switched to offense because the best team in the conference ate them alive as true FRs.

 

[Exit 4]

A year in the weight room and on the practice squad would have made a world of difference for guys like Fort and Swan and Brown.

It better - because coaching and scheme alone won't fix everything here.

The long offseason will again be all about the weight room.

 

[gtcam]

Most DBs in college football who are the cream of the crop are juniors or seniors
I don't see many freshmen becoming AAs or even All conference due to the fact that in high school it is not a "key" or prominent position.
These freshmen at UConn do not look good vs the older, bigger and stronger guys they are facing but I think in a year or two they will look very different
If I'm wrong - RE has an unbelievable uphill battle ahead of him

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Is Levenberry coming back? Did he participate in senior day?

 

[Exit 4]

Is Levenberry coming back? Did he participate in senior day?

My understanding is that he did participate in Senior Day.

 

[huskysupporter]

People are forgetting this - way too early to decide that guys like Swann have to be switched to offense because the best team in the conference ate them alive as true FRs.

Swann has been eaten alive by every team.

 

[Stainmaster]

Swann has been eaten alive by every team.

Agree to disagree.

 

[RSTuthill]

Yes... Nebrich was a Moorhead/Edsall recruit.

Missed a couple wide open receivers who would have scored and from that point onward was used only in the wildcat. It is a tough business at this level.