Navy opens at -7 1/2

[sportsart]

Not sure what to even think. QB situation is up in the air for Navy but the triple option is the triple option. Can only hope Fordham really, really sucks.

 

[Palatine]

I like our chances. Our defense is not Fordham.

 

[shizzle787]

Part of me thinks Diaco was preparing for this game the whole summer, and the Maine preparation lacked as a result. Either way, given our next three opponents, I wouldn't be surprised if we were 4-0 going to Houston.

 

[Pudge]

Fordham has dropped off (*Unfotunately from the UConn related coaching staff that retained)

I think you aren't seeing the Fordham you saw the last 4 years.

But Navy ... and last year Army ... present a problem to our Huskies D over the years. I think Diaco has been focused on THIS game for months and spent good bits of the last few weeks on defensing the triple option. We shall see. We do have a RUN defense that should do well with this. I think it is important that our safeties (like Adams last year) step up huge in this game. And ... I am looking at Brice McAllister particularly; because I certainly saw too much false steps from Watkins. Vontae Diggs is key. Levenberry/Walsh/Joseph are key.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Fordham has dropped off (*Unfotunately from the UConn related coaching staff that retained)

I think you aren't seeing the Fordham you saw the last 4 years.

But Navy ... and last year Army ... present a problem to our Huskies D over the years. I think Diaco has been focused on THIS game for months and spent good bits of the last few weeks on defensing the triple option. We shall see. We do have a RUN defense that should do well with this. I think it is important that our safeties (like Adams last year) step up huge in this game. And ... I am looking at Brice McAllister particularly; because I certainly saw too much false steps from Watkins. Vontae Diggs is key. Levenberry/Walsh/Joseph are key.

Levenberry definitely looked more comfortable as the game progressed. He has a combination of speed and physicality that can be effective at blowing up the option.

 

[Alum86]

Who is coming outta the stands this week?

 

[businesslawyer]

As disappointing as our effort was on Thursday, UVA sucking, Temple sucking and Navy losing their QB (I know there has been no announcement but their coach wasn't crying because the guy had to come out of the Fordham game) leaves things open for this season to be a successful one. But it will take better playing and coaching.

 

[Pudge]

And Syracuse beating Colgate ...

We haven't played a Patriot League - Colgate in our 14 years of Rentschler. When we played Fordham & Lehigh, they were both better Football. Maybe that Holy Cross could have been that level. Of course, we reached for a Texas Southern - that is like Rutgers pulling a MEAC or SWAC every year.

Point is ... the CAA can provide a solid game. The Patriot is more hit or miss. Rutgers, after losing to Villanova & UNH in short time frame, set a course to the MEAC - Howard, Delaware State, Norfolk State - and that says a lot about something.

 

[TRest]

I'm giving those points from what I' e seen so far.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Levenberry definitely looked more comfortable as the game progressed. He has a combination of speed and physicality that can be effective at blowing up the option.

You probably know the lineup better than I. I see Diggs, Joseph, and Walsh start as the LBs with Levenbury coming in on the 3x4? I heard Diggs name a lot, Joseph and Walsh very occasionally, but don't remember Levenbury get called. But Levenbury looked good and got decent pt?

I am hoping to hear Cam Stapleton's name a lot more in the future, but is he up for it?

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Part of me thinks Diaco was preparing for this game the whole summer, and the Maine preparation lacked as a result. Either way, given our next three opponents, I wouldn't be surprised if we were 4-0 going to Houston.

I have telling myself that same lie....I mean I have had that same thought.

 

[jdb50]

Got to stop the fullback. That is on Myers, Walsh and Joseph. I think Diggs and Carrezola can stop the QB.

 

[Huskyforlife]

We could hardly beat a below average FCS team at home, and people think we're gonna beat Navy? Hope ya'll are right, but I don't see it.

 

[kcc1442]

We could hardly beat a below average FCS team at home, and people think we're gonna beat Navy? Hope ya'll are right, but I don't see it.

Thats not how it works. I'm sure you know sports. Teams morph from game to game, motivational factors, comfortablility, adaptability, injuries, environments, game plans, growth, realizing potential all these factors change drastically. You are seriously questioning the people who think we can't beat Navy. I'm sorry but it's not Alabama. Let's not be a glass half empty fan base.

 

[Pudge]

We could hardly beat a below average FCS team at home, and people think we're gonna beat Navy? Hope ya'll are right, but I don't see it.

I dunno ... I kinda respect what Maine came in and did. I like their OC Liam Coen. But ... ultimately ... we saw what we had (once again) in Bryant Shirreffs. There's some good in that.

NOW Navy? Most years, I would agree with you. But, Navy isn't new to Diaco or UConn. And they have several new components from the overwhelmingly senior club we faced last year. I do believe OUR defense will prove great against the rushing attack. Low scoring. We need FAR better offense & use of far more playmakers. Comes back to Shirreffs.

 

[NEforceUConn]

We could hardly beat a below average FCS team at home, and people think we're gonna beat Navy? Hope ya'll are right, but I don't see it.

Then give the points and shut up.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Thats not how it works. I'm sure you know sports. Teams morph from game to game, motivational factors, comfortablility, adaptability, injuries, environments, game plans, growth, realizing potential all these factors change drastically. You are seriously questioning the people who think we can't beat Navy. I'm sorry but it's not Alabama. Let's not be a glass half empty fan base.

Hopefully you're right, but they showed nothing to suggest they're gonna beat navy.

 

[Huskyforlife]

;

I dunno ... I kinda respect what Maine came in and did. I like their OC Liam Coen. But ... ultimately ... we saw what we had (once again) in Bryant Shirreffs. There's some good in that.

NOW Navy? Most years, I would agree with you. But, Navy isn't new to Diaco or UConn. And they have several new components from the overwhelmingly senior club we faced last year. I do believe OUR defense will prove great against the rushing attack. Low scoring. We need FAR better offense & use of far more playmakers. Comes back to Shirreffs.

Yeah their OC did a phenomenal job as far as I'm concerned, but our OL had a hard time with an FCS DL.

I'll be happy to eat crow if wrong.

 

[kcc1442]

Hopefully you're right, but they showed nothing to suggest they're gonna beat navy.

March 8th 2014. I'm sure you said the same after this date. Fast Forward to April 7th 2014. Just Saying. I could go on and on. But that was a MUCH more drastic change than this would be. Reaching ones peak performance doesn't always happen in sports game. Just because we didn't do it individually and/or as a team on one given night (notably opening night) doesn't mean we are not 4 to 5 td's better than Maine on many other given nights. The coaching staff didn't have a good night. They can always be much better as well. Nothing to me suggests that we can't beat a team the caliber of Navy. IF it were a larger sample size of not reaching peak performance than that might sway me. But come on its one game. This is still the bulk of a roster who won 6 games including beating Houston (how quickly we forget) last year.

 

[Huskyforlife]

March 8th 2014. I'm sure you said the same after this date. Fast Forward to April 7th 2014. Just Saying. I could go on and on. But that was a MUCH more drastic change than this would be. Reaching ones peak performance doesn't always happen in sports game. Just because we didn't do it individually and/or as a team on one given night (notably opening night) doesn't mean we are not 4 to 5 td's better than Maine on many other given nights. The coaching staff didn't have a good night. They can always be much better as well. Nothing to me suggests that we can't beat a team the caliber of Navy. IF it were a larger sample size of not reaching peak performance than that might sway me. But come on its one game. This is still the bulk of a roster who won 6 games including beating Houston (how quickly we forget) last year.

We can beat Navy, but there's no objective evidence that shows we will.

 

[Redding Husky]

I'm giving those points from what I've seen so far.

Agreed.

But I still see this as extremely winnable. I see them dropping a bit from last year, and (in theory) we're better than last year. The gap is closed.

 

[BugsyCT]

kcc is right. Things can change from game to game. Many variables.

We were about a 3-TD 'dog going into Mizzou last year. Just sayin'.

 

[sportsart]

We can beat Navy, but there's no objective evidence that shows we will.

C'mon man. You're an awesome and knowledgeable BB fan. But I'm not sure you understand some basics about college football.

First off, Navy and Army run the triple option, something many teams struggle with, no matter their talent level. The reason our OL struggled, IMO, is Maine blitzed quite a bit and either our WR's did not cut their routes short when the blitz came or our QB had happy feet. Both are correctable.

By your logic, the 5 FBS teams that lost to FCS teams this weekend should not win a game this year.

 

[kcc1442]

We can beat Navy, but there's no objective evidence that shows we will.

The evidence for me is partly belief in their abilities (which you can knock or question), partly my personal assessment of their skills (eye test), but also previous success and growth that the returning individuals and team had incurred from last season. I refuse to completely be a prisoner of the moment. Not that the most recent game of the season doesn't somewhat indicate the status of the team but I'm not going to start making it out to be that they are in some kind of slump, or they completely forgot how to play good football all of a sudden or the coaching staff has never proven how to put together a winning game plan. I choose to believe that they will be much closer to peak performance next game. They will adjust and learn from their mistakes. They will come closer to reaching their full potential which in my minds eye is a higher potential than Navy's is in this given year. Now, could they still lose, yeah but I don't expect to. Nor will I carry a defeatist attitude into game week.

 

[sportsart]

The evidence for me is partly belief in their abilities (which you can knock or question), partly my personal assessment of their skills (eye test), but also previous success and growth that the returning individuals and team had incurred from last season. I refuse to completely be a prisoner of the moment. Not that the most recent game of the season doesn't somewhat indicate the status of the team but I'm not going to start making it out to be that they are in some kind of slump, or they completely forgot how to play good football all of a sudden or the coaching staff has never proven how to put together a winning game plan. I choose to believe that they will be much closer to peak performance next game. They will adjust and learn from their mistakes. They will come closer to reaching their full potential which in my minds eye is a higher potential than Navy's is in this given year. Now, could they still lose, yeah but I don't expect to. Nor will I carry a defeatist attitude into game week.

The spread dropped to -6 1/2. We're a lock.