Next week pretty crucial

[ASweet3781]

A loss to Western Michigan last year at home cost us a bowl. A loss to them this year could do the same. We beat them, with Buffalo at home, we likely make a bowl with just 2 wins in conference. If we lose we may have to win 3-4 games in the league.

They lost a close one at Minnesota today. Lost at Illinois week 1. Put up 52 against Eastern Michigan week 2. I remember their offense being pretty good last year.

 

[Bezzz]

Last year it was a senior QB and three senior WR's that torched us. The WR's are all gone (one is playing on Sundays) put QB Carder is back as 5th year senior, and he is very good.

 

[SAMCRO]

I believe the QB is back, but most of his WR's are gone.

 

[Uconnalliance]

Qb gonna be doin a lot of running with a Smallwood on his back, bring them on and see what they can do with the #3 def in the country

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Western Michigan's QB, Alex Carder, is back with the Broncos. Yesterday, I watched a bit of their 1Q v Minnesota. The Broncos and Carder are 0-2 vs not so Big 10 (IL and MN), and 1-0 against 1-AA Eastern Illinois.

 

[jdb50]

It's a different UConn defense taking the field against Carder this year.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Yes, UConn's D appears pretty good albeit the competition being sub-par to date. Just sharing information, but Western Michigan's frosh WR (#4 Jaime Wilson) looked pretty good yesterday (1Q) and now (4Q replay). Wilson has good hands, and appears to run good routes and get open (season stats: 19 catches, 213 yards, 11.2 avg, 35 longest, 3 TDs). Minnesota rallied for a 28-23 win, but the Broncos looked pretty good (albeit the 3-0 Gophers' competitive quality being of unknown quality at this stage).

 

[mets1090]

If we can get a good game from Blidi and Gratz we should win. At this point I feel like most games are going to come down to Blidi, Gratz and Mack limiting mistakes when they have no safety help on blitzing plays. It seems that's how we will give up most of our points.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

remember that this game was one of the ones Blidi missed last season.

Wilburn was absolutely torched last year in the 2-3 games he played before they switched Jones to CB.

It will be different this time...imo

 

[mattp]

if we can achieve 40 yards passing it'll be an easy win, so yeah, I'm a little worried

 

[Marty Jackson]

If we can get a good game from Blidi and Gratz we should win. At this point I feel like most games are going to come down to Blidi, Gratz and Mack limiting mistakes when they have no safety help on blitzing plays. It seems that's how we will give up most of our points.

I think the defense is the known variable. They do what they've been doing and we have a good chance of winning.

The offense needs to change for this to be a Top 25-30 team. It was the offense that couldn't put a 30 yard drive together late against NC State for a FG. Defense almost gave them another chance though.

Yesterday, the defense bailed them out again late. MD had a shot for a win, but all we needed was 1 or 2 first downs and MD would've gotten the back with almost no time and deep in their territory. I think we went 3 and out.

I think this is going to be a trend with our offense in that they will continually come up short in key ball control spots. But as long as this defense plays like it has, we have a chance against any team on our schedule.

 

[Vuce]

I sort of agree that this is a huge game. We finish with Pitt, UL and Cincy. Those are 3 REALLY tough games and if we need to win more than 1 game going into that it will be a tall task . We gotta win this next game.

 

[Excalibur]

N

 

[huskysupporter]

Last year Western Michigan absolutely abused us in the middle of the field. The linebackers as a whole were continuously exploited in the passing game. You better believe that Western Michigan is going to try to beat us again with the short game. Although Don Brown did a very poor job adjusting during the season last year (teams continuously abused the middle of the field), it seems like this year we are now wisening up. And because Brown has been nothing short of awesome this year, I am assuming the reason they didn't adjust last year was the personnel, especially at safety (upper classmen were a train wreck, causing serious depth issues) Now it looks like Adams is a fixture as the 3rd safety, allowing the D to better defend the middle.

Big test for the D. I am confident they are up for the task, and Brown will have them extremely motivated, as usual.

 

[johnhuskies95]

if we can achieve 40 yards passing it'll be an easy win, so yeah, I'm a little worried

McEntee threw for 300 yards against them last year...

 

[rich1122]

Our offense is much much better this year. Kudos to the OC.

 

[noeynox]

The next two weeks will be the best opportunity to get this offense rolling. In an effort to be fair here, UMass wasn't much of a test. NC State was stouter than I expected, and UMD was a road game.

We're 2-1, with a chance to get our offense on track and roll into RU at 4-1, I was hoping for 5-0, but I would take 4-1, with the offense in a groove. Lets beat WMU and get some payback. Go Huskies.

 

[gopher2]

Deleone will predictably and stubbornly try (and fail) to establish a power running game with a back that cannot make yards after contact and an O line that is not dominant. Expect numerous 3 and outs and 20 yard drives, per usual. This will be another close game, assuming the D and specials continue to play well.

 

[Excalibur]

N

Just saw this. I guess I butt-posted from my phone.

 

[mattp]

We were able to move the ball on WMU with McEntee last year. We had 300 yds passing and 150 on the ground. I haven't really followed the development of their defense over the last season, but if we can't muster more than 200-250 yards against WMU this Saturday, I'm going to have a hard time believing our offense is at all improved from last year