Phil Steele-Now you've done it...

[Palatine]

This is pretty close to my view. I think the offence will be better than last season. The question, of course, is to what degree. Unlike many others, I think the defense is in question. Campeni, Stewart, Vann and Adams were major contributors. At the LB spot nobody appeared to press Stewart and Vann for time, and while they were good college LBs, we've had plenty better. The transfer from FSU does not appear to be a lock to start, so he does not appear to standout. Don't get me wrong, I think the defense will be solid, but I would not necessarily assume it will be as good as last season.

BL's point on turnovers is a good one as well. Although I think the game planning of Diaco plays a big role with a relatively low risk offense. Newsome made tremendous progress last season in that area going from a disaster his freshman year to.I can't remember him fumbling at all last season.

We need to go no worse than 2-2 to start the season against UMaine, Navy, UVA and Cuse to have a "good" season. 1-3 and we could be in trouble and 3-1 we could go on a roll. We really have to hope that UVA and Cuse are transitioning with their respective coaching changes. If BC's defense is anything like it was last season that game at Alumni later this season is a very tough one for UCONN.

You forgot 4-0.

 

[uconndogs]

You forgot 4-0.

We go 4-0 and 8-9 wins are squarely on the table as is contending for the conference championship. Would be friggin assume!

 

[freescooter]

In defense of Phil Steele (and I haven't read it yet), I don't think the cited passages are crazy. Four of our 6 wins were against teams that weren't within smelling distance of the Top 100, and we got to 6 and 6 with a large positive turnover margin which Steele always looks for to even out over time. Does anyone really doubt that we could be a much improved team this year play by play over the course of the season and still not have it show up in the win column? I think that's extremely possible. We don't beat syracuse, BC and UVA playing the way we beat 'Nova and Tulane and Army.

Bl I like your comment but I do think Maine and Tulane are winnable and I saw BC last year and their offense was dreadful. Made De Leone's offense look like Oregon. Your comment was sort of a false choice since to be even we only need to beat Maine Tulane and one of BC Syracuse or Virginia. All look doable but BC needs to improve dramatically just to be awful on offense.

 

[uconndogs]

Bl I like your comment but I do think Maine and Tulane are winnable and I saw BC last year and their offense was dreadful. Made De Leone's offense look like Oregon. Your comment was sort of a false choice since to be even we only need to beat Maine Tulane and one of BC Syracuse or Virginia. All look doable but BC needs to improve dramatically just to be awful on offense.

BC brings just about everyone back on one of the absolute best defenses in the country from last season. They do lose DC Brown and I suspect that is no small loss. They lost their 1 and 2 QBs and RBs early last season behind a young and dreadful OL. It the offense rebounds with the skill positions back and the defense plays anything like last season, UCONN's visit to Alumni will be tough sledding.

On the other hand, if next season shakes out like last season of Adazio and company, UCONN could waltz into a sinking ship and lame duck coach. Which would be very nice...........

The only other thing I would say about UCONN is, if Sherriffs goes down I have no idea what happens to our offense.

 

[businesslawyer]

Bl I like your comment but I do think Maine and Tulane are winnable and I saw BC last year and their offense was dreadful. Made De Leone's offense look like Oregon. Your comment was sort of a false choice since to be even we only need to beat Maine Tulane and one of BC Syracuse or Virginia. All look doable but BC needs to improve dramatically just to be awful on offense.

Not sure I understand. The only point I thought I made was defending Phil Steele's comments that we could be a better team and still be 5-7 as not stupid.

 

[Dooley]

Davis' touch is not quite there yet. Anderson should be our backup QB. I can see Davis seeing the field strictly for read-option plays though. Maybe as the season progresses and he gets more throwing reps in practice, they can add some plays to his play sheet.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Davis' touch is not quite there yet. Anderson should be our backup QB. I can see Davis seeing the field strictly for read-option plays though. Maybe as the season progresses and he gets more throwing reps in practice, they can add some plays to his play sheet.

Definitely agree with the assessment on Davis. Albeit a small sample size, between watching the spring game and open practice he seems to have a lot of difficulty throwing accurate downfield and towards the sidelines on out patterns. Hopefully his time will come. If Williams is as good as advertised, I wonder if he ends up at #2 on the depth chart by season's end given the lack of experience in front of him.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Improved OL play sure as hell makes improvement from the QB more likely than regression. Not to mention improvement at the OL helps the run game, which also helps the QB.

Especially with a QB like Shireffs. His mobility generally wasn't so much a product of choice last season so much as it was necessity/escaping an imminent death at the hands of opposing D linemen. Improved o line play will totally help Shireffs to make the second and third checks in the progressions, which was one of his primary struggles last year, as well as have better discernment in deciding to tuck and run. I was afraid for his life far too many times last season.