Playing not to lose....

[RSTuthill]

We actually don’t run many dives. We run a lot of stupid inside zone blocking, run read plays which are slow to develop, create uncertainty in execution at the line and put pressure on the back to find a hole. When we actually do the rare run with assignment blocking, it picks up yards. The staff flat out sucks and doesn’t know what it’s doing. It would be like creating an offense to have me beat the edge… I can’t no matter how many times you call it.

Agree, and the slowness to hit the point of attack means the guys blocking have to hold their blocks for so long that the plays often get stopped cold. They just do not have the talent to hold blocks that long not to mention that the plays take so long to develop the LB's sniff them out.

 

[RSTuthill]

Why does it feel like UConn lost the game? Because it does feel that way.

 

[cohenzone]

The free play at the end would have been a killer way to lose. Can’t believe it came that close.

Wasn’t surprised. Terrible play calling and clock management. Twice on second and short they used short wide plays that both resulted in a loss. I’m pretty sure second and short calls for either an interior running play to get the first down, or more aggressively a shot longer down field with the thought that if it fails, you can run for it on 3rd. Yale had some key penalties that helped us.

The brightest note is that we have several pretty good younger skill players. Some are currently injured. Need better line and LB play. QB still a question mark on elevating our O even with Tyler. I don’t think we know what his passing proficiency will be over a long haul. With the coaching change and ease of transferring , who knows who will be around among the current potential returnees or the 2022 commits. Or if a new coach will attract some quality transfers. Hey, we won. Life is temporarily good.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

I would like to see our next coach as Jamey Chadwell from Coastal Carolina. But we could do worse than Lou Spanos, such as another Diaco.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I would like to see our next coach as Jamey Chadwell from Coastal Carolina. But we could do worse than Lou Spanos, such as another Diaco.

The objective isn't to not do worse than Spanos, it's to do better.
Yesterday, we all saw a staff trying not to lose. We've been watching that movie for the past 11 years and that movie sucks. Time to find a staff that plays to win and knows how to step on a throat and keep the foot on the throat.

 

[Rosebud70]

The objective isn't to not do worse than Spanos, it's to do better.
Yesterday, we all saw a staff trying not to lose. We've been watching that movie for the past 11 years and that movie sucks. Time to find a staff that plays to win and knows how to step on a throat and keep the foot on the throat.

Exactly the should of came out in the second half ready by bury them and hang 40 up. I think that dropped fade and short pass the wind hung up in the air scared the coaches n went right back to the conservative BS

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Also you can't be giving your opponents a help with undisciplined penalties. The double dip after our last touchdown giving them the ball at the 50 can turn momentum quickly. Watts' foul on their QB with third and long continued a td drive I believe. Watts has been a problem the last three weeks with the personal fouls leading to scores. Was hoping for a big year from him but something is up perhaps a lingering injury from start of the year or it's something else.

 

[jayfromfla]

With all due respect, the talent of this team far exceeds the talent RE inherited 4 years ago. The staff has recruited very good players over the past 3 years. I just believe RE was too locked into 1990s game plans and both sides of the ball suffered. I hope whoever the new coach is he/she keeps at least one coach who has been a top recruiter over the past 3 years.

 

[RSTuthill]

So I was overdue on some stuff yesterday afternoon and could not follow the game after the third UConn TD. Did I read this correctly? UConn tried to eat clock by staying on the ground, but stayed with a no huddle hurry up offense? Is that really true?

 

[Alum86]

Exactly the should of came out in the second half ready by bury them and hang 40 up. I think that dropped fade and short pass the wind hung up in the air scared the coaches n went right back to the conservative BS

You drinking, or texting while you drive? But I get the gist.
We can’t hang 40 on anyone. But running on 3rd and 7 you have no shot.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

So I was overdue on some stuff yesterday afternoon and could not follow the game after the third UConn TD. Did I read this correctly? UConn tried to eat clock by staying on the ground, but stayed with a no huddle hurry up offense? Is that really true?

Yes. It was a hurry-up, ground and pound, grind it out, fast-paced oxymoronical wonder.

 

[Husky68]

With all due respect, the talent of this team far exceeds the talent RE inherited 4 years ago. The staff has recruited very good players over the past 3 years. I just believe RE was too locked into 1990s game plans and both sides of the ball suffered. I hope whoever the new coach is he/she keeps at least one coach who has been a top recruiter over the past 3 years.

"Very good players". Really? Since most of the roster is made up of juniors or younger you are saying UConn has mostly very good players? Very good to me is someone who would start for a P5 program (not Alabama but at least a Fruit or BCU), not sure I seem many of those on the current team.

 

[Rosebud70]

You drinking, or texting while you drive? But I get the gist.
We can’t hang 40 on anyone. But running on 3rd and 7 you have no shot.

A little bit of both lol

 

[Chin Diesel]

With all due respect, the talent of this team far exceeds the talent RE inherited 4 years ago. The staff has recruited very good players over the past 3 years. I just believe RE was too locked into 1990s game plans and both sides of the ball suffered. I hope whoever the new coach is he/she keeps at least one coach who has been a top recruiter over the past 3 years.

Screw it. I'll nuke this tread.

At what point in your head did you think you needed to go with a "he/she" to cover your bases for the next head coach?

 

[Yardigan]

Even worse some of them would be thrilled to have him as HC lol

But, but...the rapport with the recruits...keeping the core guys together...!

 

[RSTuthill]

Yes. It was a hurry-up, ground and pound, grind it out, fast-paced oxymoronical wonder.

Just bizarre.

 

[Buffett10]

"Very good players". Really? Since most of the roster is made up of juniors or younger you are saying UConn has mostly very good players? Very good to me is someone who would start for a P5 program (not Alabama but at least a Fruit or BCU), not sure I seem many of those on the current team.

Think he meant very good players compared to the D3 kids Diaco recruited.

 

[Blades]

So I was overdue on some stuff yesterday afternoon and could not follow the game after the third UConn TD. Did I read this correctly? UConn tried to eat clock by staying on the ground, but stayed with a no huddle hurry up offense? Is that really true?

This was the insanity of this coaching staff. By the 4th quarter they decided to hold on for dear life with a 12 point lead, vs. a FCS team no less. (Should of been 18 pts until #95 decides it's a good idea to go for a sack by grabbing the QB's facemack on 3rd and about 30 yards away from a 1st down at the end of the 3rd, that gave em' a 1st down instead of a Yale punt and lead to their TD.)

Yet there Uconn was trying to play ball control and time possession by running out in there in hurry up offense and hiking the fricken ball sometimes with 30 secs left on they play clock. (Wow !!!) At the end they still couldn't understand to let the play clock run down until a few secs before you hand it off for no gain, again. ( or even if they ran of those non-stop brainless bubble screens that have done nothing but lost yardage 75% of the time they run them)

The last few minutes of the game with Yale having the ball of should of never happened if clock control is your plan. Even in their own strategy, they had no clue. I'm kinda glad they showed the level of incompetence to expect, (how to blow a 21-0 3rd quarter lead to an FCS team) even though there's no way you let a guy like Spanos be the mouth piece for this program. Like John Silver wrote ( Edsall Out who could Replace Him ) he has the "personality of a mortician" so at least any of that talk should also be dead.

 

[uconnric]

So I was overdue on some stuff yesterday afternoon and could not follow the game after the third UConn TD. Did I read this correctly? UConn tried to eat clock by staying on the ground, but stayed with a no huddle hurry up offense? Is that really true?

UConn didn't run the hurry up the last couple of drives. Just couldn't get first downs.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Also you can't be giving your opponents a help with undisciplined penalties. The double dip after our last touchdown giving them the ball at the 50 can turn momentum quickly. Watts' foul on their QB with third and long continued a td drive I believe. Watts has been a problem the last three weeks with the personal fouls leading to scores. Was hoping for a big year from him but something is up perhaps a lingering injury from start of the year or it's something else.

I'll defend that personal foul on Watts all day long. He was getting decent pressure and the QB turned and ducked to where Watt's hand was. There wasn't anything malicious or boneheaded about it. Sure, we all knew that was a momentum killer for UConn but plays like that are going to happen.

 

[HardFacts]

I'll defend that personal foul on Watts all day long. He was getting decent pressure and the QB turned and ducked to where Watt's hand was. There wasn't anything malicious or boneheaded about it. Sure, we all knew that was a momentum killer for UConn but plays like that are going to happen.

It wasn’t malicious but was boneheaded ge could have made the tackle going low or just running through him. He did get the face mask but even if he missed they might have called it. Never go near the helmet

 

[JustbrewitMan]

This was the insanity of this coaching staff. By the 4th quarter they decided to hold on for dear life with a 12 point lead, vs. a FCS team no less. (Should of been 18 pts until #95 decides it's a good idea to go for a sack by grabbing the QB's facemack on 3rd and about 30 yards away from a 1st down at the end of the 3rd, that gave em' a 1st down instead of a Yale punt and lead to their TD.)

Yet there Uconn was trying to play ball control and time possession by running out in there in hurry up offense and hiking the fricken ball sometimes with 30 secs left on they play clock. (Wow !!!) At the end they still couldn't understand to let the play clock run down until a few secs before you hand it off for no gain, again. ( or even if they ran of those non-stop brainless bubble screens that have done nothing but lost yardage 75% of the time they run them)

The last few minutes of the game with Yale having the ball of should of never happened if clock control is your plan. Even in their own strategy, they had no clue. I'm kinda glad they showed the level of incompetence to expect, (how to blow a 21-0 3rd quarter lead to an FCS team) even though there's no way you let a guy like Spanos be the mouth piece for this program. Like John Silver wrote ( Edsall Out who could Replace Him ) he has the "personality of a mortician" so at least any of that talk should also be dead.

Actually, the quote was "...He seems to have the personality of a mortician"


Anyone who's been paying any attention at all to Spanos since he's been interim head coach should have noted that he actually DOES NOT have the personality of a mortician. That take in that article didn't age too well...

He's ultra-high-energy, his players seem to feed off that energy. He's a pretty fun listen on his coach's show spots.

With that being said, note that I'm not at all advocating for him to be permanent head coach.

But, all things considered, he's been a breath of fresh air post-Edsall and the team has clearly played better with him at the helm.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I'll defend that personal foul on Watts all day long. He was getting decent pressure and the QB turned and ducked to where Watt's hand was. There wasn't anything malicious or boneheaded about it. Sure, we all knew that was a momentum killer for UConn but plays like that are going to happen.

He had to reach above his own shoulder to make that that grab.

 

[Palatine]

UConn didn't run the hurry up the last couple of drives. Just couldn't get first downs.

But thy didn't milk the clock either, they often snapped the ball with ten second on the clock.

Spanos decision to go for at mid-field when defense was playing well was also a head scratcher. It was the shot in the arm that Yale needed.

 

[RSTuthill]

Agree, and the slowness to hit the point of attack means the guys blocking have to hold their blocks for so long that the plays often get stopped cold. They just do not have the talent to hold blocks that long not to mention that the plays take so long to develop the LB's sniff them out.

One more thing, if I may. I think that we can mostly agree that the timing is all wrong on UConn running plays. What to do to fix that? I don't know, but I do have an idea how to diagnose. It involves a little bit of experimentation.

Recall when Jordon Todman was number two in the nation in rushing? What did THAT look like? Lightning quick to the point of attack with the ball carrier right behind Anthony Sherman, a blocking fullback who was drafted in the third round (IIRC) -- often from the I formation. No waiting for the guard and TE to pull, just BAM off tackle or up the gut. Four yards on a fourth and one on their own 20 with the game hanging in the balance with a minute left to play and everyone in the stadium knowing who would get the ball.

Well, Todman and Sherman are long gone with the OL a shadow of its former self, but the opportunity to run a couple of those plays to collect some timing data is still present. And goodness, if it succeeds, then the opportunity is also there to change up the timing by pulling linemen to confuse the opponent D.

Flame away, folks. I am an engineer, and timing is important in this game -- as it is to engineers.