Post Game Reflection - offical thread

[spsct]

It's game 1 of the rebuild, for a first time head coach, against a pretty good team. I'm not stringing up the noose just yet.

I'll tell you what; for the first time in 2 years I stayed up well past midnight to watch the game (I even went 10 toes in and bought the full season package from ESPN); unfortunately (or fortunately) I crashed at half time. But at least I have hope for the first time in years.

We all need to be patient here; if it's game 6 or 7 and everything looks like it did tonight, then we can get a bit antsy... After the last 3 years all we can realistically hope for is steady improvement in all phases.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

We didn't play great. We should let CW play the entire game. He can be a very good QB if he is given the chance to develop. The positive is our OL played better vs. last year. Another positive I noticed is our players did not quit despite the fact we were way down.

We need to play better at LB. It seems every other play BYU is throwing to their RBs or tight end and getting big yards. The bend don't break can work if our offense can score.

The biggest positive is our players did not quit in the second half and that's a good thing going forward. I also like Diaco's sideline demeanor.

 

[The Funster]

Nothing killed momentum like the QB changes. Cochran showed some life in the 2nd half. You want to build the program? Pick the kid and stick with him.

 

[Vowelguy]

Edsall could get away with that in 99. We have been FBS for over a decade, he shouldn't be building a program.

But that's what he has to do given the shambles that PP left. Or has everyone already forgotten tornado Paul?

 

[ktuck911]

- Whitmer leaves the pocket way too early still at any signs of pressure

This...
Which is why you gotta stick with Cochran. However the drive where Cochran got us in the red zone where Whitmer came and stalled it, I think Cochran got his bell rung. Don't think we would've seen a QB switch if that didn't happen.

 

[ktuck911]

We didn't play great. We should let CW play the entire game. He can be a very good QB if he is given the chance to develop.

No way. Sorry.

 

[traitor71]

Edsall could get away with that in 99. We have been FBS for over a decade, he shouldn't be building a program, just getting the most he can out of these guys. It's not like he will be recruiting 4 and 5 star guys to come in an upgrade the talent. I do think this might be the best team we see this year, we will know a lot more by the end of the weekend.

But he is building a program. A bad coach can wreck a program and we just went through that. It's going to take time to get the players needed to field a good team because the last guy didn't leave many of them.

 

[tjhusky]

Random thoughts...
I am sure there was no way in practice they could simulate Hill.
BYU was prepared and did not take the game lightly.
The fumble on the first play was unfortunate, but that was a full speed head to ball contact. It was not that the ball was not protected. We did not cough the ball up on any other running plays.
Our players are not know quantities. How can you help them improve if you can't see them in a tough high speed game against what looked to be a mature BYU team.
We never gave up.
There are a lot of things to improve and the test of the coaching staff will be what we see in games 2, 3, 4.
This is not a one year or one game project.

 

[Milo65]

Thoughts from last night...

The good: We moved the ball between the 20's. We even controlled position for almost the entire 3rd quarter. We have good players at the skilled positions, QB, RB's, WR's. Liked the way the field looked and the new and improved entrance of the team. Our guys didn't quit, fought to the end, played hard and tough. We have a lot of young guys getting experience and will be very good players. We all want to win now, but it will take time.

The bad: Penalties...too many and put us in tough down and distance. Turnovers: You can't cough it up on your first play from scrimmage, not against a team like BYU, the Int. in the end zone when we were down by 14 felt like a dagger. Can the two QB system. You can't get into the red z0ne 5 times and only come away with 10 points, unacceptable.

The ugly: The fake fg could possibly be one of the worst calls I have ever seen! Fourth and long and you roll out to the short side of the field! Replacing Cochran in the middle of a drive...NO! We let Hill run and throw wild, no contain, no pressure from our front 7. The stadium was relatively empty at the start of the game and of course our wonderful student section walked out with 12 minutes left in the 4th quarter!

 

[husky210]

This game reminded me of the pat white wvu years. Hill did what he pleased and ran all over us. The defensive strategy used reminded me too much of edsall: they tried to prevent big plays, but gave them up because they let hill get in space. It also looks like putting pressure on the qb will be an issue.

I was excited about the running backs and the run blocking, it was almost refreshing. The qb thing was idiotic. Also, the perennial plague of dropped passes continues.

The main takeaway: the penalties and inability to execute in the redbone point to a few things. Unpreparedness, inexperience and poor execution (plus a few bonehead coaching moves) The way I see it BYU was going to score regardless last night and all we could have hoped for was to keep pace(see pat white).

I think we will get better and you could see it a little bit last night in parts of the second half, but BYU was a tough way to cut your teeth.

 

[rich1122]

Bottom line the defense was terrible. Same as last year. Wide open receivers. Waltzing in for TD's. I don't think BYU threw a ball over 15 yards but they had a ton of yards after catch. Put no pressure on the QB - none. We played a little tougher in 2nd half but they basically did what they wanted. If they had not shot themselves in the foot with penalties they could have had 50+.

I'll watch the game this weekend and maybe it will change my mind.

 

[freescooter]

To me the "exhibition game" mentality was in may ways the worst thing. If you are going to go with freshmen and your guys, just do it. The season is 12 games. You don't throw up the white flag after 5 minutes ("C'mon, we were down 14 after 5. you don't win those games"says Diaco). And it showed. If you aren't going to at least try to win, take the team to the beach and throw the frizbee around. I didn't like the running back by committee thing either. My view was that Marriner is the best of the 4 at this point. So use him. But if you think someone else is, use him. Running backs typically need a bunch of carries to get going. We had 24 carries by running backs, DeLorenzo had 9, Marriner had 9, the frosh had 3 each. How the heck can you tell anything. This isn't the little league world series where everyone has to play 2 innings.

 

[Dooley]

I'm going to reserve judgment on the D until we play a game against someone not as talented as Hill. Their offensive system is flawless. Designed passing options for when Hill leaves the pocket and scrambles. VERY difficult to defend. We aren't going to see a better offensive system and execution all year than what we saw last night from BYU.

 

[tduconn]

Really disappointed. Not that I expected to be a well establish and successful program like BYU.

Was Foxx the same receiver who last year dropped passes that were wide open for long gains against USF. Someone ruined Boyles initial game because they couldn't catch the ball.. If it was I think he chokes in everything but practice.

Do not object too strongly with the number of substitutions on both sides of the ball, If the reason was to give promising players experience for the concept of building depth.....good choice. If it was following through on a concept that if you aren't performing.....you're out.......good message to the upper class players on the squad who may be of the opinion they are in a position based of being an upper classmen........performance over entitlement rules. Anyone could loose their starting position.

CC is not the same QB against strong competition as he was against the likes of Memphis. Not nearly as sharp and may have had slightly better protection.

There was one potential P5 team on the field....... and it wasn't the Huskies.

I won't get too excited if next week UConn hammers a cupcake.......but my anxiety will increase mightly if they struggle to score as was last years cupcake game against Townson.

 

[TRest]

Really disappointed. Not that I expected to be a well establish and successful program like BYU.

Was Foxx the same receiver who last year dropped passes that were wide open for long gains against USF. Someone ruined Boyles initial game because they couldn't catch the ball.. If it was I think he chokes in everything but practice.

Do not object too strongly with the number of substitutions on both sides of the ball, If the reason was to give promising players experience for the concept of building depth.....good choice. If it was following through on a concept that if you aren't performing.....you're out..good message to the upper class players on the squad who may be of the opinion they are in a position based of being an upper classmen...performance over entitlement rules. Anyone could loose their starting position.

CC is not the same QB against strong competition as he was against the likes of Memphis. Not nearly as sharp and may have had slightly better protection.

There was one potential P5 team on the field.. and it wasn't the Huskies.

I won't get too excited if next week UConn hammers a cupcake..but my anxiety will increase mightly if they struggle to score as was last years cupcake game against Townson.

Pretty sure Stony Brook lost to Bryant Thursday, which may be a bad loss. Is Bryant FCS? Does it give full allotment of scholarships?

 

[Waquoit]

Looking back, nothing Diaco did bothers me very much. In fact, I appreciate that he is taking a long-term approach. What killed us yesterday was that horrible Shoemate-esq fumble followed up by the McEntee-like pick. It was game over at that point.

 

[willie99]

we played a pretty darn good team, a team that has a great QB, a team used to playing together, while we're a young team looking to establish our rotations and strengths

nothing to be ashamed of, learn and move on

 

[junglehusky]

Bottom line the defense was terrible. Same as last year. Wide open receivers. Waltzing in for TD's. I don't think BYU threw a ball over 15 yards but they had a ton of yards after catch. Put no pressure on the QB - none. We played a little tougher in 2nd half but they basically did what they wanted. If they had not shot themselves in the foot with penalties they could have had 50+.

I'll watch the game this weekend and maybe it will change my mind.

I understand this, but I also kinda buy Diaco's characterization that the D did improve over the game. Maybe some of that was BYU deciding to take the foot of the gas, I'm not sure. Either way we need to get back to what made UConn formidable on defense, learn the new system, cut down the mistakes.

 

[Doggie Style]

Looking back, nothing Diaco did bothers me very much. In fact, I appreciate that he is taking a long-term approach. What killed us yesterday was that horrible Shoemate-esq fumble followed up by the McEntee-like pick. It was game over at that point.

I called Shoemate on that fumble as well..... That was brutal !

 

[Husky25]

I'm starting to think Diaco is a really weird guy. That QB platoon is inexplicable. The fake FG was horrendous. That's why you open the season with a cupcake, if you can.

For as Long as UConn is in the AAC and/or the AAC is not treated like a 5CSMA, UConn is the cupcake.

 

[Excalibur]

You got me. He is great athlete, but he can't catch a ball and worse still he consistently slows at the end of routes like he is afraid to run up to the ball and have to make a hard catch. He is a terrible deep route guy, but they keep running him because he is so fast. He just won't run under the ball. He is NOT a play maker.

Foxx should've never been moved to receiver from running back.

 

[Excalibur]

I love the comments about 1999 Edsall. You people realize that we basically hired the 2014 version of the same guy?

 

[Bonehead]

This...
Which is why you gotta stick with Cochran. However the drive where Cochran got us in the red zone where Whitmer came and stalled it, I think Cochran got his bell rung. Don't think we would've seen a QB switch if that didn't happen.

What about the CC pick in BYU territory on over throw?
How about CC over throws twice in first half on 3rd down - I mean 5-7 feet over the receivers head.
And the wide open Foxx down field.

I watched CW come in in first half and throw strikes and have balls dropped.

 

[rich1122]

I'm going to reserve judgment on the D until we play a game against someone not as talented as Hill. Their offensive system is flawless. Designed passing options for when Hill leaves the pocket and scrambles. VERY difficult to defend. We aren't going to see a better offensive system and execution all year than what we saw last night from BYU.

BYU not even a Top 25 team who suspended about 6 starters. They left their 2 starting CB's in Utah. The first 3 TD's the guys just waltzed in and nobody was even close to laying a glove onthem..

 

[Dooley]

BYU not even a Top 25 team who suspended about 6 starters. They left their 2 starting CB's in Utah. The first 3 TD's the guys just waltzed in and nobody was even close to laying a glove onthem..

Last night was all about our inability to stop Hill. He made every single correct read when he scrambled - whether to dump off to a receiver or tuck and run.

I thought that we would be able to exploit their secondary a bit more...that much I'll give you.