Post Spring Game Analysis - Post Here

[jbdphi]

Couple of questions for someone who wasn't able to make the multi-continental commute:
- Is there a replay available anywhere?
- I'm hearing McCummings looked better than Cochrane but according to the journalists, he only completed one pass - is that right?
- Format aside, this whole thing sounds a lot like last year's game where the offense couldn't get much done at all - unfortunately I'm not seeing any reason to be optimistic about our offensive performance this year

For what it's worth, I know lots and lots of people thought our offense was bad because of the playcalling last year. I'm starting to come to the conclusion that our offense was just bad period - playcalling was almost irrelevant. The only time in the past 10 years UConn has had a decent offense was either a) when we had Dan Orlovsky behind center or b) we were able to impose our will in the trenches and run the ball. Neither of those things is happening this year so as much as I want to be optimistic about our chances, I think we're looking at a long season.

Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Nostical]

Not sure if performance flows from confidence or vice versa, but several players said Chandler is very simply the more confident QB. And this may be neither here nor there, but they also said CC is getting better--despite what we saw.

 

[firstnline]

The first thing I liked and only thing I liked was the smell of BBQ'd food pulling into the parking lot. It reminded me of football season, but it stopped there. The University needs to bring business in, NOT chase people away. This whole fiasco with season tickets just irks the crap out of me, and its just that a fiasco. Wouldn't you think they could put up a sign at each entrance that said, WELCOME BACK HUSKY FANS and prominently display the new logo at each entrance. Have a free giveaway at least to all the kids.

I think they knew ahead of time that the turnout would be very low and 3000 people there would be a very generous estimate. And last but not least our local media coverage was embarrassing and horrific as usual. If we are ever going to be a big time player we desperately need the media coverage.

 

[outsidethebox]

You realize that he basically makes s*** up, right?

I was also at game and went up to ticket venue. I have 2 season tickets in 131 and wanted to buy a third and if it was possible to get them together or at least near me. He told me he could not help me but call ticket office on Monday. Not much help at all.

 

[whaler11]

You realize that he basically makes s*** up, right?

I accidentally had a conversation with two guys selling tickets because they were working out of a concession stand. It was a pretty half-a**ed looking operation - since I thought they may have been to sell.

 

[whaler11]

Very telling is the lack of any interest or commenting here. I've been to
every spring game since like 2001 save the night game in 2011. I've had some great times and I can't remember one like yesterday where I honestly could have just left at any point and not given a damn about what I missed.

If me and the other obsessive diehards around places like this are being lost some... where are the casual fans going to be?

 

[rich1122]

Was Joe Williams #21 held out intentionally? I did not see him either with pads or without pads. Was he really #26 in disguise? Kind of a grassy knoll theory I suppose.

Did anybody actually see him yesterday?

 

[bigAbruns]

The defense looks to be pretty good, especially once the injured starters get in there. Coach Hughes was energetic, and the defense was pretty energetic as well. I liked the siz of the DL, they look to be bigger and more physical, which will hopefully allow for the LBs to fly around. The offense looked pretty bad. Whitmer was by far the best QB out there. He had an average day at best, but he's confident which is what this team needs. Cochran and McCummings weren't that great. Cochran did have that one good 50+ yard pass play and that came after a handful of INTs and poorly thrown passes. I didn't like what I saw from the OL and the running game. Seemed like half of the runs were out of the shotgun....I hate that shotgun handoff crap. What really got me was the offense makes it down to the 1 yard line and they go into that shotgun, hand the ball off and lose 2 yards on the play. That set up the FG from the 1.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Very telling is the lack of any interest or commenting here. I've been to
every spring game since like 2001 save the night game in 2011. I've had some great times and I can't remember one like yesterday where I honestly could have just left at any point and not given a damn about what I missed.

If me and the other obsessive diehards around places like this are being lost some... where are the casual fans going to be?

This is what I worry about as well. I didn't go because I couldn't get out of other obligations, but I wasn't too upset about it. After reading reports from folks I'm glad I didn't waste. My time. I mean if 97 craps all over the day you know something was amiss. The casual fan will be drawn in for the Michigan game. Other than that? The crowd for Memphis on Dec. 7 has the potential to be a disaster.

 

[huskypantz]

I drove almost 2 hours to the spring game. Normally I would have been pissed about the length but since I brought my 17 month old, there wasn't as much attention paid to the game and we had other business in CT later in the day. I can't believe they closed off access to the club seats this year - last year we were allowed to roam. The offensive line performance was worrisome in that it reminded me of last year's foreshadowing of our o-line/running game. I hate to say that I'm feeling like this team is very similar to the 2012 squad, but that is the case. Oh well - 3+ months until we're talking about preseason practice. Plenty of time to bash the P & D show.

 

[whaler11]

Was Joe Williams #21 held out intentionally? I did not see him either with pads or without pads. Was he really #26 in disguise? Kind of a grassy knoll theory I suppose.

Did anybody actually see him yesterday?

I saw him in his jersey at the autograph session.

The walk-on Brainard looks like he ran for 20 yards at Plymouth State in 2010 and I don't see him on their 2011 roster. He was with UConn in the fall of 2012.

 

[firstnline]

The defense looks to be pretty good, especially once the injured starters get in there. Coach Hughes was energetic, and the defense was pretty energetic as well. I liked the siz of the DL, they look to be bigger and more physical, which will hopefully allow for the LBs to fly around. The offense looked pretty bad. Whitmer was by far the best QB out there. He had an average day at best, but he's confident which is what this team needs. Cochran and McCummings weren't that great. Cochran did have that one good 50+ yard pass play and that came after a handful of INTs and poorly thrown passes. I didn't like what I saw from the OL and the running game. Seemed like half of the runs were out of the shotgun....I hate that shotgun handoff crap. What really got me was the offense makes it down to the 1 yard line and they go into that shotgun, hand the ball off and lose 2 yards on the play. That set up the FG from the 1.

Spot on. The D did look good, and I'll go further they actually showed up. They looked like they played with purpose and enthusiasm. One other positive was a 47 yd field by Bobby Puyol into a stern wind, line drive that split the uprights.

 

[B1GEast]

only winning on the field will cure apathy, I think the fans sre not buying into coach p's claims that things will be different offensively, added with the fact expansion has passed by and we are stuck in a crappy conference and you get all of this negative vibe.

it seems like they should have launched the new unis and logo during the spring game.

 

[whaler11]

I guess he's too hurt to get out to the Rent but Dez wrote a feature on a sporting good salesman that reads like advertising for today's Courant? It really is sad to see what's become of the Courant.

 

[pj]

Yes! I saw it and commented about it to my brother actually. He saw it too. Amazing strength and agility. It may have been after he had an INT go through his hands, then slid down to the turf on his back in disgust (?). But yes, I know exactly what you're talking about. He was in Indian-style sitting position and used his legs to stand up in less than a second, without using any hands or anything for balance. It would take me MUCH longer to just get INTO an Indian-style sitting position!!

This is actually a standard movement used to test strength and flexibility but it is also a skill move -- even excellent athletes have to practice it. The sitting-rising test is a good measure of health. Healthy athletes with practice can sit and rise without any support -- hands or knees. Healthy non-athletes can do it easily with only one support -- one hand or one knee touching the ground. The most supports you need to sit or rise, the more likely you are to die in the near future. See http://cpr.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/12/10/2047487312471759: If you need two supports -- say, a hand and a knee -- to sit and rise, your chance of dying in the next six years is doubled.

Crossing your legs Indian style is the key to getting up without any support -- you can't do it without that -- that is a skill step. Then you need the flexibility to get your body mass over your feet and feet on the ground in that position, and strength to push off the outside of your feet. For guys who can squat twice their body weight, the strength is not an issue.

 

[Chin Diesel]

only winning on the field will cure apathy, I think the fans sre not buying into coach p's claims that things will be different offensively, added with the fact expansion has passed by and we are stuck in a crappy conference and you get all of this negative vibe.

it seems like they should have launched the new unis and logo during the spring game.

This staff has earned the wait and see approach from the fanbase.

 

[Chief00]

The story about the person getting such a response for season-tickets boggles my mind.

UConn should be doing what every team, pro and college, is doing with people who want season tickets nowadays- waiting on them hand and foot, making sure they understand how much their support is appreciated.

I feel like they think that because they've been doing this ten years, because Michigan and MIGHTY MARYLAND are coming this year, that they've got everything figured out.

What they should have done? Apologize profusely for the computer issues, get the person's contact info, and reach out to them first-thing Monday to hammer out specific details on a seat location. Encourage them to sit around several sections, maybe send a ticket rep with them to write down places they liked, then see what's available when the computers work and make it happen. And maybe you promise a new logo t-shirt as a "sorry for the hassle" thing.

But instead, this is what you get. Turning away people who willingly want to buy season tickets for a boring program, with no buzz, that's down A THIRD in season ticket sales over the last few years.

I really think tickets/marketing look at the Spring Game as a chore and inconvenience.

That mentality is the problem. Has been for far too long.

I agree the mentality and culture need to change. It was amateur hour. I also can't help but think of the parallels with the UConn Health Center. Despite all the investments recently it failed an evaluation miserable compared to other hospitals. Things like cleanliness and infection controls. Just seems like there just isn't sufficient accountability in anything connected with CT state government. True we have a few great coaches and some great doctors who sometimes disguise how truly weak institutionally we are.

 

[metsfan2323]

- I'm hearing McCummings looked better than Cochrane but according to the journalists, he only completed one pass - is that right?

There were a few drops of McCummings passes (he has a Frazer like arm cannon). It's impossible to get a read on what McCummings can do in this type of setting because they won't let him run the ball. He did not have a good passing day, it's just obvious that he throws much better than he did a couple years ago.

I have a hunch that if by act of Congress Jim Harbaugh was forced to coach this team, McCummings would end up the starter running the read option all day long, he is an NFL type of athlete at the position.

 

[Chief00]

Fishy, you need to get out more.

 

[ZooCougar]

I guess he's too hurt to get out to the Rent but Dez wrote a feature on a sporting good salesman that reads like advertising for today's Courant? It really is sad to see what's become of the Courant.

How blessed.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'll state this to Warde's face if I ever get to meet him: UConn needs to just forget about making money for awhile, and just concentrate on making FANS. Treat the fan base right on the front end, and watch how big the ROI will kick in down the road.

This is absolutely spot-on, Epark!!! I've had this same thought for a while now, and I could not have said it better myself...

 

[whaler11]

There were a few drops of McCummings passes (he has a Frazer like arm cannon). It's impossible to get a read on what McCummings can do in this type of setting because they won't let him run the ball. He did not have a good passing day, it's just obvious that he throws much better than he did a couple years ago.

I have a hunch that if by act of Congress Jim Harbaugh was forced to coach this team, McCummings would end up the starter running the read option all day long, he is an NFL type of athlete at the position.

The second the new QBs are on campus they need to immediately move him to another position. Try to salvage his career like DJ or Henry. What they have done to date is wasteful and counterproductive.

 

[rich1122]

I saw him in his jersey at the autograph session.

The walk-on Brainard looks like he ran for 20 yards at Plymouth State in 2010 and I don't see him on their 2011 roster. He was with UConn in the fall of 2012.

Did Williams get a snap? If he did I missed it. They used Claxx and I really thought he may be the change of pace guy. The also threw to Claxx over the middle- 15 yds, which was very different.

Whatever McCumming's role he is an improved passer and maybe this helps down the line - time will tell. Can't be bad.

 

[Adios]

I opted for some hardcore-ish concert last night instead. Crowd beat the crap out of me. I should have brought PP and GDL along and pushed them into the mosh pit.

 

[LIUCHusky]

I drove almost 2 hours to the spring game. Normally I would have been pissed about the length but since I brought my 17 month old, there wasn't as much attention paid to the game and we had other business in CT later in the day. I can't believe they closed off access to the club seats this year - last year we were allowed to roam. The offensive line performance was worrisome in that it reminded me of last year's foreshadowing of our o-line/running game. I hate to say that I'm feeling like this team is very similar to the 2012 squad, but that is the case. Oh well - 3+ months until we're talking about preseason practice. Plenty of time to bash the P & D show.

Access was closed to the club seating area because there was an event hosted by the athletic department. The event was to thank those who bought season tickets for football and men's and women's basketball tickets at both Gampel and the XL Center. It was very well done and a nice gesture on the part of the AD.