Skippy returns to Connecticut

[Carl Spackler]

West Virginia week is over. Lesson learned: Two and one third quarters aren't enough to win. Need four quarters.

Skip Holtz makes his first return to the sidelines for a UConn football game in Connecticut since the 1-AA playoffs.

I'm very excited for this week.

 

[zls44]

I imagine how odd it's going to be for him when he walks into Rentschler Field. He helped build it and should be recognized.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I agree, but I think the best way we can honor his contributions is to beat the tar out of USF.......

 

[Dann]

i hope he gets a good clap but i know the exact thread some 1 is going to make this week.
"if uconn gets acc or big invite and usf doesn't"..."can we get skip" stfu in advance. thanks lol

 

[Carl Spackler]

Somewhere in all the mess this week away from the field, Skip's return to a UConn football home field sideline is something I look forward to seeing. I'm sure there are folks around here that remember the excitement that went along with where we got 13 years ago.

We've come a long way since then, but find ourselves, not really in that much of a different situation, just a different size and scope.

In a few weeks, we're going to have a game at Rentschler that's going to mean a hell of a lot for our current coach, an old acquaintance to lay the smack down on.

This week, there's a lot of us that will be up in the stands watching, that will be looking to lay a little beating down on Skippy's new team.

Go get em guys......crack some usf bull skulls.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I didn't think UConn had a prayer against WVU to be honest. USF is a different story. They are a very good team, and I would kill to have their receivers, but they are beatable at the Rent. Daniels is a front running QB. When things are going well for him, he is great, but he collapses when there is a little bit of adversity.

McEntee has to learn to handle adversity a little better, because there will be adversity. The Bulls gamble to the point of recklessness, and there will be UConn turnovers. McEntee has to hold it together when that happens and come back strong, and he has to make the Bulls pay for jumping routs and UConn's receivers and running backs have to make them pay when they hold up UConn players to try to strip the ball. Break tackles and gain additional yards.

The team is still tentative in Deleone's system. They just have to play football and attack.

 

[uconndogs]

I totally agree on Daniels. We should be very physical with him every chance we get.

I also think we can run on USF and take some of the pressure off of Johny Mac.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I didn't think UConn had a prayer against WVU to be honest. USF is a different story. They are a very good team, and I would kill to have their receivers, but they are beatable at the Rent. Daniels is a front running QB. When things are going well for him, he is great, but he collapses when there is a little bit of adversity.

McEntee has to learn to handle adversity a little better, because there will be adversity. The Bulls gamble to the point of recklessness, and there will be UConn turnovers. McEntee has to hold it together when that happens and come back strong, and he has to make the Bulls pay for jumping routs and UConn's receivers and running backs have to make them pay when they hold up UConn players to try to strip the ball. Break tackles and gain additional yards.

The team is still tentative in Deleone's system. They just have to play football and attack.

This is a real test this week for these guys. The first half of the season didn't turn out so well. The goals for the season are still to be had.

But it absolutely MUST start this week at home. The energy, the passion to play. I don't care what the record says, it's game time in 2 days, and it's either win or lose on Saturday.

The thing about it, and these guys know it, you don't just show up and win on Saturday. You win on Sunday, and on Tuesday, and Wednesday, and today, and tomorrow.

West Virginia? Just like Vanderbilt, like Iowa State, like Western Michigan. We have not seen a team yet, and we won't, that we are completely overmatched.

We need to get our assignments down, get out there, and play loose and fast, and SMART, but with our heads on fire.

As noted by me prior to West Virginia, I was looking forward to seeing all three phases of the game clicking and working together, and you know what - they did, against a top 20 program in the country on the road, and we had that game ready to put the throttle down.

But football adversity struck, and struck hard, and knocked us down off the biggest wave we've been on top of for a long time, and we didn't get back in the saddle. All the opportunities to get back in te saddle were there, but the other team went for the throat harder.

I'm looking forward to seeing all three phases working together again on Saturday afternoon, for a full 60 this time. Maybe I wasn't specific enough last time, just wanting to see the three phases working together for once...LOL.

But football adversity, in this game, it will happen, it always does, we need to get the momentum back, when it turns and we might not have it.

How do you do it?

Smart. Fast. Physical. Football.

I hope practices have been better than ever.

 

[BlueDogs]

I totally agree on Daniels. We should be very physical with him every chance we get.

I also think we can run on USF and take some of the pressure off of Johny Mac.

Like the thought. Need to give J Mac some protection and time. But, McCoombs is not a prime time back. He does not have a strong up field move, misses holes, lacks break away speed, and is brought down easily. Unfortunately we have been spoiled by the best. O-Line has to carve out some big holes for there to be meaningful success on the ground. The good news is they have the horse power to sustain a run game if they maintain their intensity.

 

[Carl Spackler]

What we need to do is continue to play an offensively balanced game plan, and take advantage of the opportunities we've got, and eliminate the mistakes and bad decisions. it's gotten better and better week to week, and I'm looking for 60 minutes of this week.

McCombs is running fine. I worry about the kid making it the course of the season, and I worry every time the kid has to line up and block a rushing DE or LB that he's going to get knocked out.

On defense, we cant' give up the explosion plays in the passing game. CAnt' do it.

Much like playing Collaros and Cincy in the past, the guys back there in coverages can't get caught up in looking into the backfield, and need to run with their assignments until the whistle and trust the guys up front to keep Daniels behind the line of scrimmage, and to bring him down if he crosses it.

If our DB's start looking in the backfield, we will lose this game.

 

[gabect]

Sucks to be Skippy right now. The job outran him and he got beat 2x by 2 different coaches at his old school with no offensive touchdowns. The crowd noise was great, maybe he's starting to think he should have stayed but I know he had to go with Lou.

 

[whaler11]

Based on their blowout loss at Pitt and their disaster today I'm pretty sure that South Florida isn't very good. I'm surprised I'd thought they would challenge for the league. They can ride that Notre Dame win... but that game was handed to them on a silver platter and they barely held on.