So maybe I am the only one…..

[TMB4405]

I am mildly happy we are competitive. But I want to actually win a game. Wtf are we doing on defense? We are rushing 3 and 4 guys every play. And not able to stop anything anyway. On the 4th and 4 bring everyone. Worst case we get the ball back with time to score. That is soft.

we are 0-5. Have some balls.

 

[Husky68]

Exactly. Had one play to win game. Why aren't defensive lineman rushing with arms up to hinder slants. Make them make a big play, if they do they do.

 

[businesslawyer]

Um, because a five yard completion getting them the first down still had them out of FG range?

We needed to make one more play at any point during the game. We didn’t. We’re playing much better football than we did a few weeks ago. We still need to learn how to get over the hump. But with all the injuries they had to play through last night, they showed plenty of desire and mental toughness even in losing to another really bad team.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

I hope to see us be able to win 3 games now - MTSU, UMass and Yale. Our last two losses stung, however I wonder how the team would have done it Spanos was the coach from opening day.

I believe the next coach have a foundation to build a winning team. I'm ready to see how 2022 season will be, but we do have 2 QBs to lead the team.

 

[jdb50]

We sent blitzers the last two plays of the losing field goal drive but it was two late. And Vandy got the PI call. Definitely need faster players in the pass rush on the edge which will not be solved overnight. Most of the game we rushed 4.

 

[uconnyankee]

That 333 lb defensive back? Brought some heft up middle. (Travis?)….
seemed he was just getting back after injury?

 

[uchusky32]

Coaches lost this game. Should have kick field goal after that miss and took the lead. He hooked one. Has been money.

D plays way to conservative. Yep, 4 and 4 and you give the QB time? Blitz make him throw quick. We don't call the right olats at the right time.

O-line needs to stop the driving killing motion or holding. They played better but it was who they were playing against.

 

[BugsyCT]

We're weak at LB, we've been weak at linebacker for some time, and that limits what you can do defensively.

 

[hardcorehusky]

We are weak at the corner opposite Lucien. That is a big problem that hinders what we can do defensively.

 

[Vowelguy]

Coaches lost this game. Should have kick field goal after that miss and took the lead. He hooked one. Has been money.

Do you know that he was healthy enough to kick? I assume we went on 4th bc he wasn’t.

 

[UCTitleTown]

So sick off all these great effort, moral victory posts. Are you really football fans? In what world does any of that matter? Especially given how many years our program has been God-awful. Do you really see "effort" saving this program? You know what will save the program? Winning some freaking games.

 

[Vowelguy]

When you start the season 146-21 against 3 mediocre FBS teams + lose to an FCS school, you learn to revise your hopes.

 

[Bongo Fury]

So sick off all these great effort, moral victory posts. Are you really football fans? In what world does any of that matter? Especially given how many years our program has been God-awful. Do you really see "effort" saving this program? You know what will save the program? Winning some freaking games.

Teams win close games and lose close games. Eventually these close games will go their way.

 

[BugsyCT]

So sick off all these great effort, moral victory posts. Are you really football fans? In what world does any of that matter? Especially given how many years our program has been God-awful. Do you really see "effort" saving this program? You know what will save the program? Winning some freaking games.

Winning, huh? Wow, thanks.

 

[DoctorWho85]

So sick off all these great effort, moral victory posts. Are you really football fans? In what world does any of that matter? Especially given how many years our program has been God-awful. Do you really see "effort" saving this program? You know what will save the program? Winning some freaking games.

In a world where this season began historically bad, signs of improvement is something that sparks interest. That isn't a moral victory. That's an actual victory for a program that has been bad since 2011.

 

[noeynox]

We're weak at LB, we've been weak at linebacker for some time, and that limits what you can do defensively.

I actually think the trio of Webb, Jackson, and Swenson is our best trio in forever. Need more depth.

 

[TMB4405]

I had had several cocktails before the first post. Excuse the fact it did not make a lot of sense. My point is you are 0-5. I know they want to win desperately but why coach so conservatively on the last defensive drive? Once we left that much time on the clock I knew we were going to lose when they only needed a FG. On the 4th and 4 I personally would have sent a max blitz package. Considering we basically never blitz at all maybe it speeds them up. It just felt like we were hoping not to lose instead of playing to win.

 

[UConnRock]

Said this in the new HC thread.....the huge positive of the teams improved performance is showing potential coaching candidates that the team has talent and can compete. The performance in the 1st 3 games was so dismal that any sane coach would have reservations about taking on the rebuilding task. What we saw against Wyoming and Vandy shows a certain level of competitiveness.

 

[Pudge]

I hope to see us be able to win 3 games now - MTSU, UMass and Yale. Our last two losses stung, however I wonder how the team would have done it Spanos was the coach from opening day.

I believe the next coach have a foundation to build a winning team. I'm ready to see how 2022 season will be, but we do have 2 QBs to lead the team.

you could not see a bigger contrast in COACHING makes a difference.

I am a Edsall apologista from that Aughts decade. But WE see several things last week ... and it started the week before or more. Guys playing with a different mentality. Edsall persona was all over this program; and was in 1.0. There's an emotional difference with Spanos. There's a playmaking spark in the last week that was eyeopening. I do not believe we lack talent; or Edsall did not retain and infuse this UConn Program the talent to spot/evaluate and nurture youth in football. But I think what we saw with Phommachanh; Carter; Clercius; Jackson Mitchell; Hunter Webb; Lucien; Marion ... are emerging playmaking ability far beyond the Fresno/HC debacle. In football, there's a emotional component to TEAM that comes out that energizes some of the guys to perform far better.

 

[Pudge]

I actually think the trio of Webb, Jackson, and Swenson is our best trio in forever. Need more depth.

\
Fortt is good; Morgan is a solid Depth. Maybe Fogle ... who has shown some on Specials

The surprise is Webb. We expected Jackson Mitchell to be solid and improving; and saw Swenson had combined his fluid speed with experience to grow into the position. Webb just shows up a lot in tackles. And we had no way of knowing that.

 

[TMB4405]

I had had several cocktails before the first post. Excuse the fact it did not make a lot of sense. My point is you are 0-5. I know they want to win desperately but why coach so conservatively on the last defensive drive? Once we left that much time on the clock I knew we were going to lose when they only needed a FG. On the 4th and 4 I personally would have sent a max blitz package. Considering we basically never blitz at all

 

[J187Money]

The last two games were really fun to watch. Would have preferred wins, but there is nothing at stake really other than perception - which was pretty positive. The team is fighting and trying like hell to win. 1-5 is better than 0-6, but it isn't like there is a bowl on the line or a conference championship - so I was only mildly bummed out by the loss.

Two weeks ago I wasn't sure the team had any talent. We are young, and were poorly coached, but there is a future if we can get the coaching right. And I don't think we need to hire a new coach and wait 3 years until "his guys" come of age. So while I prefer wins, the last two weeks is making me look forward to this week, when I honestly thought I was going to just ignore the rest of the season.

 

[History Geek]

Said this in the new HC thread.....the huge positive of the teams improved performance is showing potential coaching candidates that the team has talent and can compete. The performance in the 1st 3 games was so dismal that any sane coach would have reservations about taking on the rebuilding task. What we saw against Wyoming and Vandy shows a certain level of competitiveness.

That’s a great point.

 

[giddyup]

We sent blitzers the last two plays of the losing field goal drive but it was two late. And Vandy got the PI call. Definitely need faster players in the pass rush on the edge which will not be solved overnight. Most of the game we rushed 4.

Our pass rushing looks like slow motion mostly because our lineman have real trouble getting off blocks and our inside LBs just don’t seem to have the knack to exploit seams to get to the QB and end up getting caught up in traffic. Some is speed, some is bad leverage and technique and some is just a lack of instinct. But, at least we are beginning to see penetration and run stops. Improvement is there though.

 

[uconnbill]

I think if you pressure the quarterback instead of dropping eight back it would help, but as stated above the corners are not great overall. I agree pressure was needed and the march down the field was too easy