Solve your problems with aggression

[FfldCntyFan]

My ass.

Not only are there holes everywhere in the defense, we are telegraphing where they will be.

The only thing that can be said in favor of the D is the offense is far worse. The last two plays on our last possession clearly illustrates that Whitmer can't (likely by GDL's rules) audible out of a play call. A third grader would have read the corner coming off the edge on second down and the double blitz up the gut on third. A quick pass at the vacated corner on second, a switch to a middle hot route on third would have each gone for big gains.

 

[huskymedic]

DB for Head Coach (sorry - couldn't resist).

 

[Palatine]

The defense played exceptional well.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

From the Gratz interception forward yes. They still leave holes all over the field.

 

[cryjeremiah]

From the Gratz interception forward yes. They still leave holes all over the field.

You know, the D only "lost" one game really. The way I see it, if the O was as competent as the D, this team could easily be as good as 8-1.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

You know, the D only "lost" one game really. The way I see it, if the O was as competent as the D, this team could easily be as good as 8-1.

I agree fully.

 

[cryjeremiah]

I agree fully.

Then "like" my comment, dammit!!! lol

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Then "like" my comment, dammit!!! lol

Done

 

[metsfan2323]

Overall Don Brown has done an excellent job here. Our D is every bit as good as it was during the Edsall era, and probably better. The drop off has been on offense and special teams, huge declines there.

 

[Endzone Diva]

My ass.

Not only are there holes everywhere in the defense, we are telegraphing where they will be.

The only thing that can be said in favor of the D is the offense is far worse. The last two plays on our last possession clearly illustrates that Whitmer can't (likely by GDL's rules) audible out of a play call. A third grader would have read the corner coming off the edge on second down and the double blitz up the gut on third. A quick pass at the vacated corner on second, a switch to a middle hot route on third would have each gone for big gains.

The UConn defense held USF to it's lowest rushing total of the season with 81 yards. They also held USF to only 13 points, tied for the lowest point total in a game this year (tied with Rutgers who actually has an O that helps keep their D off the field). USF averages 25 points per game, we held them to well below their average. Only one other team has held USF to under 300 yards of total offense (283) and that was Florida State's defense whom I think might have a bit more talent and speed. Our defense had 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and an interception. I'm pretty confident the defense held up it's end of the bargain. There were not "holes" everywhere. Don Brown is a pretty damn good coach, keep bringing the aggression!

 

[Hoophound]

Our D has to be demoralized and exhausted at this point. They are battling for nothing. Don Brown has done a great job.

 

[ruskin]

Now we're No. 9 defense statistically. West Virginia, among others, would love to pluck DB.

 

[pj]

Can't complain about the D and after all the injuries at DE, they played extremely well this weekend. ... The O-line just keeps regressing. Chandler Whitmer looks great, he's really improved. Geremy Davis looks great. Not much else to praise about the offense.

 

[freescooter]

Our defense has been fine, but it hasn't been great. I'm not sure I got this stat right, but I bleive that last night they said that the Gratz pick was the first time UConn kept a team from scoring once they got into the red zone. That is a pretty sad stat if true. The other one is turn overs. I've been harping on it all year but this group simply doesn't turn teams over. So far this season we have 4 lousy picks. Last year we had 16. Under Edsall' bend don't break system we had 20 in 2010 and 12 in 2009, 18 in 2008, and 12 in 2006. You have to go back to 2002 to find a season where we had intercetions in the single digits. But that's where we'll likely be ths year. Fumble recoveries is similar. We have 7 this year. It's possible we get to 2010's 11, but probably not. We surely won't get to last year's 13. Brown's defense seems to be based on pressuring the quarterback and stopping the run. But it isn't opportunistic in any sense. It can stop teams but it doesn't make those game changing plays that give the offense a short field, or put defensive points on the field.

 

[businesslawyer]

My ass.

Not only are there holes everywhere in the defense, we are telegraphing where they will be.

The only thing that can be said in favor of the D is the offense is far worse. The last two plays on our last possession clearly illustrates that Whitmer can't (likely by GDL's rules) audible out of a play call. A third grader would have read the corner coming off the edge on second down and the double blitz up the gut on third. A quick pass at the vacated corner on second, a switch to a middle hot route on third would have each gone for big gains.

boy, that's tough, Mulcahy like grading. All defenses create some holes to stop other things. Yes, we gave up seam passes too easily at the start, but they then took it away and, overall, played an outstanding game. Just need more turnovers.

 

[businesslawyer]

Our defense has been fine, but it hasn't been great. I'm not sure I got this stat right, but I bleive that last night they said that the Gratz pick was the first time UConn kept a team from scoring once they got into the red zone. That is a pretty sad stat if true. The other one is turn overs. I've been harping on it all year but this group simply doesn't turn teams over. So far this season we have 4 lousy picks. Last year we had 16. Under Edsall' bend don't break system we had 20 in 2010 and 12 in 2009, 18 in 2008, and 12 in 2006. You have to go back to 2002 to find a season where we had intercetions in the single digits. But that's where we'll likely be ths year. Fumble recoveries is similar. We have 7 this year. It's possible we get to 2010's 11, but probably not. We surely won't get to last year's 13. Brown's defense seems to be based on pressuring the quarterback and stopping the run. But it isn't opportunistic in any sense. It can stop teams but it doesn't make those game changing plays that give the offense a short field, or put defensive points on the field.

This. The D, overall, has been really good. But for this team to be winning it needed to be good and force turnovers, and it hasn't been doing that.

 

[Nostical]

It's almost eerie that fumbles by every opponent seem to elude us.

 

[freescooter]

It's almost eerie that fumbles by every opponent seem to elude us.

Some of itis luck but some of it is coaching I believe. Temas are coached to look for and react to loose balls or they're are not. I think our guys are coached to go after the ball carrier but not the ball...

 

[Nostical]

I'm willing to concede that coaching has been counterproductive in all aspects of our offense. This is the one big question mark about our D. We simply have not gotten our share of turnovers.

 

[huskymedic]

Some of itis luck but some of it is coaching I believe. Temas are coached to look for and react to loose balls or they're are not. I think our guys are coached to go after the ball carrier but not the ball...

Baloney... Basic skill and loose ball drills are commonplace. These players have been playing ball for over a decade (+/- a year). Reach to put that on coaches,

 

[rich1122]

Idiotic to blame the defense for anything.

 

[freescooter]

In 2010 we had 20 picks, 5 of which were returned for 6. Ranked 8th in the country. Thkis year we're ranked 97th with 1( in the first game) a pick-6. When you struggle on offense, stopping a team and getting the ball back in your territory after a 40 yeard punt isn't as helpful as getting it on their 35. To me, the lack of turnovers, especially interceptions, is a huge negative for this defense. While they have stopped the opposition we rarely have a short field. the other problem is redzone defense.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

FWIW the initial post wasn't made after the game ended. It was made when we had already given up one TD drive and were about to surrender our second (Gratz int saved that). When I started the thread it appeared that USF was the only thing that was going to stop USF's offense.

 

[Endzone Diva]

In regards to our red zone defense, we are tied for 3rd in the nation for fewest red zone trips this year at 19. We are tied with Florida State. Oklahoma is 2nd with 18 and 'Bama is 1st with 17. I think it would be safe to say that at least half of those trips to the red zone came off of turnovers by our offense.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Our defense has been fine, but it hasn't been great. I'm not sure I got this stat right, but I bleive that last night they said that the Gratz pick was the first time UConn kept a team from scoring once they got into the red zone. That is a pretty sad stat if true. The other one is turn overs. I've been harping on it all year but this group simply doesn't turn teams over. So far this season we have 4 lousy picks. Last year we had 16. Under Edsall' bend don't break system we had 20 in 2010 and 12 in 2009, 18 in 2008, and 12 in 2006. You have to go back to 2002 to find a season where we had intercetions in the single digits. But that's where we'll likely be ths year. Fumble recoveries is similar. We have 7 this year. It's possible we get to 2010's 11, but probably not. We surely won't get to last year's 13. Brown's defense seems to be based on pressuring the quarterback and stopping the run. But it isn't opportunistic in any sense. It can stop teams but it doesn't make those game changing plays that give the offense a short field, or put defensive points on the field.

One reason we dont have many picks this year is that we have 2 of the best corners around, and everyone knows it.
Teams have been running well on us since about week 3 or 4, so theres no need for them to risk throwing too often at gratz, or bww.
While i agree that i would love to have more turnovers at this point in the year, i think its only logical that we dont based on that.
Fumbles are another story. I have no idea on that one.