The 3-3-5

[Palatine]

Clearly the players -especially the DBs- haven't learned it yet. After the game Edsall talked about players covering inside when they should have been outside and vice versa. I thought Summers and Coyle both looked active and effective. If the other DBs catch up to them it should produce better results.

The pressure was half a step slow. Again, once the blitzes become second nature those pressures will become sacks. They could also do a better job disguising where the pressure is coming from, although to be fair they did a decent job with that

The whole team is a work in progress. DUH. But I expect better from the defense as the system becomes ingrained.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I think the lack of LB depth is a huge problem for us. HC was carving us up all over the middle and better teams are only going to exploit it further. I also am not sure we have the DB depth to run a 3-3-5 but then again I don't know what our other options are, it's not like we have some world-beating line that would make a 4-3 great, either.

 

[CL82]

The thing that sticks in my mind is that even when things went as planned we looked slow. That is worrisome.

 

[freescooter]

I thought we were indecisive often but the d-backs were a bit better as the game went on. And let's remember if we didn't give HC a short field 2 times in the 1st half they broke down in the red zone.

 

[polycom]

The thing that sticks in my mind is that even when things went as planned we looked slow. That is worrisome.

We are absolutely slow...it's going to be a matter of recruiting better players. As long as the coaches put the players in the best position if the players don't make plays they should be replaced. We fixed the first thing we can control which is coaching now we need to see how much they can improve the talent we have and acquire much higher level of talent.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

The thing that sticks in my mind is that even when things went as planned we looked slow. That is worrisome.

I kept thinking about this as people thought Edsall was going to magically cure all the ills. Anyone with eyes saw we were slow last year. That's not gonna change overnight. We are still way too slow. We desperately need Joseph and Diggs to get/stay healthy.

 

[Pudge]

We have the weakest 6 man grouping at LB in our FBS history. I think Britton was Ok; I liked some of Stapelton's work. But nix Joseph ... watch Sterling. This is going to be an issue all Fall.

The DBs? I expect Bell and Summers to be the BEST part of our Defense ... and they weren't that great last night. That gives me pause. I see Coyle as a plus and expect he'll get far better. Marshe Terry has presence with his height: he gets to balls with extension. I'm not concerned with DB depth. Swann and Swenson are notable as Frosh.

Pressure? You'll get good effort from both Carrezola and Ormsby. AJ Garson was on the field a ton - I wonder if you see Adkins/Lawler/ Okounam more with a serious conference foe with OLine size.

 

[noeynox]

Okunam is out for the year I thought. I feel like Mcallister and Watkins have been a step late their whole careers. Liked what i saw of JOHN Robinson last year and was surprised he didn't make the two deep.

 

[BlueMAB]

Not saying any of you are wrong, we're slow, but their QB is experienced, pretty calm under pressure, is pretty mobile and has decent speed.

Unfortunately we're going to see more of that from some of the teams on our schedule, starting next week. But I expect our defense to do fairly well against the weaker QBs.

 

[Jax Husky]

We are absolutely slow...it's going to be a matter of recruiting better players. As long as the coaches put the players in the best position if the players don't make plays they should be replaced. We fixed the first thing we can control which is coaching now we need to see how much they can improve the talent we have and acquire much higher level of talent.

They played slow, not that they actually were slow. That will change with experience in the system.

 

[Exit 4]

Okunam is out for the year I thought. I feel like Mcallister and Watkins have been a step late their whole careers. Liked what i saw of JOHN Robinson last year and was surprised he didn't make the two deep.

Correct on Okunam. And I have always felt the same about McAllister and Watkins as well.

This defense is not going to work if the DBs cannot explode to the ball and blitz the QB more than occasionally. You got to confuse and pressure the QB and really make plays on balls in the air.

In time I think we will see more Fortt and Swenson on the field.

 

[Exit 4]

Not saying any of you are wrong, we're slow, but their QB is experienced, pretty calm under pressure, is pretty mobile and has decent speed.

Unfortunately we're going to see more of that from some of the teams on our schedule, starting next week. But I expect our defense to do fairly well against the weaker QBs.

Off tangent, but you are reminding me of my thoughts about the QB position vis-a-vis comparisons. When have we ever had a QB we would consider better than the opposition in the past six years? Even the FCS kids have looked pretty decent with big enough arms and command of their playbook.

 

[Chief00]

I thought the DB's gave too much cushion - it is true team speed is an issue - except maybe wide receiver.
The OL was a disappointment - they can't push people around and lack the physicality that Randy often talks about. They don't seem to get low enough for leverage and don't get drive on their blocks.

 

[BlueMAB]

Off tangent, but you are reminding me of my thoughts about the QB position vis-a-vis comparisons. When have we ever had a QB we would consider better than the opposition in the past six years? Even the FCS kids have looked pretty decent with big enough arms and command of their playbook.

Whenever Palatine was discussing our backup?

 

[CL82]

They played slow, not that they actually were slow. That will change with experience in the system.

Don't think so. It seemed like their offense could accelerate and get away from trouble. There were times our D had a clear shot and just could not get there fast enough. That's not confusion, that's foot speed.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I don't think it's a good idea to analyze the 3-3-5 until Fatukasi plays a full game. He's arguably our best defensive player and the NT is the key to success in the 3-3-5.

 

[businesslawyer]

We have the weakest 6 man grouping at LB in our FBS history. I think Britton was Ok; I liked some of Stapelton's work. But nix Joseph ... watch Sterling. This is going to be an issue all Fall.

The DBs? I expect Bell and Summers to be the BEST part of our Defense ... and they weren't that great last night. That gives me pause. I see Coyle as a plus and expect he'll get far better. Marshe Terry has presence with his height: he gets to balls with extension. I'm not concerned with DB depth. Swann and Swenson are notable as Frosh.

Pressure? You'll get good effort from both Carrezola and Ormsby. AJ Garson was on the field a ton - I wonder if you see Adkins/Lawler/ Okounam more with a serious conference foe with OLine size.

I thought Summers was very good last night, and looked to have shaken off finally the confidence crisis brought on by the Syracuse game last year. Bell, however, just looked awful on the other corner.

 

[businesslawyer]

I don't think it's a good idea to analyze the 3-3-5 until Fatukasi plays a full game. He's arguably our best defensive player and the NT is the key to success in the 3-3-5.

The flip of this, however, is that Murphy did not seem anywhere near ready for prime time, which was disappointing given how many good things we've heard.

 

[uconnfan68]

The flip of this, however, is that Murphy did not seem anywhere near ready for prime time, which was disappointing given how many good things we've heard.

Always seemed like he was going the wrong way, making blocking him very easy. He did have 1 or 2 good moments though, and this game will help immensely down the road.

 

[Stainmaster]

I thought Summers was very good last night, and looked to have shaken off finally the confidence crisis brought on by the Syracuse game last year. Bell, however, just looked awful on the other corner.

And the fact that true FR Swann is the next man up at the position has me even more uneasy.

 

[businesslawyer]

And the fact that true FR Swann is the next man up at the position has me even more uneasy.

Eh. If Swann, as a true frosh, beat out Robinson IV, my guess is that at some point in his career he's going to be very good.

 

[Stainmaster]

Eh. If Swann, as a true frosh, beat out Robinson IV, my guess is that at some point in his career he's going to be very good.

I don't disagree with you at all there. I was only speaking in terms of implications for this year - while the ability is there, I worry about his ability to contribute positively in the secondary if Bell's poor play continues.

 

[noeynox]

The flip of this, however, is that Murphy did not seem anywhere near ready for prime time, which was disappointing given how many good things we've heard.

He came through one time and crushed the qb, the downside was the QB completed a long pass over the middle. I'm much more concerned with the LBs and secondary covering. Too many wide open guys last night and I mean wide open.

 

[Excalibur]

Agree that the biggest issue is speed, particularly having no edge rushers and fast LB's. But I also think that there we issues with scheme -- either we didn't disguise what we wanted to do very well or the calls were predictable. It seemed that HC often knew what was coming and was able to exploit whatever spot we left open.

 

[warbler1055]

I t does not take a genius to find out that we, UConn, need to recruit quickly and efficiently in record time to upgrade our talent!!!!! It's amazing with the coaching changes we already saw MAJOR improvement!!!!