The Importance of Wreh-Wilson

[EdgewoodNHV]

I'm not always a huge Andrea Adelson fan (though she actually acknowledges the existence of BE Football, unlike the rest of ESPN.com), but I found this article pretty interesting:

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/id/34698/preseason-2012-top-25-countdown-no-24

It is easy to quantify how valuable Wreh-Wilson is to the UConn defense. Going into last season, he was widely regarded as one of the top shutdown cornerbacks in the Big East. But he hurt his knee in Week 4 and was out the next five weeks. The UConn secondary took a tumble with Wreh-Wilson on the sideline. In the five games without him, the Huskies gave up an average of 364 yards through the air. In the seven games with him, that number drops to an average of 222 yards. Of the four times UConn gave up more than 400 yards passing last year, three of them came with Wreh-Wilson on the sideline.

I know a lot of people blamed Pasqualoni for poor game management or McEntee for poor decision-making, but if you look at how huge it was to lose Wreh-Wilson, and how enormously different our pass defense was with him, you could make the point that we lost 2-3 games with that single injury.

Wreh-Wilson's health is absolutely vital to having a good season. If he stays healthy, him and Gratz can keep defenses honest and give our offense an opportunity to win games.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I saw that too.

I'm glad someone compiled the numbers we all saw with our eyes last season.

Classic example of a lack of depth that we didn't have last year and we better shore up for this year.

Gratz is an above average "cover the second best receiver in college" corner back but can't handle the #1's like BWW can. Our nickle corner wasn't good enough to cover the #2 receiver...............

The lack of depth and mismatch of skills was painfully obvious on many of those 3rd and longs we gave up seemingly 25 times a game last year.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

BWW is important, but IMO the most important thing this year is Jimmy Bennett staying healthy. That would allow Masters to move to RG which is his more natural position. I think we are looking at a great season if Bennett, Greene, Mateas, Masters, and Friend play well and stay healthy.

Back to Blidi though......it's crucial that we build some depth there this year. Last year Wilburn just couldn't get it done on the field. I hate saying that about a 5 year player who gave it his all, stayed out of trouble, etc. but it is what it is. We saw very little (if any) of Mack last year in any package. And Byron Jones is much better suited for safety IMO. We're gonna need Mack and a RS Frosh (Stevenson) to step up this year.

Personally, right now, I am frightened for 2013 when Gratz and Wilson are gone.

 

[Jerry27]

BWW is important, but IMO the most important thing this year is Jimmy Bennett staying healthy. That would allow Masters to move to RG which is his more natural position. I think we are looking at a great season if Bennett, Greene, Mateas, Masters, and Friend play well and stay healthy.

Back to Blidi though......it's crucial that we build some depth there this year. Last year Wilburn just couldn't get it done on the field. I hate saying that about a 5 year player who gave it his all, stayed out of trouble, etc. but it is what it is. We saw very little (if any) of Mack last year in any package. And Byron Jones is much better suited for safety IMO. We're gonna need Mack and a RS Frosh (Stevenson) to step up this year.

Personally, right now, I am frightened for 2013 when Gratz and Wilson are gone.

Disagree with the frightened for next year bit because I believe guys like Stevenson, Mack, Clark, and potentially Williams will gain valuable time this year behind those guys.

Definitely agree with the Wilburn assessment. How he played over Mack is beyond me but the coaches did and here we are.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Disagree with the frightened for next year bit because I believe guys like Stevenson, Mack, Clark, and potentially Williams will gain valuable time this year behind those guys.

Definitely agree with the Wilburn assessment. How he played over Mack is beyond me but the coaches did and here we are.

If they do, and they show promise, I won't be nearly as concerned as I am now. That's far from a given though. And we may not have the luxury of redshirting Williams either.

 

[Jerry27]

If they do, and they show promise, I won't be nearly as concerned as I am now. That's far from a given though. And we may not have the luxury of redshirting Williams either.

I hear you. I know after rewatching the spring game last weekend I liked what I saw. Now of course it was the spring game but the talent is there for sure. Being behind Gratz and Wilson this year while getting on the field as well will do them a world of good.

 

[Srqhusky]

There is a sweet video on you tube of him leveling a receiver in the Michigan game

 

[Jarhead_1775]

BWW is important, but IMO the most important thing this year is Jimmy Bennett staying healthy. That would allow Masters to move to RG which is his more natural position. I think we are looking at a great season if Bennett, Greene, Mateas, Masters, and Friend play well and stay healthy.

Back to Blidi though......it's crucial that we build some depth there this year. Last year Wilburn just couldn't get it done on the field. I hate saying that about a 5 year player who gave it his all, stayed out of trouble, etc. but it is what it is. We saw very little (if any) of Mack last year in any package. And Byron Jones is much better suited for safety IMO. We're gonna need Mack and a RS Frosh (Stevenson) to step up this year.

Personally, right now, I am frightened for 2013 when Gratz and Wilson are gone.

Saw Jimmy Bennett at the U last week. Looked healthy as a horse. The guy looks like if you walked into him, it'd feel like a brick wall. , I'm stoked for the season to start!

 

[Dann]

There is a sweet video on you tube of him leveling a receiver in the Michigan game

 

[businesslawyer]

Blidi being out was not an excuse for how we defended the pass. But was it a reason? Of course it was.

 

[PUPPY4]

Blidi has to that guy in the huddle that pats guys on the helmet when things are going right.
And also has to be that guy that says what to look for and give that reassuring look in the eye when things get tight.
He also has to be that guy that pats the guys on the hip when a guy needs to be picked up.

I say this because when he was out the defense look confused and unsure if itself.
Blee-dee is that dude!

 

[johnhuskies95]

Stevenson played very well in the spring game. I liked what I saw, he seems to be a very good playmaker.

 

[B1GEast]

Blidi being out was not an excuse for how we defended the pass. But was it a reason? Of course it was.

I think it's safe to say if it can be a reasson, then the reason can also be an excuse. I happen to think that at times last year, the pass rush wasn't there when it needed to be, but that's also a reason and not an excuse.