The QB Issue

[ZooCougar]

no thanks. just enjoying the game and commenting on what I saw

Yep. You need to look more closely. He’s not great, but he does the little things well that lets the WHOLE offense work better. Like go through a progression, which is a big thing and sell the play action. He’s a more experienced and grounded QB.

Evers looked as lost as The Weeknd in that Super Bowl Halftime show.

 

[ZooCougar]

Please expand on that comment after seeing how after yesterday, we can see the upgrade in talent on this team and what they are capable of and why would you not think they can’t build off this momentum and compete, if not win those 3 games?

And by the way, Air Force is ranked 70 and struggled with Merrimack….and ranked similarly to the 3 teams you mentioned.

I’m listening

Do I need to? Duke has a better team than us and we are on the road. Syracuse has a great QB and looks really impressive.

We might have a chance against Wake. But even yesterday the defense looked sloppy on pass defense and tackling. Againts a better opponent we’ll have issues.

Our opportunities are against UMass, Rice, UAB, FAU etc.

 

[HardFacts]

Offensively we are showing a hugh upgrade. The line play has been solid and we will need to stay on the field with some sustained drives. The defense needs to improve each week and stay healthy. Mora eluded to this in post game comments yesterday. The difference from 2022 to 2023 was a result of the points we gave up but the lack of offensive production had a lot to do with that.

 

[CL82]

I would be totally shocked if JF is not under center to start the game at Duke. You simply cannot sit a QB after a performance like that…..even if it is Merrimack.

Maybe we catch some lightning in a bottle.

I've been thinking this a little bit, but didn't want to say it. Losing is contagious. You start feeling the heat and pressing, and that leads to more mistakes. But, winning is contagious too. You start feeling confident, which makes you play confident, which means you're not indecisive and you are more relaxed.

Yesterday was a resounding win over a middling FCS team, nothing more and nothing less, but it was the kind of win that gives people, confidence. Confidence matters.

We are, of course, still doomed. Duke is a very good team and will be tough to beat them. it would not surprise me, though, if it were a much more competitive game than the Maryland game.

 

[huskymedic]

I’m not taking the time to match schedules @ Wk2 - just enjoying seeing UConn Football getting positive attention @ this point in time (Good for Fagano - he’s paid his dues):

 

[gioff2323]

While I think it’s crazy to demote someone who coaches said earned start(s), we seem to finally have WRs and Joe showed nice touch. So, I’m moving to camp of giving Evers an extra week off and see if Joe can do same against a 1st string P4 D.

But what if come sat he looks like the Joe we got to know last year - aiming and short arming throws? Do u bench him? Play yo-yo with starters?

 

[businesslawyer]

While I think it’s crazy to demote someone who coaches said earned start(s), we seem to finally have WRs and Joe showed nice touch. So, I’m moving to camp of giving Evers an extra week off and see if Joe can do same against a 1st string P4 D.

But what if come sat he looks like the Joe we got to know last year - aiming and short arming throws? Do u bench him? Play yo-yo with starters?

He played 3 halves last year, 2 against a very good P–4 defense. How in the world do you think we got to know him?

 

[Hoophound]

I’ve been busy all weekend so haven’t been commenting, but Joe has to play. You can’t bench him after that performance. It wouldn’t even be fair to Evers. Let Joe show what he’s got against Duke. If he can’t get it done, pull him and put in Evers.

Putting Evers back in against Duke would put tremendous pressure on him. He’ll be pressing because he knows Joe is breathing down his neck. I don’t want him pressing against Duke thinking he has to match Joe’s game against Merrimack. It’s isn’t realistic.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Hamms30]

I’ve been busy all weekend so haven’t been commenting, but Joe has to play. You can’t bench him after that performance. It wouldn’t even be fair to Evers. Let Joe show what he’s got against Duke. If he can’t get it done, pull him and put in Evers.

Putting Evers back in against Duke would put tremendous pressure on him. He’ll be pressing because he knows Joe is breathing down his neck. I don’t want him pressing against Duke thinking he has to match Joe’s game against Merrimack. It’s isn’t realistic.

I'm sure the discussion the coaches are going to have is.. the plays that Joe made, does Nick make those plays? Personally I think he does and I don't say that as a knock on Joe. He's the one that played and he's the one that got the job done. Two of those TD's .. maybe 3? I don't remember.. but Edwards broke a tackle and ran for 50 yds, Bell broke a tackle and ran for 50 yds and maybe Rosa's? I can't remember if that was a run play or a screen. The TD to Porter was underthrown and personally I think next week or last week.. that's an interception. Porter made a great grab though.

But looking at those plays, you have to figure, do we bench our starter or do we keep our starter thinking he'd have made those same throws that then broke for TD? Joe also overthrew some real gimme's yesterday too. Overthrew an easy rollout to RB and TE and then Buckman was on an island in the endzone and was really overthrown.

I'm fine either way with whoever starts, but it's a different situation when there is a quarterback competition going on and this happens vs. what we were told is the situation with Mora saying he's not going to flip flop QB's and that Evers is the starter and he won the job a few weeks ago and the only reason he didn't play y'day was concussion protocol vs. underperformance. At minimum.. hopefully Fagnano showed enough for people on this board that seem to have an axe to grind with him for no reason to settle down and not look to trash him at every opportunity.

 

[CL82]

TD to Porter was underthrown and personally I think next week or last week.. that's an interception. Porter made a great grab though.

Yep.

I wonder if FCS is Joes high water mark. Still, he has earned the start next week. Nick, obviously, needs to be ready to go though.

 

[Patman]

Fagnano isn't changing the program, he isn't breaking the program. He's an adequate QB that got into a situation where he could move up from his previous college into a new one. He's probably very reasonable in a world where people want and would like somebody a lot better than that. I get it, I want to win too. It still seems clear this offensive plan was built with Evers or players like Evers in mind. Fagnano didn't play so out of his mind that he's not replaceable.

 

[Stinger92860]

Losing is contagious.

Wrong. Losing is a disease, as contagious as polio…

 

[storrsroars]

Wrong. Losing is a disease, as contagious as polio…

I always hear that in the voice that said it.

 

[giddyup]

JF was playing against a slower FCS opponent so the game slowed down. Not convinced he can handle the faster game speed at the FBS level. Not convinced Evers is better just because he has better physical tools, either. I think you stay with guy who got you the W and give Evers some series to get reps and see if he rises to the occasion when given the opportunity.

 

[CL82]

Wrong. Losing is a disease, as contagious as polio…

So it's choosing that to compete.

 

[UCan3]

I don't know how you take the ball out of his hands unless the staff really, really believes in Evers and sees things no one else has

well, the staff doesn't have the best record in this area in that category. Start based on the evidence, let's go Joe.

 

[UConnJim]

JF was playing against a slower FCS opponent so the game slowed down. Not convinced he can handle the faster game speed at the FBS level. Not convinced Evers is better just because he has better physical tools, either. I think you stay with guy who got you the W and give Evers some series to get reps and see if he rises to the occasion when given the opportunity.

I think you are underselling Fagnano.

His college stats:

481/810 59.9%, 6,118 yards, 7.6 yards/attempt, 51 TDs, 14 INTs

His stats against FBS (7 games) + ranked FCS (1):

112/202 55.4%, 1,375 yards, 6.8 yards/attempt, 10 TDs, 7 INTs

Yesterday, Fagnano had the best offensive weapons at his disposal that he has ever had and it showed, albeit against a mid tier FCS opponent. All QBs will look better against inferior opponents, but Joe has held his own against FBS opponents on overmatched teams.

As for the QB competition, Evers seems to have a lot of upside, but he has only played a partial game in college. Fagnano is very experienced and I think that is what UConn's offense needs right now.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Bell didn’t start putting up those numbers until after Fagnano came in so…

i dont know what Mora does. I still think Evers has greater athletic ability, but Fagnano has a lot lot more experience.

Evers has only played one game in his career and he came here and is paid to play here. Thst said, not sure how you can put him back there against Duke this week. Coming off a concussion, and Fagnano had such a great game, would hate for Evers to have a rough outing.

Evers really needed to play against Merrimack to get reps. Maybe if a game gets out out of hand Saturday he gets in. Or give him a series.

I’d go with Fagnano this week, I think that gives team best chance to win against Duke. Then, maybe keep it open week to week.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

If Evers is healthy, I’d like to see him start. Joe has the perfect temperament (just based on what the coaches say) to come off the bench if needed.

That's a no. You go with the QB who can throw the ball and get it into the endzone. And the NIL be damned. You play the hotter hand.

 

[Hskies4Ever]

I still wonder how much NIL plays into these decisions. If you are a donor who was asked to pony up to bring Evers in….are you happy with him getting passed over by the FCS kiid who was already here…and would you donate again?

I think this is still part of the equation…and makes Mora’s job very hard.

If anybody donated significantly, I’d expect they’d be happy to see UConn win. Period. That was the point, after all.

 

[freescooter]

I think Joe is what he is. A solid backup who won’t do too much damage and can step in for a game or 2 and do pretty well. He isn’t going to carry us to an 11-1 season. I think but could be wrong that he is not going to be the guy who turns thing around. Maybe though he is the guy who steadies the ship for a while until one of the younger guys is actually ready to step in.

 

[Hskies4Ever]

Think of your favorite UConn QB not named Orlovsky. Yes, Merrimack is FCS, but Joe just threw more TD passes than every other QB in our FBS history vs an FCS opponent, including the glory days. He tied a school record (that I assume was set against an FCS team) and helped set scoring records for points in a quarter and a half (that I assume was set against another FCS team). Those are program standards - not just “well he only did it against Merrimack.”

Lots of other (better) FBS schools have played FCS teams this season, and yet Joe has the highest QBR in the nation.

I can’t believe we’re having a conversation about this, but you absolutely have to start him. Unfortunately for Evers, the door opened for Joe and he stepped through in a big way.

You start Joe, and if he looks bad, you go to Evers. That’s it.

You don’t need to think about “could Evers have done this or matched that?” You don’t need to play “Could’ve, Would’ve, Should’ve.”

People were sour on Joe because he was NC’s guy and we don’t like NC. People assumed he beat out Roberson because he was NC’s guy. What if he beat him because he was better? What if NCs bad play calling made Joe look bad?

We roll with Joe vs. Duke.

 

[giddyup]

I think you are underselling Fagnano.

His college stats:

481/810 59.9%, 6,118 yards, 7.6 yards/attempt, 51 TDs, 14 INTs

His stats against FBS (7 games) + ranked FCS (1):

112/202 55.4%, 1,375 yards, 6.8 yards/attempt, 10 TDs, 7 INTs

Yesterday, Fagnano had the best offensive weapons at his disposal that he has ever had and it showed, albeit against a mid tier FCS opponent. All QBs will look better against inferior opponents, but Joe has held his own against FBS opponents on overmatched teams.

As for the QB competition, Evers seems to have a lot of upside, but he has only played a partial game in college. Fagnano is very experienced and I think that is what UConn's offense needs right now.

You might be right. I just know the speed of the game picks up. Faster rush, tighter coverage, etc..

 

[Scoe]

Need to go with Joe he seems to have a bit of that coolness to him, not saying Evers can't be the starter eventually, I say you give him another week then reevaluate the position, if he gets Wally piped then so be it.

One thing about the Maryland game is on the first drive of the game Evers overthrew the receiver which was a ball the receiver still should've caught, if that connection is made we have the ball right on the edge of fg range, not saying the game would've turned out much differently but I do believe it was a big momentum shift that took the wind out of our sails.