The QB Rotation Yesterday....

[Stinger92860]

I could not understand what the staff was trying to do? It seemed to me that if either QB had a first down or a positive play they swapped QB's!

At this point I would go with the best option may be to leave Scott in and take my chances. JMac is too inconsistent and makes too many poor decisions. When JMac does throws a good ball, which he is capable of, we can't catch it. We should have gone hard after a JUCO pocket or option QB, anybody.

The previous paragraph was written with complete desperation.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

It appears to me that the staff believes McCummings cannot succeed (at this point in time) throwing the ball in likely passing situations. This limits the opportunities they have to use him.

I still believe that we make things far too difficult for ourselves at times. We had a second and two 9at around their 30) after Nick Williams' end around and couldn't get a first down 9or even remain in field goal range). We had a second and three at the six and only got a field goal (as we tried a misdirection run that started at the twelve). There is no reason why we cannot go back to power football on occasion (such as havingtwo, possibly three attempts to gain a couple of yards) instead of seeing how creative we can be, I have the same issue with the defense but I'll address this later.

 

[scotty0330]

Find it hilarious that this was a three man race when they have no confidence in sm throwing even the most safe and basic passes. The guy is essentially a running back.

 

[Jimdish255]

I could not understand what the staff was trying to do? It seemed to me that if either QB had a first down or a positive play they swapped QB's!

At this point I would go with the best option may be to leave Scott in and take my chances. JMac is too inconsistent and makes too many poor decisions. When JMac does throws a good ball, which he is capable of, we can't catch it. We should have gone hard after a JUCO pocket or option QB, anybody.

The previous paragraph was written with complete desperation.

Under the new system it's important that we break the rythm of anything we might be doing successfully in order to break the rythm of the defense when they're having trouble. Get it?

McCummings can't throw and the receivers couldn't catch it even if he could. McEntee can't run but he gives us more of a balanced inefficiency. The coaches can't coach but at least they're smart enough not to get the new guy killed. Frustrated much? Yep!

 

[mattp]

the QB rotation was not the problem yesterday. if anything it worked tremendously well. in case you weren't watching, almost every time McCummings came in he had a great run. he averaged 5 yards/carry, but there's also other ways he helped that don't show up on stats like fake keepers that helped moved the offense. the one pass he threw he blew, but the play call was obviously great because he had a guy so wide open that everyone on the board thinks their grandmother could've made the throw. you guys complain that he's practically just a RB, but that's the point. when he does throw it's usually to a wide open receiver, and we've seen him hit them a couple of times (although we've seen him miss more of them). i also think McCummings has shown why, between his penchant for missing wide open receivers and fumbling issues that he shouldn't be the full time starter.

of all the things to complain about, this isn't one of them. they did a good job of managing the QB rotation yesterday, and if our WRs were allowed to play with stickum we'd have had a really nice offensive outing yesterday.

 

[Sean]

The QB is the leader of the football team. If we still had Jordan Todman, maybe he could have been the leader in the huddle as the unquestioned best player, but in 99% of football seasons, the QB is the leader.

With no QB that plays multiple plays in a row, we don't have any leadership and I think it shows in the lack of focus and drops that the receivers came up with.

I can't stand Johnny at QB, but if he's the option we must go with, I wish they'd let him get into a rhythm. Same with McCummings - give him a few plays in a row, not just one.

Or, you know, play Nebrich so you can run both offenses with one QB and build for the future.

 

[PolisHusky]

There was one frustrating drive yesterday. I believe we began the drive on our own 35 or so. McCummings led the drive with two first-down runs, both carries of 10+ yards. I thought Deleone was finally waking up by putting in the package for mccummings, establishing a running game, and running it down louisville's throats until they find a way to stop it. Then comes in Johnny mac, one overthrown ball on 1st and 10, a blown up draw play to mcombs (louisville sniffed it out from the snap because the handoff was slow), and of course, the infamous dropped ball as kashif bobbled it off his finger tips (he had so much open space too, lack of concentration?). Anyway, my point is that when you have something work for you, especially something that moves the ball more than 5 yards per down, why mess with a good thing if the defense is not compensating and stacking the box against mccummings. I understand the idea of shaking it up a little, but when the going gets tough and you are looking for production, I would take the steady legs of mccummings if it is productive. The days of a vertical attack are still on the horizon, but right now, the offense is still built for pound it out, 4 yards and a cloud of dust football.

Another thing that is beyond me is seeing how well jjl pass blocks and yet they would rather put in mccombs to pick up blitzes. Mccombs has improved at pass blocking, but it should not be his full-time job. JJL seems so underutilized and i really wish he had more chances. Whenever we had 3rd and short, It was pass, pass, pass. I think you could see JJL or even hinkley really assert himself in a scheme that can get us the 1st down.

 

[Stinger92860]

the QB rotation was not the problem yesterday. if anything it worked tremendously well. in case you weren't watching, almost every time McCummings came in he had a great run. he averaged 5 yards/carry, but there's also other ways he helped that don't show up on stats like fake keepers that helped moved the offense. the one pass he threw he blew, but the play call was obviously great because he had a guy so wide open that everyone on the board thinks their grandmother could've made the throw. you guys complain that he's practically just a RB, but that's the point. when he does throw it's usually to a wide open receiver, and we've seen him hit them a couple of times (although we've seen him miss more of them). i also think McCummings has shown why, between his penchant for missing wide open receivers and fumbling issues that he shouldn't be the full time starter.

of all the things to complain about, this isn't one of them. they did a good job of managing the QB rotation yesterday, and if our WRs were allowed to play with stickum we'd have had a really nice offensive outing yesterday.

I was watching, that is why I asked why we shuttled QB's after a successful play(s). Was your comment meant for me?

 

[willie99]

so, lets go Tim Tebow on them

 

[Nostical]

I agree Polis. I was saying the same thing in the stands after those two McCummings runs. How about doing it again until they prove they can stop it?

 

[businesslawyer]

I did think we underutilized McCummings. He was very effective running the ball when in, but once he threw the awful pass to Griffin we barely saw him.

 

[SubbaBub]

If they insist on two QBs, I thought the mix Saturday was about right. I can't see how, anyone can think SM is a full time quarterback right now, wildcat or otherwise. He has shown no success throught the air and has shown to have trouble with the center exchange. He runs tremendously well. I just don't think we can run the read-option 4o times a game and be successful.

 

[Nostical]

No one is saying run it 40 times. But if he runs for two straight first downs on 10 yard jaunts---and we've been dropping passes all over the field-- I might try it a few more times--mixing in pure handoffs and some reverses. What's wrong with running the ball when it's working?

 

[mattp]

I was watching, that is why I asked why we shuttled QB's after a successful play(s). Was your comment meant for me?

i think i misunderstood what you were getting at. i thought you were questioning putting McCummings in to begin with, not that we should have left him in a little more

 

[TouchdownHusky]

So if McCummings really can't throw the ball (and I'm not saying this), then what the heck was Randy doing recruiting him? That man killed UConn with his inability to recruit, develop and coach that position. Probably can say the same at WR. What was he looking at. No wonder his recruiting classes were always ranked so low.

Put in McCummings and let's find out what he can and can't do once and for all. UConn is going nowhere with JM. And Nebrich wasn't able to beat either one out??? Yikes. The Huskies need to go beyond Cochran as new recruits for next year. Don't stop bringing in QB's til you have this situation fixed.

 

[J187Money]

The Huskies need to go beyond Cochran as new recruits for next year. Don't stop bringing in QB's til you have this situation fixed.

100000% agree with this. It makes all the difference.

 

[ktuck911]

100000% agree with this. It makes all the difference.

+1

 

[Husky68]

+1

Get a coach that realizes the fix is sitting on the bench.

 

[businesslawyer]

So if McCummings really can't throw the ball (and I'm not saying this), then what the heck was Randy doing recruiting him? That man killed UConn with his inability to recruit, develop and coach that position]

Easily, the best example of hyberpole in the history of the English language. Randy Edsall didn't "kill" UConn by doing anything. The patient he treated he left not just alive, but as defending conference champs. Sheesh.

Yes, we have lagged big time in getting QB play up to the level of other positions. Everybody knows that. And yes, that has been a failure of the Edsall regime. Is it really so hard to make your case without making it sound like we've finished a five year period where we've gone 3-9 every year? Does it never occur to you that when you say stuff like Edsall "killed" the program, you're necessarily stating that the program has been dead and thus denigrating the things that the last five years of players and coaches have accomplished