The View From Section 241 — UAB

[ZooCougar]

The distance you’re going for is critical. The odds of converting a 4th and 2 are high enough that if you want to go for it there, fine. The odds of converting a 4th and 6th are probably roughly one in three. And getting the first down doesn’t guaranty you’re getting 7 either.

Go ahead and bring out the FG unit then, what are the odds that we make a 45 yarder in that wind? Probably about the same as making a first down right?

 

[businesslawyer]

I thought it would have been about 40. Win might have taken 10 yards off but I would have still expected him to make it a solid majority of the time.

 

[freescooter]

One point I would make on the schedule. It is actually pretty good I think. When we started our Indy run we had an absolutely brutal schedule. The 2021 schedule had Holy Cross, Yale and UMass but every other team had winning records except I think Vandy. And they were a P5 so we were at best going to be competitive. Now our schedule makes way more sense. Mid/lower tier ACC teams we care about, local schools from other leagues like Delaware which is drivable (lots of UConn fans were there) Buffalo, AAC teams. We replaced Ohio state with Duke which is a much better matchup next year. There is no benefit to getting embarrassed. And UConn being 9-4 last year is far better than UConn being 3-9 against a crazy schedule . Maybe in a couple of years as we establish this program it will make sense to add a Big 10 or SEC power to the mix. But right now we are good.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

But it wasn’t even “overly aggressive” we should be going for it when we have an offense as good as ours.

Mora’s thinking just reveals how we were coached into three losses this season.

I would feel better about going for it on fourth down if the defense was better.

 

[AllHusky]

One point I would make on the schedule. It is actually pretty good I think. When we started our Indy run we had an absolutely brutal schedule. The 2021 schedule had Holy Cross, Yale and UMass but every other team had winning records except I think Vandy. And they were a P5 so we were at best going to be competitive. Now our schedule makes way more sense. Mid/lower tier ACC teams we care about, local schools from other leagues like Delaware which is drivable (lots of UConn fans were there) Buffalo, AAC teams. We replaced Ohio state with Duke which is a much better matchup next year. There is no benefit to getting embarrassed. And UConn being 9-4 last year is far better than UConn being 3-9 against a crazy schedule . Maybe in a couple of years as we establish this program it will make sense to add a Big 10 or SEC power to the mix. But right now we are good.

Scooter,

Establishing the program will require Mora to continue to "develop" at this late date in his career, and for us to make an equal or better than Mora hire at the end of his tenure. Benedict has shown the ability to do that, as long as he isn't hamstrung financially. Remember, it wasn't Edsall who hired Rhett Lashlee, it was Benedict in reality.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Yeah I know. I was really disappointed that he believes that.

He didn't seem overly distraught; more like it was a coin toss to him. He was probably looking out for Freeman.

 

[zmart]

Just a thought. Why do the hot dancers only perform in front of the empty
student section. Move around and entertain the rest of us!

 

[ZooCougar]

I would feel better about going for it on fourth down if the defense was better.

Which is why you keep the offense on the field.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I believe a coach's level of aggression is both reflective and revealing of how he feels about his team. If he thinks he's under talented, he's going to play for that 4th quarter shot at a steal... As his team's talent level increases, so should his aggressiveness. RE 2 always coached like he believed we sucked; I believe maybe Mora's trying to make that transition but not there yet. IMO all three of our losses came down to playing the clock rather than the opponent. Like we were trying to steal a win rather than seal a win.

 

[businesslawyer]

One point I would make on the schedule. It is actually pretty good I think. When we started our Indy run we had an absolutely brutal schedule. The 2021 schedule had Holy Cross, Yale and UMass but every other team had winning records except I think Vandy. And they were a P5 so we were at best going to be competitive. Now our schedule makes way more sense. Mid/lower tier ACC teams we care about, local schools from other leagues like Delaware which is drivable (lots of UConn fans were there) Buffalo, AAC teams. We replaced Ohio state with Duke which is a much better matchup next year. There is no benefit to getting embarrassed. And UConn being 9-4 last year is far better than UConn being 3-9 against a crazy schedule . Maybe in a couple of years as we establish this program it will make sense to add a Big 10 or SEC power to the mix. But right now we are good.

We have very little control over our schedule, so there is no blame from me that we can’t accomplish what we’d like to. But having said that, and as hard as it is to project how good opponents will be a few years out, I’d like to play more top level G-5 teams, rather than middling to lower tier ones. Play the better AAC teams, not the below average ones.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

We have very little control over our schedule, so there is no blame from me that we can’t accomplish what we’d like to. But having said that, and as hard as it is to project how good opponents will be a few years out, I’d like to play more top level G-5 teams, rather than middling to lower tier ones. Play the better AAC teams, not the below average ones.

Schedule has absolutely exceeded any of my expectations when we went Indy.

We'll see what happens now that most leagues are moving towards 9 game conference schedules though.

FCS + 8/9 G5 programs + 2/3 P5 is the recipe for success I've come to belief.

Next year however stands to be pretty brutal - if we don't find a QB and improve d... it's going to be a long year.

 

[coachcap]

Just a thought. Why do the hot dancers only perform in front of the empty
student section. Move around and entertain the rest of us!

They are MOSTLY positioned in front of Sections 103, 104 during the first half of games. They then move over to the end zone in front of the Students for the second half...
The previous hone game was the first time that they performed on the home team side during the first half...

 

[UConnJim]

The no Rosa makes no sense. Not sure what I'm missing.... He produces just about every time he touches the ball and as soon as he has two or three good runs or catches out of the backfield in a row they decide OK that was fun lets move on?

I think this is the issue. In the FIU game, Edwards played 38 plays, Rosa 13 plays, Flowers 10 plays, and Lundberg Coleman 7 plays. In the 3 games before UAB, Edwards averaged 41 plays and Rosa averaged 17 plays which seems about right for RB1 and RB2. Flowers got 10 plays against Rice and FIU (zero against BC) and it looks like he didn't play yesterday. Lundberg Coleman averaged about 4 plays per game. I think Greaves played for the first time yesterday because Flowers didn't play and you want to give him some action in case other RBs go down. So, yesterday the plays were Edwards 47, Rosa 6, Greaves 6, Lundberg Coleman 3, Flowers 0.

 

[ZooCougar]

I believe a coach's level of aggression is both reflective and revealing of how he feels about his team. If he thinks he's under talented, he's going to play for that 4th quarter shot at a steal... As his team's talent level increases, so should his aggressiveness. RE 2 always coached like he believed we sucked; I believe maybe Mora's trying to make that transition but not there yet. IMO all three of our losses came down to playing the clock rather than the opponent. Like we were trying to steal a win rather than seal a win.

What’s amazing is that the teams we play never seem to hesitate on 4th down against us.

 

[spsct]

BL, Thanks as always for the write up. I wish I was still in the States with opportunities to see the games but your analyses give me feeling of how things went down.

Someday They'll make a bowl game in Germany or I'll get back without family obligations and I'll crash a bunch of tailgates... Until then I live vicariously through you guys!

Go Huskies!

 

[BlueWolf25]

The distance you’re going for is critical. The odds of converting a 4th and 2 are high enough that if you want to go for it there, fine. The odds of converting a 4th and 6th are probably roughly one in three. And getting the first down doesn’t guaranty you’re getting 7 either.

Fair, I would agree you have about the same odds. But with the wind yesterday, I was good with it. Not to mention I like showing confidence in our offense early in the game and being aggressive. We were a little out of sync throwing the ball on that first drive, but we got whatever we wanted passing the ball the rest of the game, getting 6 yards wasn’t too hard yesterday

 

[TMB4405]

I thought it would have been about 40. Win might have taken 10 yards off but I would have still expected him to make it a solid majority of the time.

It was a 37 yard kick. And I would kick it there when over fourth and 2. Take the points. Dont let them have any momentum after a good opening drive. They took it down into red zone right after that and probably put up points absent a terrible throw by the QB.

 

[RedStickHusky]

What’s amazing is that the teams we play never seem to hesitate on 4th down against us.

Yeah well, who doesn't come in thinking we're easy meat? Reputations stick.

 

[J187Money]

As to the attendance I got to blue lot at 11:30 and it was completely full and they pushed me all the way to grey lot.

Not sure how many went inside but the parking lots were jammed.

 

[businesslawyer]

As to the attendance I got to blue lot at 11:30 and it was completely full and they pushed me all the way to grey lot.

Not sure how many went inside but the parking lots were jammed.

Remember that they cut the blue lot capacity in half with the new tailgate lines. After they charged people to sell out the original capacity. Nice work if you can get it.

 

[uconnric]

Remember that they cut the blue lot capacity in half with the new tailgate lines. After they charged people to sell out the original capacity. Nice work if you can get it.

The blue lot always had open lanes with 2 cars in between. The lines didn’t cut the parking in half.

 

[Jetskies]

One point I would make on the schedule. It is actually pretty good I think. When we started our Indy run we had an absolutely brutal schedule. The 2021 schedule had Holy Cross, Yale and UMass but every other team had winning records except I think Vandy. And they were a P5 so we were at best going to be competitive. Now our schedule makes way more sense. Mid/lower tier ACC teams we care about, local schools from other leagues like Delaware which is drivable (lots of UConn fans were there) Buffalo, AAC teams. We replaced Ohio state with Duke which is a much better matchup next year. There is no benefit to getting embarrassed. And UConn being 9-4 last year is far better than UConn being 3-9 against a crazy schedule . Maybe in a couple of years as we establish this program it will make sense to add a Big 10 or SEC power to the mix. But right now we are good.

yeah.
i wish we were ready to play better P2 teams but we're just not there.
I don't think the 50-7 result against maryland last year, was a fluke.
Maybe we score one, or even 2, more TDs if Joe is playing that whole game, but even so - giving up 50 had nothing to do with Evers being the QB.


We got better over the 2024 year on D, but that's just the chasm between us and the P2, even in 2025, i believe.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I don't think the 50-7 result against maryland last year, was a fluke.

Losing 50-7 to MD was a fluke. MD wasn’t a good team. Losing 50-7 to Georgia or Ohio St wouldn’t be a fluke.

 

[businesslawyer]

The blue lot always had open lanes with 2 cars in between. The lines didn’t cut the parking in half.

Now there is only one car between the two open lanes, with space for tailgating behind the open car. How does that not cut it in half?

 

[Palatine]

I generally agree that putting the game in the hands of our offense is a good percentage decision. But I also believe that getting the zero off the board should be a high priority. So in that case I was surprised he left the offense out there when the FG seemed makeable.