The View From Section 241 -- Cincy

[businesslawyer]

O.K., this will be relatively quick and to the point.

1. We sucked on Saturday. Bad schemes, bad execution, less emotion? Who knows. Probably some of each. First game this year that didn't have me emotionally involved well into the fourth quarter.

2. Statements wondering if we're not significantly better than last year are just dumb. Last year, we lost to 4 horrible -- HORRIBLE -- teams (Army, Tulane, SMU and USF). Two thirds of the way into this season, we have not lost to a team nearly as bad as any of those four. Last year, we were blow out 4 times (BYU, Temple, Cincy and Memphis). Saturday was really the first time this year we didn't have a chance midway through the 4th quarter (if I wanted to I could make a case that we made it a two possession game with 6 or so minutes left, but unlike BYU we didn't really have a chance to win that game in the 4th quarter). The win total might not reflect it because this year's schedule presented fewer winnable games for a struggling team, but we are much better than last year.

3. On offense, we are unbearably young. We start 1 senior, 3 juniors, 6 sophomores and 1 freshman. We need them to be stronger and more experienced. Whether or not our recruiting gets significantly better long term (and I hope it does), this group will only get better.

4. I know some people say it's the internet so it's supposed to be negative and angry, but people simply need to accept 1. through 3. as the reality and deal with it. I don't want to end the year with 3 wins, but this year has been a step up and there is no reason not to think next year will be better. If some of you need to see it happen faster, bully for you. Your needs don't effect reality.

5. Finally, for everything that went wrong, if we just finished drives where we got inside thge 10 this would have been a totally different game. Coaches have to find something that gets us one easy score and then players have to both avoid mistakes and make plays.

Very quickly on O, D, and specials, starting with D. The absence of Adeyami last week, and now Ormsby, really hurts. It means Foley gets moved outside more and a team that can't get to the QB rushing 4 now becomes even slower. We need the Cody Brown/Trevardo/Osunde types again. Soon. I've heard people asking for more Diggs and less Stewart, but I thought Diggs was incredibly overwhelmed when in on Saturday. The only bright spot on D was I like our corners more and more. What we need to do is let them man up more.

On offense, I thought that was the first bad game Shirreffs had. That does not make him a bad QB -- he's still had a really good year. But whether it was the early hits or the weather or whatever, his poorest effort by far. Ron John has to sit. Seriously -- this is not where Palatine wants to see a player we've never seen just because -- we know Max runs better than that. We are the worst team picking up blitzes I think I've ever seen. A lot of this is lack of experience but the coaches have to do better with it. And if Noel Thomas wants to be a star, he has to make great plays not some games but every game. The long ball early that was picked inside the 10 could have been a great catch that kept us in the game for a while longer. So could have the failed TD catch late. If you want to be great, be great. He has the tools.

Not much to say about specials, but a point to make about coaching. I do think the defensive scheme against Cincy was ridiculous. Given that (i) we can't rush the passer and (ii) they have receivers who can gain large amounts of YAC, that kind of passive zone we were in most of the game was never going to work. Would have much preferred letting Williams and Summers play and see what happens. On O, after the first drive it didn't look like we ever figured out what opened up when the stayed home to keep Shirreffs from running. But I'm not willing to blame coaches because we just may not have the OL to give everyone else time to make plays when that Safety comes up or LB doesn't drop back.

That's it. This would be a great time for our off week, but we have two more games before we get there. We will need everything to go right on Friday night. Hopefully the fans show up and help emotionally. Since no one will be charged about beating Tulane (even thought it is a game we couldn't come close to winning last year), this may be our last best chance for something significant this year. We'll see.

 

[SubbaBub]

Here, here.

 

[sdhusky]

5. Finally, for everything that went wrong, if we just finished drives where we got inside thge 10 this would have been a totally different game. Coaches have to find something that gets us one easy score and then players have to both avoid mistakes and make plays.

Last year, we couldn't win with all the turnovers. This year, we are holding on the ball decently but can't win score in the red zone.

 

[hardcorehusky]

I agree but I am going to throw a twist in here. The schedule. We have played for 8 weeks straight. No bye week like most teams. This takes a toll on most teams but a young team especially. No time to take a mental or physical break. Even more importantly, no time to coach up. I think when we started to get behind, we had nothing in the tank and especially against Cinnci, who at Nippert has physically and mentally whipped us- that is lethal.

Our bye week is after week 10 I believe, way too late for a young team. I hope we can dig deep this Friday, but who knows.

 

[Alum86]

Running a smallish albeit talented RB wayyyyyy too much. Why no Max? Would love us to throw vertical more, but understand that.
BS an upgrade over last year, but his passes? Ugggh

 

[huskysupporter]

I am sick of the lackluster attempts at pass blocking by RJ. Step into the block!!! I am sorry, but blocking as a receiver and pass blocking as a back is all about desire. You see the blitzer coming up the gap! You see him! Step up and make the freaking block!!!! And if you don't want to, next man up.

 

[huskysupporter]

And I said 3 wins was my expectation this season and would not be shocked if they won only 1. I have been pleased with some of the talent. There is talent here. But the in game coaching. Horrific. I don't understand how some think this will improve. It has been a season and a half of the same mistakes.

I hear people say Coach D coaches based on the lack of talent he has. On offense, I can sort of see this point. This team does not block, this is actually the worst blocking (O Line, TE, RB, WR) UCONN team I have ever seen in the D 1 era (and after last season, that is saying something). So it is easy to say run keep the tight ends in to block on passing downs. Problem is, they don't block. Oh well, then send them out into routes. Well, our line can't block.

On defense, I just don't understand. You can use scheme to mask deficiencies here. Vary the scheme, disguise coverage, blitz to the weak side. I see none of this.

 

[BlueDogs]

Bottom Line: Diaco needs to get this team improved with what he has. From last year there is improvement. From the beginning of this season to today, not so much. In fact, we are trending the other way on D and remain stagnant on O. That greatly concerns me.

 

[jbdphi]

Bottom Line: Diaco needs to get this team improved with what he has. From last year there is improvement. From the beginning of this season to today, not so much. In fact, we are trending the other way on D and remain stagnant on O. That greatly concerns me.

We've played much better offenses recently (ex-UCF) than we played in the beginning. In particular, we didn't play a team with any semblance of a passing attack until BYU. I don't think the D has regressed much as it wasn't as good as we all thought it was after 4 games.

 

[HuskyBarker]

In the beginning of the year I thought 3 - 5 wins was realistic and next yr 5 to 7 wins, like you said we have a very young team with a young coach, we are progressing, which is much better than the regression we had with PP,
In 2017 we will have a team that has alot of experience then we will really know what we have. I'm hopeful all the potential will get us back bowling and more!

 

[RedStickHusky]

We've played much better offenses recently (ex-UCF) than we played in the beginning. In particular, we didn't play a team with any semblance of a passing attack until BYU. I don't think the D has regressed much as it wasn't as good as we all thought it was after 4 games.

I agree with this but I also think many of us are over looking the effect offensive production has on our defense. I know a lot of people looked at the USF game and said "yards ain't points" and that is true to a point, but if we are keeping our offense on the field enough to limit the opposition to one or two possessions a quarter, it's taking a lot of pressure off the defense. If they're sandwiching four possessions a quarter around our three and outs you're gonna see what we saw last week. That is really exacerbated by high-tempo teams like cincy. I think HCBD is thinking that with a still undermanned team (however much improved notwithstanding) he's basically running a four corners on offense and defense. The real weakness in that as a strategy is in our offense and the d gets exposed as a result. Now that V's offense has been fully (I assume) unveiled, we're not hard to game plan for. Play us tight, jump the short routes, don't really have to pack the box due to our poor blocking. I don't know that we have any new tricks to pull out of the bag and I'm worried that we're gonna have tough sledding on O the rest of the way.

 

[uconnric]

I agree with this but I also think many of us are over looking the effect offensive production has on our defense. I know a lot of people looked at the USF game and said "yards ain't points" and that is true to a point, but if we are keeping our offense on the field enough to limit the opposition to one or two possessions a quarter, it's taking a lot of pressure off the defense. If they're sandwiching four possessions a quarter around our three and outs you're gonna see what we saw last week. That is really exacerbated by high-tempo teams like cincy. I think HCBD is thinking that with a still undermanned team (however much improved notwithstanding) he's basically running a four corners on offense and defense. The real weakness in that as a strategy is in our offense and the d gets exposed as a result. Now that V's offense has been fully (I assume) unveiled, we're not hard to game plan for. Play us tight, jump the short routes, don't really have to pack the box due to our poor blocking. I don't know that we have any new tricks to pull out of the bag and I'm worried that we're gonna have tough sledding on O the rest of the way.

Agreed, and I think a lot of our problems on offense are with the offensive line. They are playing better but as a group definitely not there yet. Oline was a weak point in recruiting while Pasqualoni was coach, DeLeone wasn't much of a salesman.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

On defense, I just don't understand. You can use scheme to mask deficiencies here. Vary the scheme, disguise coverage, blitz to the weak side. I see none of this.

Our whole defense scheme (which I have vocally disagreed with) is intended to mask our deficiencies of not having a pass rusher and smaller DB's.

 

[Palatine]

I thought you loved the scheme? It was wrong against BYU as well. Yep, that was an awful game.

I want to see players for more than just seeing them. I also want to see them to develop depth.

However, seeing players in games is the only was to accurately assess their ability and make up. I feel that football coaches over value practice. There is a reason for that. First, most of football is practice. There is only one game a week. There is practice five days a week. Baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer have as many game days as practice days. Since football coaches they spend so much time in practice, they view the games as a reflection of practice. That is only true to some extend. That's why you constantly hear football coaches say after a loss, that they are surprised because they had a good week of practice. You never hear a baseball manager say after a no-hitter that the team looked good in the batting cage.

Another reason that football coaches over value practice versus games is that they control everything in practice. It's their world. They own it. Practice is an extension of their ego, the games are not, even if you're Urban Meyer.

Yes, it is rational for coaches to believe what they see in practice. But it's not always the truth. Players react differently when the lights are on. My guess is that Nick Williams was not a great practice player. Two coaches sat him for the majority of his UConn career. Yet, he continues make a living in the NFL. There was a disconnect of some type at UConn. The coaches just couldn't see it.

So, hell, yeah, I want to see how the players play in games. I'm not in practice. I don't see they players all week long like the coaches. That has it's advantages as well as it disadvantages. I want to see them (in games) just to see them because after all, games are more important than practices.

 

[freescooter]

I agree with a lot of this but at some point the excuses need to end and something needs to change. We see the same mistakes game in and game out. How many times are the linemen going to double team a guy while ignoring the weak side blitz? Fail to open any running lanes? People talk about the improvement in the line this year but I'm not so sure. We are near the top in sacks allowed again. And despite a bad game Saturday I think Shirreffs ability to run has covered a multitude of sins even if it has now caused him to run too often. I shudder to think how many sacks we'd see with a less mobile guy back there. On defense we can't rush the passer, linebackers can't or don't cover well continually are out of position and take bad angles. You have to wonder how much is talent and how much is scheme. And if it's all talent we could be a long way from success.

 

[ktuck911]

Running a smallish albeit talented RB wayyyyyy too much. Why no Max? Would love us to throw vertical more, but understand that.
BS an upgrade over last year, but his passes? Ugggh

At this stage in the season, he should play... Max has shown the ability to hit the holes .. he'll get you the tough 1 or 2 yards you need. He's done it before. He can do it now... This is his last hoorah... I don't believe you're diminishing RJ in any way. Fact is, he's not getting it done. He dances at the LOS far too much right now. He's one and done then there's only Arkel and Shireffs running the ball. We need a meat and potatoes guy to punish the defense on some run plays. Right now, our recipe for running the ball is one play away from messing up the rest of our season at 2 key spots (especially QB)...

 

[ktuck911]

I thought you loved the scheme? It was wrong against BYU as well. Yep, that was an awful game.

I want to see players for more than just seeing them. I also want to see them to develop depth.

However, seeing players in games is the only was to accurately assess their ability and make up. I feel that football coaches over value practice. There is a reason for that. First, most of football is practice. There is only one game a week. There is practice five days a week. Baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer have as many game days as practice days. Since football coaches they spend so much time in practice, they view the games as a reflection of practice. That is only true to some extend. That's why you constantly hear football coaches say after a loss, that they are surprised because they had a good week of practice. You never hear a baseball manager say after a no-hitter that the team looked good in the batting cage.

Another reason that football coaches over value practice versus games is that they control everything in practice. It's their world. They own it. Practice is an extension of their ego, the games are not, even if you're Urban Meyer.

Yes, it is rational for coaches to believe what they see in practice. But it's not always the truth. Players react differently when the lights are on. My guess is that Nick Williams was not a great practice player. Two coaches sat him for the majority of his UConn career. Yet, he continues make a living in the NFL. There was a disconnect of some type at UConn. The coaches just couldn't see it.

So, hell, yeah, I want to see how the players play in games. I'm not in practice. I don't see they players all week long like the coaches. That has it's advantages as well as it disadvantages. I want to see them (in games) just to see them because after all, games are more important than practices.

I think @ BYU, a bunch of grown man, just took over in the 4th quarter and gave us an old fashioned butt-whoopin.. plain and simple.. Those guys, with their Mormon missions, are older and more mature... but I think it'll help us for next year (which I wish at times were now)...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I thought you loved the scheme? It was wrong against BYU as well. Yep, that was an awful game.

Nope. BL called my opinion idiotic. But it was with all due respect.

 

[freescooter]

Pal
That is a very interesting take. I also think though that most other sports offer more chances for limited experimentation because there are so many games vs practices. You can stick a bench guy in as a pinch hitter and if he hits a double down the line you might go with him. Or put a guy out on the 4th line who dominates play. Those games have more free form than football which requires a much higher element of coordination. So it's harder to "try out" a different left guard for a series, or a free safety who hasn't worked with the other d-backs much. Or for that matter a quarterback (see Cochran, Casey).

 

[businesslawyer]

Nope. BL called my opinion idiotic. But it was with all due respect.

To quote John Adams in 1776, "I'm obnoxious and disliked you know that sir."

Some interesting substance that I will respond to later when I catch up on work.

 

[Milo65]

Bend but don't break. It's not a bad defensive philosophy if you a. Don't Break , b. Have an offense that can move the ball, c. Have pass rushers. We've been breaking, our offense can't sustain drives, the strength of this team is our D Line, but they are not pass rushers. I see what Diaco wants to do: Ball control offense, sustain drives, eat up clock and make the other team work for their points. Unfortunately, we are not deep yet. We don't have the personnel on either side of the ball to pull this off yet. This team is extremely young, only one senior on offense. I see progress from last year, and I believe we will see better outcomes next year.

As for the game time decision: Going for it on fourth down etc. Diaco is rolling the dice and trying to make things happen, I understand the mind set. It has hurt us, but again, what if we pulled out a win against Missouri, or BYU?

The clock management issues, there are no excuses for. This needs to be cleaned up. I just don't understand it.

 

[Husky68]

Team is under performing its talent. That's coaching.

 

[SubbaBub]

Our whole defense scheme (which I have vocally disagreed with) is intended to mask our deficiencies of not having a pass rusher and smaller DB's.

Actually, I think it's intended to mask our slow LB's. The 3-4 is designed around playmaking LB's. They are this year's OL.

I think our corners could man cover if asked. Only the BYU game stands out where size was a problem and those guys were huge.

 

[Nostical]

If we just finished drives where we got inside the 10 this would have been a totally different game.

The defensive scheme against Cincy was ridiculous-- that kind of passive zone we were in most of the game was never going to work. Would have much preferred letting Williams and Summers play and see what happens.

These are two points I fully agree with.

 

[uconnric]

Team is under performing its talent. That's coaching.

BYU and Cincinnati clearly had more talent than us, South Florida may have had a little more speed at the skill positions. That's recruiting.