The View From Section 241 -- Duke | Page 3 | The Boneyard

The View From Section 241 -- Duke

then.. on the Mitchell fumble... AGAIN, why not take it back from Mitchell and try and make a play with your legs Roberson??? Duke keyed on him all the way.. all of them... smh....
 
businesslawyer said:
The day started so similarly to Fresno State last year -- awful weather forecast, cancelled tailgate with people from my office, bad but not awful morning, decision to go by myself made at the last minute, leaving just enough time for a beer in the parking lot -- that I went to my seat with some hope. And then something happened that hadn't happened in the 20 years since the Rent opened and I've been to almost every game. I left at halftime. And the weather had almost nothing to do with it, as I was dressed for a monsoon and it had done no more than mist.

That really says it better than any analysis, but I'll give a short one anyway. The defense needs to tackle better, and I'm incredibly disappointed in Eric Watt's lack of impact this year, but the defense didn't suck. Duke has a damn good offense, and if the D wasn't going to get any help whatsoever from the offense, the special teams or the coaches, it's not going to have a chance. On specials, Ruelas now needs a chance to play. He was far better last year than McFarland has been in games. Our coverage sucks, but what do you expect when you can't tackle. Oh, and on the reverse kickoff return before the game was over, that should have been a much bigger play except that Tui Brown didn't whiff on a block as much as he let a guy run right by him without even attempting a block from great position.

The offense is a total train wreck. Roberson, however good he might have been before the injury, is not nearly the QB Zion Turner was last year. Continuing to play him is reminiscent of the utter stubborness, and inabilty to admit to a mistake, that we've seen from our last 3 failed coaches. And the current coach is starting to convince me that last year was a total fluke, like Diaco in 2015, rather than a good coach. The offense seems to be a total trainwreck from design, but the play calling is also absurd. We had one chance yesterday to generate offense. One. To pound the ball down their throats running it. And we had success at times doing that. But we'll never know if that might have worked because if we got a first down with 2 or 3 successful runs, then we had to either throw unsuccessfully or run a trick play. And the defensive play calling isn't much better.

I will come next week, weather cooperating, because I've already invited folks for a tailgate. But I don't want to. We suck, and I don't see a whole lot of hope at the moment. Other, as FCF said as I was leaving at halftime, basketball season is coming.
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Very fair write-up.
I thought defense was solid against the run. But the passing defense was abysmal. Losing Mitchell hurt.

Biggest issue is we have a HS level offense. It’s not rocket science. Plays are limited, opponents know what is coming, and we’re not executing.

I think players need to be held accountable if they aren’t giving 100% or not where they need to be. But thinking back how easily Rhett or Noel could move the ball with similar talent speaks volumes.
 
businesslawyer said:
The day started so similarly to Fresno State last year -- awful weather forecast, cancelled tailgate with people from my office, bad but not awful morning, decision to go by myself made at the last minute, leaving just enough time for a beer in the parking lot -- that I went to my seat with some hope. And then something happened that hadn't happened in the 20 years since the Rent opened and I've been to almost every game. I left at halftime. And the weather had almost nothing to do with it, as I was dressed for a monsoon and it had done no more than mist.

That really says it better than any analysis, but I'll give a short one anyway. The defense needs to tackle better, and I'm incredibly disappointed in Eric Watt's lack of impact this year, but the defense didn't suck. Duke has a damn good offense, and if the D wasn't going to get any help whatsoever from the offense, the special teams or the coaches, it's not going to have a chance. On specials, Ruelas now needs a chance to play. He was far better last year than McFarland has been in games. Our coverage sucks, but what do you expect when you can't tackle. Oh, and on the reverse kickoff return before the game was over, that should have been a much bigger play except that Tui Brown didn't whiff on a block as much as he let a guy run right by him without even attempting a block from great position.

The offense is a total train wreck. Roberson, however good he might have been before the injury, is not nearly the QB Zion Turner was last year. Continuing to play him is reminiscent of the utter stubborness, and inabilty to admit to a mistake, that we've seen from our last 3 failed coaches. And the current coach is starting to convince me that last year was a total fluke, like Diaco in 2015, rather than a good coach. The offense seems to be a total trainwreck from design, but the play calling is also absurd. We had one chance yesterday to generate offense. One. To pound the ball down their throats running it. And we had success at times doing that. But we'll never know if that might have worked because if we got a first down with 2 or 3 successful runs, then we had to either throw unsuccessfully or run a trick play. And the defensive play calling isn't much better.

I will come next week, weather cooperating, because I've already invited folks for a tailgate. But I don't want to. We suck, and I don't see a whole lot of hope at the moment. Other, as FCF said as I was leaving at halftime, basketball season is coming.
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I have been a season ticket holder at the Rent every year it has been open, and you have been too.

Can you ever remember a team that put in such poor effort? The year UConn set a record for passing yards allowed is the only year I can think of where I ever questioned the team's effort, and that team may have just sucked. This season I don't question the team's effort, I deny that it exists.

This football team doesn't care so I don't know why any of us should care.
 
Watts doesn't seem to be playing with his usual verve of seasons past. I would bet that he led the team in personal fouls each year and I don't think he has any yet this year.
 
Palatine said:
Couple of things. First Mora is a professional with a proven track record as both a position and head coach. Diaco was an escapee from a lunatic asylum.

It's odd that they never seem to throw the ball vertically as that would open up the defense a little for the running game even if the passes fail.

Also, it never seems like Roberson has a check down throw. That would relieve a little pressure on him.
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well, in terms of Roberson, he only looks at one option on the field. And that's it. With Zion - he would go to a check down. He would also scramble and pick up some yards and do the intangibles that would keep us generally going in the right direction. I admit without the big plays we all want to see a lot more of.

I agree with business lawyer, that this is all about stubbornness, Ala Edsall - what you need to do is forget about locking players into the QB position, look where that approach has gotten us?

No, let players go out and have some time on the field and let someone claim the position rather than being anointedt the starting QB and rarely coming off the field.
 
nelsonmuntz said:
I have been a season ticket holder at the Rent every year it has been open, and you have been too.

Can you ever remember a team that put in such poor effort? The year UConn set a record for passing yards allowed is the only year I can think of where I ever questioned the team's effort, and that team may have just sucked. This season I don't question the team's effort, I deny that it exists.

This football team doesn't care so I don't know why any of us should care.
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It's really hard to judge "caring" from the stands. I can tell you from my side of the field that the UConn bench looks engaged each and every game (until it gets out of hand). They don't come out just waiting for the hammer to fall on them. But does the defense fly around every play with 11 guys chasing the ball even if it's unlikely they will get near it? Like we saw Duke do? Heck no. And the results (and I don't just mean wins and losses) from units that returned such an overwhelming number of starters on both sides of the ball don't show caring. But sometimes a team is just off mentally for whatever reason. Heck, I didn't think we played anywhere near like we should have been playing for 7 games in 2010, and then a light switch went on under the lights against WVU and we won 5 straight and got to a Fiesta Bowl. So bottom line is it certainly feels like you are 100% right, but I try to be cautious judging a team's mentality because we just don't know.
 
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Palatine said:
Also, it never seems like Roberson has a check down throw. That would relieve a little pressure on him.
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Not true. Go watch the tape. On several occasions while TR was locking in on his sideline “going nowhere” receiver, right across the line of scrimmage, standing wide open for the check off throw was #5, Jalen Mitchell. Of course he never threw to him.
 
I think the bigger problem is that I don't think Roberson can make those easy throws and get it to the RB with enough accuracy that he can make a move on the defender who will be coming up on him. Roberson seems to have enough arm strength to make throws, but his accuracy just seems to be not adequate.
 
businesslawyer said:
I think the bigger problem is that I don't think Roberson can make those easy throws and get it to the RB with enough accuracy that he can make a move on the defender who will be coming up on him. Roberson seems to have enough arm strength to make throws, but his accuracy just seems to be not adequate.
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The main downfield passing route in the outside zone offense that we run is variations of the sail route. It basically gives the QB an opening crossing route or a dump off in the flat. The play has worked but unfortunately it has usually resulted in a poor throw to the flat or a dropped pass across the middle. We do not have the correct personnel to run the scheme. The scheme itself works but not with the team as it is.
 
businesslawyer said:
I think the bigger problem is that I don't think Roberson can make those easy throws and get it to the RB with enough accuracy that he can make a move on the defender who will be coming up on him. Roberson seems to have enough arm strength to make throws, but his accuracy just seems to be not adequate.
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In fairness to Roberson, there have been lots of dropped balls and not enough open receivers. With that being said, when I saw him just watch the fumble last Sat and refuse to make play for it, that was all I needed to see. Maybe the year and a half off has him rethinking if he wants to go “all in.”

Also, there is lots of blame on NC who hasn’t been exactly lighting it up - when all players are covered like glue - to some extent you can pin that on OC.

But the one thing Zion does as well as any one is compete - he is trying to make something happen - we need that - also like to see Tucker on field too.
 
businesslawyer said:
I think the bigger problem is that I don't think Roberson can make those easy throws and get it to the RB with enough accuracy that he can make a move on the defender who will be coming up on him. Roberson seems to have enough arm strength to make throws, but his accuracy just seems to be not adequate.
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I totally agree with this. He's like Nuke LaLoosh from Bull Durham. He can throw it, but his accuracy is sketchy. Plus, most of his receivers have made easy drops, which can't help his confidence.
 
businesslawyer said:
I think the bigger problem is that I don't think Roberson can make those easy throws and get it to the RB with enough accuracy that he can make a move on the defender who will be coming up on him.
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Sadly, but you think correctly. A crossing route, a quick slant, even a well disguised screen in motion should be easy throws for an experienced college QB. TR isn’t the guy.
 
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BlueandOG said:
I totally agree with this. He's like Nuke LaLoosh from Bull Durham. He can throw it, but his accuracy is sketchy. Plus, most of his receivers have made easy drops, which can't help his confidence.
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Does he need a pair of women's underwear to make things better?
 
zmart said:
7 listed tight ends on the team . Joly is actually a big wide receiver. A total of one
reception by the other six. ONE reception in 4 games!!
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Yeah, but it’s 1 for 1 (or 2).
 
Here are some passing stats that surprised me. Comparing 2023 to 2022, UConn is throwing the ball more down field. 10 yards or more: 2022 24.7%, 2023: 44.4%. That is probably skewed since we have been behind in all 4 games this year and we won 6 games last year.

2022:
Throws 20 yards+: 13.5% (completed 20%)
10 to 19 yards: 11.2% (completed 34.5%)
0 to 9 yards: 43.2% (completed 67.9%)
behind LOS: 25.9% (completed 83.6%)

2023:
Throws 20 yards+: 13.3% (completed 16.7%)
10 to 19 yards: 31.1% (completed 31.1%)
0 to 9 yards: 30.0% (completed 63.0%)
behind LOS: 17.8% (completed 93.8%)

But, drops are a huge difference: Drop % 2022: 9.1%, 2023: 17.5%. You can't have that. Drop % Fagnano 18.2%, drop % Roberson 17.5% so it isn't the QB.

According to PFF, Roberson is graded much higher as a passer than Fagnano or what Zion was graded last year.
 
UConnJim said:
Here are some passing stats that surprised me. Comparing 2023 to 2022, UConn is throwing the ball more down field. 10 yards or more: 2022 24.7%, 2023: 44.4%. That is probably skewed since we have been behind in all 4 games this year and we won 6 games last year.

2022:
Throws 20 yards+: 13.5% (completed 20%)
10 to 19 yards: 11.2% (completed 34.5%)
0 to 9 yards: 43.2% (completed 67.9%)
behind LOS: 25.9% (completed 83.6%)

2023:
Throws 20 yards+: 13.3% (completed 16.7%)
10 to 19 yards: 31.1% (completed 31.1%)
0 to 9 yards: 30.0% (completed 63.0%)
behind LOS: 17.8% (completed 93.8%)

But, drops are a huge difference: Drop % 2022: 9.1%, 2023: 17.5%. You can't have that. Drop % Fagnano 18.2%, drop % Roberson 17.5% so it isn't the QB.

According to PFF, Roberson is graded much higher as a passer than Fagnano or what Zion was graded last year.
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So maybe that stat(s) is what gives Mora hope??
 
UConnJim said:
Here are some passing stats that surprised me. Comparing 2023 to 2022, UConn is throwing the ball more down field. 10 yards or more: 2022 24.7%, 2023: 44.4%. That is probably skewed since we have been behind in all 4 games this year and we won 6 games last year.

2022:
Throws 20 yards+: 13.5% (completed 20%)
10 to 19 yards: 11.2% (completed 34.5%)
0 to 9 yards: 43.2% (completed 67.9%)
behind LOS: 25.9% (completed 83.6%)

2023:
Throws 20 yards+: 13.3% (completed 16.7%)
10 to 19 yards: 31.1% (completed 31.1%)
0 to 9 yards: 30.0% (completed 63.0%)
behind LOS: 17.8% (completed 93.8%)

But, drops are a huge difference: Drop % 2022: 9.1%, 2023: 17.5%. You can't have that. Drop % Fagnano 18.2%, drop % Roberson 17.5% so it isn't the QB.

According to PFF, Roberson is graded much higher as a passer than Fagnano or what Zion was graded last year.
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One stat counts: wins/loses.
 
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AllHusky said:
So maybe that stat(s) is what gives Mora hope??
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Drops are just one part of the game, but if you were Mora and Charlton, you should have been pretty confident that your top receivers would be catching the ball based on prior performance.

Last year, UConn had 15 drops and so far this year, UConn has 14!

Look at the drops from the top receivers over the last 4 seasons:

Drop %

2023:
Buckman 14.3%. (2.4% at Delaware last year)
Porter 14.3%. (0.0% at New Mexico last year)
Ross 18.8%. (6.3% at UConn in 2019)
Joly 23.5%. (0.0% at UConn last year)

2022:
Joly 0.0%
Turner 5.1%
Flynn 16.7%
Clercius: 17.2%

2021:
Marion. 0.0%
Clercius 4.8%
Rose 10.0%
Turner 15.4%

2019:
Ardell Brown 3.6%
Thompkins 4.9%
Ross 6.3%
Rose 6.9%
Drayton. 8.7%
 
UConnJim said:
We have 14 drops in 4 games vs 15 drops last year through 13 games.
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That’s a stinging stat. See the ball, catch the ball. I’m overly simplifying it, but this doesn’t need to be coached; this has to be ingrained in the player. Mora said recently “players gotta play”. Too many three and outs puts the onus time and again on the defense. Offense has to perform better, period.
 
More drops could be an indicator of higher accuracy... I mean if you're never on target, you'll never get a drop. Drops/completions are both secondary to yards and points though. I still think that our fundamental flaw is that we value ball security more than we value scoring. You can try to manage it, but you have to accept some risk to play modern, up-and-down the field, football. And if you're not playing that kind of football, you might as well write "kick me" on your jersey backs.
 
What I always liked about Zion Turner is that he is a game manager.. he does whatever it takes to win… I thought with a year under his belt he was going to win the job.. I thought he would beat out Roberson only because Roberson was coming off major knee surgery… i thought the Maine transfer would be a back up…man was I wrong
 
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Hoophound said:
Maybe Zion throws a more catchable ball.
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The drop % for both Fagnano and Roberson are about equal at 17% to 18%. Doesn't seem to be a QB problem. Also, if the pass is not catchable, it's not a drop.

Here is an odd stat that I would bet most here would not agree with. PFF rates Roberson's play this year as the #68 FBS QB, ahead of QB's like Quinn Ewers of Texas, Tanner Mordecai of Wisconsin, Kyler McCord of Ohio St.,... Georgia St.'s QB is ranked #9 and Duke's QB is ranked #15. Both the NC State QB and FIU QB are ranked below Roberson. NC State was a competitive game and we should have beat FIU.
 
UConnJim said:
The drop % for both Fagnano and Roberson are about equal at 17% to 18%. Doesn't seem to be a QB problem. Also, if the pass is not catchable, it's not a drop.

Here is an odd stat that I would bet most here would not agree with. PFF rates Roberson's play this year as the #68 FBS QB, ahead of QB's like Quinn Ewers of Texas, Tanner Mordecai of Wisconsin, Kyler McCord of Ohio St.,... Georgia St.'s QB is ranked #9 and Duke's QB is ranked #15. Both the NC State QB and FIU QB are ranked below Roberson. NC State was a competitive game and we should have beat FIU.
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It may just be my rose colored memory, but I recall Zion throwing a nice spiral, that was on the slightly soft side. I've seen a lot of wobblers this year. We all know from playing catch with various people, some throw a ball that's nice to catch and others throw a wobbly ball or a fast ball that stings. Just a thought.

One point on the loss of RBs and receivers to the portal, Jim Mora specifically said in the preseason that we had improved at every position where we'd lost a transfer. Either he was duped or disingenuous.
 
Hoophound said:
One point on the loss of RBs and receivers to the portal, Jim Mora specifically said in the preseason that we had improved at every position where we'd lost a transfer. Either he was duped or disingenuous.
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It was all lipstick on a pig. Net influx did not compensate for net efflux.
 
Beachview said:
What I always liked about Zion Turner is that he is a game manager.. he does whatever it takes to win… I thought with a year under his belt he was going to win the job.. I thought he would beat out Roberson only because Roberson was coming off major knee surgery… i thought the Maine transfer would be a back up…man was I wrong
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Zion reads better. So he knows when to keep and when to give it to the Running Back. That alone would result in an improvement.
 
KryHavok said:
It was all lipstick on a pig. Net influx did not compensate for net efflux.
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Fully disagree (on the offseason outflux -- you can't blame him for pre season statements that assumed we weren't losing 2 of our 3 TBs). The difference between last year and this year is not based on less overall talent. Football is a team sport. Sometimes teams play over the collective ability of their players (as we probably did last year) and sometimes they play below it (as you're seeing now).
 
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