The View From Section 241 -- Navy

[Duncan Idaho]

As much as the offense and defense sputtered in the first half they both came roaring back in the second to take the lead 24-21. I believe what really turned the tide was UConn's punt returner letting the ball get by him and roll on forever and ever pinning the offense way back. Then, special teams on the Husky punt allowing Navy to return it so deep in UConn territory setting up their game winning TD. Sure, Diaco blew it at the end after the offense marched down to the goal line but that whole sequence was set up by poor special teams play. Like the OP said the kicking game was good but the rest of special teams was poor.

The punt was into the wind. I was hoping he could catch a spiral off his foot but it was more of a helicopter with little hang time.

 

[noeynox]

There is another elephant in the room in my opinion. This Offense seems to excel in 3 WR sets...so why the hell do we have to wait until our backs are against the wall to go to that package?

Our best playmaker is Noel Thomas, and it isn't even close. Our second best playmaker is our QB. So why are we 2 TE base package Offense? This was true last year as well.

My thoughts exactly. Even the TEs Bloom, Meyers, and Davis could be used to gain 1st downs.

Diaco is being as stubborn as Deleone here. Maybe he feels the OL cant handle it, but through 2 games they may be better pass blockers than powerful run blockers.

Bob needs to stop being a you know what.

 

[Kgun7]

The last play was designed to go left. RJ, for whatever reason, bounced it to the right.
View attachment 15515
In the still shot, you can see the hole open on the left side and Levy (RG) is pulling to lead RJ up into the hole. Video of the play shows RJ cuts it back behind Levy and into the teeth of the defense. It was the same play that RJ scored on earlier, flipped, and from a different formation. RJ didn't stay in the hole. He looked to cut it back to the right side that was outmanned. Once Levy pulled the backside defenders read the pulling guard and crashed down the line (as they should). RJ had no chance.

Kris - Exactly as you stated ... the same play flipped , but with the TE's on each end of the line. Vechery sealed the NT and Levy pulled ... but they were out numbered at the line and Johnson didn't have anywhere to go. I would have liked to see the original run formation with 3 TE's ... could have even been a pass option there.

 

[Tdaley]

Maybe in the Virgina game we can come out in our 3 wide set to start the game so that we have an entire game to put up points rather than just the second half. The added advantage to this would be that Bob can go into his conservative offensive mode later in the game after we have a decent lead. Another thought that Bob needs to think about is with that with the trouble we are having defending the middle of the field for the first two games, we may have to think about game planning to score at least 28 points a game because it looks like are defense is going to give up more points this year than last year.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

A bootleg wins the game for us.

 

[Excalibur]

A bootleg wins the game for us.

So does catching the punt.

So does actually trying to cover our own punt.

So does saving the timeout.


Diaco liked to talk about eliminating things that "cause losing" during his first season. We have four things that he has done since day one that cause losing. This time directly.

 

[Husky Pete]

A bootleg wins the game for us.

I was thinking the same thing. Even if a DB is ready for it, Bryant just throws it away and it's third down.

 

[Stinger92860]

If we have no interest in returning punts, would it make sense to have 2 guys back to fair catch? As an opposing coach I would instruct my punter to try the line drive every time and look for a roll. There is no way Bob is going to tell our returner to field that type of punt.

 

[Husky Pete]

If we have no interest in returning punts, would it make sense to have 2 guys back to fair catch? As an opposing coach I would instruct my punter to try the line drive every time and look for a roll. There is no way Bob is going to tell our returner to field that type of punt.

This^^^^^. I have been saying this for two years. Why can't the coaches see such an obvious solution!!!

 

[CTMike]

Maybe in the Virgina game we can come out in our 3 wide set to start the game so that we have an entire game to put up points rather than just the second half. The added advantage to this would be that Bob can go into his conservative offensive mode later in the game after we have a decent lead. Another thought that Bob needs to think about is with that with the trouble we are having defending the middle of the field for the first two games, we may have to think about game planning to score at least 28 points a game because it looks like are defense is going to give up more points this year than last year.

Not to deviate too much from the OP, but this is right on.

Bob's chosen strategy - minimize turnovers, control clock, keep games close, try to wear down opponents and win in the 4th quarter by the smallest margin possible - is producing exactly the results you would expect, because it leaves absolutely no margin for error. There is too much left to chance with this philosophy. On the surface, it's not a crazy strategy. But reality is different... It makes much more sense to employ these tactics after you've built some semblance of a lead (even then, it's debatable how well play not to lose works, but it's better to do it from a lead than the hole we seem to always be in.) There should be some urgency to score every possession because the game never unfolds exactly how you plan... Build yourself that margin for error. Hopefully he starts to realize some of this and adjust accordingly.

 

[31GuardTrap]

Ron Jon was facemasked on that drive late that started deep after punt !! Might have changed the outcome, first half was the worst half of football I've seen in my life, this to me is the worst loss next to the Rutgers game after Jazz's death, my head still hurts from this loss today , the drive home was quiet with my crew

I thought he got him around the inside of the shoulder pad.

 

[noeynox]

A bootleg wins the game for us.

Yeah, what if he tripped, busted his lip and started wheeling?

Just trying to think of why Diaco would oppose such a call.

 

[Dooley]

If we have no interest in returning punts, would it make sense to have 2 guys back to fair catch? As an opposing coach I would instruct my punter to try the line drive every time and look for a roll. There is no way Bob is going to tell our returner to field that type of punt.

Bingo. If we aren't returning punts, 2 guys should be back to fair catch everything. A short/intermediate range returner and a long range returner. We rush 2 or 3 to keep the punter honest, drop everyone else into a safe-zone style defense to defend against fakes and chip off the other team's gunners. Nothing should ever hit the ground. If the other teams' coaches employ a running line drive punt from their punters (I would too), then we have 2 guys playing punt safety to shout "fire!" once the ball hits the ground so everyone runs off the field except the 2 fair catchers (who have eyes on the ball at all times).

The punts that hit the ground and roll an additional 15 yards are killing us, like it did against Navy. It's been this way for years.

 

[businesslawyer]

I was thinking the same thing. Even if a DB is ready for it, Bryant just throws it away and it's third down.

Of course, that is what Leavitt told Matt Grothe before he bootlegged to a 9 yard loss and gave us our first ranked victory against a ranked team ever.

HCBD did exactly the wrong thing, but it's only as a chance of decreasing the odds. Nothing was guaranteed even if he did it right.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

You know its taken until Monday for me to think about this, but imagine if RonJon had gotten in and scored a TD?? We'd be hailing Diaco as brilliant right now... That he's exactly the type of HC this program needs and will lead us into the promise land... Here we come Big XII... Watch out UVA and Cuse!

Instead we're calling for his head, saying he's incompitent, and thinking the sky is falling over UConn Nation.

It was one play. He had one job. He let us down- but the best part is we're 1-1 and we have a 0-2 weak Virginia team coming into The Rent Saturday.

 

[Sky ball]

You know its taken until Monday for me to think about this, but imagine if RonJon had gotten in and scored a TD?? We'd be hailing Diaco as brilliant right now... That he's exactly the type of HC this program needs and will lead us into the promise land... Here we come Big XII... Watch out UVA and Cuse!

Instead we're calling for his head, saying he's incompitent, and thinking the sky is falling over UConn Nation.

It was one play. He had one job. He let us down- but the best part is we're 1-1 and we have a 0-2 weak Virginia team coming into The Rent Saturday.

I agree with your statement and will add if the trick play resulted in an interception? I can hear the howls "why a trick play"? Put the 3 points on the board.

 

[pepband99]

So does catching the punt.

So does actually trying to cover our own punt.

So does saving the timeout.


Diaco liked to talk about eliminating things that "cause losing" during his first season. We have four things that he has done since day one that cause losing. This time directly.

I don't understand why everyone is going that nuts on the punt coverage.
Navy sent everyone. They lined up to attempt the block. Would you prefer they blocked it in the endzone?

Everything else is rage-causing, but the problem with the punt was the kick itself, not as much the coverage.

 

[Dooley]

I don't understand why everyone is going that nuts on the punt coverage.
Navy sent everyone. They lined up to attempt the block. Would you prefer they blocked it in the endzone?

Everything else is rage-causing, but the problem with the punt was the kick itself, not as much the coverage.

And the problem really originated when Navy's punt rolled 15 yards inside our 5 and Verducci went into ultra-uber conservative mode. If we fair catch that thing at the 20, our playbook probably remains a bit more open and we don't have quite as much worry about a punt in our end zone. Not to mention, the additional 15 yards of field position played huge in turning that game into Navy's favor.

 

[businesslawyer]

You know its taken until Monday for me to think about this, but imagine if RonJon had gotten in and scored a TD?? We'd be hailing Diaco as brilliant right now... That he's exactly the type of HC this program needs and will lead us into the promise land... Here we come Big XII... Watch out UVA and Cuse!

Instead we're calling for his head, saying he's incompitent, and thinking the sky is falling over UConn Nation.

It was one play. He had one job. He let us down- but the best part is we're 1-1 and we have a 0-2 weak Virginia team coming into The Rent Saturday.

True for those who post for the sake of posting. But Johnson scoring would not change the fact that he went the low percentage route. You can bet on roulette all you want, and you will win plenty, but ultimately you win more if you play the percentages and at the end he failed.

 

[Excalibur]

I don't understand why everyone is going that nuts on the punt coverage.
Navy sent everyone. They lined up to attempt the block. Would you prefer they blocked it in the endzone?

Everything else is rage-causing, but the problem with the punt was the kick itself, not as much the coverage.

That's how Navy lines up for a punt, unless it's on their half of the field where a fake is a possibility (in that case they play with 3 players off of the LOS). Clearly Navy's first priority here was to set up a return.

 

[Excalibur]

 

[Husky68]

I don't understand why everyone is going that nuts on the punt coverage.
Navy sent everyone. They lined up to attempt the block. Would you prefer they blocked it in the endzone?

Everything else is rage-causing, but the problem with the punt was the kick itself, not as much the coverage.

You answered your own question, "They lined up to attempt the block." Opponent tried to make a play in punt game and caused something bad for UConn (bad punt, bad punt coverage, bad result for UConn). Our coach does not try to block their prior punt nor have 2 back to field or anything that would suggest trying to give UConn any advantage letting Navy dictate.

The nuts part is Navy dictated to UConn by their actions on our punt and we didn't attempt to dictate anything on their punt. The coverage lapse was the obvious result, bad punt/coverage whatever, coverage was bad.

 

[freescooter]

Of course, that is what Leavitt told Matt Grothe before he bootlegged to a 9 yard loss and gave us our first ranked victory against a ranked team ever.

HCBD did exactly the wrong thing, but it's only as a chance of decreasing the odds. Nothing was guaranteed even if he did it right.

It wasn't just the call that was bad, though it was the whole situation. Not knowing what was going on, calling the time out, calling a time consuming play that if it didn't work gave you no shot at recovery. Sure a different sequence could have had the same bad result. A pass could have been picked off or the quarterback could have been sacked. But our best offensive playmaker this year are is Sherriffs. With the game on the line you need to put the ball in the hands of your playmaker and at least give him a chance to make a play.

 

[businesslawyer]

It wasn't just the call that was bad, though it was the whole situation. Not knowing what was going on, calling the time out, calling a time consuming play that if it didn't work gave you no shot at recovery. Sure a different sequence could have had the same bad result. A pass could have been picked off or the quarterback could have been sacked. But our best offensive playmaker this year are is Sherriffs. With the game on the line you need to put the ball in the hands of your playmaker and at least give him a chance to make a play.

And I clearly said that in the original post. Nonetheless, I feel like one has to point out the irony when we read a statement saying that a particular call was obvious and safe when we personally saw the obvious and safe call blow up in the coach's face and cost him a chance to win the game.

 

[Pudge]

"failed miserably"