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- Aug 24, 2011
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There are some things that we can't get back quickly. Even adjusting for a game against an FCS opponent, the juice won't be in the building that used to be. It can't be if the building is only half full, and even those there can't realistically be as enthusiastic as we were in the past. The conference situation will also -- pray to God -- be improved when it is improved, and other than long term, low individual impact activities like buying more tickets, making bigger donations and spreading the gospel of UConn football more, there is little we can do to rush or fix it. So all that there really is to root for is for the program and the football to get better. So what does that tell us about opening day?
1. Under FHCRE, we were never really given a game by a FCS opponent. We lost to a really good one two years ago, and were taken to the wire by a really mediocre one last year. It will be beyond depressing losing to 'Nova, or even being given a game, given how far ahead of their program our program was. That having been said, this 'Nova team is probably a better team than a few of the teams we lost to last year, and playing o.k. and being beaten will not mean that this UConn team still can't be better than last year. It will be depressing to see us lose, but if you accept how bad we've been for two years it really doesn't change anything. I fear this program was destroyed more than those like Muntz want to accept, and it is not a short or easy road back.
2. There is no reason to be optimistic about the offense. We have beyond sucked forever, and we lost much of the "talent" we had last year. Does that mean you can't be optimistic? No, it doesn't. Our QB got snaps as a true frosh at NC State, and the fact that they wanted to go in a different direction at QB doesn't mean he can't be lightyears ahead of Whitmer and Boyle. On the OL, we return both OTs, the more important positions, and they were showing improvement as the season wore on. I do think our TBs are more than competent. And we have some continuity in the staff. So maybe we'll be surprised, although I fear being "good" will take a few years before we have an OL that reminds us of an Edsall/Foley OL.
3. The D could be good, at least at the crappy level of football that our league now has us in. I worry about the pass rush, but I see competence -- with some hope for good -- all over the two deep there. And I think we should be really, really good at stopping the run.
4. Special teams is kickers -- where we are competent -- and attitude, where maybe HCBD will now have this team playing. I still believe the turnaround in '10 started with the opening kickoff against WVU, where you could just look in the eyes of Shumate and Trevardo and others and see they were going to play every special teams snap as if their lives depended on it. And then did.
So I am hopefully optimistic tonight. I am not expecting miracles, and even getting to 7-5 eventuallly (which won't happen this year) in this AAC will leave us far short of where we were with our 7-5 regular seasons in '08 and '09. But I need to see enough improvement to know that we are going in the right direction. And improvement needs to include beating 'Nova and Army at home to start the year. Frankly, I think this is our more difficult of the two games, and I'll take a win of any sort tonight, while against Army I will be looking for more than that. But none of us can do it. Only the players -- with help from the staff -- can do it.
GO HUSKIES!
1. Under FHCRE, we were never really given a game by a FCS opponent. We lost to a really good one two years ago, and were taken to the wire by a really mediocre one last year. It will be beyond depressing losing to 'Nova, or even being given a game, given how far ahead of their program our program was. That having been said, this 'Nova team is probably a better team than a few of the teams we lost to last year, and playing o.k. and being beaten will not mean that this UConn team still can't be better than last year. It will be depressing to see us lose, but if you accept how bad we've been for two years it really doesn't change anything. I fear this program was destroyed more than those like Muntz want to accept, and it is not a short or easy road back.
2. There is no reason to be optimistic about the offense. We have beyond sucked forever, and we lost much of the "talent" we had last year. Does that mean you can't be optimistic? No, it doesn't. Our QB got snaps as a true frosh at NC State, and the fact that they wanted to go in a different direction at QB doesn't mean he can't be lightyears ahead of Whitmer and Boyle. On the OL, we return both OTs, the more important positions, and they were showing improvement as the season wore on. I do think our TBs are more than competent. And we have some continuity in the staff. So maybe we'll be surprised, although I fear being "good" will take a few years before we have an OL that reminds us of an Edsall/Foley OL.
3. The D could be good, at least at the crappy level of football that our league now has us in. I worry about the pass rush, but I see competence -- with some hope for good -- all over the two deep there. And I think we should be really, really good at stopping the run.
4. Special teams is kickers -- where we are competent -- and attitude, where maybe HCBD will now have this team playing. I still believe the turnaround in '10 started with the opening kickoff against WVU, where you could just look in the eyes of Shumate and Trevardo and others and see they were going to play every special teams snap as if their lives depended on it. And then did.
So I am hopefully optimistic tonight. I am not expecting miracles, and even getting to 7-5 eventuallly (which won't happen this year) in this AAC will leave us far short of where we were with our 7-5 regular seasons in '08 and '09. But I need to see enough improvement to know that we are going in the right direction. And improvement needs to include beating 'Nova and Army at home to start the year. Frankly, I think this is our more difficult of the two games, and I'll take a win of any sort tonight, while against Army I will be looking for more than that. But none of us can do it. Only the players -- with help from the staff -- can do it.
GO HUSKIES!
