The View From Section 241 -- USF

[businesslawyer]

I think he might have gotten dinged up early in game. Saw him limp off and don't remember seeing him in second half.

Thanks.

 

[Pudge]

I think the USF loss, truly, is more about the Jimmy & the Joes than the Xs and the Os.

I do see the scheme change Coach Taggert made that really put the nails in our momentum and taking this game. I concur. But, for me, USF had guys that can catch in the open field and be far more dangerous than our guys. They had wide open plays; but, the scary thing is that they just took off. You can add on the reply that WE take awful angles to tackle; however, I think this is about who you are after as well. Only, Arkell Newsome has that spurtability at this point. 4/5 guys on USF, particularly Mack and then the QB Flowers, were loose running for lots of yards. YAC galore.

Verducci's offensive scheme looks far better. We just need to score. We all know the feeling of good solid courtship; and then nada. That was part of the 7 trips to the opponents side of the field in that first half. We have the ability to move the chains. We do need to play far better Redzone and Palatine is right: not yet proven by this coaching staff.

Johnson is a problem. I don't totally point to his continued lack of production as solely his problem. But, using DeLorenzo makes sense at this point.

Not a Rocket Scientist; but, the TEs are 6'5"and 6'6" and have shown exceptional hands. As has Noel Thomas. I think you have to throw it to the endzone in a one on one situation and see what happens. 7 times in their court. You need to take a shot. Shireffs has proven to me that his arm accuracy and smarts are good enough that he won't throw dumb balls.

The secondary is playing mostly solid. (except the John Green flail in the endzone) I like Summers and Williams. The LBs are consistently not giving us what we are used to. We got spoiled (*Fincher, Lansanah, Lutrus, Sio, etc). I think we can get far better in our recruiting. The DLine played well until the edge was gone.

Whaler? I think the truism is from 10+ days ago: the NEXT game is the most important in Diaco's life. If we beat Cincinnati ...

 

[gioff23]

My goodness, that hurt. The momentum from a big win, the chance to be above .500 with the leaves turning colors for the first time, well, in a frigging long time for us, a chance to increase possibility of going bowling, and a chance to get the bandwagon building, and ............. *&^%

Nice write up. A few observations to add -

1. you go for it on 4th and 1 when you let emotion get the best of you in the midst of a game; we're a young team with a southern team traveling north for the 2d straight week, and an O that is scoring challenged. you go up 3-0. You have them responding from the start and us feeling pretty good about a start. And you do that because you plan before the game starts. Enough of the go for it on 4th. You do that when you're desperate.
2. I don't mind the criticism of the QB right before the half, but Arkeel has to know to get out of bounds as well. 2 brain freezes.
3. Beals has a chance to pin them deep on a punt but seemingly is looking at cloud formations and planes, resulting in a touchback
4. Ron Johnson seems to see Arkeel and say, I want to do that - you're not Arkeel. Take the ball and never, ever, ever go outside the tackle box.
5. While not acceptable, I can see a starter who makes a nice play do something emotional and stupid, resulting in a flag. But a guy who has lost his FB job to a true freshman who I don't think ever played that position and now makes a few appearances on specials gives us a throat slash. Are you kidding. Here's what I want from BD - the next time a guy does something that puts himself above the team resulting in a personal foul, he gets sent straight to the locker room, for the rest of the game. I don't care if its BS or Noel or Arkeel. Enough of this. It's not that we can't afford that - that's not what UConn football ever was , is or will be. Enough.

It took years to get the momentum going, and in an afternoon we lost big mo, we returned to below mediocre, all but surrendered a shot at a bowl (and the extra practices we desperately need), and likely will see declining turnouts. 48 hours later and still incredulous at losing to that team.

 

[businesslawyer]

I forgot about Beals comfortably planting his feet on the wrong side of the goal line on the punt. Good point. Given how we were stuffing them in the first half, that play also probably took 3 points off the board.

 

[businesslawyer]

Verducci's offensive scheme looks far better. We just need to score. We all know the feeling of good solid courtship; and then nada.

Why does that make me think of Toronto?

On a more serious note, I don't think it was so much their offensive weapons being that fast as our defensive players not pursuing the play all out all the time. At least that was some of it.

 

[SubbaBub]

I see the 2nd half change by USF to use more misdirection as the key. The D but too hard and was left out of position in run contain and pass coverage. It wasn't one guy either.

 

[Pudge]

Why does that make me think of Toronto?

On a more serious note, I don't think it was so much their offensive weapons being that fast as our defensive players not pursuing the play all out all the time. At least that was some of it.

Next time you look at me & I say I will invite some friends along ... it is going to be extraordinarily hard to top the looks of my Ukraine/Russian friends from Toronto. Fair game for continued scorn (from women) or approbation.

 

[NYUConn]

I've been taking a self-imposed Hiatus from the BY since the end of that game.

That. Was. Brutal.

We are such a better team than last year but we still cannot get out of our own way. It is absolutely insane to watch our offense play that well and come away with 20 points and simply whiff on so many other opportunities.

Here's the thing though: this is a young team and they are going to make stupid mistakes. The same can be said about a young and inexperienced coaching staff.

The awful feeling I still have in my stomach from the result of this game isn't going away any time soon, but we can take some semblance of optimism away from this game because it's clear the talent is here and the team is getting better.

The mistakes we are making are mistakes of a young and inexperienced team. Right now they are costing us games, but I truly believe that a year from now those mistakes will be gone and these heartbreaking losses will turn into convincing victories.

But still...Ouch.

 

[zls44]

I was the nerd posting the studies of why you should go for it on 4th and short, especially inside the 10, so I'll handle this.

The issue is from perspective. I'll grant you that in the NFL it's an easier call than in college, but only slightly. By kicking the field goal, you're saying an offense that had just gashed through USF like a hot knife through butter can't be counted on to get one yard. Do you see the fallacy there?

The problem was the play call. Not the decision.

 

[uconnfan68]

I was the nerd posting the studies of why you should go for it on 4th and short, especially inside the 10, so I'll handle this.

The issue is from perspective. I'll grant you that in the NFL it's an easier call than in college, but only slightly. By kicking the field goal, you're saying an offense that had just gashed through USF like a hot knife through butter can't be counted on to get one yard. Do you see the fallacy there?

The problem was the play call. Not the decision.

The problem seems to be that we don't have a guaranteed 1yd gain in our playbook. Take the points when you don't.

 

[RedStickHusky]

By kicking the field goal, you're saying an offense that had just gashed through USF like a hot knife through butter can't be counted on to get one yard.

And by getting stuffed you're proving it. So, you get three points for admitting a yard is tough to get or zero for being in denial about our ability to play power offense.

 

[NYUConn]

The problem seems to be that we don't have a guaranteed 1yd gain in our playbook. Take the points when you don't.

Totally agree.

I didn't have a problem with going for it on the opening drive, but come on you gotta do something better than a QB sneak there. It wasn't 4th and inches either.

Play action bootleg. BS has shown he's got wheels and Newsome is a perfectly good diversion. Just execute.

 

[hardcorehusky]

I am sick and tired about play calling being the issue. If the OLine could get push, 4th and 1 would not be so angst ridden. Additionally, in the red zone, if you can run the ball- it opens a tight area up for pass plays to the tight end. When you are 1 dimensional in the red zone, it is easier to defend. This is also why Shirreffs is seeing lots of green in front of him once he gets past the line of scrimmage. Teams don't respect our running game and that goes back to the OLINE!!!

 

[Pudge]

We got greedy.

Shireffs is excellent at the QB sneak. Tebow-esque. However, if you try it 10 times in 6 weeks, Teams are going to counter it. Diminishing returns. I am sure Diaco/Verducci felt that BS superior positive yards was always going to be the case ... it is largely past the expiration date.

 

[RedStickHusky]

But we're still afraid to run plays that require sustained blocks. Run a bootleg run/pass option, what are the odds it gets blown up an edge blitzer we don't pick up? To me, the sneak call is timid and revealing.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I agree with hardcore that the issue is the online but that does, in turn, limit the play calling.

 

[hardcorehusky]

We got greedy.

Shireffs is excellent at the QB sneak. Tebow-esque. However, if you try it 10 times in 6 weeks, Teams are going to counter it. Diminishing returns. I am sure Diaco/Verducci felt that BS superior positive yards was always going to be the case ... it is largely past the expiration date.

Oddly enough, Dan Hawkins- in his color commentary thought that Shireffs needed to take 1 step more to the right to hit the correct gap. You are right that teams expect it.

Here is my question, in the past we always had someone we could run behind to get the 2 yards. Krug, Kurazia, Hurd, Beatty, etc. Why can't we get put a tight end over on Knappe's side and run behind Knappe? Isn't he out best lineman?

 

[NYUConn]

But we're still afraid to run plays that require sustained blocks. Run a bootleg run/pass option, what are the odds it gets blown up an edge blitzer we don't pick up? To me, the sneak call is timid and revealing.

My reasoning behind suggesting the play action boot is that teams would be expecting the QB sneak or inside handoff, so the misdirection would offset the o-line weaknesses.

Or come out of the huddle on 4th and 1 in shotgun with four wide and swing it out to Newsome.

Key is to show them something on 4th and 1 that they don't have tape on yet. Literally could have run any other play than the sneak or an inside hand off and I think they get it.

 

[sdhusky]

This team isn't consistent enough or dominate enough to leave points on the table.
Take the points and see what comes next. On the flip side, I think the 45 yard attempt into the wind was one where you go to it . Only because the odds of making that fg were not great. And I think it was less than a yard to go

I don't think this is really worth being critical of the coaches.

We should be able to get 1 yard inside the 10 and even if we don't the other teams is getting really bad field position.

Again, the math says that you should go so it can't be that bad of a call for the coaches.

I am way way way more bothered that we couldn't get the yard than they call.

 

[gioff23]

Everyone who thinks the 4th and 1 was the right call is forgetting one thing - we're not talking in the abstract, we're talking about 2015 UConn football. The O is remarkably better than it has been in years, but it still can not create push up the middle in short yardage situations. It's one thing to cut thru a team like a knife thru butter between the 20s; it's an entirely different thing to do so inside the red zone. This team has not been successful when going for it on 4th, period. Take the 3 points, make a few adjustments and go for 7 next go round.

 

[Sprague03]

it's just frustrating. right when you think they are done making stupid mistakes- they go out and make another one in the next game. It doesn't end and enough of these unsportsmanlike penalties already.

The defense this year, even playing at the 200 level, still can't sack the opposing QB, and our own OL/RB/TE can't protect ours. we are in the bottom 10 in both categories this year.

 

[huskypantz]

It is absolutely insane to watch our offense play that well and come away with 20 points and simply whiff on so many other opportunities

Yep, I took a little break and held my tongue myself. I still need a fully-sober viewing of the game to get a better feel for things, but I am going to take the glass half full approach - our offense whiffed on a ton of opportunities and still came up with 20 points. We are making progress, it's painful but better than last year's agony. We have 5 games left and we might be favored in one. That's okay. I believe we're going to continue to improve, play hard and maybe we can make a little magic happen. Both the coaches AND players can improve.

 

[RedStickHusky]

The "math" has to be based on an average rate of success. The game might force you into going for it in situations where you lack confidence, even on 4th qtr 4th and longs when you're trailing but when the situation doesn't force you to go for it then confidence in your ability to make it ought to be a factor in deciding to give up guaranteed points. Teams with swagger run a play on 4th and 1 and know it'll work. The play is in the game plan and they've worked on it. The call gets made and the play gets run. Teams that are desperate run a play without confidence and hope they get lucky, they ponder the call, burn a bunch of clock and run a play that looks like they've never run before. We've been looking like the later more than the former. SD you say that you're bothered that we can't get the yard, I'm bothered that the staff doesn't seem to know whether we can get the yard or how we can get the yard. I think this is all in the column of stuff that will get worked out.. just hoping we get better sooner.

 

[sdhusky]

The "math" has to be based on an average rate of success. The game might force you into going for it in situations where you lack confidence, even on 4th qtr 4th and longs when you're trailing but when the situation doesn't force you to go for it then confidence in your ability to make it ought to be a factor in deciding to give up guaranteed points. Teams with swagger run a play on 4th and 1 and know it'll work. The play is in the game plan and they've worked on it. The call gets made and the play gets run. Teams that are desperate run a play without confidence and hope they get lucky, they ponder the call, burn a bunch of clock and run a play that looks like they've never run before. We've been looking like the later more than the former. SD you say that you're bothered that we can't get the yard, I'm bothered that the staff doesn't seem to know whether we can get the yard or how we can get the yard. I think this is all in the column of stuff that will get worked out.. just hoping we get better sooner.

The math is based on numbers and then doing things like adding, dividing, times maybe a even a bit of of that fancy math they teach in universities. I don't know if that fancy math is really more than sleight of hand but some smart people believe in it.

It's just about maxing out your percentages not giving certainty. Blackjack card counters just max out their percents and sometimes the little old lady get a 4 when she hits on 17.

If you have a crappy offense, you maybe need to max out your points even more.

 

[kris1]

it's just frustrating. right when you think they are done making stupid mistakes- they go out and make another one in the next game. It doesn't end and enough of these unsportsmanlike penalties already.

The defense this year, even playing at the 200 level, still can't sack the opposing QB, and our own OL/RB/TE can't protect ours. we are in the bottom 10 in both categories this year.

Don't disagree with what your saying. I know he missed picking up a delayed blitz, that likely would have been a sack anyway, but Newsome has vastly improved as a blocker in pass pro and downfield. Last year he was horrible at recognizing and attacking the pass rusher. Truth be told, he never learn how to pass block in high school because the ball was always in his hands. He's come a long way and will continue to get better.

I think it's also different for CT high school kids, transitioning to college football, because you can't block pass rushers below the waist in CTHSFB. They have to learn how to do it on the fly and have to get comfortable with sacrificing their body to impede the path of an oncoming rusher.