Could not ask for a better weather night for the time of year. As always, not fun trying to get from Stamford to the Rent on the Thursday before Labor Day, but it is what it is. Only pulled into the parking lot at 6:15 or so, so tailgate had to be rushed, but was able to get the clam chowder warmed, get the potato slices and jerk scallops grilled, and still in seats by 7:30. Kudos to the UMass band -- that is I believe the largest visiting band ever brought to the Rent (I think WVU's had been the biggest) and they were outstanding. They treated it like it was their Super Bowl. (Of course, that is as close to their campus as they will play for the next few years.) Kudos to our student section -- overflowing, on time and with more enthusiasm then you normally get for an opener against a non-big time opponent. Only one negative before getting to the game itself (and the negative will effect what I cover below). For the first five or so years of the Rent, I bought a program so I'd have players numbers but also to support the program. Then they eliminated the programs, and instead handed out free booklets with rosters in them. Fine. Yesterday, I get to the Rent and there was nothing. Nothing. So I didn't have a roster in front of me, and didn't know ahead of time to check numbers, which made it (obviously) harder to know who was playing off the bench. Thanks for the warning Athletic Department. Now that I know, I'll just print one off the internet and bring it.
Team looked fine. Much, much crisper than against Fordham a year ago. There was none of the uncertainty and people standing around not knowing who to block, none of the slowness in getting personnel on and off the field and to scrimmage, that we had the first half of last year with the new staff. I don't know how many games UMass will win this year -- I expect not very many -- but that was not a Patriot League team we were playing, and while the score was comparable I think we were actually more dominant. The easy win having been taken care of, I said that, by far, the only thing to take out of the game would be Whitmer's play. I think he showed us he had the ability to make most of the throws (jury out on the long balls) and had decent feet. Is he green? Yes. The first pick, while a great play by the DB that could Whitmer I'm sure by surprise, was totally unnecessary. I'm assuming he won't make that mistake again. The second pick was a horrific decision. Does everyone make them some percentage of the time? Sure. So we'll have to see what percentage of the time Chandler does. But overall, it was probably the second strongest debut a UConn QB has had in the moder era (Tyler's 300+ yard game at Duke was #1), and he showed me the tools to think he can connect on 60% of his passes before he's done. So as to QB play I was pleased.
Offense, defense and special teams. Let's do them in reverse order. Special teams was close to perfect. Solid game for Nick Williams returning. Christen was great on kickoffs and nailed all 3 FG attempts, including a 47 yarder. Did we see how he'll do under pressure? Of course not. But he has the tools to have a good two years for us. Wagner only punted twice, but both should have been killed within the 5 (Taylor Mack needs to be able to make the play he didn't make on the first one). Coverages were solid. And, off the dropped snap, we blocked a punt and turned it into 7. I'm still not sure who blocked it. I thought on the stadium replay it was Hyppolite, but someone else thought it was mack and I think the announcers said Clark. But it was Foxx (who played a lot of specials even though I didn't see him get a turn at WR) who didn't recover it, and then Max Delorenzo, getting his first of hopefully many UConn TDs, by falling on it. Overall, a great start for special teams.
The defense was honestly close to perfect. Were they that good? Was UMass's offense that bad? Ask me on the 9th. But the effort was so solid that I really can't single out individuals. As to the depth, until garbage time, as I expected, we did a 3-man DE rotation, with Jennings playing as much as Trevardo and Joseph (who looked bigger than I remembered). Willman made a nice play there late. There were a lot of bodies standing next to Wirth at DT (I know I saw Pruitt, in addition to Campenni). Only saw 3 LBs until the 4th Q, so there was no strategic subbing in of Vann, Ashiru or Donohue. And we played a lot of 3-3-5, with one DT coming out and Adams coming in as a third Safety (the Reggie McClain look we used to use). On 3rd and long, saw a little of Taylor Mack as a nickel, but not nearly as much as I saw Adams. I did not see Norris get in, but again, I had no roster. I don't doubt he did.
On offense, it was not nearly as rosy. I've spoken already about Whitmer. The running game was disappointing. I see no more of what was our bread and butter for years -- helmet to helmet big uglies winning battles up front. Everything now is technique based and just seems less effective. Our success running the ball came with McCumming in, when we'd get more blockers on the edge than they'd have defenders and would get 7 or 8 out of it. But just handing off and running with Whitmer in -- yuch. I was not optimistic about shifting Foley off the OL, and I'm going to have to see a lot better performance before I think that P was right and I was wrong. The other negative was the rhythm was off a little with the use of the wildcat. I understand what P was doing last year -- he was desperately trying to overcome the fact that he didn't think he had a Big East level QB. Fine. I gave him a wide path to walk on that. But wouldn't it be easier for both Whitmer and McCummings to play longer stretches in and out? The constantly using McCummings for one play just didn't seem to be helping anyone. As for personnel, without a roster I could not follow if there were changes being made on the OL. If someone paid attention, I'd be interested. At WR, Nick Williams and Geremy Davis started, but Michael Smith and Phillips basically played the same amounts in a 4 man rotation. Davis had an outstanding game and I think both Smith and Williams looked good. Phillips was a bit of a disappointment coming off the spring game, but it was only one game. Tebucky Jones only played in garbage time. Did not see Kamal Abrams even then, so I would guess there is a chance he would redshirt (and, as I said earlier, Foxx figures in to special teams even if he doesn't get WR time).
We played 3 FBs -- Frank, who looked much more like a typical road grader like Anthony Davis than he had as a frosh, Osiecki, who made a nice play catching the ball but then missed one he needed to catch, and then Delorenzo, who had a cameo at FB. We saw no meaningful subbing for McCombs at TB -- Hyppolite had one carry before garbage time and showed nothing (Delorenzo had a very nice carry, reduced by penalty, in garbage time). We played a lot of two TE sets, and Griffin lined up wide as much as tight. I saw both McQuillan and Shortell in garbage time only.
So, as I said, it was a more than successful opener. What I saw from Chandler causes me more optimism than the fear I have over the running game, the turnovers and the use of the wildcat. And, nothing I saw makes me doubt my pre season beliefs that both the D and the special teams might have outstanding years. But it was UMass. We will know far, far more on the 8th when the Wolfpack comes to the Rent. As it will be the biggest home game we've had since probably the Pitt game in 2010, it's also a chance to see how our fanbase has evolved and whether it's ready to step up its game in a big game. Based on what I saw from the students last night (and the fact that we are now clearly getting more students in who have been UConn football fans for years before going to UConn), I am hoping we surprise ourselves a little.
. Going in a different direction we can only hope. More "college football mainstream". Witmer's night was very encouraging, indeed. Now a little (Ok a lot) of improving on technique (first catch the ball, then run with the ball, guys) and things are looking up. Remember the old commercial with Greg Maddox & Tom Glavine "Chicks dig the long ball", well same for "sexy" offenses. Air it out O.
