The View From Section 241

[businesslawyer]

O.K., I've been making snide comments since being home, but let's see if I can somehow tie a lot of it together. First, yesterday was a brutal weather day. Unbelievably brutal. Combine the weather with the (understandably) empty stadium, the lack of quality of the opponent and the terrible display we saw of offensive football by both sides and I don't think I ever would of imagined I could have less fun at a non-blowout game than I had yesterday. It was that uncomfortable (and our team, while getting a W, played a far, far worse game than they did against Towson last year -- luckily, against a far, far worse opponent. I really do fear that we have an issue here, in that it will take HCBD time to rebuild the steaming pile of manure that he inherited, and, in terms of having a fanbase left in this conference, we may not have time. But that's for minds much greater than mine to wrestle with. One last thing -- the dog growl on third down is embarassing, paintful, and counterproductive. I won't stand on third downs if that's what they do, and I can see others reacting the same way. Guns and Roses was fine and served its purpose. If they want to change to some other cue (band playing, cheerleader prompts, whatever) I'm open to change, but what they are doing may be the worst bad idea of all bad ideas ever made by anybody. Please, someone, stop it.

The defense played very well until the one drive it gave up in the fourth Q. They pitched a shutout until the final three minutes. Did we learn anything from it? No, Stony Brook couldn't move the ball against Bryant, so we should have been able to shut them down. But that's all you can do, and but for one bad drive the D did all it could do. The NT play of Campenni and Myers was really good. Adeyami and McBride kept us from missing Pruitt. I really like Junior at LB. Ruben Frank put himself in a position a few times to make huge plays, but doesn't seem to know how to actually make the play when he gets there. Hopefully this will change. Other than Bryon Jones, could one DB start looking for the ball? How many times where they in position to make plays, but then didn't? And Obi is close, in my view, to not deserving starts. Maybe he's just one of these weekday athletes who looks good in practice, but from what he brings on Saturdays I don't get why people rave about him. Finally, in what looks like it might be a very long season at the moment, we are getting a ton of youngsters snaps and hopefully there is a payback for that in subsequent years.

Special teams, obviously, had a good day. Puyol made both FGs and did a good job on kickoffs. It looked to me like the PAT was just kicked low, but I haven't seen a replay. Wain was much, much better. Coverage was fine( someone on the punt team made a great play catching and downing a punt at the one but I couldn't see who). Oh -- and one great show of athleticism by Des Foxx probably won us the game. Note, however, that on both punts and kickoffs we are still insisting on lining up to forward, where kicks either go over our heads or on KOs we're losing forward momentum when making a catch. I don't get it.

The offense was beyond terrible. What's ironic, is that Chandler Whitmer '12 was much better than Chandler Whitmer the last two games. Chandler Whitmer last year, while a turnover machine, generally threw better than he has this year. Does that speak well of our offensive coaches? Or is it just that they have him focused on eliminating the TOs, rather than being free to throw and that is having an effect. But it is a joke to think that yesterday is all about how bad Whitmer was. The OL sucked against a D they should have been able to blow off the line. Other than Davis, Foxx and Abrans and McQuillan simply refuse to make tough catches or big plays. Geremy Davis spends way, way, way too much time off the field. And if I keep seeing us throw long 75% of the time on manageable third downs I'm going to scream (although Whitmer's lack of touch on short passes surely has something to do with it). Yesterday may have been the most embarassing offensive performance since moving into the Rent. Only the turnover show against Pitt in '08 even comes close when you realize the opponent. I am truly worried that if CC isn't playing this year we will be worse than last year.

So coaching? Again, being really bad this year is not a reflection of HCBD and his staff. And you're not going to see my overreact to the coaching any time soon. But that does not mean I understand everything. I give a full pass on the defensive subs yesterday given the heat and how the D played, but we're still playing way too many people on offense. I know that's good for experience but will players be able to get in a grove if they're not allowed to play? The fact that they viewed at least through opening day Whitmer as being in Cochran's league makes me worry about a drug problem having effected them. And the play calling (specifically continuing to throw low percentage passes yesterday instead of high percentage passes) leaves me puzzled. But, in fairness, the players seem to have bought in, and given our lack of real playmakers on both sides of the ball, that may be more important in the long term than strategy while the staff has time to build the roster. I just worry about whether, in a conference where our fans don't see any light at the end of the rainbow, we will still have a fanbase by the time the roster gets there.

I will be at a bar conference next week and will miss the Boise game. I hope fans show up, like opening night, and are ready to be enthusiastic if the game gives them a chance to. I am assuming they give CC one more week off and if he is able to play again make their stand come conference play. But we'll see.

 

[huskymedic]

I will be at a bar conference next week and will miss the Boise game..

Likely story:

 

[uconndogs]

I think Whitmer was told in no uncertain terms not to turn the ball over. That would be logical direction if one believed we could control our offensive line of scrimmage, which we could not. That, being unable to run the ball, was the most disappointing thing to me. Rather scary actually.

That all said, the offense handed SB 10 point in Q1. If that doesn't happen, it's an entirely different game.

I actually think we'll play much better against Boise.

Thanks biz.

 

[WingU-Conn]

The offense was beyond terrible. What's ironic, is that Chandler Whitmer '12 was much better than Chandler Whitmer the last two games. Chandler Whitmer last year, while a turnover machine, generally threw better than he has this year.

Agree with the entire post, but this specifically, is exactly right. He has gotten worse at UConn. I believed it to be due to the prior staff. I thought this one would turn him around. We've seen him play better. Those who say he's the same he's always been are flat out wrong. He's actually worse, but I don't think it's crazy to think he can play better.

Now I'll be accused of saying I want him to be our starter for the season, when I didn't, and I don't.

I want to see (assuming Casey comes back) if we still throw deep. He doesn't have the arms strength Whitmer does, and he has a quicker release, which is a good thing, but it also seems that he doesn't target Davis often because Davis runs deep routes, and he's already gotten rid of the ball.

Casey would improve the offense, but if and when he comes back, he can't wait until midway through the second quarter to start looking for our best weapon.

Golfers, pitchers, batters, shooters, they all go though slumps. The silver lining is that Whitmer saw guys open, and made the throws. Hopefully he'll start to execute better while he's out there. If not, we're in for a very long season because nobody else around him is playing particularly well.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Nice analysis BL.

I will only touch on the QB situation and then leave it alone. I firmly believe that the primary goal of the staff (through to the athletic director) this season is to get through this season and open next year with a RS junior, two RS sophs and a true freshman at (scholarship) QB.
There were quite a few calls and defensive formations that had me scratching my head but if the in game experience early in the season leads to better play in critical situations (one glaring one was Frank dropping back in coverage for SB's final two offensive possessions when a nickle or dime package would have made more sense) it could well be worth the effort.

I am frustrated beyond description with an offensive line that could not block an (at best) average FCS defense. I do however have immense faith in Foley, I realize that nearly all of last year's line graduated and that six months of work with a quality strength & conditioning coach cannot fully make up for years of neglect. I would love to see what Newsome and Johnson (Marriner & DeLorenzo as well) could do behind our offensive lines from 2007-2010. God I miss those days. I was even talking with a few people about the Pitt game four years ago when we ran the ball at fourth and 3 form our 28. What I wouldn't give to have a line that would give us the confidence to consider something like that again.

The defense also frustrates me but I am holding out hope that this is temporary, as our players learn a new philosophy. I grew up a Giant fan and there were few things in life as frustrating as being a Giant fan from the late 1960's (when I was first old enough to really follow the sport) through the early 1980's. When Parcells (under Perkins) took over the defense, we went from an attacking, very good defense (with zero offense) to a reacting defense and for the first couple of seasons appeared to take a significant step backwards. I am holding out hope that an installation of a very similar defense here will reap the same benefits over time.

I will reiterate what I've stated on a few other threads from mid-summer forward in that a total number of wins and losses may not be a means of measuring this season. We still (even after two games in) have little idea of what we have and little idea of what many of our opponents have. We are building for future seasons, this is why I still view saving Boyle's redshirt as a priority. I need someone to convince me that a possible extra win or two in 2014 will be more important than a possible additional win, two or even three or four in 2017 (imagine what 2005 would have looked like if we had Dano).

 

[noeynox]

I am little shocked that for the second week in a row you refer to the program as steaming pile dung. Diaco has called it broken and we all know it was. Its not like you to refer to the players as sheet.

Obi made some big plays last year, but through two game this year he has got burned on big plays. His phyiscal abilities, which he showed last year allowed him to make some Ints, as well as some big hits. Junior Lee had a nice hit yesterday. Obi can't continue to play like that and not get taken off the field I agree.

That game yesterday had the feel that we could blow it open if Whitmer had connected on a couple of the long throws where the WR was open. He missed so badly on those. Two were touchdowns if he connected and WRs hung onto the ball. Don't know why were not seeing more Bradley and Lemelle at WR both showed talent and ability last year as true freshmen, and this is where Diaco's putting no emphasis on past performance is a bit worrisome, because he is doing to them the same thing he is doing with Chandler and Casey. It's nice that he gave everyone a blank slate and I get it, but the two young WRs showed they could catch the ball in games and make plays. Lemelle's TD catch against RU is one of the nicest grabs for a score I have ever seen a UConn player make. Kamal Abrams may be a great story but in two games he has three drops of very catchable passes if you count the one at the end of the first half yesterday which despite being a heave was a very catchable pass.

I'm hoping to hell Casey can play next week. He makes the offensive line look competent because he doesn't start scrambling like a chicken with his head cut off at the slightest bit of pressure. Instead he shuffles slightly within the pocket and finds himself a throwing lane. Chandler has clearly regressed. Maybe it was the beating he took, but like you said that the coaches came to the conclusion that he and Casey were basically a pick em at that spot is the only coaching decision I will question this year.

 

[Dooley]

I said on another thread and agree here that if Whitmer is our starting QB (and plays entire games), I don't see us winning too many games on the schedule. Aside from the TD pass to Davis that was well thrown, his decision making is awful and his throws are mostly uncatchable. Its too bad too because I want to root for the kid given his concussion history (thanks in large part to playing behind years of terrible GDL OLs) and team-first attitude in returning this season. But Whitmer is a back-up QB talent, not a starting D-1 QB talent. If he's our QB this year, wins are going to be very tough to get in every single game. And that doesn't bode well for UCONN's CR resume as I have little doubt that the attendance that we saw yesterday will be the norm going forward on days that are much more comfortable than what we all experienced 24 hours ago.

 

[WingU-Conn]

I'm not excusing Whitmer, but I'm going to keep saying it. McQuillan quit on his route when he was wide open. He slowed up instead of continuing to run just before Whitmer set himself to throw. Then the ball appeared to be over thrown because Whitmer assumed (as he should) that McQuillan would keep running hard.

 

[Dooley]

I'm hoping to hell Casey can play next week. He makes the offensive line look competent because he doesn't start scrambling like a chicken with his head cut off at the slightest bit of pressure. Instead he shuffles slightly within the pocket and finds himself a throwing lane. Chandler has clearly regressed. Maybe it was the beating he took, but like you said that the coaches came to the conclusion that he and Casey were basically a pick em at that spot is the only coaching decision I will question this year.

Just throwing this out there - with 3 concussions, don't be surprised to see Casey start running around a little bit more like a chicken with his head cut off. Chandler clearly has happy feet from being the QB that played during the PP/GDL years and behind GDL's OLs. I can't really blame him. Concussions are scary and he had a couple of very serious ones as a direct result from bad coaching. At this point, he is a backup level QB.

 

[Dooley]

Abrams drop was the biggest on the day. The defender fell, Abrams made a slight in-cut to the ball and it hit him right on both hands. If he hangs on, it's a 30-40+ yard gain if he simply hangs on and falls to the ground. If he's able to stay on his feet, he scores easily. It was the worst drop of the day and one of Whitmer's better thrown balls. There weren't many of them either so to drop a well thrown ball is especially damaging to our offense.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I'm not excusing Whitmer, but I'm going to keep saying it. McQuillan quit on his route when he was wide open. He slowed up instead of continuing to run just before Whitmer set himself to throw. Then the ball appeared to be over thrown because Whitmer assumed (as he should) that McQuillan would keep running hard.

Yes, that one was entirely on McQuillan, not Whitmer.

 

[Dooley]

I will reiterate what I've stated on a few other threads from mid-summer forward in that a total number of wins and losses may not be a means of measuring this season. We still (even after two games in) have little idea of what we have and little idea of what many of our opponents have. We are building for future seasons, this is why I still view saving Boyle's redshirt as a priority. I need someone to convince me that a possible extra win or two in 2014 will be more important than a possible additional win, two or even three or four in 2017 (imagine what 2005 would have looked like if we had Dano).

I'll give you one very important reason to start Boyle over Whitmer: conference realignment. If UCONN ever aspires to get out of the AAC, it needs to generate fan support for the football program. Like BL said and I completely agree with: it's tough to attract fans to games to watch this team with 1) no hope for a win and 2) a terrible offense. Making the switch to Boyle, assuming Cochran is a long-term injury, may help to rally some fans behind the program and root for the Connecticut kid. UCONN desperately needs to sell tickets and show to the ACC and B1G that it can bring competitive football and football fans (money) to a new conference.

I'll give you another reason to start Boyle: who's to say Boyle doesn't transfer after the year is over if he doesn't play? If Cochran is a long-term injury and Whitmer leads to the team to 1 very narrow win over a FCS opponent all season, would Boyle stay at UCONN? Or would he be open to transferring to somewhere else, like BC (who will have an open QB competition when Murphy graduates after this season), to play in a Power conference and still be close to home? If the coaches all say that the best means to evaluate a player is by seeing him in games, then why doesn't that same metric for evaluation apply to Boyle? Seems like he's the only guy on the team that isn't being given an opportunity to play in games when our coaches are rolling a 3 and 4 deep depth chart at almost every single position.

 

[rich1122]

The problem with Whitmer is that he can't/won't throw to a spot, but waits till the guy is open. Too late, then he get's in trouble with scrambling. Casey gets rid of it faster.

This was bad. Real bad. I expected better after eight months. Not miracles but better than this. Maybe they are saving something for conference play (LOL).

I am really worried about this fan base. It was the worst that I have seen in all the years going to games. If we fall to oblivion we may not recover and any hope of getting an offer from a big conference is out the window.

The growl thing has got to go next week. It is sooo lame and stupid. The place used to rock on 3rd down to our advantage, now it's a mess. Warde stop it NOW!!!! Back to G&R.

 

[chapwilvaug72]

cannot believe UCONN guys want to magenta shirt any member of this roster in planning for future success

does any UCONN guy recall that new head man is a recruiter 1st & is now lrng to be hd mr

this is truth

colorful shirts mean zero currently

this new ceo needs to put into play his forte>RecruitinG

& do it now= coast to coast

 

[WingU-Conn]

The people who know who Boyle is already go to the games. I think it's incredibly naive to think there are thousands of fans out there that will start coming to games if Boyle gets the start.

We need wins. But we need to build for the future. There are legitimate arguments to be made for sitting and starting Boyle. But based on his play last year I can't understand why anyone thinks this team is better with him starting. It could be, and if Diaco plays him we all want him to be. But this state follows winners. Nobody cared that Dixon and Brown are from New Jersey. Fans will show up to watch a good team play other good teams. Not to watch a bad team led by a CT kid.

 

[coachcap]

Puyol's missed PAT was a result of a botched snap. The ball skidded on the ground & the holder was lucky to get the ball into position to attempt the kick.

 

[Dooley]

The people who know who Boyle is already go to the games. I think it's incredibly naive to think there are thousands of fans out there that will start coming to games if Boyle gets the start.

We need wins. But we need to build for the future. There are legitimate arguments to be made for sitting and starting Boyle. But based on his play last year I can't understand why anyone thinks this team is better with him starting. It could be, and if Diaco plays him we all want him to be. But this state follows winners. Nobody cared that Dixon and Brown are from New Jersey. Fans will show up to watch a good team play other good teams. Not to watch a bad team led by a CT kid.

The Connecticut kids always get the loudest applause in pre-game introductions. The CT kids get a louder applause than Geremy Davis! And I said "may help" rally the fanbase, not that it would automatically pack the Rent the seconds after Boyle is named starter. All I know is that Whitmer has regressed to being a backup level QB and we need wins to attract fans to games to get out of the AAC. The sooner the better on the fan part. If it takes 5 years for fans to come back to the Rent, then we will have sealed our long-term AAC sentence.

 

[ZooCougar]

We just gotta keep tapping that rock.

 

[UConnJim]

Thanks BL. I think we have to give more of the credit for the offensive ineptitude to the coaches. Look, with similar talent, we had a decent offense for the last part of last season. I think Weist figured out how to make the offense work and was successful.

Yesterday's offense was basically run inside, Whitmer scrambling, medium to long pass. There was little effort to get the ball to playmakers like Newsome, Lemelle, and Bradley. What about reverses? Misdirection? Quick pitches? When you have OL problems, run quick slants. Pass it to our WRs in stride to make plays. Make the LBs back off the line of scrimmage. Also, It's pretty hard to have good pass protection when the other team is consistently rushing 5 or 6 players. Basically SB stacked the box on defense and UConn's answer was mid to long passes?

 

[HuskyV]

The two things that concern me on D are the lack of a pass rush & ability to contain runners. The interior D line does a great job stopping runs, but RB's & QB's seem to find 5-10 yards every time they gain the edge. I agree with FCF in regard to the line-up in the final possession. It is OK to rush 3, but Frank & Stewart have to be moved to DE to rush the passer & nickel/dime DB's have to come in. I think the DB's can make plays, if we rush to opposition to make quicker decisions.

Count me in the CC camp - just more decisive & accurate. Although I do not think CW had an opportunity to sit in the pocket & make throws with the lack of protection & his inclination to take flight at the first sign of pressure. There has to be a quick outlet to go to pick up 5.

DB's can not cover people for 5-7 second every play & our QB needs to be allowed to set up in the pocket.

 

[Srqhusky]

Disagree about the deep balls. If all the defenders are close to the line we need to attack deep. We just need to complete them

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Agree with almost all of initial post and most of the replies. Saves me a lot of keyboarding hassle.

I will remain highly optimistic about HCBD, realizing the only way out of this program collapse is through a recruiting upgrade. UConn does not currently have the players (or enough of them) to compete successfully at the AAC level (nevermind the Power 5 level). It's almost like if we were watching - four years from now - the 4 time National Champion, UConn Huskies getting pounded by the Florida's and Kentucky's while struggling mightily to stratch out a win against the Hartford's, Sacred Heart's and Central Connecticut's. Discouraging.

 

[WingU-Conn]

The Connecticut kids always get the loudest applause in pre-game introductions. The CT kids get a louder applause than Geremy Davis! And I said "may help" rally the fanbase, not that it would automatically pack the Rent the seconds after Boyle is named starter. All I know is that Whitmer has regressed to being a backup level QB and we need wins to attract fans to games to get out of the AAC. The sooner the better on the fan part. If it takes 5 years for fans to come back to the Rent, then we will have sealed our long-term AAC sentence.

Because Davis is on a bad team. Donald Brown got the loudest applause, cause he was the best player on good teams.

If Boyle rallies the fanbase it will be because he wins. Not because he's from CT, that's all in saying.

 

[weyuo]

Thanks BL. I think we have to give more of the credit for the offensive ineptitude to the coaches. Look, with similar talent, we had a decent offense for the last part of last season. I think Weist figured out how to make the offense work and was successful.

Yesterday's offense was basically run inside, Whitmer scrambling, medium to long pass. There was little effort to get the ball to playmakers like Newsome, Lemelle, and Bradley. What about reverses? Misdirection? Quick pitches? When you have OL problems, run quick slants. Pass it to our WRs in stride to make plays. Make the LBs back off the line of scrimmage. Also, It's pretty hard to have good pass protection when the other team is consistently rushing 5 or 6 players. Basically SB stacked the box on defense and UConn's answer was mid to long passes?

I was thinking the same thing. If they are stacking the box why not quick throws to the outside until they back off? I'd like to see a reverse or two but am thinking that isn't in the playbook......yet. Don't think Diaco is going to get creative til he's comfortable that they have the basics down to his satisfaction. Then maybe they work on a few "tricks".

 

[Dooley]

Because Davis is on a bad team. Donald Brown got the loudest applause, cause he was the best player on good teams.

If Boyle rallies the fanbase it will be because he wins. Not because he's from CT, that's all in saying.

I agree with you. But do you see wins in the future with Whitmer? Just asking.