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Well, we've come full circle. The first time I saw UConn play football in person was at Memorial when Temple came in to town. I was trying to determine if having college football season tickets at the Big East level would be fun. We struggled to keep the game competitive, and it was clear that they were on a different level than us as a program. And if it wasn't clear from that, the year that our game was rescheduled because of 9/11 I think they beat us by about 50 down in Philly. We weren't on their level. But by the time we got to the one year we overlapped in the Big East -- 2004 -- they weren't on our level. We were comfortable favorites, and the game wasn't competitive for very long. In both 2007 and 2008, we played games with them that came down to the wire and we were shocked -- shocked -- that they could play us close. When we lost to them on the road in 2010, people wanted to jump off the bridge (although the loss didn't mean so much after our run to the Fiesta Bowl). Last year, we stole a win from them in Philly when they were probably the better team. And yesterday, we really didn't look like we were on their level anymore. So yes, we've come full circle. From looking up to where Temple was, to looking down on them, to now looking up at them again. Great.
You want more evidence of coming full circle? Back to before the program got enthusiasm with the move to the Rent? I showed up 30 minutes before game time with a grinder, bringing no one (no one was interested in a free seat) and no grill. Haven't done that (except during a rair rain day) in forever. Left with about 8 minutes left. Why? The product was unwatchable and I couldn't justify holding my wife up to eat with me at home. Not something I've ever said at a UConn game. My reduced enthusiasm is clearly seen throughout the stadium. Lower attendance, later arrivals, earlier departures, less enthusiasm. If I didn't see enough signs that the football apocalypse is upon us, there was one more. At the end of the third quarter, in an empty stadium, our PA system played "Living on a Prayer." To me -- to anyone who was in DC in spring of 2006 -- there is nowhere lower to go. I don't think. But, unfortunately, I've thought we've hit rock bottom before on the way down and they are all just collapsing ledges.
What can be said about the game? The loss was truly about two plays. The pick six at the end of the 8 and a half minute drive and the disallowed TD. We didn't have the mental backbone -- knowing about our lack of firepower -- to overcome two swing plays like that. The interception? I didn't like the formation (we had TEs wide on each side -- McQuillan and Myers -- Foxx in the slot and Davis on the bench on a third and long. But the play call worked. Foxx was one on one with a Safety, and beat him towards the corner. All Chandler had to do was throw to the back corner -- not the front corner -- and it was either six or incomplete for a good FG to end the drive. But he underthrew it, and the corner covering the wide TE stayed there, caught the ball that was it. I would say one other thing -- would the corner have been moving faster towards the middle if he was covering Davis or another WR, moving at a faster speed? Possibly. But the throw was still there for Chandler and he didn't make it. On the gift TD we were given, it's not like we did everything to deserve it but you can't ever be offsides on kickoff coverage. Sigh.
Offense, defense and specials? Well, Puyol missed a kick finally, and it seemed like it might hurt at the time, but did an o.k. job punting filling in for Wain, and certainly we didn't keep putting the ball on the ground on punts and kicks like they do. Our kickoff return blocking is awful. One day we'll hit some people and Newsome will do something, but not without blocking. Coverage was fine.
On D, it was a very good effort. Yes, they had a bad six or seven minutes where they lost focused, but your D can't pitch shutouts every game. The first 30 minutes was beyond belief good. But it's tought mentally when you give up 35 yards in the first half, and don't allow penetration across THE OTHER TEAM'S 40, and you're trailing. On the TD on the first drive of the second half, just a total blown coverage. Marder was not up to subbing in for Obi, who was playing well before getting hurt. A lot of the young pups -- like Cole Ormsby and Fatusaki -- stepped up and made plays. But the effort had to be perfect for 60 minutes, and it wasn't. Sigh.
What can you say about the offense. We've shortened the rotation at QB and TB, which were good, even though we haven't at WR (I still can't believe how many plays a game Geremy Davis isn't on the field). The first drive, including the OL, was really, really, good until. But "good until" isn't "good enough." And, other than Arkeel breaking the one play, sucked the restof the game. We can execute a few plays in a row, but we don't have enough home run hitters to score often without making ten or twelve good plays in a row without a mistake, and we're just not capable of that. Whitmer is who he is. I don't know that any QB can succeed behind our OL, in that environment, but you can't give up points to the other team the way he does, especially where, on the first pick, the WR was there for 6. I would not be surprised if we see much more Boyle after the week off, but let me say this -- the fact that Whitmer clearly beat him out, and kept the job, tells me all I need to know about Boyle not being the savior. One more depressing thought -- on D, we are playing well and the only seniors playing are BJ McBride -- who is playing well but is replaceable -- and Byron Jones. Not only do we suck beyond belief on offense, but we start FIVE seniors, and other than at QB I'm not sure we're not steping back at the other four positions next year. So in terms of tunnel and light, I don't think anyone needs to be worrying about where on the front seat you threw your sunglasses any time soon.
The coaches are going to get an incomplete this year, and I'm not wasting my time in either the venting or even the more serious questions being asked by many. Why? We went 3-9 last year, everyone knew that many of the better players on that team were seniors (or leaving to go to BC) and the 3 wins all came after we put in Cochran who is not here. Last year, we go 1-11 at best without CC. This team is not good enough. It's not. So you are not going to have a choice but to wait and see how it looks when HCBD has his own kids as upperclassmen. Well, you do have one choice. You can bail out of the program. And given our product, I'm not going to blame you. But then just shut up and do it. You don't need to blow things up for those of us trying to stay with it as awful as it is to make yourselves feel better. This sucks and will suck, and hopefully we have the right coach and by the time he fixes things we will still have fans. Because I am no longer confident of any of it.
You want more evidence of coming full circle? Back to before the program got enthusiasm with the move to the Rent? I showed up 30 minutes before game time with a grinder, bringing no one (no one was interested in a free seat) and no grill. Haven't done that (except during a rair rain day) in forever. Left with about 8 minutes left. Why? The product was unwatchable and I couldn't justify holding my wife up to eat with me at home. Not something I've ever said at a UConn game. My reduced enthusiasm is clearly seen throughout the stadium. Lower attendance, later arrivals, earlier departures, less enthusiasm. If I didn't see enough signs that the football apocalypse is upon us, there was one more. At the end of the third quarter, in an empty stadium, our PA system played "Living on a Prayer." To me -- to anyone who was in DC in spring of 2006 -- there is nowhere lower to go. I don't think. But, unfortunately, I've thought we've hit rock bottom before on the way down and they are all just collapsing ledges.
What can be said about the game? The loss was truly about two plays. The pick six at the end of the 8 and a half minute drive and the disallowed TD. We didn't have the mental backbone -- knowing about our lack of firepower -- to overcome two swing plays like that. The interception? I didn't like the formation (we had TEs wide on each side -- McQuillan and Myers -- Foxx in the slot and Davis on the bench on a third and long. But the play call worked. Foxx was one on one with a Safety, and beat him towards the corner. All Chandler had to do was throw to the back corner -- not the front corner -- and it was either six or incomplete for a good FG to end the drive. But he underthrew it, and the corner covering the wide TE stayed there, caught the ball that was it. I would say one other thing -- would the corner have been moving faster towards the middle if he was covering Davis or another WR, moving at a faster speed? Possibly. But the throw was still there for Chandler and he didn't make it. On the gift TD we were given, it's not like we did everything to deserve it but you can't ever be offsides on kickoff coverage. Sigh.
Offense, defense and specials? Well, Puyol missed a kick finally, and it seemed like it might hurt at the time, but did an o.k. job punting filling in for Wain, and certainly we didn't keep putting the ball on the ground on punts and kicks like they do. Our kickoff return blocking is awful. One day we'll hit some people and Newsome will do something, but not without blocking. Coverage was fine.
On D, it was a very good effort. Yes, they had a bad six or seven minutes where they lost focused, but your D can't pitch shutouts every game. The first 30 minutes was beyond belief good. But it's tought mentally when you give up 35 yards in the first half, and don't allow penetration across THE OTHER TEAM'S 40, and you're trailing. On the TD on the first drive of the second half, just a total blown coverage. Marder was not up to subbing in for Obi, who was playing well before getting hurt. A lot of the young pups -- like Cole Ormsby and Fatusaki -- stepped up and made plays. But the effort had to be perfect for 60 minutes, and it wasn't. Sigh.
What can you say about the offense. We've shortened the rotation at QB and TB, which were good, even though we haven't at WR (I still can't believe how many plays a game Geremy Davis isn't on the field). The first drive, including the OL, was really, really, good until. But "good until" isn't "good enough." And, other than Arkeel breaking the one play, sucked the restof the game. We can execute a few plays in a row, but we don't have enough home run hitters to score often without making ten or twelve good plays in a row without a mistake, and we're just not capable of that. Whitmer is who he is. I don't know that any QB can succeed behind our OL, in that environment, but you can't give up points to the other team the way he does, especially where, on the first pick, the WR was there for 6. I would not be surprised if we see much more Boyle after the week off, but let me say this -- the fact that Whitmer clearly beat him out, and kept the job, tells me all I need to know about Boyle not being the savior. One more depressing thought -- on D, we are playing well and the only seniors playing are BJ McBride -- who is playing well but is replaceable -- and Byron Jones. Not only do we suck beyond belief on offense, but we start FIVE seniors, and other than at QB I'm not sure we're not steping back at the other four positions next year. So in terms of tunnel and light, I don't think anyone needs to be worrying about where on the front seat you threw your sunglasses any time soon.
The coaches are going to get an incomplete this year, and I'm not wasting my time in either the venting or even the more serious questions being asked by many. Why? We went 3-9 last year, everyone knew that many of the better players on that team were seniors (or leaving to go to BC) and the 3 wins all came after we put in Cochran who is not here. Last year, we go 1-11 at best without CC. This team is not good enough. It's not. So you are not going to have a choice but to wait and see how it looks when HCBD has his own kids as upperclassmen. Well, you do have one choice. You can bail out of the program. And given our product, I'm not going to blame you. But then just shut up and do it. You don't need to blow things up for those of us trying to stay with it as awful as it is to make yourselves feel better. This sucks and will suck, and hopefully we have the right coach and by the time he fixes things we will still have fans. Because I am no longer confident of any of it.
