The View From Section 241 | The Boneyard

The View From Section 241

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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.
 

jbdphi

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I think the one thing that hits me is that most guys who run a "bend but don't break" defense say that they do it because it is really tough for an opposing offense to run that many plays in a row without making some sort of mistake (i.e. sack, turnover, penalty, etc) which puts them into a difficult yardage situation.

Our offense is the absolute flip side of that argument. We have virtually no big play ability so have to play perfectly just to get first downs and eventually, things will likely go wrong. It's a recipe for disaster.
 
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It's tough to know what to say right now. I friggin bleed blue (obviously), and every Saturday morning is full of such hope, and every Saturday night is filled with such despair.

It's just one thing after another. Pick 6, offsides on a kickoff negating a go-ahead TD. That just has UCONN Football written all over it.
Against Boise...Down 3 8 min to go....2 picks.
USF...Fumble 3 plays in
BYU...1st damn play on offense.

Lose Casey (imo...the best QB since Dan O), after 5 starts.

just feels like a curse, or a hex, or ?????????? whatever you would call it.

2 weeks from now, I will wake up with far less hope, and I will likely feel that way until next september, and i absolutely HATE that.
 

ConnHuskBask

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Thanks for the write up.

Not sure what to say or add except for the fact that I agree with nearly everything and I'm absolutely terrified where our program may stand in a couple seasons.
 

whaler11

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The kickoff return blocking is a good point. The return men have been getting destroyed.
 
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The kickoff return blocking is a good point. The return men have been getting destroyed.
Agreed. Watch punt returns, it's even worse. If they actually block, Foxx has the ability to break one. It's ridiculous watching our punt team let guys free-release, and stand there forcing Foxx to call a fair catch with 9 defenders on top of him.
 

UconnU

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The farther away the view the better. That was awful. Just a terrible product. #bringbackrandy
 
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The only thing we have to go on is to somehow win the next game and survive the ECU game alive, then we will see what we've got. The defensive falloff in the 3rd Q when Obi got hurt was amazing. After we all have been critical of his play the game he is doing well he get's hurt. That's UConn football luck. Otherwise the defense continued to put up a good fight. The day will come when we have a playmaker at QB on the ground and through the air. Until then the struggle to resemble most college offenses in the land will continue. Going on 4 years now except for TJ's last 4 games.
 
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TThe defensive falloff in the 3rd Q when Obi got hurt was amazing. After we all have been critical of his play the game he is doing well he get's hurt. That's UConn football luck.

It is indeed. There's just no other way to think about it. One gut punch after another just destroying us.
 

zls44

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f 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.

This past Spring finally allowed me to let go of the GMU game. But only just. Glad I wasn't the only one who couldn't hear that song and think of that awful, awful experience.
 
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It's tough to know what to say right now. I friggin bleed blue (obviously), and every Saturday morning is full of such hope, and every Saturday night is filled with such despair.

It's just one thing after another. Pick 6, offsides on a kickoff negating a go-ahead TD. That just has UCONN Football written all over it.
Against Boise...Down 3 8 min to go....2 picks.
USF...Fumble 3 plays in
BYU...1st damn play on offense.

Lose Casey (imo...the best QB since Dan O), after 5 starts.

just feels like a curse, or a hex, or ?????????? whatever you would call it.

2 weeks from now, I will wake up with far less hope, and I will likely feel that way until next september, and i absolutely HATE that.
Rumor has it that we sold our souls to get Orlovsky. We were at the Crossroads and maybe we will have to this to undo the deal.

 

UConnDan97

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Rumor has it that we sold our souls to get Orlovsky. We were at the Crossroads and maybe we will have to this to undo the deal.



You might be kidding, but there was seriously a moment yesterday in the stadium where I turned to my friend and said, "This won't stop until we burn the helmets...we have to burn the helmets..."

I like to think that I'm a rational human being most of the time, but I've made it to coo-coo level now...
 
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That exact pick 6 play happened in my son's game Friday night - Vinyl Tech picked off the Platt QB in the exact same part of the field and took it to the house. When I saw it happen to UCONN I just laughed...it was like deja vu.
 

Dooley

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I don't know what was worse on the pick-6: Whitmer's horrendous throw or the several whiffed tackle attempts on the return.

I will NEVER understand how someone can be offsides on a kick-off. It slides in as a close #2 behind kickers who can't keep kickoffs in-bounds as penalties that I hate.
 
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This past Spring finally allowed me to let go of the GMU game. But only just. Glad I wasn't the only one who couldn't hear that song and think of that awful, awful experience.

I have let go of the loss. But I will never hear the song at a wedding reception and not walk out for a few minutes.
 

ConnHuskBask

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I have let go of the loss. But I will never hear the song at a wedding reception and not walk out for a few minutes.

I don't know the reference but I'm assuming they played that song after Mason won in 06?

I'm still extremely bothered by that game for what it's worth. We've won two since then and gotten to 3 final fours...but still..
 
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I don't know the reference but I'm assuming they played that song after Mason won in 06?

I'm still extremely bothered by that game for what it's worth. We've won two since then and gotten to 3 final fours...but still..

GMU, as a school, did not have a fight song. As a substitute, Living on a Prater was used as their fight song and was pretty much all their band played for the two sessions.
 

ConnHuskBask

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GMU, as a school, did not have a fight song. As a substitute, Living on a Prater was used as their fight song and was pretty much all their band played for the two sessions.

Oh, wow. Did not know or remember that.

How the heck did they not have a fight song... and how did we lose to them..
 
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Rumor has it that we sold our souls to get Orlovsky.

I'd always suspected the mass soul-selling was for Teggart's kick to put us into the Fiesta. It's been all downhill for the football program since then.

But the DanO theory works too.
 

HuskyBarker

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The only thing we have to go on is to somehow win the next game and survive the ECU game alive, then we will see what we've got.."

We know what we got, and it ain't changing much anytime soon!
If we're Lucky we will start to see improvements in the 2017/18 season.
 
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I'd always suspected the mass soul-selling was for Teggart's kick to put us into the Fiesta. It's been all downhill for the football program since then.

But the DanO theory works too.

I might have sold my soul for Teggart's kick to sail through, but I was too drunk to come up with that idea - so I just yelled really loud.
 

TRest

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I'd always suspected the mass soul-selling was for Teggart's kick to put us into the Fiesta. It's been all downhill for the football program since then.

But the DanO theory works too.
If this program sold its soul, I would hope for a much higher payoff than what we've gotten so far.
 
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So in your opinion, we could not succeed with Peyton Manning at QB? Every QB would be pretty much the same as Whitmer behind our offensive line?

I don't get this Whitmer apologistic act. He cost more than 20 points by himself, but no one could do better. Wow, talk about defeatist.
 
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So in your opinion, we could not succeed with Peyton Manning at QB? Every QB would be pretty much the same as Whitmer behind our offensive line?

I don't get this Whitmer apologistic act. He cost more than 20 points by himself, but no one could do better. Wow, talk about defeatist.

Who are you replying to? It's tough to follow with all these merged threads.
 
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