The View From Section 241

[Pudge]

"It will be a shame if we can't put a competent OL together before he is out of eligibility."

Not philosophizering ... but, UConn has had good OL in our last 12 years. Not consistently in the Edsall era, but, he built (and then re-built & re-built) OLines. Saying Matt Peart is a monster & knowing Crozier is a fairly high prospect gives us 6 next year with the possibility that a Rutherford or someone else emerges. That's, frankly, the beginning of a good run. I think the current guys need to develop and there needs to be far more competition; however, there is hope. That's not philosopherizering.

How do we get to a BCS Missouri or BYU level>? Many years of development with the same solid coach. Lay off the PP references. Diaco still has questions; but, I did like last night. Till I didn't.

 

[SubbaBub]

Good write up. I'd like to see the aggressiveness on D turned up from simmer to at least low-medium.

I'd also like to welcome everyone to last week. Missed you guys.

 

[Chief00]

Quite frankly, until both our players and coaches get significantly better there is no need for a deep dive into this. I would like to see more uptempo offense though - the QB seems to do better that way.

On defense like to see a wider sets for the front line and LBs - too often we are getting beat on the corners. I am not a big fan of Diaco's defensive style although it can be effective at times - I liked the more aggressive defense that Coach Brown had - but we probably have less talent now.

The TEs may or may not be overrated by some and we may never know since they don't seem to be part of the offensive game plan.

Why Levy is the blind sign tackle rather than Knappe is perplexing.

 

[Nostical]

This team's O-Line deficiencies are not a surprise to anyone, but as much as we'd like to be better on the O-line, our talent is what it is. The problem is that given that weakness it's hard to understand the formations we use and the dearth of quicker hitting plays--especially using our tight ends. Shotgun is the much better formation to compensate for weak protection, and Sheriffs needs to find his 2nd option earlier. Slow play calling resulting in hurried and harried efforts must be corrected. To most unbiased observers our talent is formidable and our losses are a product of coaching missteps and bonehead mistakes. Look for Duaco's tirade to result in a much needed wake up call to our underachievers. We will now be ready for big wins down the stretch of our schedule, as we can beat them all if we can avoid the blunders.

 

[Milo65]

This team doesn't get blown off the field by Buffalo. Do you remember PP's last game? This team is progressing nicely! Shirriffs, Fatukasi, Newsome, Beals, Bloom, Carrezola, Johnson,Crozier (hurt), Joseph, Marriner, Summars, Tarbutt... We have a bright future. All of these guys are contributing now and all of them are Freshmen and Sophomore. They will be better in 2016, scary in 2017.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

^^^^
This. Wasn't the only play that looked that but for sure the most glaring. Levy looked sluggish and got beat a lot.

 

[huskymedic]

^^^^
This. Wasn't the only play that looked that but for sure the most glaring. Levy looked sluggish and got beat a lot.

This one too... Love #44 on power runs/and as an option out of backfield - but pass blocking is a liability more often than not.

http://m.deseretnews.com/article/86...n-over-UConn.html?ref=https://www.google.com/

 

[huskysupporter]

^^^^
This. Wasn't the only play that looked that but for sure the most glaring. Levy looked sluggish and got beat a lot.

That is a constant issue with Levy. Last year someone strongly disagreed with me that it was Levy, it was the scheme that was the issue. I tried to explain it was Levy. With that said, Levy is actually pretty agile, and I think this agility would be best suited at guard. I will say it until I am blue in the face. Kick Levy inside to guard. Move Knappe to the Left Side (although he has serious issues as well), and move Vechery to RT. Samara needs to be relieved at least on a rotating basis.

 

[huskymedic]

That is a constant issue with Levy. Last year someone strongly disagreed with me that it was Levy, it was the scheme that was the issue. I tried to explain it was Levy. With that said, Levy is actually pretty agile, and I think this agility would be best suited at guard. I will say it until I am blue in the face. Kick Levy inside to guard. Move Knappe to the Left Side (although he has serious issues as well), and move Vechery to RT. Samara needs to be relieved at least on a rotating basis.

Who Centers this year if you move Vechery --- Bockeloh?

 

[huskysupporter]

Who Centers this year if you move Vechery --- Bockeloh?

Next man up. We need to get the 5 best linemen on the field, and I refuse to believe these are the 5 best lineman. We need to see how players perform when put into the game. Try a series at the least.

 

[businesslawyer]

Who Centers this year if you move Vechery --- Bockeloh?

With Crozier down, Oak is the backup. They expected Oak to win the job when Crozier got hurt, but Vachery beat him out.

 

[huskysupporter]

Throw Oak in there. (by the way, I know there is a zero percent shot Levy kicks inside this year). We need to try some different combos. I am confident someone promising will emerge.

 

[BugsyCT]

As the team matures and improves, the "learning how to win" part will come. We hung with quality competition in Mizzou and BYU. Eventually we will make the key plays when it matters that will lead to wins.

 

[uconnfan68]

As was previously said, without an offensive line, you have nothing. Our playmakers can't make plays without someone giving them the time to make them or a hole to go through.

Levy has moments of consecutive brain farts every game ( penalty and then taking a play off). Guys do not know how to pick up blitzes or overloaded sides. Some of that is on Shireffs, some of that is on the line and some of it on the backs and tight ends. The line is still at Level 101 where the rest of the team is at 200 level. Until this changes, we will struggle to win.

Absolutely some of it is on BS, but some must also go to the coaches that keep him under center all night (or until we are playing with nothing to lose in the 4th quarter). Someone needs to see that guy lined up outside that NO ONE is planning to block, and make an adjustment. If BS is in shotgun, maybe he sees it better.

 

[huskymedic]

With Crozier down, Oak is the backup. They expected Oak to win the job when Crozier got hurt, but Vachery beat him out.

You're right - crossed my positions because the thought in this thread was to sit Samra and move Vechery but Bockeloh is behind Samra on two deep. In another thread someone wanted to move Oak to Guard. It's not that easy. Interior line seems less of an issue than exterior most of the time.

 

[businesslawyer]

The OL looked o.k. against Nova and Army. It was totally overwhelmed by Mizzou and BYU. That is not a coincidence. You can have enough talent to play against one level of opponent but not another.

Luckily, for the short term, UCF and USF look much more like Nova and Army than they do Mizzou and BYU.

 

[Srqhusky]

The offensive line issues all look like technique and assignment issues. I don't see us getting ovepowered most of those sacks were by unblocked defenders

 

[kris1]

The offensive line issues all look like technique and assignment issues. I don't see us getting ovepowered most of those sacks were by unblocked defenders

I agree and will add....

There seems to be an issue with the offensive linemen (and directly affects the RBs responsibilty):

1. Not being very athletic. They lack the foot speed and agility necessary to push back quickly enough to gain leverage on a pass rushing defender and the technique and agreesiveness to move or seal a defender on run plays.
2. Poor vision for not only identifying the defender they may be responsible for , but also being able to recognize any additional rushers, who may encroach their gap resposiblity late in pass protection (which directly affects the RBs, pass blocking responsibilities). No defender should ever cross their face. They have inside gap responsibilty first, but have to keep their head on a swivel and adjust when necessary.
3. Poor communication. Directly related to poor vision, being able to identify and communicate a change in protection quickly to accommodate additional rushers or slide off a double team to pick up another defender (again affecting the RBs responsibility in the pass protection).
4. Pride in their craft. They have to play with a chip on their shoulders. Every snap, every play, every down....punch someone in the mouth and even if it's the wrong guy, let them know if they come your way, it's going to be a long game. Play violent...but within the rules of the game.

 

[huskysupporter]

The offensive line issues all look like technique and assignment issues. I don't see us getting ovepowered most of those sacks were by unblocked defenders

No, they are getting overpowered as well. Everything that can be wrong with this offensive line, is wrong. Poor communication, poor technique, and out muscled.

I am scratching my head as to what can be done to improve this unit.

 

[businesslawyer]

The offensive line issues all look like technique and assignment issues. I don't see us getting ovepowered most of those sacks were by unblocked defenders

You realize that by using the word "technique" you have an excuse for it never being that athletes aren't good enough. "yes, you struck out four times but the pitcher didn't overpower you, it was your technique." "Yes, you missed 8 straight free throws down the stretch, but you don't suck, it's your technique."

Technique is part of how good a player is. You can't rationally conclude that our players could be good enough if they had better technique without in effect saying that any player not being good enough is always on the coaches.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

At what point will some admit that the #uptick was pure fiction and maybe, just maybe, we haven't recruited good enough players over the past 4-5 years? I know that's frowned upon here but maybe it's just the truth.

 

[UConnDan97]

At what point will some admit that the #uptick was pure fiction and maybe, just maybe, we haven't recruited good enough players over the past 4-5 years? I know that's frowned upon here but maybe it's just the truth.

At the same point when people like Jimmy Serrano stop calling the aforementioned players like Fatukasi and Myers "beasts" (or at least I think the word was "beasts", but I'm too lazy to find the thread with that in it). For the record, I agree. They are both beasts...

 

[businesslawyer]

At the same point when people like Jimmy Serrano stop calling the aforementioned players like Fatukasi and Myers "beasts" (or at least I think the word was "beasts", but I'm too lazy to find the thread with that in it). For the record, I agree. They are both beasts...

I don't get the point. Kendall Reyes wasn''t a beast? Mike Ryan wasn't a beast? We had beasts before and we have them now. Saying that we have some good players is hardly a statement that P recruited better than Edsall.

 

[UConnDan97]

I don't get the point. Kendall Reyes wasn''t a beast? Mike Ryan wasn't a beast? We had beasts before and we have them now. Saying that we have some good players is hardly a statement that P recruited better than Edsall.

Yes, they were beasts too. I'll reiterate what I've already said in another thread; my comments were addressing Pudge's post that we can't win with the personnel that we currently have. In other words, that we don't have good players. That's simply not true. These players are good enough to win the games in front of them. I think we've seen evidence of that already, even at Missouri and at BYU.

What people are failing to address is the fact that you cannot switch offensive line coaches and offensive coordinators like underwear and expect for there to be any cohesion on an offensive line. But I feel safe to say that there are a bunch of teams in the American who would love to have weapons like Thomas and Newsome, or would love to have a defensive line like the one we have. I'll stand by those statements all day...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

At the same point when people like Jimmy Serrano stop calling the aforementioned players like Fatukasi and Myers "beasts" (or at least I think the word was "beasts", but I'm too lazy to find the thread with that in it). For the record, I agree. They are both beasts...

What are you talking about it?