There’s something different about our Team this year…

[UCan3]

I was texting a friend of mine - Texas fan - about our team. Are we a few skill position players short to make serious run? Yes. But I told him - and posting here - we look different this year.

What’s so different?

It’s our Offensive and Defensive lines. We look like we can play with anyone in the country. We don’t get shoved all over the field. We don’t melt in the 2nd half of the game. In fact, we sometimes get stronger. Do we make mistakes? Do we have let downs? Heck ya.

But we don’t do is wither as the game goes on.

If I was a skill player coming to UConn… The line play would be a key criteria. This will be good for recruiting.

If the lines keep this level of play up, the ceiling has been elevated.

All that being said, we‘ll see what happens tomorrow - big test.

 

[Palatine]

Our offensive line was great last year. They were not shoved all over the field.

 

[AllHusky]

Sammis an OL guy. How steep is his learning curve as an OC?

Feels like Brock has some answers.

How much $ will we have for NIL this year?

UConn FB has a chance.

 

[Bubba1957]

I do believe the D was definitely popping people in a way we haven’t seen in a while. Stanford had a couple of pick up and slam tackles. Backers were hitting.

 

[Exit 4]

I was texting a friend of mine - Texas fan - about our team. Are we a few skill position players short to make serious run? Yes. But I told him - and posting here - we look different this year.

What’s so different?

It’s our Offensive and Defensive lines. We look like we can play with anyone in the country. We don’t get shoved all over the field. We don’t melt in the 2nd half of the game. In fact, we sometimes get stronger. Do we make mistakes? Do we have let downs? Heck ya.

But we don’t do is wither as the game goes on.

If I was a skill player coming to UConn… The line play would be a key criteria. This will be good for recruiting.

If the lines keep this level of play up, the ceiling has been elevated.

All that being said, we‘ll see what happens tomorrow - big test.

Physically we are getting closer to what is needed. We had a roster of FCS bodies for a long time around here. I think that is the simple difference.

Now, more than ever, the fate of this team is on the coaching, not the talent. And coaching decisions, who plays and who sits.

 

[Get a Job]

We look like we can play with anyone in the country.

*except Maryland, evidently

 

[giddyup]

As soon as we have a QB that is a pocket passer first that can deliver the ball in windows, we will be able to compete for Ws. Roll out plays are designed to trade half the field in exchange for beating excessive rush pressure when out manned. The problem is that gives super fast cover guys even more leverage, and backers great angles of attack. Our OC really is learning on the job which is no bueno.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Fourth game of the season and I feel like this game tells how the next eight will go.

 

[blue93]

I want to agree with the OP, but we’ve had such a wide variance in competition so far. Looked bad in 3 out of 4 halves against P4 teams, but good against FCS (as it should be).

This upcoming stretch of winnable games against FBS teams is the measuring stick of whether the progress is real. They just have to go out and do it.

 

[UCan3]

*except Maryland, evidently

Well, you can’t put that all on the lines.

First, we didn’t allow a sack that entire game - that was good.

It was the offense not taking advantage of it.

Defense - not a great moment but I am going to chalk that one up to simply a very bad day of a group learning to play on the road together vs. some obvious size/talent discrepancies.

 

[Nostical]

Our linebackers are performing well too. Having the son of Kevin Hardy, the 1995 Butkus Award winner, 2nd overall 1996 NFL draft pick and NFL All-Pro with the Jaguars and Cowboys, is a plus. Langston Hardy's interception TD vs Duke last Saturday speaks well of his skill and his potential.

 

[uconntailgater]

Before the season began the prediction was that we would begin the season 1-2. The Maryland game was a little rough and brought back some bad memories of years past. We did what we need to do against Merrimack and the Duke game was encouraging even though we did not win. Beginning on Saturday, the season starts in earnest. We have a six-game homestand against teams that we should be able to beat. Wake forest will be good competition and if we can pull that game out we are definitely in good position for a bowl game. We have one tough game on the road against Syracuse. The next three games are extremely important. We really need to go 3-0 during the stretch.

If we can win five of six games during our homestand we will be in great position. This homestand should allow Evers to get plenty of game action and experience. Even though he was highly recruited he hasn't seen much game action the last three years.

Looking forward to the next six games.

 

[uconnfan68]

As soon as we have a QB that is a pocket passer first that can deliver the ball in windows, we will be able to compete for Ws. Roll out plays are designed to trade half the field in exchange for beating excessive rush pressure when out manned. The problem is that gives super fast cover guys even more leverage, and backers great angles of attack. Our OC really is learning on the job which is no bueno.

Well, a little learning never hurt anyone. I've been encouraged by our progress from week 1. I even think we'd be significantly better if that game was later in the year. Not to say we'd win, but there were a lot of firsts for us that day.

 

[huskymedic]

Before the season began the prediction was that we would begin the season 1-2. The Maryland game was a little rough and brought back some bad memories of years past. We did what we need to do against Merrimack and the Duke game was encouraging even though we did not win. Beginning on Saturday, the season starts in earnest. We have a six-game homestand against teams that we should be able to beat. Wake forest will be good competition and if we can pull that game out we are definitely in good position for a bowl game. We have one tough game on the road against Syracuse. The next three games are extremely important. We really need to go 3-0 during the stretch.

If we can win five of six games during our homestand we will be in great position. This homestand should allow Evers to get plenty of game action and experience. Even though he was highly recruited he hasn't seen much game action the last three years.

Looking forward to the next six games.

->This, of course, is the correct sentiment for coaches and players. The rest of us do have room in our brains and energy to expend thinking about the schedule as a whole, and with a series of “group of five” opponents and one ACC foe in Wake Forest, UConn as a chance to make bold, broad statements. To its fanbase it can say that there are worthwhile games to watch at Rentschler Field and a team worth following, that is playing for something somewhat tangible.

To the college football movers and shakers, it can be shown that UConn football would not necessarily be dead weight in a major conference and eliminate the excuse for some to look down their nose guards and say, “Well, if they can’t beat (fill in the blank), they don’t belong in our league.” Even if conference decisions don’t boil down to anything so simplistic, it’s the optics. <-

-> FAU, Buffalo, Temple, Wake Forest, Rice, Georgia State, UAB and UMass — this is UConn’s football conference, UConn’s football season in a tidy package. The Huskies are positioned for success, a student body and fan base positioned to embrace it. Just protect the football. <-

 

[Kembafan]

I want to agree with the OP, but we’ve had such a wide variance in competition so far. Looked bad in 3 out of 4 halves against P4 teams, but good against FCS (as it should be).

This upcoming stretch of winnable games against FBS teams is the measuring stick of whether the progress is real. They just have to go out and do it.

Agreed. It’s very hard to tell what this team is from these 3 games. FAU is a good test. They are not a pushover and very capable of stomping us, but if we’ve actually improved we can beat them. The DL and OL definitely look good, but it comes down to qb play and the defensive secondary. Better qb play — and we don’t need great, just competent — would help on both sides of the ball and I think we could turn some heads this season.

 

[businesslawyer]

I was texting a friend of mine - Texas fan - about our team. Are we a few skill position players short to make serious run? Yes. But I told him - and posting here - we look different this year.

What’s so different?

It’s our Offensive and Defensive lines. We look like we can play with anyone in the country. We don’t get shoved all over the field. We don’t melt in the 2nd half of the game. In fact, we sometimes get stronger. Do we make mistakes? Do we have let downs? Heck ya.

But we don’t do is wither as the game goes on.

If I was a skill player coming to UConn… The line play would be a key criteria. This will be good for recruiting.

If the lines keep this level of play up, the ceiling has been elevated.

All that being said, we‘ll see what happens tomorrow - big test.

Don't get this at all. The OL played well since Mora stepped into the facility. The DL has a long way to go before I'm convinced it was better than the '22 DL.

 

[Tdaley]

Our linebackers are performing well too. Having the son of Kevin Hardy, the 1995 Butkus Award winner, 2nd overall 1996 NFL draft pick and NFL All-Pro with the Jaguars and Cowboys, is a plus. Langston Hardy's interception TD vs Duke last Saturday speaks well of his skill and his potential.

I think Hardy, McDonald, Faumuina-Brown and Renwick have played pretty well since the Maryland game. We are also getting more quarterback pressure from our linebackers and cornerbacks than we got last year. I am cautiously optimistic that we are going to see some great things out of Brock's defense as the season progresses.

 

[UCan3]

Don't get this at all. The OL played well since Mora stepped into the facility. The DL has a long way to go before I'm convinced it was better than the '22 DL.

Well, we didn’t have a lot of running lanes open last year - that was on the line IMO - but I agree we protected TR rather well.

But the physical nature of the line play strikes me kicking it up a notch. I like what I see and didn’t notice it as much last year as this.

We have a long way to go though.

 

[ZooCougar]

The offensive line is giving our QBs enough time to get things done.

The D Line is getting decent penetration.

 

[UConnDan97]

Don't get this at all. The OL played well since Mora stepped into the facility. The DL has a long way to go before I'm convinced it was better than the '22 DL.

Well it can't really be worse than the '22 DL. Yeah, we don't have Eric Watts anymore. But Yates, Gourdine, Stafford, and Passmore are all 2 years older now, and we've added Simon, Barton, and Banks...

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Last week's game reminded of an early season game 22 years ago that led to a great quote: "The bakery is closed", which was a comment from a BC player indicating that we were no longer a cupcake.

Yes, things are a bit different this year. We have a long way to go, but there is reason to believe progress will continue.

 

[jdb50]

We have a slew of seniors or grad seniors on our D line and Yates has not played yet. Senn and Lundt are seniors on O-line. Both groups are strong enough to make us a winning team. We just need points out of our offense and that is play calling and execution by the skill players. As others have said we need to win 5 out of the next 6 home games. It starts tomorrow night!