USU Post Game thoughts/Analysis

[hardcorehusky]

People rightfully wonder if I have a life. And I guaranty you I didn’t once consider watching Maine play UMass.

Scouting. It was the week after our debacle against UMass and wanted to see Xavier Scott and the Maine offense

 

[Woof 101]

Look, given the better way UConn played Saturday over last year (the last 10 years) UConn could still come up with six wins in regular season. Central, Syracuse, FIU, Ball State, UMass and Liberty are all winnable. Six wins means a bowl game. Let's go Huskies!

No attack @LoyalFanCT as I am one myself, but just what bowl could we make with the wins you predict. I want these and more but have no interest in a bowl that has no attendance and a payout that puts the school further in debt. There are 5 / 7 teams that would get a look before us to fill the over populated bowl scene. This due to conference affiliation and strength of schedule. I hate it but just a fact, UConn most likely has to win at least eight games to see a bowl. Again just the realist I am no attack ...

I hear you, but we don’t know what the coaches are seeing in practice. I have confidence in the staff and if they think playing a true freshman gave us the best opportunity to win, I have to believe that there’s a reason for it.

Badda bing, badda boom and there it is... Eloquent and polite way to explain to the arm chair / couch coaches. As much as one would like to second guess, without access to what is happening in practice or the workout room we have no clue. In the coaching staff we have to trust, so far I am very impressed for the first time in a decade.

 

[huskymedic]

There are 5 / 7 teams that would get a look before us to fill the over populated bowl scene. This due to conference affiliation and strength of schedule.

You sure about that??

As recent as last year - I believe the policy was that all eligible 6-6 teams must be given a postseason berth first before any team under .500 can be considered (5-7).

I’m not saying that if UConn is 6-6 they will be selected for a Bowl Game - just that based on previous years, a 6-6 team gets preference over any 5-7 team.

Heck, I think they even added a bowl game to accommodate 6-6 teams.

(…. And it’s batschlitz crazy to be discussing bowls @ 0-1 and I just slapped myself)

 

[Rumrunner]

My biggest surprise from the QB play of Zion was how few yards he got with his legs. I expected a more mobile, grab a couple of yards when coverage breaks down type of player. At 5'11" that's a skill for that size of a QB to have. But he might have been told to do no running and throw the ball away, so who knows? We were told by Mora in pre-season that Millen is the fastest of the QB's. At first, I thought he's just saying that to have something positive to say about all the QB's. But maybe it's true. I also hope that that sideways release gets corrected. At times you need to throw like that, but when it was employed, it was usually unnecessary. The good news is he's a true freshman, which means fast-foward to his senior year, leading UConn to a St. Thomas-like 12-0 record...

 

[ScottVib]

As recent as last year - I believe the policy was that all eligible 6-6 teams must be given a postseason berth first before any team under .500 can be considered (5-7).

I’m not saying that if UConn is 6-6 they will be selected for a Bowl Game - just that based on previous years, a 6-6 team gets preference over any 5-7 team.

Beyond that I believe the rule reads that 5-7 teams are invited based on APR rankings.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

No attack @LoyalFanCT as I am one myself, but just what bowl could we make with the wins you predict. I want these and more but have no interest in a bowl that has no attendance and a payout that puts the school further in debt. There are 5 / 7 teams that would get a look before us to fill the over populated bowl scene. This due to conference affiliation and strength of schedule. I hate it but just a fact, UConn most likely has to win at least eight games to see a bowl. Again just the realist I am no attack ...


Badda bing, badda boom and there it is... Eloquent and polite way to explain to the arm chair / couch coaches. As much as one would like to second guess, without access to what is happening in practice or the workout room we have no clue. In the coaching staff we have to trust, so far I am very impressed for the first time in a decade.

What about LendingTree Bowl or Liberty Bowl? Didn't independent teams recently play in both?

 

[RSTuthill]

Not to worry, we have at least another year before UConn fans have to start worrying about a bowl invite. And probably two, the portal notwithstanding.

Of more immediate concern is how to salvage this season apparently without a passing game. If that equation cannot be solved, it will be a looooong season. And if Puma is a no go this year, then who is gonna take on the QB3 role? Time to give Rosa some snaps with the two's or players not on the depth chart? Time to be working hard on CM's passing if he is QB2 -- or will he be the Scott McCummings of this decade limited only to a wildcat role?

It should be a very interesting game on Saturday. So many opportunities to do various developmental things, and yet winning convincingly has to be the first priority.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Woof 101]

What about LendingTree Bowl or Liberty Bowl? Didn't independent teams recently play in both?

Not sure but I did find this.

The LendingTree Bowl will match up teams from the Mid-America Conference, the Sun Belt Conference and Conference USA.
Found this on Liberty ...
The bowl has multiple conference and team tie-ins for the 2020 through 2025 seasons. Both the SEC and ACC announced bowl lineups for those years that did not include the Independence Bowl.[5] In January 2020, the bowl announced a six-year sequence of games that will feature an independent program (either Army or BYU) against a team from either the Pac-12, Conference USA (C-USA), or the American Athletic Conference (The American), as shown in the table.[6] This is likely to change, however, since BYU is scheduled to join the Big 12 Conference for the 2023-24 school year and will not keep their football independence as a result.

@huskymedic

You sure about that??

As recent as last year - I believe the policy was that all eligible 6-6 teams must be given a postseason berth first before any team under .500 can be considered (5-7).

Not sure about anything these days, just my opinion with all due respect to all you bring to this forum. I thought and know all 6-6 teams must be considered but not sure of independents. Last year both Auburn and LSU were bowl invites at 6-6. Just my opinion unless we beat some highly ranked teams and go above and beyond what is expected we see no bowl without a tie in.
Agree with you way too much to talk about this early in the new season / regime. Thank you for slapping yourself and reminding me to do so.

 

[Stinger92860]

I watched Maine kill UMass last year. The offense I saw yesterday was pretty close to that offense. It was a running offense that caused the D to load the box and then go over the top. But there were screens. Charlton will work with ZT and get the passing game more down the field.

With 9 in the box, the injuries at WR, and a true freshman QB, I think you are going to see more quick passes rather than going down field. This is when guys like Houston, Brewton, and maybe Rosa can do some damage.

With ZT is it possible that they will ask him to think pass first and only run when its wide open? We lose ZT and if PT is not ready we are down to one QB very early in the season. If Steve stayed he may have been #2, played and won that game. However, I don‘t believe he is the #1 at GState so who knows.

On Defense, are any of our freshman edge rushers that can make a difference? I think I know the answer to that, if we had one I think he plays.

 

[Coach J]

Some other positive below the radar developments I saw Saturday:

1. JM has more then adequately filled the kicker and punting jobs that should be important factors in our success this year. People will joke about this, but imagine if we had a subpar kicker or a punter who could not flip the field for us, especially with the offensive injuries we have had.

2. Robert Burns was an absolute demon on punt coverage.

3. RT pass protection struggles none withstanding the OL is light years ahead of last year's line which had an NFL player on it.

4. Tackling from our secondary is in another universe compared to last year.

5. I think a PI call was warranted on ZT first downfield attempt to Kevens Clercius and if it was that could have definitely changed the outcome of the game. BTW, KC had an excellent downfield block on the 2nd Q Russell Dixon reception springing him for extra yardage.

6. The staff seems up to the task, especially dealing with Spanos absence.

All that being said DL help should be a top portal priority this off season. Imagine how good the D would have looked had Travis Jones decided to come back for another year instead of the NFL. Also having only 3 QBs remaining on the roster is a little worrisome so early in the season.

 

[Stinger92860]

All that being said DL help should be a top portal priority this off season. Imagine how good the D would have looked had Travis Jones decided to come back for another year instead of the NFL. Also having only 3 QBs remaining on the roster is a little worrisome so early in the season.

Kevon would have also made a huge positive difference.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Not sure but I did find this.

The LendingTree Bowl will match up teams from the Mid-America Conference, the Sun Belt Conference and Conference USA.
Found this on Liberty ...
The bowl has multiple conference and team tie-ins for the 2020 through 2025 seasons. Both the SEC and ACC announced bowl lineups for those years that did not include the Independence Bowl.[5] In January 2020, the bowl announced a six-year sequence of games that will feature an independent program (either Army or BYU) against a team from either the Pac-12, Conference USA (C-USA), or the American Athletic Conference (The American), as shown in the table.[6] This is likely to change, however, since BYU is scheduled to join the Big 12 Conference for the 2023-24 school year and will not keep their football independence as a result.

@huskymedic

Not sure about anything these days, just my opinion with all due respect to all you bring to this forum. I thought and know all 6-6 teams must be considered but not sure of independents. Last year both Auburn and LSU were bowl invites at 6-6. Just my opinion unless we beat some highly ranked teams and go above and beyond what is expected we see no bowl without a tie in.
Agree with you way too much to talk about this early in the new season / regime. Thank you for slapping yourself and reminding me to do so.

2021 Lending Tree Bowl was Eastern Michigan and Liberty. 2020 Liberty Bowl was West Virginia and Army. Those are two independents. Also, New Mexico Bowl has gone outside of tie-in conferences to select a team. Houston recently played in that bowl.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Kevon would have also made a huge positive difference.

As some have mentioned elsewhere, Bonner USU's Qb got the ball quickly also.

 

[Punkbo]

Kevon would have also made a huge positive difference.

Agree. Along with the Cam Ross injury, Kevon’s absence was the most disappointing news of the pre-season. Does anyone have any good insight into his situation?

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Agree. Along with the Cam Ross injury, Kevon’s absence was the most disappointing news of the pre-season. Does anyone have any good insight into his situation?

Only that it was related to academics.