We averted disaster.....

[TMB4405]

A loss would have been awful but we avoided that. I could complain about many things (biggest and loudest would be oline) however I am choosing to stay positive. Cliches I fall back on:

We make the most improvement from week 1 to week 2. The systems are new and take time to work out the issues. We are 1-0 and no one will remember how in a few weeks. Etc.etc.

As I mumble these things to myself I think of the "serenity now" Seinfeld episode. Hoping for a better outcome.

 

[businesslawyer]

A loss would have been awful but we avoided that. I could complain about many things (biggest and loudest would be oline) however I am choosing to stay positive. Cliches I fall back on:

We make the most improvement from week 1 to week 2. The systems are new and take time to work out the issues. We are 1-0 and no one will remember how in a few weeks. Etc.etc.

As I mumble these things to myself I think of the "serenity now" Seinfeld episode. Hoping for a better outcome.

The way we moved the ball late gives me some hope for the OL. If I want to panic, it's how incredibly easily we gave up passing yards until they got to our red zone from the beginning to the end of the game.

 

[scoobydoo]

The way we moved the ball late gives me some hope for the OL. If I want to panic, it's how incredibly easily we gave up passing yards until they got to our red zone from the beginning to the end of the game.

4/6 of our best front 6 were out. That's bad for any team, one this young and thin? Could have easily been fatal.

 

[Palatine]

In a few weeks a bad win becomes a win. But that was horrible to sit through.

 

[CL82]

If I want to panic, it's how incredibly easily we gave up passing yards until they got to our red zone from the beginning to the end of the game.

This was the most surprising and most concerning thing from last night. I fully expected us to be able to confuse their offense and generate more big defensive plays. We saw a bit of the potential of Crocker's 3-3-5 but I expected more against a BCS team with a losing record last year. Pujals was a big factor in their success. His reads were great, as was his poise. He delivered the ball knowing he about to get slammed time and time again. He's a talented, motivated and gutsy kid.

That said, you have to wonder how much success we will have defensively against FBS athletes given how Holy Cross did against us for three quarters.

 

[businesslawyer]

In a few weeks a bad win becomes a win. But that was horrible to sit through.

With all the play stoppages and being down 13 in the last third of the game to friggin Holy Cross, until BS came in being in the stadium was unbearable despite it being a really comfortable night. Which is why so few were there to see the late rally.

 

[businesslawyer]

4/6 of our best front 6 were out. That's bad for any team, one this young and thin? Could have easily been fatal.

Yeah, but Foley's absence didn't effect the pass coverage and Levenberry's done for the year. Having Diggs back will help, but that doesn't explain how truly pathetic they were containing the short and intermediate passing game.

 

[Scoe]

BS saved us, and saved our fanbase. At least we should have a better crowd vs USF a loss against HC we lose our fans. Better we face a team like USF early so we can get a better indication, and so that Edsall gets knows what he has do going forward.

 

[warbler1055]

As bad as the defense was in the first half, they did have a shut out at the second half. Still, with all the injuries, the defense could not stop those crossover pass routes and those runs off tackles. Give HC Pujals his due, he was pretty good!!!

 

[Carl Spackler]

As bad as the defense was in the first half, they did have a shut out at the second half. Still, with all the injuries, the defense could not stop those crossover pass routes and those runs off tackles. Give HC Pujals his due, he was pretty good!!!

I'd have to watch it all again to be sure, which I don't have time to do, but my guess is this: Nobody expected #93 to get ejected in the first 5 min of the game. There was nothing in the game plan to deal with that, and while I don't question the heart or desire of anybody behind on the depth chart, we don't have that physical presence on the roster to put up front at the Nose guard in a 3-3-5 stack defense. At half time, the D I'm guessing again, made some kind of adjustments to the plan. We also got the benefit of the laundry being thrown by zebras a couple times - but if I'm not mistaken, that was happening in the first half more than the second. I remember one really long play called back.

 

[Adios]

Someone said we lost to a few FCS teams in the game thread. Didn't we lose to one FCS school since joining an FBS conference?

 

[BlueDogs]

As bad as the defense was in the first half, they did have a shut out at the second half. Still, with all the injuries, the defense could not stop those crossover pass routes and those runs off tackles. Give HC Pujals his due, he was pretty good!!!

That shut-out half was pretty lucky. They were getting pushed all over the field. HC could have easily put another 17 on the board but for some good breaks (missed field goal, turn-over on big play, key 4th down stop in red zone). I gain no comfort from that, honestly.

 

[Carl Spackler]

That shut-out half was pretty lucky. They were getting pushed all over the field. HC could have easily put another 17 on the board but for some good breaks (missed field goal, turn-over on big play, key 4th down stop in red zone). I gain no comfort from that, honestly.

It's a game of inches for a reason. They pulled out a win, and gave every appearance of needing to pull a rabbit out of a hat to get the win - against Holy Cross.

The good news is that there is lots of room for improvement.

 

[businesslawyer]

Someone said we lost to a few FCS teams in the game thread. Didn't we lose to one FCS school since joining an FBS conference?

We have only lost one of those games. But since that loss, every friggin one has been a competitive game that came down to the end.

In HCREv1, we became accustomed to these games being blow outs.

 

[warbler1055]

That shut-out half was pretty lucky. They were getting pushed all over the field. HC could have easily put another 17 on the board but for some good breaks (missed field goal, turn-over on big play, key 4th down stop in red zone). I gain no comfort from that, honestly.

True, but Carl Spackler said it better than I ever could. Could have gone either way, but it went OUR way!!!!

 

[Husky68]

Maybe you guys ragging on defense were expecting more or are saying HC was pathetic but don't see it. HC had 15 series of which one short one ended at 1st half so really 14 series. Of these 5 were 3/4and out and 1 was 6 and out, all with 21 yards or less and resulted in punt. 1 series was 2 plays and turnover. So 7 of 14 series would have to be classified as really good.

I'll classify the remaining 7 series as could be better but wanted to establish that at least half of HC possessions ended in little if any offensive success. Remaining series were where HC "success" came and where some here must have seen the "pathetic" pass coverage. Believe one of these 7 included where the sure pass interception was dropped.
2 touchdown drives of 34 yards and 21 yards. Pretty short yardage. Nice QB fake on one of them.
3 FG drives (missed one) of 13 plays for 72 yards; 11 plays for 59 yards and 7 plays for 58 yards. Here is where lot of good plays occurred for HC. Note that HC did not get into end zone on any of these.
2 stops on downs after 8 plays for 38 yards and 9 plays for 60 yards. These were during desperate times at end of game for HC with game on the line.

To me was good effort against HC 5th year quarterback that has pro scouts looking at, with head coach of 15 years by our new coaching staff with new 3/3/5 scheme playing most of game without its best defensive player.

I saw an organized defensive team making some mistakes and missing some opportunities, but it did look like a football team. They were hitting all the way to the last out of bounds tackle to get the ball back. Step one accomplished by NHCRE.

 

[Nostical]

The game was tough to watch at times but that's OK. We faced one of the better QB's on our schedule. A pro-scout at the game from the Saints was not kidding when he said upon my asking "who are you here to watch" and he said Puyols. He wanted to see him vs a Div 1 defense. Puyols threw one pass on the run back against his motion and completed it and hit too many crossing routes for my health. As for our O, no one is scaling back our hurry up style. The offense wasn't really that bad last night and I happily stayed positive throughout. My take was we lost two fumbles in HC territory and they converted both into TD's and missed on a 4th and 1 deep in their territory. Our D was in a big time learning curve but I was told this morning that it was a pure vanilla scheme, different than we'll show USF. The key elements of this team were being discovered. Who was ready for the bright lights and who wasn't. Lashlee will adjust--and yes Newsome will be used more in space now that Hopkins has shown well. I'm optimistic for our game with USF.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

That shut-out half was pretty lucky. They were getting pushed all over the field. HC could have easily put another 17 on the board but for some good breaks (missed field goal, turn-over on big play, key 4th down stop in red zone). I gain no comfort from that, honestly.

If the D didn't make big plays they would have given up more points. Got it.

 

[cheech63]

If it wasn't for that really,really great spot on the the third down throw with a few minutes left, I'm not sure we win this game.

 

[Hamms30]

@Nostical curious if the scout said anything else throughout the game about Puyols?

 

[uconnfan68]

The way we moved the ball late gives me some hope for the OL. If I want to panic, it's how incredibly easily we gave up passing yards until they got to our red zone from the beginning to the end of the game.

The other side of that was the HC qb was really very good. And we won.

 

[Woof 101]

If it wasn't for that really,really great spot on the the third down throw with a few minutes left, I'm not sure we win this game.

Nice catch by you, they gave us a yard and a half on that one and not much later one that was at least a half yard short. A head shaker by us right where it happened.
NOBODY mentioned forward progress, as there was none. Not about to boo the gift horse....

 

[whaler11]

Puyols didn't make the play that would have won the game.

He had a guy for 6 but didn't get enough under it and UConn juggled and dropped the INT.

If he makes that throw it could have gotten super ugly.

 

[RSTuthill]

I see no reason to revise my 3-9 prediction. But on the other hand, this is one smart coaching staff who will no doubt make some effective adjustments. I do wonder, however, if Crocker analyzed the situation and decided that with the current personnel the 3-3-5 would be most effective. Of did he just put that D in because he has a philosophical prejudice in its favor developed over the years. It did look like the D was confused and HC picked apart the secondary despite the extra DB.

UConn may get schooled against USF but that may not be a bad thing. A learning experience for the freshmen.

 

[blue93]

I see no reason to revise my 3-9 prediction. But on the other hand, this is one smart coaching staff who will no doubt make some effective adjustments. I do wonder, however, if Crocker analyzed the situation and decided that with the current personnel the 3-3-5 would be most effective. Of did he just put that D in because he has a philosophical prejudice in its favor developed over the years. It did look like the D was confused and HC picked apart the secondary despite the extra DB.

UConn may get schooled against USF but that may not be a bad thing. A learning experience for the freshmen.

Because of the lack of depth at DL and especially LB, I'm not sure if any other scheme would work better. Maybe you could go 4-3 but I'm not sure the 4th defensive lineman will be significantly more effective than the 5th defensive back.