Weak Spots Moving Forward

[uconnphil2016]

Totally not immediately important, but I was thinking last night about what the roster is going to look like after this year, and there are a couple of positions that look scary thin. First, let's think of spots that will be well supplied after this season--OL we are very young here and will be mostly in tact next season, WR, DB--maybe not talented but very young. Now, on to problem areas. The most glaring for me is probably defensive end...who is going to replace Luke and Cole? Not that they've been world beaters this year, but we are dangerously thin here. Second, what will we do at MLB? Santana Sterling? Gilmartin? Serious lack of talent behind Junior Joseph. Third is tight end. Who the heck is going to see the field? We've got two seniors here and no legitimate replacement...Holman? Jay Rose? We have plenty to worry about this season, but there are several positions that are total question marks moving forward where BD really left no reasonable replacement. This will be year one of BD's recruiting coming through the system, and we're going to see the results at several key spots.

 

[huskymedic]

This will be year one of BD's recruiting coming through the system, and we're going to see the results at several key spots.

Not sure I understand what you are trying to say here?

 

[Stainmaster]

TE two-deep should be Jay Rose and Fitton. Sterling will probably be the favorite at MLB in spring ball due to game experience, but as much as I hate to say it we may be looking at true freshmen coming in and competing for that job. DE seems like Lawley and Freeborn solely due to incumbency - I may be alone on this, but I think Freeborn has looked okay the past couple of games.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Stating the obvious here, but...QB?

Sherriffs is the best QB since Cochran (clearly), but he's probably better than Frazer, Endres and Lorenzen.

 

[Palatine]

Defense. Defense. Defense.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Stating the obvious here, but...QB?

Sherriffs is the best QB since Cochran (clearly), but he's probably better than Frazer, Endres and Lorenzen.

True. The only viable QB options were guys brought in by RE on the fly (Washington and Pindell). Of all the guys BD recruited, I'm pretty sure the only one still even playing QB other than BS is McAfee?

 

[uconnphil2016]

Not sure I understand what you are trying to say here?

Sorry...sort of confusing wording. Meant that next year will be the first crop of seniors who came into the program under Bob Diaco as a full recruiting class. Right? This senior class was a mix of BD recruits and guys from PP. I'm saying that we're seeing and will see the full effects of that with limited productive upperclassmen. Look at next year--the only upcoming seniors who are really productive are Peart, Beals, and Hergy.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I think we see Washington start at QB next year.

 

[Palatine]

Stating the obvious here, but...QB?

Sherriffs is the best QB since Cochran (clearly), but he's probably better than Frazer, Endres and Lorenzen.

Is it BS or Lashlee?

 

[whaler11]

The defense is a joke and starts 7 seniors.

What else do you need to know?

 

[blue93]

TE two-deep should be Jay Rose and Fitton. Sterling will probably be the favorite at MLB in spring ball due to game experience, but as much as I hate to say it we may be looking at true freshmen coming in and competing for that job. DE seems like Lawley and Freeborn solely due to incumbency - I may be alone on this, but I think Freeborn has looked okay the past couple of games.

I actually like the group of LB's we have coming in next year and I think a couple of them will contribute right away. Defensive line on the other hand... yikes.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Is it BS or Lashlee?

Both? Clearly BS has enough talent to win games at the AAC level. If the defense was performing at peak Edsall era years, we'd probably be a top 25 team.

 

[geordi]

Doncha just love it? This board might be the only place in captivity where, within a dozen posts, our defense it terrible, our defense is better than next year, Sherrifs is the second coming of Orlovsky, next year's quarterback is currently way down the depth chart, and we should be nationally ranked...all at the same time. If this board were an individual, we'd be in a ward with the rest of the psychotics.

 

[whaler11]

Both? Clearly BS has enough talent to win games at the AAC level. If the defense was performing at peak Edsall era years, we'd probably be a top 25 team.

They have played no one. Let's see how things look when it's not b2b2b off three of the worst defenses on the planet.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

They have played no one. Let's see how things look when it's not b2b2b off three of the worst defenses on the planet.

Not that that isn't true - but those Edsall defenses alone in 07-10 made us nearly a ~25th-40th ranked team at times with very mediocre at best QB play.

Maybe the more accurate statement would be BS on the 07-10 teams would have improved our odds, rather than the 07-10 defenses with this offense.

 

[whaler11]

Not that that isn't true - but those Edsall defenses alone in 07-10 made us nearly a ~25th-40th ranked team at times with very mediocre at best QB play.

Maybe the more accurate statement would be BS on the 07-10 teams would have improved our odds, rather than the 07-10 defenses with this offense.

I'm not convinced that BS is better than Fraser yet.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I'm not convinced that BS is better than Fraser yet.

Depends on which Frazer. 2009 in my opinion was the best UConn team even though the 2010 team made the BCS.

Towards the end of 2009 was some of the best offense we've ever played in the Edsall era with ZF at QB.

2010 though was some regression though.

 

[Drew]

I think we see Washington start at QB next year.

@Brettloaf

 

[hardcorehusky]

I'll play along with you on this.
QB - Pindell, Washington and McAfee. Pindell was the annointed starter and the other guys were highly recruited. We will be fine here.
RB has Mensah, Hopkins and Freshmen - not sure if Thompson is back so we should be OK.
TE has Jay Rose and Fitton - based on this offense that is fine.
WR- everyone is back and more
OL - Peart, Van Demark, Crozier and DeGeorge are back plus all the guys that Redshirted and Leone. Now a strength from a numbers standpoint and 1 year away from being a strength.
ST - Everyone is back- should be better
DL- needs a rebuild. You have Murphy and Caleb Thomas at NG and Freeborn, Garson, Lawley, Atkins, Brouse and Okounam back. Need JUCO's here.
LB - Beavers, Britton, Gilmartin, Santana, Levenberry, TJ Gardner, Eddie Hahn, Eli Thomas and Rhakim Williams, are back. These guys have more speed abut little experience. Growing pains here.
DB- everyone is back but Jamar Summers and Tre Bell. We will be better based off of experience. I think Fortt, Herring-Wilson, Coyle, Swenson have something. I would love to see Rob King and Brayden Brown as well. I think the talent is there- it needs time to mature.(Case in point, how baaad was Obi his first 2 years or so in coverage? Turned out ok by senior year!!)

The key offensively is keeping Lashlee. Defensively, if we don't fix the trenches up front, it won't matter.

Interesting to see how the rest of the recruiting goes.....

 

[scoobydoo]

I'm not convinced that BS is better than Fraser yet.

Go look at Fraser's stats. They aren't good. I don't doubt you aren't convinced and I don't doubt that @Palatine thinks Boyle' number are better than both (hey, pal, its not golf. Low

ZF QB rating by year at UConn

• 103
• 116
• 99

In the BCS year, last few games:

• WVU - Zach Frazer threw for 166 yards without an interception.
• Pitt - Frazer was just 9 of 20 on the day for 100 yards with an interception, but threw for two scores.
• SU - Zach Frazer was an efficient 13 of 21 passing for 98 yards
  
• Cincy - UConn quarterback Zach Frazer was 11-of-24 for 121 yards, with a touchdown and one interception.
• USF - 13 of 29 for 112 yards and a interception

BS QB rating by year:

• 127
• 122
• 182

 

[whaler11]

Go look at Fraser's stats. They aren't good.

Or I can work off seeing every game they both played and understand their stats are achieved in a vaccum.

 

[whaler11]

I'll play along with you on this.
QB - Pindell, Washington and McAfee. Pindell was the annointed starter and the other guys were highly recruited. We will be fine here.
RB has Mensah, Hopkins and Freshmen - not sure if Thompson is back so we should be OK.
TE has Jay Rose and Fitton - based on this offense that is fine.
WR- everyone is back and more
OL - Peart, Van Demark, Crozier and DeGeorge are back plus all the guys that Redshirted and Leone. Now a strength from a numbers standpoint and 1 year away from being a strength.
ST - Everyone is back- should be better
DL- needs a rebuild. You have Murphy and Caleb Thomas at NG and Freeborn, Garson, Lawley, Atkins, Brouse and Okounam back. Need JUCO's here.
LB - Beavers, Britton, Gilmartin, Santana, Levenberry, TJ Gardner, Eddie Hahn, Eli Thomas and Rhakim Williams, are back. These guys have more speed abut little experience. Growing pains here.
DB- everyone is back but Jamar Summers and Tre Bell. We will be better based off of experience. I think Fortt, Herring-Wilson, Coyle, Swenson have something. I would love to see Rob King and Brayden Brown as well. I think the talent is there- it needs time to mature.(Case in point, how baaad was Obi his first 2 years or so in coverage? Turned out ok by senior year!!)

The key offensively is keeping Lashlee. Defensively, if we don't fix the trenches up front, it won't matter.

Interesting to see how the rest of the recruiting goes.....

When your specialists stink to high heaven how does having them back generate a strength?

If people think this team has turned a corner or is near turning a corner it's going to get even more painful around here.

 

[scoobydoo]

Or I can work off seeing every game they both played and understand their stats are achieved in a vaccum.

Ok Dummy. ZF had one of the best running games in college football and a fantastic offensive line in front of him.

 

[scoobydoo]

When your specialists stink to high heaven how does having them back generate a strength?

High Heaven? Because he missed a FG and we don't have a return for TD yet???

 

[whaler11]

Ok Dummy. ZF had one of the best running games in college football and a fantastic offensive line in front of him.

Dummy. Good one.

He also played a much tougher schedule in an offense that wasn't designed to rack up stats against garbage defenses like ECU or SMU.

The one semi-legit defense he played against this year shut him out in the first half.

Take a deep breath.