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UConn Huskies Football Will Recover From Michigan Beatdown
Tom SmithSep 7, 2010
Oops.
Looks like the eyes of Randy Edsall and the UConn athletics braintrust were bigger than their stomachs. In retrospect, it appears that scheduling the University of Michigan for the opening game of the 2010 season may have been a miscalculation.
The last five opening game opponents for the Huskies were Ohio, Hofstra, Duke, Rhode Island, and Buffalo. There is something to be said for easing into the season. All the cool kids do it. Top-ranked Alabama played San Jose State in their first game.
The Huskies were almost a Top 25 team in the preseason polls. Michigan was not.
Connecticut was on a four-game winning streak from last season. Michigan was not.
Seemed like such a good idea at the time. Why not ride the wave right into the Big House on opening day and make a serious statement that the Nutmeggers know pigskin as well as they know hoops?
Well, you know what they say about the best laid schemes of mice and men, right? Yep, they go oft awry.
Awry indeed.
Michigan 30, Connecticut 10.
Turned out that being the opponent for the re-dedication of the most historic college football stadium in the nation was not a good idea. A record 113,090 fans attended the game. Not surprisingly, they provided quite an advantage for the home team.
Turned out that being the first opponent for a coach and a team positively desperate to get the season off on the right foot was not a good idea. Even worse when you factor in that the coach in question finally has the type of quarterback that made him look like such a good hire to UM in the first place.
There is no question that UConn football took one on the chin on Saturday.
The defensive line was thrown around like rag dolls too many times to count. Looks like UConn fans might miss DE Marcus Campbell (ACL, out for the season) more than they thought.
Obviously, allowing a team to convert 14 of 19 third-down opportunities is not good defense.
QB Zach Frazier isn't going to remind anyone of Joe Montana anytime soon, but it would help if his receivers made serious attempts to catch his passes. From what I understand in examining football statistics, the efficiency of the passing game increases when the intended target does not drop the ball.
No two ways about it, Michigan deserved the victory. UConn did not play well on offense, defense, or special teams (blocked field goals are not good).
Still, Connecticut football fans should not be hanging their heads.
The Big East is there for the taking. There is still no reason to think that UConn can't be the team that takes it.
If you were to "power rank" the Big East right now, West Virginia is clearly on top, followed by Pitt and Connecticut.
It is pretty simple to say that UConn just needs to win the games they are supposed to win. I know it is easier said than done, but the next six games on the schedule are very "winnable."
Those big boys on the Michigan offensive line will be nowhere to be found against Texas Southern, Temple, and Buffalo.
Denard Robinson and his 383 total yards will be a distant memory when Connecticut plays Vanderbilt, Rutgers, and Louisville.
Who says UConn can't step onto Rentschler Field to face West Virginia with a 6-1 record? Pitt travels to East Hartford for the Huskies' next game. A split of those two games could get the Huskies a share of the league lead. Take care of Syracuse, Cincy, and South Florida, and who knows? Maybe the Huskies stand alone in the first week of December?
Before you dismiss this as fanciful dreaming, ask yourself, "Why not?"
UConn is a pretty darn good football team that happened to run into a better team in their first game. Did anyone think that Michigan, they of the 11 national titles, would stay down forever?
Connecticut can beat Pitt and West Virginia. Will they? Who knows, but they certainly can.
In case you glanced over it, let me point it out.
The two biggest games on the Connecticut schedule are at home. Yes, that's big.
Texas Southern is the only cupcake on the Connecticut schedule, so nothing is guaranteed, but when the Huskies are sitting at 4-1 and getting ready for their first conference game of the season, I will have already completely forgotten about the Bad Day at the Big House.
Looks like the eyes of Randy Edsall and the UConn athletics braintrust were bigger than their stomachs. In retrospect, it appears that scheduling the University of Michigan for the opening game of the 2010 season may have been a miscalculation.
The last five opening game opponents for the Huskies were Ohio, Hofstra, Duke, Rhode Island, and Buffalo. There is something to be said for easing into the season. All the cool kids do it. Top-ranked Alabama played San Jose State in their first game.
The Huskies were almost a Top 25 team in the preseason polls. Michigan was not.
Connecticut was on a four-game winning streak from last season. Michigan was not.
Seemed like such a good idea at the time. Why not ride the wave right into the Big House on opening day and make a serious statement that the Nutmeggers know pigskin as well as they know hoops?
Well, you know what they say about the best laid schemes of mice and men, right? Yep, they go oft awry.
Awry indeed.
Michigan 30, Connecticut 10.
Turned out that being the opponent for the re-dedication of the most historic college football stadium in the nation was not a good idea. A record 113,090 fans attended the game. Not surprisingly, they provided quite an advantage for the home team.
Turned out that being the first opponent for a coach and a team positively desperate to get the season off on the right foot was not a good idea. Even worse when you factor in that the coach in question finally has the type of quarterback that made him look like such a good hire to UM in the first place.
There is no question that UConn football took one on the chin on Saturday.
The defensive line was thrown around like rag dolls too many times to count. Looks like UConn fans might miss DE Marcus Campbell (ACL, out for the season) more than they thought.
Obviously, allowing a team to convert 14 of 19 third-down opportunities is not good defense.
QB Zach Frazier isn't going to remind anyone of Joe Montana anytime soon, but it would help if his receivers made serious attempts to catch his passes. From what I understand in examining football statistics, the efficiency of the passing game increases when the intended target does not drop the ball.
No two ways about it, Michigan deserved the victory. UConn did not play well on offense, defense, or special teams (blocked field goals are not good).
Still, Connecticut football fans should not be hanging their heads.
The Big East is there for the taking. There is still no reason to think that UConn can't be the team that takes it.
If you were to "power rank" the Big East right now, West Virginia is clearly on top, followed by Pitt and Connecticut.
It is pretty simple to say that UConn just needs to win the games they are supposed to win. I know it is easier said than done, but the next six games on the schedule are very "winnable."
Those big boys on the Michigan offensive line will be nowhere to be found against Texas Southern, Temple, and Buffalo.
Denard Robinson and his 383 total yards will be a distant memory when Connecticut plays Vanderbilt, Rutgers, and Louisville.
Who says UConn can't step onto Rentschler Field to face West Virginia with a 6-1 record? Pitt travels to East Hartford for the Huskies' next game. A split of those two games could get the Huskies a share of the league lead. Take care of Syracuse, Cincy, and South Florida, and who knows? Maybe the Huskies stand alone in the first week of December?
Before you dismiss this as fanciful dreaming, ask yourself, "Why not?"
UConn is a pretty darn good football team that happened to run into a better team in their first game. Did anyone think that Michigan, they of the 11 national titles, would stay down forever?
Connecticut can beat Pitt and West Virginia. Will they? Who knows, but they certainly can.
In case you glanced over it, let me point it out.
The two biggest games on the Connecticut schedule are at home. Yes, that's big.
Texas Southern is the only cupcake on the Connecticut schedule, so nothing is guaranteed, but when the Huskies are sitting at 4-1 and getting ready for their first conference game of the season, I will have already completely forgotten about the Bad Day at the Big House.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Ant Daps Up Spurs Mid-Game 💀
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
