Our Defense/Specials Lost the Game - Not the Coaches

[chakka3421]

For me we had enough offensive production to win the game. Our coaches had both Hunt & Kinder run the wildcat all week to practice against it. Our defense knew it was coming. Our players couldn't tackle. Our players really had a big letdown in the 2nd half. I keep saying our front 7 is too undersized and it showed Saturday. Our NT is 270 lbs - come on folks we simply lack size let alone talent.

Special teams looked lost too - can't win if UConn gets the ball on the 40 yard line or better every kickoff. This one is on the players!

Our players got punched in the mouth - players coaches & fans don't like it but UConn challenged us to stop them in the 2nd half and our defense couldn't do the job. Big run plays almost every down.

UConn was the better team Saturday - nuff said.

 

[Bayside44]

Our defense created 5 turnovers that yielded no points. Create 10, say, score that first TD in the second half and UConn could not run it that way to come back.

Agree specials were lousy.

 

['72 Orange]

I don't disagree with you observations about the D and "special" teams, but the D kept us in the game in the first half. The offense (players & coaches) crapped the bed in the first half with their usual anemic 30 minutes of production. While the O turned it around in the 2nd half and gave me some hope, there is enough blame to go around here. This was a Total Team Effort

 

[OrangePA]

I don't disagree with you observations about the D and "special" teams, but the D kept us in the game in the first half. The offense (players & coaches) crapped the bed in the first half with their usual anemic 30 minutes of production. While the O turned it around in the 2nd half and gave me some hope, there is enough blame to go around here. This was a Total Team Effort

It seemed that UConn kept us in the game with turnovers in its offensive end.

I agree with OP. The players lost the game.

 

[Orangello]

For me we had enough offensive production to win the game. Our coaches had both Hunt & Kinder run the wildcat all week to practice against it. Our defense knew it was coming. Our players couldn't tackle. Our players really had a big letdown in the 2nd half. I keep saying our front 7 is too undersized and it showed Saturday. Our NT is 270 lbs - come on folks we simply lack size let alone talent.

Special teams looked lost too - can't win if UConn gets the ball on the 40 yard line or better every kickoff. This one is on the players!

Our players got punched in the mouth - players coaches & fans don't like it but UConn challenged us to stop them in the 2nd half and our defense couldn't do the job. Big run plays almost every down.

UConn was the better team Saturday - nuff said.

It's a bit hard blaming a ST's coach when none exists. We need to make hiring a great ST coach a priority for next season. The erractic kicking game, consistently poor field position on KO's and overall lack of focus is simply unacceptable.

 

[Dnyr85]

Yes, I agree, the players lost this one.

Specials, and I mean every phase of specials was horrid. This alone just about secured the loss for SU.

Offensively, the OL was not getting it done. They were getting manhandled all day long (and honestly all season as well). I am not so sure a speedier back would have helped any as I really did not see any good holes open up. If the offense could have turned some points in on those turnovers it would have been a different game, one that SU would have won.

Defensively the second quarter was lights out. Where did that defense go in the second half. Again, we were losing the battle on the line. The missed tackles were painful to watch as well.

I at least can not blame this one on the coaches. I love all them players on that squad, don't get me wrong. But, they have not been playing like we know they can. I see a lot of positives in this team. I am not worried like some on here are saying "they are going backwards". I just don't buy that. Sure losing to BE or BCS teams is still an issue, but winning has also increased (doesn't matter against who either, a win is a win) since the Grob days, as well as a program structure. I have seen so many positives with this squad since Marrone and Co. have stepped foot on campus. I for one am still on the " it will take some more time to get the right kind of players at SU " wagon. I really believe they will start to show up soon. Again, nothing against who we have on campus now. In fact I am grateful for those players choosing to accept the SU offers.

I remember going to the Miami, Ohio game with my Buckeye friends, and their opinion of the squad then was " I've seen High school teams with better athletes than what I just witnessed". The same friends now can't believe that what they see (we were at the Louisville game) now is the same school. They are all in agreement that the athletes on the squad today are many times better than what they saw back then. If outsiders see the program on the rise, why can't the SU fans see it?

Am I mad at the loss, yes, it hurts. But, as a fan I am not gonna spew doubt on this team and it's staff. I am here to support them. This game and the Rutgers game, also with many TO's were on the players IMHO.

Keep them heads held high SU. It will all come together soon.

 

[kingottoiii]

It seemed that UConn kept us in the game with turnovers in its offensive end.

I agree with OP. The players lost the game.

Agree about the D. They were preventive TOs and did nothing to help the O. I rather have our D give up 20 yards and force a punt than give up 60 yards and get a TO. UConn had over 125 yards in the first Q. How the is that good D?

 

[orangepassion]

Whatever happened to Crume? Does he still play?

 

[SmilinBob]

Who's the one that puts an 270 pound guy at the nose? A coach does. They recruited these kids.

That said this was a team loss and those horrible kicks like the line drive kick off and punts that could have pinned uconn down in their zone that went 20 yards hurt big time. The SU kick returner is going backwards to catch the ball while uconns got running starts. Is Lowenstein that bad he couldn't kick an easy 34 yard fg instead of a hurt Krautman? No one else could kick the ball to the 20 or out of bounds or a line drive out of 4 kickers? It was a coaching move to have Krautman kick off and that part of it is on the coaches. Did the coaches all week get into Fishers head to make sure he avoided kicking to the returner and so his fundamentals completely broke down on over half his kicks? Again, I agree it isn't all on the coaches but they sure as hell played a part in it.

Uconn was not the better team, SU was worse and granted it may semantics here but it makes a difference to me.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

For me we had enough offensive production to win the game.

Sigh.

:bang: