The Upside - Connecticut | Syracusefan.com

The Upside - Connecticut

SWC75

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- Good teams take care of business and this team took care of business against an inferior opponent. We scored the first seven times we had the ball. When we finally punted, the Huskies muffed it and then we scored again.

- The defense sprung two leaks: a 28 yard TD burst by Devontae Houston in the second period a similar-looking pass play for 56 yards by Aaron Turner in the third. UCONN had 72 yards total offense other than that and we immediately answered each score to keep control of the game.

- Garrett Shrader may be the nation’s leading passer when the new numbers come out. He was 20 for 23 today for 287 yards and 3TDs. Last week he was ‘only’ 18 for 25 for 236 and 2 scores. That means he’s completing 79% of his passes for 13.8 yards per completion and 10.9 yards per attempt with 5TDs and no turnovers. It’s not part of the passing stats but he also ahs 157 yards rushing in 29 carries (5.4) and 3 scores. Who’s better than that?

- Sean Tucker has seemingly faded behind Shrader as the team’s star but really they are Siamese twins. Defense have to deal with Tucker and Shrader as a single unit that can run the ball in multiple directions, throw it and catch it. If they key on one guy, the other guy is going to put up big numbers. Tucker has been swimming upstream on the running plays but still had two century mark games for a total of 213 yards on 48 tough carries, (4.4) and 2 scores. He’s also caught 10 passes for 101 yards and the one long-distance TD he’s had – that 55 yarder vs. Louisville on the play after his pal Elmore went down. The big numbers will come if defense adjusts to Shrader throwing to 10 different receivers. In the meantime, the other team has to account for Tucker at all times and that opens things up for everything else. (Anybody remember the ‘phantom yards’ argument for Tim Brown in 1987?)

- Other than Connecticut’s two scoring plays, our tackling continues to be crisp and efficient. And Garrett Williams showed he isn’t just a cover guy: he was leveling guys out there. Marlowe Wax ‘waxed’ several guys, including the UCONN quarterback on what was almost a strip-sack TD. Rochester’s Nate Carter is a fine back for the Huskies but after some early success, we shut him down. There were plenty of ‘hats in the picture’. And it didn’t let up when the back-ups came in.

- I have little to say about the special teams and I like it that way. They ‘took care of business’ as well.

- 3 three penalties for 15 yards, a week after 18 penalties for 107 yards. Maybe teams do improve between the first and second game.

- Connecticut is not a 1-11 team this year. We just made it look as if they still were.

- With losses by Virginia and Notre Dame, suddenly that intimidating schedule doesn’t look quite as intimidating. Everything is on the table for us this year.

2-0 with 10+ to go

LET’S GO ORANGE!!!
 
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- Good teams take care of business and this team took care of business against an inferior opponent. We scored the first seven times we had the ball. When we finally punted, the Huskies muffed it and then we scored again.

- The defense sprung two leaks: a 28 yard TD burst by Devontae Houston in the second period a similar-looking pass play for 56 yards by Aaron Turner in the third. UCONN had 72 yards total offense other than that and we immediately answered each score to keep control of the game.

- Garrett Shrader may be the nation’s leading passer when the new numbers come out. He was 20 for 23 today for 287 yards and 3TDs. Last week he was ‘only’ 18 for 25 for 236 and 2 scores. That means he’s completing 79% of his passes for 13.8 yards per completion and 10.9 yards per attempt with 5TDs and no turnovers. It’s not part of the passing stats but he also ahs 157 yards rushing in 29 carries (5.4) and 3 scores. Who’s better than that?

- Sean Tucker has seemingly faded behind Shrader as the team’s star but really they are Siamese twins. Defense have to deal with Tucker and Shrader as a single unit that can run the ball in multiple directions, throw it and catch it. If they key on one guy, the other guy is going to put up big numbers. Tucker has been swimming upstream on the running plays but still had two century mark games for a total of 213 yards on 48 tough carries, (4.4) and 2 scores. He’s also caught 10 passes for 101 yards and the one long-distance TD he’s had – that 55 yarder vs. Louisville on the play after his pal Elmore went down. The big numbers will come if defense adjusts to Shrader throwing to 10 different receivers. In the meantime, the other team has to account for Tucker at all times and that opens things up for everything else. (Anybody remember the ‘phantom yards’ argument for Tim Brown in 1987?)

- Other than Connecticut’s two scoring plays, our tackling continues to be crisp and efficient. And Garrett Williams showed he isn’t just a cover guy: he was leveling guys out there. Marlowe Wax ‘waxed’ several guys, including the UCONN quarterback on what was almost a strip-sack TD. Rochester’s Nate Carter is a fine back for the Huskies but after some early success, we shut him down. There were plenty of ‘hats in the picture’. And it didn’t let up when the back-ups came in.

- I have little to say about the special teams and I like it that way. They ‘took care of business’ as well.

- 3 three penalties for 15 yards, a week after 18 penalties for 107 yards. Maybe teams do improve between the first and second game.

- Connecticut is not a 1-11 team this year. We just made it look as if they still were.

- With losses by Virginia and Notre Dame, suddenly that intimidating schedule doesn’t look quite as intimidating. Everything is on the table for us this year.

2-0 with 10+ to go

LET’S GO ORANGE!!!
Penalties: maybe UCONN defense wasn't simulating snaps.
 
Shrader is 4th in passing efficiency. Anyone have that on their bingo card after week 2?

Tucker really hasn't had a chance to get going yet this year, and he's still 14th in rushing.

Kansas and JMU are #1 and #2 in scoring offense, in the area of weird stats in a weird year so far.
 
I would not say Tucker has faded, though opposing defenses are set to stop him and our blocking isn’t opening lanes for his runs. It is more that Shrader has emerged with the benefit of being the #1 QB since last October, and the benefit of Anae and Beck’s coaching and play design.

Shrader has a lot of weapons (and his own running) if defenses want to concentrate on Tucker.
 

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