What’s goin on?
No major injuries from the game first of all.
UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni made a couple points after watching the UConn-USF game film I wanted to punch in here from this afternoon’s conference call.
“…It was a pretty even statistical thing,” the coach said. “We had the ball about four more minutes than they did. It came down to, really, a couple things. We didn’t execute in the early portion of the game on defense as well. We missed a couple of little things and that allowed them to get that run in there. They had a 26-yard run in there [by Demetris Murray to the UConn 5 in the first quarter] and then they hurried us up on the next play and scored [Quarterback B.J. Daniels finished it up]. So there were two, back-to-back plays…the 26-yard run was just, we just barely missed the tackle at the line of scrimmage so there were a couple little things there. And the way we played, we settled down in the second half and played against the run. Had we not given up that run, I’m not sure they would have gotten the ball in the end zone. Now they may have kicked another field goal or so but I thought we played pretty well there. I thought early going in the game, on the other side of the coin, offensively in the first half, the first five possessions, I thought we moved the ball some…
“We didn’t score the points we wanted to score. We only come out with three right before the half which I thought the two-minute thing, those three plays in two minute were really pretty good but we were keeping them pinned down. I don’t think our offense really got a bunch of credit for keeping them down their end of the field and it gave the defense a lot of room to defend. It gave them a long way to go. I thought the second half, defensively, I thought we really settled in and played pretty good. And the last three possessions of the game, there were too many self-inflicted wounds in the last three possessions of the game and that was really…there were only a few plays in that game that decided the outcome and we just had those turnovers. The fumble was just unfortunate. A lot of people contributed to that. The interception, the 29-yard return, the penalties, a lot of people contributed to that and they got three out of the fumble and three out of the combination of the interception – the quarterback is hit – and the penalties and they get three. Otherwise it’s a 7-6 game and maybe the last, the end of the game from the 20, we’re kicking a field goal to win it 9-6 as opposed to what happened. It just, to me, reaffirmed that in a close game like that there’s only going to be a couple of plays that really determine the outcome of the game and the margin of error is just really slim.”
Also, six points in 60 minutes in a must win game. The Huskies had two weeks to prepare for this game. What else can anyone do?
“The shame of it is, in the run game, we’re so darn close from several of those run, we’re just so darn close to really having more production there and overall don’t forget the bad snap cost us (a 19-yard loss after a shotgun snap went sailing over Chandler Whitmer’s head). That’s a minus 20-yard run. That’s a minus 20-yard run. It was first-and-10 on the 30 and we run the wildcat thing and we trip. The quarterback gets tripped and falls down and then they blitz on the second down so it’s third-and-10 and then the ball goes over is head. So we go from 1st-and-10 on the 30 to fourth down on the 50 after the biggest run of the game [a 26-yard rush by Scott McCummings] that gives it to us first and 10 on the 30. We give up three there and we give them three.
“We worked really hard through the bye week and I thought their approach, and I said this, a lot of guys gave effort in that game, played hard in that game to do the right things. We’re very, very close. Now is not the time to No.1 feel sorry for ourselves and No.2, let up. We’ve got a short week and we’ve got a good team coming in here [in Pittsburgh] maybe the best 4-5 team in the country coming in here and we’ve got to be prepared to play and I think our guys will be.”
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
25 Responses to UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni: The Day After South Florida
- -- ADVERTISEMENT --
Text Alerts
FREE Huskies, breaking news, and/or weather alerts sent to your mobile phone.*
*Or text UCONNFB, UCONNMB, UCONNWBNEWS, WEATHER, NEWS to 37798
*These programs are available on the following carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Nextel, Boost, Alltel, US Cellular. By clicking Submit you are confirming agreement with the terms and conditions governing this station and these mobile alerts. All submissions must be authorized by the account holder. Contact your carrier for more details.
You will receive up to 8 messages per day. Text STOP to 37798 to end subscription. You may receive subsequent messages clarifying or confirming your opt-out request. Text HELP to 37798 for info. Message and data rates may apply. Privacy Policy: privacy.tribune.com
UConn Football Pics
UConn Newsletters
Score big with our Husky Hoopla email.
See a sample
Sign in to add or remove newsletters.
-- ADVERTISEMENT --
what a loser.
If UConn was a horse in the HBO TV series Luck they would SHOOT it and put it out of it’s misery.
The only thing this program is close to is changing its head coach.
I feel like PP just doesnt even sound the same as successful Division 1 Head Football Coaches.
Who expects the defense to pitch shutouts? Really, I know the unit is good but why is 3/4 of the interview about the 1 drive USF had. How about we focus on the offense and score.
I’ll tell you that man can breakdown a bad game like nobody’s business.
Am I the only one rooting for the team to lose out the rest of the season, just so that Warde’s hand is forced into firing Pasqualoni? My rationale is this: It’s clear that Paul needs to go as soon as possible for the long-term sake of the program. My biggest fear is that we win a miracle game against Pitt or Louisville, and then there’s less pressure to can Pasqualoni and Deleone after this year, which will just shove off the inevitable.
I view this as somewhat tantamount to being a Colts fan when they needed to lose to get Andrew Luck, or the Celtics when they tanked for Oden/Durant.
I agree…lose out means we win out. If Pasqualoni was such a great college coach, wouldn’t someone have picked him up over the last 10 years ? This coaching staff is horrible….pay the buyout and lets get a new, younger coach in….
You are not the only one……I support the kids….not coach pee
I still say, the season ended when the OC had them stop playing in the third quarter of the Buffalo game. Very poor coaching. Very poor excuses. No progress, regress. UConn must look to next year and make a change in staffing.
Reasons 12 and 13 Why PP Will Keep His Job
12. We are pretty darn close.
13. We will eventually score the points we want to.
Steve Logan.
“More excuses then his playbook” .+100..be has been around and is using the media with statements like “we are very very close” to make Our AD Warde believe that he actually has a vision and preserve his job ..otherwise, where would he go after UCONN?? Back to the NFL?? ..it’s called retirement!!
Line of the game:
Rushing: Attempts Yards TD Longest
McCombs 18 47 0 12
McCummings 5 33 0 25
Whitmer 8 -37 0 9
Absolutely no variety in the run game whatsoever! What is the coaching staff’s fascination with McCombs. Granted the O-line is awful, but McCombs is not the same back he was last year. DeLorenzo, Hyppolite, Williams – all being wasted.
Very good comment.
Whatever happened to “getting the ball to Nick Williams” more?
The defense was basically pretty good all game.
The quarterback was fabulous considering the lack of help from the offensive line.
The running game is weak and needs to feature more than one back. I think the talent in the backfield is pretty good.
Geremy Davis was superb and the other receivers show up consistently.
Neither Nick Williams or McCombs is the same player as they were last year. Both have changed in their mental approach to the game.
The coaching is horrible: anemic, uninspired, soporific; the players look like they take Xanax before the games. I can’t wait for a change.
Sorry, my honest opinion.
I agree bro. Things are bad in huskyland. Just bad.
“We didn’t score the points we wanted to score.” YOU THINK!?
what coach has ever said the opposite?
My God! He genuinely does not realize that there is a problem He’s close to being delusional!
You are not close……Your offense scored 6 points against one of the weakest defenses in the country…..
That is a work in no progress!
You can tell Coach P has been around a while. He’s got all the good excuses. Not some college level excuses but NFL caliber excuses. I think his excuses list is larger than his “so-called” playbook. But he’s got to be saving a few of the whoppers for the last 3 weeks.
“We’re very, very close.”—-Coach P.
Yup…to not winning another game this year.
Navin…all good jokes are based in reality…and that was a good one!