UConn OC George DeLeone Talks Late Game Against Pitt

By On November 16, 2012 · 7 Comments

 

The Huskies were looking to go up 31-10 with just under five minutes left when Chandler Whitmer was picked off in the end zone, to which Pitt promptly turned around and marched 80 yards in nine plays to pull within 24-17 with 2 minutes, 46 seconds to play…

“The interception at the end was an aggressive call. That was, to me, as aggressive a call as I’ve ever made in my life. Logic would say you run the ball and kick the field goal but I knew, we knew, we had them in that formation and we knew exactly what we were going to get and  didn’t execute the play,” DeLeone said.

“That’s the story of our life – the consistency needed to knock a team out, we haven’t shown it. We’ve got to do it – bottom line we’ve got to do it. We haven’t had the consistency enough to knock a team out. We have let a lot of teams hang around. We show moments of brilliance and then we have plays like that last play.”

When the Huskies got the ball back and gained just three yards on first and second down Pitt burned its last timeout with 2:32 to go and the Huskies facing a third-and-7 at their own 28. The Huskies went aggressive again and elected to put the ball in the air again. The pass was complete. The win was saved. If the Huskies don’t convert it’s a problem – but they did, bottom line and won a game they needed to win.

“Speaking of last plays, one of the best plays we had all year was that throw to Shak Phillips there at the end to end the game,” DeLeone said. “That was as good a play as we had all year. Chandler hung in there, guys at his feet. He threw the ball. Shak made a catch, pressure was on. Who knows what would happen if we didn’t make that first down… the way our season has gone? When I say that’s a big play there’s moments we’ve shown those kinds of things but the consistency to knock a team out we have not done it to date. We’ve got two more games where we’re going to be under duress but we’ve got to get it done.”

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7 Responses to UConn OC George DeLeone Talks Late Game Against Pitt

  1. JD says:
    November 20, 2012 at 12:31 am

    This man is in over his head and it shows.

  2. uconn86hgiv says:
    November 16, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    Didn’t need a TD, needed a FG. End of story. Run, run, run, FG. Game over. Aggressive would have been a toss play, or a counter or QB draw. That was just a bad call. Yes it should have been a TD but it wasn’t and that is that! A veteran play caller shouldn’t make that mistake. Coach D knows that.

  3. Mike says:
    November 16, 2012 at 11:24 am

    What is that saying…”ifs and buts were candy and nuts…this team would be national champs.” Oh my ! There are aggressive calls and then there are stupid calls. Those are the type of calls that get the coaches of losing teams fired. Even Bill Belicheck ,one of the most aggressive coaches in football would not have made that call.I have to go take one of my fear of flying pills. I am stressed out after that one.

    • Steve-CT says:
      November 16, 2012 at 11:38 am

      @ Mike – what’s your thought on Edsall’s play call on 4th and 1 at the end of the Pitt game 2 years ago. Should they have punted?

      • Mike says:
        November 16, 2012 at 12:23 pm

        Steve, I understand what you are saying, but,4th quarter…2minutes?….up by 14…RED ZONE interception can’t happen. I was at that game you referenced and everyone there called it an aggressive call. I was also there at the last game ,and everyone there called it stupid. Jorden Todman for 1 yard or our QB who leads the universe in picks for the TD. Come on now.

        • Steve-CT says:
          November 16, 2012 at 2:06 pm

          @ Mike – statistically both plays were stupid choices; one worked, one did not. Think about the game 2 years ago – I was there as well. It was exciting as you know what waiting for that to happen, but when the offense ran back on the field to run the play you should have heard the F-bombs going on in my section. Remember how close we were to the endzone; if I remember correctly we were on like the 20. We don’t get that 1st down, there is no question that Pitt wins; all they had to do was kick a field goal. Could you imagine the calls for Edsall’s head if we didn’t get that -they were already bad…

          It’s easy to critique the decisions of other after the fact, but if the play last week worked, there would be nothing but praise for an otherwise meek offense getting aggressive – you know it and I know it. Just like the Bud Light commercial – “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work”

  4. ctmike says:
    November 16, 2012 at 10:37 am

    I’ll get the popcorn ready…