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September 20, 2007

UConn Wants To Make A Statement

Filed under: Football,Opponent(s) — Chas @ 10:38 am

Back in June, I ranked UConn as having the second lamest non-con in the Big East. Rutgers edged them out because Rutgers is a better team and some of the utter badness scheduled (plus I dinged UConn for also including a non-con road game to Virginia thinking the Cavs would be better than they’ve shown) — but man those Rutgers fans sure are touchy. The team and their coaches know that no one thinks much of the Huskies based on their early schedule. So that makes the Pitt game a big deal for them.

But three weeks into the season, all we really know about UConn is the negative perception of last week’s game against Temple. Upon what else do we have to base our opinion of the Huskies?

There’s not much to be gleaned from wins over Duke and Maine, but it’s impossible to shake the fact that UConn’s win over Temple ended with the following words: “inconclusive evidence.” If the court of public opinion had a say as to whether Temple wide receiver Bruce Francis got his foot down in bounds for the winning touchdown, Temple walks away with a stunning upset victory.

While it doesn’t work that way, the perception stands.

So they play the schedule that’s in front of them, because that’s all they can do. But make no mistake, respect won’t come to UConn by beating the bottom feeders of college football. A 3-0 record doesn’t fool the naked eye, and that puts more of a premium than ever on Saturday’s game at Heinz Field.

Not that UConn isn’t the only one looking to make a statement. Or is it just excuses still for last year.

Rhoads said Hernandez, who was benched for poor play several times last season and then was moved to wide receiver in the offseason, had a career day and deserves credit. But he knows his defense didn’t put its best foot forward that day.

“That was a game, if [Hernandez] would have scripted for himself, I don’t think he could play any better,” Rhoads said. “But we’ve obviously got to tackle a lot better. The fact that we gave up so many big plays, we just have to eliminate it like we have so far.”

The Huskies’ quarterback this season is Tyler Lorenzen (6-5, 226). He isn’t quite as mobile as Hernandez but still poses a threat to run.

“He is big and strong and fast and he is an extremely accurate passer,” Rhoads said. “Hopefully, we won’t see the scrambling display we saw last year, but he will tuck the ball and go.”

“Hopefully.” Ugh.

Finally, a piece on the film study of the UConn D-backs. Nothing given away about this week. Call it a hunch, though, but I think it will involve stuffing the box against the run.





Won’t matter if they stuff the box. They did that last year and LaRod still ran for one fitty on them.

The only reason – the sole reason – Pitt lost to UCONN was due to OUR defense. We gave them the game last year. This year we will be coming out on all cylinders.

Comment by PPF 09.20.07 @ 11:39 am

put the pedal to the metal, don’t let up. Shady makes a heisman statement 250 yards on 10 carries

Comment by Kurt 09.20.07 @ 12:09 pm

shady goes for 300…do I hear 350?

Comment by sid 09.20.07 @ 12:31 pm

let them stuff the box, pitt will avenge last year 21-7

Comment by jimbo b 09.20.07 @ 1:14 pm

Is JoePa taking a shot at us?

“For all I know, they could put Hart as quarterback. Put him in an empty backfield, shotgun, like everybody else is in the country is doing these days.”

Shot at us? Or is he *not concerned about us at all* and talking about other games?

Comment by Stuart 09.20.07 @ 6:50 pm

More fucking news:

Did I fucking call this months ago or what? link to post-gazette.com Fucking kangaroo courts out in the boonies.

And the shithole to our south:

link to post-gazette.com

If Fields even misses 1 second of time, its a travesty. I’m not sure why he hasn’t been allowed to practice. This is normal shit for kids nowadays. Rifuckingdiculous.

Comment by Stuart 09.20.07 @ 7:03 pm

Assaulting a police officer is normal behavior?

Stuart, you’re out of your mind.

Comment by Jeff 09.20.07 @ 7:12 pm

Allegedly assaulted an off-duty police officer. Let’s not convict the kid yet. I wouldn’t call it “normal”, but this type of thing happens fairly regularly in modern day college athletics. We shouldn’t be naive. Every kid isn’t a saint. Fields made a mistake, but he was obviously under the influence. It wasn’t a premedited “crime”.

Comment by Omar 09.20.07 @ 7:29 pm

I was being sarcastic saying that being charged with crimes is normal nowadays. Don’t take everything literally, its hard to express your tone on the internet. But watching these other kids get charged with felonies, some of them never even miss a down of football, it is starting to be an everyday occurance that kids are going to get charged with crimes. Why should we be the only college that punishes them?

Comment by Stuart 09.20.07 @ 7:35 pm

I’d still like to see some video…plus, considering the owner of the bar has already lied…i’m not likely to believe any of it.

Comment by Stuart 09.20.07 @ 7:37 pm

we havent heard fieids side of the story yet, what about it Levance.

Comment by alco fan 09.20.07 @ 7:54 pm

Comment by Dan35 09.20.07 @ 7:55 pm

I’m sure he isn’t allowed to talk to the media if no one else on the team is either. Oh well, hopefully we can get the trial postponed until after the season or some sort of probation like WVU’s kids get.

Comment by Stuart 09.20.07 @ 8:06 pm

“I’d still like to see some video…plus, considering the owner of the bar has already lied…i’m not likely to believe any of it.”

Hmmm, so then since some of the guys at the apartment lied, I guess I can feel pretty comfortable saying I’m not likely to believe any of it. Talk about your all-time double standards right there. Right, but PSU players are felons and Pitt players are saints. Hell, they should probably just arrest the police officer who tasered Fields for having the audacity to slander the great name of a Pitt Panther!! For shame!!

Comment by Cpiritual 09.20.07 @ 8:40 pm

Society will be better off when Joe Paterno is dead.

That has nothing to do with the Fields situation but, like 9/11, it’s a public service to remind everyone now and again.

Actually it has everything to do with Paterno, however. In the Pgh region he is worshipped like a God by everyone except heretics … I mean Pitt fans. His hypocrisy and outright deceit regarding ‘discipline’ of athletes has set the standard.

Given the severity of the charges, Pitt fans should immediately demand the suspension of Fields. College sports isn’t a democracy. Once/if the charges are reduced or dropped, then it can be reconsidered. Period. Black and white, really. Yet it’s almost like we’re resentful that Pitt has to follow the rules and Paterno doesn’t. It’s easy and understandable, because what Paterno does is reprehensible and the fact that the media is complicit is worse. But let’s not lose sight of what’s right.

Comment by geeman2001 09.21.07 @ 6:58 am

How exactly is Paterno breaking the rules? People post bail and are allowed to lead normal lives (so long as they don’t bolt) while waiting for a trial all the time? That’s the great thing about America, as the convicted are innocent until proven guilty.

That said, this whole nonsense about “Paterno doesn’t punish players” is pretty much a load of crap. I understand that Pitt fans are wired to hate everything JoePa and PSU, but to overlook all the good he’s done for the game (and his former and current players) is just silly. Making statements such as “Society will be better off when Joe Paterno is dead” are just ridiculous, as I’d postulate that for every JoePa hater there’s probably at least 50 JoePa lovers, not all PSU fans.

If you don’t like the guy, or disagree with his methods, fine. But to make such classless statements reflects upon your fanbase as a bunch of whiny brats who are STILL jealous of PSU’s stature…most of which is thanks to the great man that is Joe Paterno.

Comment by Cpiritual 09.21.07 @ 8:47 am

Well, this is just typical. On any given day, you can come to this board and find at least one anti-Penn State comment. You have Stuart scouring the local fish-wraps for all Paterno-related stories. You can read posts from Stuart’s alias (Wake Up) on BSD extolling the virtues of the Big East and bashing the Big 10 (ironic that this happens a week after Pitt lost to a Big 10 bottom feeder). And, to top it off, Stuart suggests that Paterno is taking a shot at Pitt during his presser? That’s just comical! No, nobody else runs that wildcat offense. Only Pitt does that – those pioneers!!!

Comment by JoePa 09.21.07 @ 9:07 am

Cpiritual Are YOU a JoePa lover?

Comment by ChrisA 09.21.07 @ 9:16 am

Joe PA was a good man back when he had control of his mental faculties but now he is a ghost of his former self. The man has lost it. He no longer has the ability to call plays, game plan for an opposing team, or control his bowels. The things that happen at PSU now would have never been allowed to happen in the 70’s or 80’s. Joe Pa has very little input during any of the games. No one talks to him not the coaches, and not the players. It’s a real shame as he used to run a tight ship at PSU but the “boys will be boys” quote after rape allegations pretty much let the world know that he is indeed senile.

Comment by Tony In Harrisburg 09.21.07 @ 9:46 am

I really don’t think it matters what PSU does when faced with similar situations. And while I want to tear out my hair when I hear JoePa whine answers to questions, I can’t say I wish death upon him. Just retirement.

As for Fields, yes, serious charges, but who knows WTF really happened? No, this isn’t a democracy. It’s Dixon’s dictatorship, so let’s let him decide on the best course of action. I may not be his biggest fan as a coach, but, if anything, he seems to be a man with integrity to spare. I’ll defer to his judgment.

Comment by Carmen 09.21.07 @ 10:26 am

I just don’t want to have our players held to higher standards than other colleges. I attack other colleges because we have held our kids to higher standards in the past, and the other ones don’t. And then if we don’t do as well as teams with felons on them, we get insulted for that too. Its a ridiculous double standard.

Maybe all of college sports should agree to some sort of dicipline rules to go by. Everyone charged with a felony suspended from team until disposition, or everyone plays until disposition of all crimes. It is absurd that some programs ignore all laws and push trials back until after the season and others won’t allow one of their top players to even practice. We need some consistency and rules to go by. This inconsistent ex post facto law is ridiculous.

Comment by Stuart 09.21.07 @ 11:21 am

ChrisA, of course I’m a JoePa lover. You should also read quotes by his former players to see how much he did for them. Like I said, outside of Pittsburgh (and in it), there are many JoePa lovers just like me.

Comment by Cpiritual 09.21.07 @ 8:54 pm

JoePa would be a good guy if he didn’t pick up Temple and refuse to put Pitt on the schedule.

Comment by Rob 09.21.07 @ 11:57 pm

Society will be better off when Joe Paterno is dead. geeman

I agree wholeheartedly and without reservation

Comment by Neil 09.22.07 @ 10:47 am

[…] Pitt helped Lorenzen look incredible in the first half. (Wonder if Rhoads will claim it just happened to be another career day for a UConn QB against Pitt.) Lorenzen was 7-of-7 for 116 yards on those two drives as the Huskies took control with a 24-7 lead. They weren’t done, however. With less than a minute to go in the first half, Julius Williams sacked Smith and forced a fumble with Lawrence Wilson recovering at the Panthers’ 30-yard line. Ciaravino capped the spectacular first half with a 39-yard field goal for a 27-7 advantage as time expired. […]


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