Any doubts about UConn struggling to comprehend showing up for football games is no longer in dispute courtesy of a UConn beat writer.
Update 11:48 p.m.: Senior festivities. Nice touch by the Huskies. I would say there is about 10,000 fans in the stands, maybe.
Here is how it looks from the press box. 5 MINUTES BEFORE SENIOR DAY!
Click to see the pic. Of course the other explanation is that UConn imported the same crack gate staff that worked Heinz Field for the Backyard Brawl, which meant most of the people were still trying to get into the Rent.
After the game, UConn Coach Randy Edsall alternated between disappointment, being positive and chiding the fans.
It’s a downer, but also this is the first time ever that this school has gone to back-to-back bowls,†Edsall said. “And it is disappointing because you know what? We set our standards very, very high.
â€We want to win the conference championship and we didn’t get there this year, but I’m darn proud of what these kids have accomplished. … I think sometimes we spoil people. I think everybody wants us to win every game, but it isn’t going to happen. We’re still in a building process with this program.â€
Hey, you are going to the International Bowl in Toronto. Really, it’s far better than going to Birmingham. Closer and a better city.
5-11-1, 24 yards. 2 sacks for -13 yards.
That was Bill Stull’s line from the first half. He was matched in ineptitude that half by UConn’s Tyler Lorenzen. The second half, however, something finally clicked back into place for Stull.
Stull completed 5 of 6 passes for 117 yards in the third quarter, and finished 10-of-18 for 141 yards. Meantime, Connecticut counterparts Tyler Lorenzen and Zach Frazer combined to go 6-of-31 for 80 yards with five interceptions.
It was sweet redemption for Stull, who was sacked seven times and responsible for five turnovers (three interceptions and two fumbles) the past two games against Cincinnati and West Virginia.
“It’s awesome,” Stull said after Pitt (9-3, 5-2) received an invitation to the 75th Brut Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas. “It feels good to finally do some good things.”
Still, on the downside, Pitt had six drives start in UConn territory, but only came away with 20 points. Not to mention two drives starting inside the 10 and settling for 6 points.
UConn’s quarterbacking. Wow. Trying to figure out how they won any games with that kind of play. Even with Donald Brown and a solid defense. Not that Pitt’s defense didn’t have something to do with forcing them to throw.
Pitt players, in case you forgot, had some big issues early with the footing on the field.
McCoy and some of his teammates, however, suggested after the game that perhaps the slippery field condition was more than just a coincidence given his reliance on speed, quickness and cutting back. And while he didn’t think Connecticut would have the field hosed down so it would be icy and limit his effectiveness, he wasn’t ruling that possibility out, either.
“I gotta be honest, can I be honest here,” McCoy said. “[Friday] when we visited the stadium and everything, the field was fine. Today we come out and it was really icy and slippery, so I don’t know.”
He paused. “Maybe some sprinklers? I just don’t know, it was tough, the footing was bad and I couldn’t really cut too well but we overcame it.”
Stull added, “[The field] really wasn’t [slippery on Friday for the walk through] and I was talking to the head official today before the game and he was surprised that when he came, there was no tarp on it or anything, I guess it was the equalizer.”
Homefield advantage however you can get it, I guess. Still, why they didn’t change cleats the minute they came out on the field on Saturday is still a question.
After the game, the invite to the Sun Bowl came in the lockerroom.
“Are you guys ready to go to El Paso?” Folmer asked, a question which was met with loud cheers from the players, coaches and even university officials who made the trip to East Hartford.
…
“As I said earlier, it is always better to get a team that won their way in instead of a team that’s lost their way in,” Folmer said. “These guys played really good all year long. We have a very good history with Pitt in El Paso and we can hardly wait to get them down there. I can promise you it will be a lot warmer there than it is here today.
“They are 9-3, they have a name, they have a good TV market. In our part of the country a lot of people still remember [Pitt head coach Dave] Wannstedt from his Cowboys days, and that is important. The people in El Paso like Pittsburgh and like the Cowboys so bringing them in will be great.”
Wannstedt said: “You know what is neat about this — going in with a win. We proved we deserve to be there. Our players deserve to be there. We’re not backing into anything.”
A cynic would simply see this as winning helps make any lockerroom very happy. It doesn’t hurt, but the players have long stood behind Wannstedt.
“It’s easier for a team to play when the people in charge have confidence that you can get it right,” Pitt senior center C.J. Davis said. “That’s one of the biggest things. We really believe this year.”
Pitt has 10 victories in its past 13 games, a reason why Wannstedt presented game balls to Nordenberg and Pederson for their willingness to make a commitment to him and his staff.
“When you see some of the things that are happening around the country, if our chancellor would have responded like some of these guys do, I’d be coaching in the NFL now or playing golf in Naples,” Wannstedt said. “That’s what separates our chancellor from others. This guy is committed to having the best program possible.”
The Beavers had to wait until after the formality of USC beating UCLA before Oregon State could get an invite. Now it is on to El Paso.
Both Pitt and Oregon State have been to the Sun Bowl before. Oregon State, under coach Mike Riley, edged Missouri 39-38 in a 2006 thriller. Oregon State scored and converted a two-point conversion with 23 seconds remaining to win that game.
Pittsburgh edged Texas A&M 31-28 in the 1989 Sun Bowl behind freshman quarterback Alex Van Pelt, who went on to a long NFL career as a backup quarterback with Buffalo. Pitt defeated Kansas, 33-19, in the 1975 Sun Bowl. Current Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt served as a graduate assistant coach for then-coach Johnny Majors. The Panthers set an NCAA bowl game record that day, as three players from the same team rushed for 100 yards. Tony Dorsett rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns and Elliott Walker added 123 yards and two touchdowns, while the game’s MVP, quarterback Robert Haygood, added 101 yards rushing.
Dorsett, of course, became an NFL Hall of Fame running back with the Dallas Cowboys.
Laughing, Folmer said, “Pitt came here once before with a pretty good running back. Now they are bringing another one.”
Yeah. He’s okay.
1
2
