Sigh. The trade-off for getting a much needed night with friends in Pittsburgh following the game, is that the crap to do at home immediately piles back and I owe the wife some extra kid-watching. So, Sunday and Monday were essentially lost without any media recap or any detailed review of the UConn-Pitt game.
Now it is Tuesday and it really is time to get focused on the coming Friday night game at Rutgers (and yes, there will be a liveblog full of impulsive declarations and hyperbolic statements as the game takes place).
Still, I can’t just let it go that simply. The Cat Basket has some more thoughts on the game well worth reading. They also make a very good point about the defenses stubbornness with regards to too heavy a faith in the base 4-3.
Media recapping on the Pitt side is covered in good form over at Eye of a Panther.
I think most Pitt fans are still waiting to see if Pitt can play a good game for both halves. On the bright side, it only cost Pitt one game this season. The downside is that the games are getting harder and that won’t fly much longer.
I want to ignore the whole booing Stull thing after he and offense came back on the field following the pick-6, except that from my vantage point the boos were actually short-lived and not widespread. To the credit of the students and a good amount of other fans started cheering and trying to drown out the negativity as much as encourage Stull. It was moronic and had no excuse. It also did not seem that loud to me at the game, though, I don’t know how it sounded on TV.
Now from the UConn perspective things get interesting. This is the second game the Huskies have lost this season and both came with double-digit leads late. As we all know, it was frustrating to see Pitt blow a double-digit lead in Raleigh a few weeks back. So imagine how it must feel to see it happen twice. Especially when the Huskies have been outscored 40-10 in the 4th in 1-A games. As to the why? The UConnBlog tries to break it all down and comes up without a unified field theory to explain it.
All are plausible, but there isn’t one that seems to be the true issue holding them back. Maybe it’s all of them? Maybe it’s one no one’s mentioning? Maybe Pitt simply had the talent to overwhelm them when it stopped shooting itself in the foot? Who knows. Regardless, nothing explains why all these things happened all at one time three times in a month-plus.
Coaches, players and pundits will probably eventually fall back on old, nonsensical coach speak, saying the Huskies need to have more want-to and have-at-it. But there were no actual answers, nothing the team can try to work on in practice this week. Meaning these fourth-quarter questions might be lingering over them all season.
But the one answer they did find Saturday was one they’d hoped to dispell in September: A team desperately searching for some sense of direction, some of kind of identity, may have found it in the art of the choke.
Not that they are bitter. No one ever thinks of the bunnies.
Of course there follows the rational discussion after a bitter loss when fans start asking whether their coach can take them to “the next level.”
Overall, a “C” effort from UConn, and the team really can’t tell you what happened.
Finally, while there have been complaints (that have diminished) about Stull at QB this year, compared to UConn’s issues at the spot it is all good. So much so, the Husky beat writer came away impressed.
The boos seemed quite muffled on TV, not nearly as loud as earlier in the season, though Craig and, uh….what’s his name, were clear to point them out. I can’t believe his name escapes me at the moment, he’s my favorite(national) play by play guy!
After the jump? What is this, tPB? hehe
FWIW, from my vantage point in Section 133, a small but vocal group booed Stull when he took the field after the pick-6, but they were quickly drowned out by many more people who started cheering and shouting encouragement. It was pretty much over after the next play.
Bill Stull is 4th in passer rating with 163.5.
Dion Lewis is 3rd in rushing yards with 738.
Greg Romeus is tied for 3rd in sacks with 7.
And Dorin Dickerson is tied for 1st in TD receptions with 7.
Just a little something to brighten your day.
And here’s the “trivial” question of the day: What form of transportation does Schiano use on recruiting trips?
I hope that I don’t wind up getting castigated by Smizik for posting this.
Shhhh.
When Jarred Holley was at Easton High, Schiano came by helicopter to recruit him.
Given the the current state of our State’s economy, I hope that the helicopter has been replaced by a cheaper mode of transportation….say, automobile.
We saw it used effectively last night against a real good Jets defense. We saw WVU be very effective in scoring TDs, despite the fact that their OL was smaller than ours, and Navy’s triple option is very effective at pushing the the ball in the endzone.
It’s not going to happen but the inability to score on 1st, 2nd & 3rd and goal needs to be resolved.
Also.. waht is the pitt section
Pitt sections are 201 – 203.
Lets Party to a pitt victory!
Any friendly Pitt fans are welcome to stop by the blue or purple lot tailgates, those are usually the best.
Of course, only 300 Pitt fans actually showed up for the game, and 299 left before the second quart..
Oh wait. I’ve been reading Zeise and Smizik again.
Nevermind.
Which sponsor provides it?
I’d like to see more rushing plays going wide in those situations – utilizing our talented and proven RBs in Lewis & Graham.
I’ve just been informed that the Pitt Section is 143.
Lousy seats, lousy host. And our Band was banned.
BEAT RUTGERS; BEAT THEM BAD, MEN!
For one more Panthers link, check out our latest blog post at link to theunsportsmanlikes.com. Click the Pitt Football tag and find our hidden piece on Dion Lewis and Ray Graham, too!
By the way BYO, no cocktails will be served in the tent per new RU policy.
That’s what your $50 ticket gets you (oh, and $20 parking). Sobering, eh?
BEAT RUTGERS!!
Let’s Go PITT! We can do this!
No alcohol, I was reading the back of the parking pass I got when I bought my tickets. So unless your drinking the alcohol free O’douls, looks like you’re out of luck.
• Parking lots are open three (3) hours prior to kickoff and close at dusk. Parking spaces are limited
and tailgating must be confined to a small area around your vehicle. Traffic aisles and parking
spaces can not be blocked at any time. Spectators wishing to park together, must enter lots at the
same time, displaying matching passes. All stadium parking lots will be reserved for those attending
the game. If you do not attend the game, you will be asked to leave the stadium parking lots at
kick-off time.
• University regulations and state statutes on drug and alcohol consumption will be strictly enforced.
Kegs,beer balls, tents and canopies are prohibited. These items are not permitted in the parking
lots/adjacent areas at any time.
• For safety purposes, charcoal should be discarded in specially marked yellow barrels located
throughout the parking lots.
Please put all trash in proper receptacles
Anybody tailgating.. meeting up afterwards ?
W’ll be in section 132 – row 32