Huskies Melt Down in Amherst
The Story: The football team played its worst game of the year in a frustrating and disheartening 27-13 loss to Massachusetts on Saturday.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Huskies are bad. Yes, we knew that coming into the Stupor Bowl, but the performance against UMass, which entered with a 16-game losing streak, left us wondering if anyone is minding the store in the Burton Family Football Complex. We aren’t kidding. The Huskies went to UMass without interim head coach Lou Spanos and offensive coordinator Frank Giufre because they tested positive for COVID-19, and behind a third-string head coach in defensive line coach Dennis Dottin-Carter, and decided to go old school with the playbook with very little imagination or aggression. The result? UConn scored three points in the final three quarters and allowed UMass to own the second half. UConn is 0-7 amd going nowhere and there is nothing anyone in Storrs can do about it until this miserable season comes to an end. To think a season with very low expectations continues to disappoint is astounding.
WHERE DID THE GAME PLAN GO? UConn racked up 297 yards against UMass and even with interim head coach Spanos, Giufre and tight ends coach Corey Edsall out, there is no excuse for abandoning the game plan from the previous weeks. The Huskies had some success offensively. Freshman running back Nate Carter (keep him here, next head coach, please) had 136 yards rushing on 20 carries and freshman wide receiver Keelan Marion had 80 yards receiving and a touchdown. The Huskies struggled in the passing game and were content to have Steven Krajewski be a pocket passer despite the fact he is better on the move. Krajewski was effective early with short passes but finished 13 of 24 for 128 yards and two brutal interceptions. Krajewski’s interception deep in his own territory at 13-10 set up UMass’ decisive touchdown as mistakes, dropped passes, penalties and passive play calling doomed the offense.
DEFENSE RUN OVER: More shocking was the play of the defense. UMass had eight first downs and 134 total yards the previous week in a 45-7 loss to Toledo but had 21 first downs and 407 yards, including 247 rushing, against UConn’s defense. Ellis Merriweather had 171 yards on 39 carries in a workhorse performance for the Minutemen (1-5).
OUR TAKE: Dave Benedict could fire the coaches, but the problem with that is he already did it earlier in the week by telling them their contracts won’t be renewed. The players try hard. We aren’t going to pretend that the losses are due to a lack of effort. They aren’t. Everyone is honest in the face of coaching and administrative tumult with a lost season due to COVID-19, going independent and a head-coaching change. That has knocked the program off its footing. The team is close-knit and plays hard. This is going to be more than a rebuilding job for the next coach. Unless you are a glutton for punishment (or a fan), use your football Saturdays to look at the foliage. You will be happier for it.
Men’s Hockey Puts the Freeze on BU
The Story: Hockey season is here in earnest as the men’s hockey team knocked off No. 10 Boston University 5-1 on Saturday.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Huskies split the weekend set after losing a Friday night heartbreaker 2-1 when the Terriers scored two third-period goals. On Saturday, however, the Huskies blitzed the Terriers. Ryan Tverberg scored two goals and All-American senior Jonny Evans added his first of the season. The Huskies were picked to finish sixth in Hockey East before the season but split games and outplayed the higher-ranked team in the opening series against a nationally ranked opponent.
WHAT’S NEXT? The Huskies are 2-1 and play at Ohio State next week.
Morning Reads
• Christyn Williams is looking good after offseason elbow surgery and declared herself 100 percent healed. (The UConn Blog)
• Azzi Fudd is already a star. She just needs to back it up on the basketball court. We are buying into the hype until proven wrong. But we know we won’t be. (Hartford Courant)
• Evina Westbrook said no to the WNBA and is back healthy with the Huskies for one more go-around. (Journal Inquirer)
• The women’s soccer team (6-6, 2-3 Big East) fell to DePaul 1-0 yesterday in Chicago. (UConnHuskies.com)
• The field hockey team routed Boston University 8-0 on Sunday. (UConnHuskies.com)
