UCONN Has a Chance to Beat a 10 and 0 Houston team at Home this week.

[oldandintheway]

OK, HCBC and UCONN are now into Game Week, their 2nd week of preparation for 10 and 0 Houston. Houston's starting QB may be out, but the 2nd stringer, all due respect, came in to lead a nice comeback against Memphis. Let's see what the former Defensive Coordinator of Notre Dame comes up with. Could be a fun game with a raucous Home Crowd. Go Pups....

 

[the Blades]

Six day TV window time announced for Saturday's Uconn double header: Men's hoops vs. Furman 12 noon at Gampel ( SNY) and Football 3:30 pm vs Houston at the Rent on ESPNU

 

[the Blades]

 

[the Blades]

Best Husky day in a long time, first at Gampel for the hoops team vs. Furman and the 83-58 blowout/tune-up for Michigan and the Battle for Atlantis. Then trek it right over to the Rent for the upset of Houston and a bowl berth. Been a long time since the Fiesta bowl, Arizona, the Grand Canyon and skiing up in Flagstaff for this Uconn trooper.

Thank You to Coaches Diaco, Poindexter /Vincent Brown, Verducci, Cummings, Balis and all the rest, plus all the players and especially the SR's that were recruited by Edsall... who then walked away from them. You brought back respectability to Uconn through your hard work and dedication and especially on this day proved the meaning of " next man in" . Also shout out to the fans at the Rent who stayed until the end and added to the excitement, it's been awhile to see that type of energy and involvement across the board.

 

[the Blades]

Nice article from the NHR on the "next men in" and QB turned H-back :
Garrett Anderson an unlikely star in UConn’s upset of Houston

Also other key game note from Jim Fuller:
" This is the third time since the start of the 2009 season that UConn didn't allow a sack or commit a turnover. The other two came in a 45-10 win over Memphis in the 2013 finale and in a 29-27 win over South Florida in the 2009 regular-season finale."

 

[oldandintheway]

Well, 2 weeks to rest and prepare and it showed. Have to hand it to the coaches and the team, especially that D, terrific sustained football effort all the way around. And Tim Boyle, with whom I admittedly had little confidence in, he showed me. Steady, smart "no throws", was seemingly calm and collected. The proverbial cliche "He played within himself." I've never quite understood that quote, but if it's a truism, Tim did. And no sacks..., man, the much-maligned O-Line(myself included), came up big. So..., another good effort against #25 Temple in Philly this Saturday evening whatever the outcome, and so this season spawns 2-3 Extra Practice weeks, a good showing in whatever bowl game causes a further uptick perhaps for recruiting, and then the season tickets for next year get a boost and the enthusiasm and confidence begins to build upon itself. With the men's BB Team in the mix for the Nat'l. Championship, the Women Winning it, and Football on the Rise, which I believe it to be..., (And the R & D $s investment), you watching Big 10? Big 12? ACC? While I'm at it, while we'd jump at the chance to jump, Kudos to the American for having, at times, 4 teams in the top 25. 6(?) teams in bowl games... A bit weird but..., Go AAC! Congratulations....

 

[the Blades]

Still have Temple and a bowl game but I thought I would throw this presser up for a little reflection and what a difference a year makes. Talking to some players at the barbeque at the Shenk over the summer and how they spoke of the teams( the O, the D and ST's) picking each other up truly comes home after this win. An offense guy said we have to stop putting the D behind the 8 ball with fumbles ( remember 5 games in a row they turned it over on the first series in 2014) and like O&ITW mentioned above..... the OL transition with all those true FR and youngin's they used has been amazing. Plus the D has been a solid constant. Just happy the players now have validation in the work, dedication and culture part of creating winning. To get another 15 days + of team building and to travel as brothers to bowl game is just the cherry on top of it all. So with all that said, no matter how the rest of the season plays out, to go from 2 wins to 6 and a bowl....and from finishing last year with about 65 scholly players available to adding about 25-30 new players with very little attrition in 2015 .....this is an interesting look back to around a year ago and how they got here :



Very telling was the media question regarding the SR's having a lack of motivation last year ( don't think HCBD should've even acknowledge it as a hypothetical) to the SR's having all the motivation in the world vs. a top 20 team and a berth in a bowl game this year.

 

[the Blades]

Now a year later:

 

[the Blades]

‏@UConnFootball
Congrats to Noel Thomas -- the @American_FB Off Player of the Week -- and to Jamar Summers on the weekly Honor Roll

 

[the Blades]

‏@MarmotBocaBowl
Can't forget about @UConnFootball...they earned bowl eligibility last weekend! Way to go Huskies!

 

[the Blades]

Bowl projections from the ESPiN'ers: Looking ahead after Week 12

Military Bowl.. Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland
Monday, Dec. 28, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Schlabach: NC State vs. Navy
McMurphy: Duke vs. UConn

AutoNation Cure Bowl.....Orlando Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida
Saturday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m. (CBSSN)
Schlabach: UConn vs. Georgia Southern
McMurphy: Tulsa vs. Georgia Southern

 

[the Blades]

#IMGBlitz ‏@IMGAudio I bet @UConnFootball had a better Saturday than you did! @JoeDSports

---> http://ow.ly/UVEuQ #BleedBlue