I wanted to do a fair amount of writing about the football team this weekend. I'm not nearly as big a football guy as I am a basketball one, but I realize that spring football matters (at least some what) and can help set the tone for what is to come. I had planned to have an OpenThread up, along with a nice little recap, but I didn't wind up watching the game, and I doubt you did either, to quote Shawn Courchesne: " By my count, really, I counted, there's about 780 people at the UConn Blue-White spring scrimmage at Rentschler Field."
Why didn't I watch the game? Because UConn's athletic department proved to be exactly as adept as I've always suspected it is and didn't broadcast it online (nor was it on SNY for you East coasters). That's not because they lack the technology, after all last year's game was online, it was just because.... well, I don't know. I can just say that there isn't a whole lot UConn actually controls the rights to show, it's basically pre-season basketball, the blue/white game and baseball. They chose not to show the B/W game and for baseball they want me to subscribe to their HuskyVision service (not going to happen and c'mon, do you expect me to believe Bob's Discount Furniture can't pony up the money to sponsor it?), so yeah, great job UConn.
Anyway, I had to resort to following Meacham on the twitter feed (he was listening to WTIC) and today's papers to get my coverage. The gist of it? Nothing went well, the offense might somehow be more boring than last year and of UConn's five possible quarterbacks the only one who showed any spark was 5th-stringer Blaise Driscoll had 43 yards on two completed passes and a last-second touchdown. That 43 yard number is pretty sobering when you realize the other four QBs combined to throw for 69 yards in the other 59 minutes of the game. At least the defense might be good.
Oh, and if you cared, Blue won 16-14.
The best of Meacham's tweets and an assortment of links after the jump (and you want to read the tweets).
- Plus side: ESPN could continue getting tons of mileage out of that QB carousel graphic from last year
- Somewhere, Randy Edsall is manipulating his Paul Pasqualoni voodoo doll to call inside handoffs and cackling.
- The lack of excitement in this game prompts me to once again call for the Blue & White game to be played at Memorial Stadium on campus [editors note: please god yes]
- We've got a running clock in the second half. Something something junior varsity something something.
- Congrats to today's winners: apathy RT @JoePerezSports Driscoll to Teddy Baker for the win!!!! Blue 16, White 14. FINAL
UConn's passing attack doesn't exactly take off - GreenwichTime
UConn's quarterbacks were a combined 11-for-37 for 112 yards. They threw three interceptions and one just touchdown pass -- though two of their other throws did result in scores, pick-sixes for the defense.
Dave Solomon: Plenty of Need for Work for UConn Football - StamfordAdvocate
So all things considered, there’s plenty of room for the UConn football team to grow.
College Football: QB contender shines in final minute of UConn spring game - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin
Heading into its annual Blue-White Spring Game, UConn had four options at quarterback for next season. After the final minute of the exhibition, the list may have grown to five.
College football, UConn, Blue-White Spring Game - Courant.com
It could have just been the suffocating defense that made moving the ball a challenge for the offense throughout 15 spring practices, culminating in a 16-14 win for the Blue over the White team in UConn's spring game in front of 2,500 brave-hearts.
Breaking Down UConn's Blue-White Spring Game - Courant.com
That the UConn defense has the potential to be pretty darned good. Both the offense and defense ran basic packages all game, but the defense was outstanding.