Coin toss: Syracuse gets ball first.
First play: Carter runs left for a yard.
Update 12:11 p.m.: Cuse goes backwards first drive. great pass rush by Trevardo Williams. He bull rushes, then sheds block and sacks Paulus. Wow. 13 yard punt by Syracuse. Wind is playing some tricks.
Update 12:15 p.m.: Kasnif Moore on a reverse goes about 8 yards for a first down and fumbles at the 1. It was fumbled by Moore while he tried to extend it was hit out of his hands out bounds. First and goal from the 2.
Update 12:19 p.m.: Wind is really blowing. The goal posts are hard. Huskies' Andre Dixon for a 4 yard TD on third down. Huskies are going to keep this on the ground. 7-0 UConn. 8 play, 25 yard drive.
Update 12:30 p.m.: OUCH. 15 YARD personal foul (hands to face) on Kendall Reyes keeps cuse drive laive. At the UConn 30 now.
Update 12:39 p.m.: Lichtenstein 26 yard field goal. Cuse goes 12 plays and uses 6 minutes. Not going to see many passess today unless the wind dies down. It's shaking the goal posts violently.
Update 12:41 p.m.: Mike Lang 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The kicks are short because of wind, and the Cuse are caught flat footed. The wind is really affecting Syracuse's special teams. UConn has had a kickoff return for a TD in three of last 4 games. Each by a different guy. Lang showed some burst and speed not allowing the special teams to get an angle and push him out.
First wrap
The wind wins the first quarter. The Huskies had a 13 yard punt from Cuse, caused by the wind, and went and scored a TD. Then, the Huskies had an 80 yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The kickoff was so short, the special teams never got down there and Lang burst through a gaping hole.
So much for Time of possession: Syracuswe 11:04, UConn 2:56. Score UConn 14, Syracuse 3.Huskies haven't really had a chance to play offense.
Update 12:53 p.m.: UConn defense allows cuse to run down the field and score. D might be a little tired, but the Huskies are getting beat on a little misdirection. 8 play 80 yard drive for Cuase. #UConn 14, Syracuse 10.
Update 1:01 p.m.: Huskies can't convert on a second and 1. All the time off for the offense has taken them out of their rhythm. Frazer has thrown only two passes, and they have only run a handful of plays. UConn's defense needs to get off the field and let the offense gain some rhythm. Wind is a major factor.
Update 1:14 p.m.: Huskies offense can't get in rhythm. Passing game is going to struggle today, Frazer doesn't throw a tight enough ball. BTW, HUskies should run a fake punt today. On Cullen's punt if he started running he would have gained 15 yards before anyone even turned around.
Update 1:19 p.m.: Twyon Martin recovers a fumble on the pitch.Nassib hits Carter in hands, but he drops it. Huskies have ball at the Cuse 44.
Update 1:20 p.m.: Todman 42 yard TD run. Hole was wide open. Huskies have 7:48 time of possession here and are leading 21-10. Go figure. 14 rushing TD of season for Todman. Todman is over 1,000 yards this season on that play.
Update 1:25 p.m.: Wow, Huskies bring pressure. Junior comes on a blitz, but that disguises a delayed blitz from Lawrence Wilson who gets the sack.
Update 1:31 p.m.: Huskies defense just hasn't been that good today. Cuse isn't blowing up UConn, but they are moving the ball. Huskies blow this game open if the defense tightens up in the second half.
Update 1:33 p.m.: Syraucse pass play to 3 yard line. Defense just giving up too many yards. Pressure is startiung to get there, but secondary is playing soft.
Update 1:35: Paulus TD pass to Lemon. Huskies linebackers struggling on pass coverage. I take issue with the HUskies going conservative at end of half. It's difficult to throw it against the wind, but the defense isn't good and can't be relied upon.
The Huskies are playing offense like they expect the defense to stop Syracuse. Paulus is 10-12 117 yards and a TD. You can't play a field position game when your defense can't get off the field. 21-17 UConn. The defense has given up too many yards and points today.
Update 1:41 p.m.: Marcus Easley with a gorgeous one handed catch. Great throw from Frazer, even better catch by Easley. Easley is a pro wide receiver. I don't know how he hasn't played in recent years. A terrific player.
Update 1:45 p.m.: Dixon 1 yard TD run here. thank Frazer and Easley for the TD. #UConn 28, Syracuse 17. I'll tell you what, sometimes Frazer drives you crazy, but he made a great throw into the wind to Easley. It was a one handed catch out there. Easley has 3 passes for 57 yards.
Halftime update: Huskies doing what they haven't do, but haven't played well. But, 28-17 at the half I can't complain. Great throw and great catch from Easley at the end of the half. Frazer 5-for-9 68 yards and not much asked from him. Todman has 57 yards and one big run, a 37 yard touchdown run. Dixon has six carries for 16. Yes, the Cuse defense is good. Wind is a big factor today.
Cuse's Carter has 60 yards rushing. Big thing is the passing game. Most of it is off a little misdirection and over the middle against the linebackers with Syracuse's Greg Paulus 10-1 for 117 and Ryan Nassib 3-5 33 yards. If the Huskies tighten up the defense this one is going to be in the bag. It's up to UConn's defense.
Wind is a major factor here.
Third quarter
Udpate 2:10 p.m.: Huskies get ball to start third, will be against the wind.
Update 2:19 p.m.: Chop block on third down. Syracuse declines it and allows the Huskies to go for it on fourth down and 6 from the 26 (can't kick into the win). Frazer hits Kanuch for a first down, and then Easley for a TD.
You know what? I don't want to hear any football coach say how superior they are to knowledge than the fan. What's Marrone doing? Push the Huskies back to 3rd and 26 in the wind. The last three weeks have seen some weird coaching calls. Belichick, the Yale coach, Charlie Weis kicking in inside the 5 yard line twice, Edsall not calling timeouts, the LSU game and now this?
I don't get it. No one is infallible.
Update 2:30 p.m. : Lloyd walks off hurt, Lutrus to middle Jory Johnson to the outside.
Update 2:40 p.m.: Frazer throws an INT on third down. Ryan Griffin looks lost out there today. Not a good throw, but Griffin didn't have his hands up and turned the wrong way. QBs fault, but him and Frazer don't look like they are on the same page.
Third wrap
UConn 35, Syracuse 17. But, the Cuse are at the UConn 11. The UConn defense needs to finish this game out and they are not out of the woods yet. In truth, I am a little disappointed in the defense. Wilson is having ahuge game, but Syracuse has moved the ball and I expected a little better play out of the defense. The offense? Frazer threw his ???? pass of the game at the end of the third quarter. a UConn scores puts this game away, and it was a nad interception. Still, the defense should be able to get Cuse off the field. Not a crisp performance.
Fourth quarter
Update 2:48 p.m.: Paulus 12 yard TD pass to O'dell. 4 plays 64 yards. That's not good defense. Huskies are going to have to play this fourth quarter 35-23 UConn with 14:55 left.
Update 2:53 p.m.: Dixon 45 yard touchdown run. Huskies made a great third and 6 call to run it. Dixon went left and showed his speed for a TD. Huskies have been all about the big play today. 42-24 UConn with 12:37 left.
Update 3:02 p.m.: Cuse comes right down and scores. It's too easy. UConn defense is lacking passion here. I don't see the urgency. It's a disappointing performance. Carter TD. UConn 41, Syracuse 31. 9 plays 84 yard drive in 3:10? That's way to easy and soft. I expected UConn to play better on defense today. Of note, Paulus set the completion record for Syracuse today. He eclipsed RJ Anderson, of Plainville, for the Cuse single season completion record.
Syracuse passing 25-32, 301 yards. Just not very good by the defense today.
Update 3:09 p.m.: Huskies go 3 and out. Kanuch had a chance on a second down pass play, but he didn't make the play degree of difficult 6. Huskies punt. Cuse has ball at its own 4 down 42-31 with 7:59 left. Plenty of time to go. Defense is going to have to win this one. Huskies have more than enough points.
Update 3:14 p.m.: UConn defense is awful. Paulus is taking the Cuse from the 4 and has them at midfield in 5 plays.
Update 3:19 p.m.: Huskies hold on 4th down. They brough pressure the last two plays, finally...Greg Lloyd is hurt and favoring one of his knees. Not sure how bad.
Update 3:20 p.m.: Huskies have 4:30 left and the ball at their own 39. Need to close this out with a nice pounding running game.
No comments:
Post a Comment