What’s goin’ on?
You can say what you want about UConn’s opponents and the overall margins of victory, but the Huskies are in a position they have not been in since 2008: 2-0.
Win No. 2 came on Saturday, 22-17 over Army, in front of 28,260 fans at PAWS ARF.
Given last year’s gut-punch at Yankee Stadium to the Black Knights, this win stood as a barometer of progress for the Huskies.
“Adversity isn’t really affecting them for extended periods of time,” head coach Bob Diaco said. “They all bought into making a play and one of their teammates stepping up and making a play.”
Army took a 10-3 lead midway through the second quarter on a 56-yard touchdown run from quarterback (not former New York Giant) Ahmad Bradshaw. But what may have been the start of an unraveling for UConn last year, was only a temporary sputter. Less than four minutes later, Arkeel Newsome had his first career rushing touchdown (the extra point was blocked, marking the second time that’s happened this year but shhhh).
From there, UConn took the next three scores, two field goals from Bobby Puyol and a short run from Ron Johnson, to take a 22-10 lead with 5:33 to play.
Meanwhile UConn kept Army off the board from the 8:48 mark in the second quarter to the 4:51 in the fourth.
And again, UConn had a chance to let it all slip away. Less than a minute after UConn took a 12-point lead, Army’s AJ Schurr completed a 71-yard pass to Joe Walker for a touchdown. Two minutes later, UConn was forced to punt, giving the Black Knights a fighting chance to steal a win on the road.
That’s when Andrew Adams intercepted a pass from Schurr to seal the victory.
It should come as no surprise that the 2-0 start is a welcome change for the players.
“It feels a lot different,” Newsome said. “Just being able to sing the fight song outside and in the locker room. We never really got that much last year, but this year it’s a great feeling.”
The Good:
- So how about that Bryant Shirreffs? He completed 19-25 passes for 270 yards. At long last, it seems like the Huskies might have a competent quarterback.
- Newsome had another solid game, picking up 74 yards and a touchdown, but he was not alone. Ron Johnson had 18 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown and Shirreffs evaded Army long enough to gain 56 yards himself.
- Four Huskies tallied 40 or more receiving yards, led by 83 on four catches for Noel Thomas.
- UConn was 7-15 on third down, and that included several completions from Shirreffs in situations of third-and-six or more.
- UConn struggled against Villanova defending third-and-long situations. The Black Knights were just 2-8 on third down on Saturday and 0-1 on fourth down.
- The Huskies dominated time of possession, 39 minutes to 21.
- The Huskies seemed better prepared for the vaunted triple option that the military academies employ.
The Bad:
- Despite dominating time of possession, total yards (415-265) and first downs (23-9), the Huskies only managed to win by five.
- Obi Melifonwu was whistled for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the second quarter. This comes one game after Folorunso Fatukasi was tossed for fighting. Once again, UConn simply can’t afford to shoot itself in the foot like that. Eventually, it will pay.
- UConn was hampered by penalties overall: seven for a loss of 50 yards.
- Shirreffs was sacked three times.
- Linebacker Marquise Vann was pulled late. Diaco diagnosed him with a “lower leg something.” Stay tuned.
- This game was much less poetic than last year’s.
Mystery Solved:
Fans have been wondering what the table leg, sledgehammer and golden football on the sidelines is all about. I asked Newsome, who told me they are team awards, presented each game. The leg and sledgehammer are for defense and special teams. The football is for the offensive player of the week.
“It’s our dog of the week,” he said.
Bob Diaco Undefeated Watch:
9/3 vs. Villanova
9/12 vs. Army 2-0! Shit is getting real now guys!
9/19 at Missouri
9/26 vs. Navy
10/2 at BYU
10/10 at UCF (Civil ConFLiCT)
10/17 vs. USF (Homecoming)
10/24 at Cincinnati
10/30 vs. East Carolina (non-conference)
11/7 at Tulane
11/21 vs. Houston
11/28 at Temple
Wacky Bob Diaco Quote:
“Nobody was created to lose. No babies on the planet right now that are losers.”
(ed note: I disagree. Some babies are losers)
See you next week, guys!
