- After further review, the disgruntled look on coach Randy Edsall's face Saturday night was more about consistency than overall execution.
Edsall said on six occasions after UConn's 23-16 victory against Ohio that he would have to review the film to fully establish why the Huskies had such a dismal performance in their season opener.
Originally, he attributed his displeasure to a failure to follow the game plan. Quarterback Zach Frazer was intercepted three times on bad reads, the defensive secondary was burned on two touchdowns, including a 44-yarder in the second quarter, and the receivers weren't crisp on their routes.
"When you see them do things right one play, and then you run the same play and do something very similar a couple plays later, you might not see the same results or the same technique and fundamentals that you're looking for," Edsall said Sunday. "That, to me, is the biggest thing."
Not only can inconsistency lead to a loss on the field, it can have implications off it. Linebackers Scott Lutrus (stinger) and Sio Moore (left hamstring) sustained their fourth-quarter injuries because of poor technique while making tackles.
Moore is likely to miss an extended period of time, while Lutrus was expected to participate in the Huskies' helmets-only walk-through late Sunday.
But Edsall said the film holds all the answers, and for as many mistakes as he saw on the field Saturday, he witnessed some pleasant surprises, too.
One of those was the play made by offensive tackle Mike Hicks. After seeing Ohio safety Patrick Tafua intercept a pass in the first quarter and run 36 yards down the sideline, Hicks left his man, hurried across the field and pushed Tafua out of bounds at the UConn 6-yard line.
"Lo and behold, two plays later, we get a turnover," Edsall said, referring to Robert McClain's recovery of a botched lateral by Ohio quarterback Theo Scott.
Edsall also wasn't overly concerned that strong safety Jerome Junior had been beaten on both Ohio touchdowns.
Junior, a redshirt freshman, blew his coverage when Ohio wideouts Taylor Price and Riley Dunlop got behind him on both plays.
"I don't like it," Edsall said. "It's not good. It should have been prevented, but knowing him the way I know him, I don't think I'm going to have to worry about that anymore."
Praise For The Pups
Edsall was pleased with the way freshman defensive ends Jesse Joseph and Trevardo Williams played. Joseph, the starter, had two tackles, while Bridgeport's Williams had four, including a 7-yard sack of Boo Jackson in the final minute of the second quarter. "I thought Trevardo really gave us a spark in the pass rush," Edsall said, adding that Williams did some things in the pass rush that other guys on the team can't do. ... Running backs Andre Dixon and Robbie Frey and defensive end Lindsey Witten earned game balls, while Steve Greene, Jerome Williams and Matt Edwards traveled as the scout team players of the week. ...
Edsall said on six occasions after UConn's 23-16 victory against Ohio that he would have to review the film to fully establish why the Huskies had such a dismal performance in their season opener.
Originally, he attributed his displeasure to a failure to follow the game plan. Quarterback Zach Frazer was intercepted three times on bad reads, the defensive secondary was burned on two touchdowns, including a 44-yarder in the second quarter, and the receivers weren't crisp on their routes.
"When you see them do things right one play, and then you run the same play and do something very similar a couple plays later, you might not see the same results or the same technique and fundamentals that you're looking for," Edsall said Sunday. "That, to me, is the biggest thing."
Not only can inconsistency lead to a loss on the field, it can have implications off it. Linebackers Scott Lutrus (stinger) and Sio Moore (left hamstring) sustained their fourth-quarter injuries because of poor technique while making tackles.
Moore is likely to miss an extended period of time, while Lutrus was expected to participate in the Huskies' helmets-only walk-through late Sunday.
But Edsall said the film holds all the answers, and for as many mistakes as he saw on the field Saturday, he witnessed some pleasant surprises, too.
One of those was the play made by offensive tackle Mike Hicks. After seeing Ohio safety Patrick Tafua intercept a pass in the first quarter and run 36 yards down the sideline, Hicks left his man, hurried across the field and pushed Tafua out of bounds at the UConn 6-yard line.
"Lo and behold, two plays later, we get a turnover," Edsall said, referring to Robert McClain's recovery of a botched lateral by Ohio quarterback Theo Scott.
Edsall also wasn't overly concerned that strong safety Jerome Junior had been beaten on both Ohio touchdowns.
Junior, a redshirt freshman, blew his coverage when Ohio wideouts Taylor Price and Riley Dunlop got behind him on both plays.
"I don't like it," Edsall said. "It's not good. It should have been prevented, but knowing him the way I know him, I don't think I'm going to have to worry about that anymore."
Praise For The Pups
Edsall was pleased with the way freshman defensive ends Jesse Joseph and Trevardo Williams played. Joseph, the starter, had two tackles, while Bridgeport's Williams had four, including a 7-yard sack of Boo Jackson in the final minute of the second quarter. "I thought Trevardo really gave us a spark in the pass rush," Edsall said, adding that Williams did some things in the pass rush that other guys on the team can't do. ... Running backs Andre Dixon and Robbie Frey and defensive end Lindsey Witten earned game balls, while Steve Greene, Jerome Williams and Matt Edwards traveled as the scout team players of the week. ...
