UConn defense off to a good start
University of Connecticut linebacker Greg Lloyd read the fourth down-and-1 play perfectly late in the fourth quarter against Temple last Saturday.
Temple took a big gamble rushing Lamar McPherson at its own 34-yard line in a 6-6 game with just over four minutes left. But it was only a yard. How hard is that?
With the way Huskies are playing defense, it?s extremely hard.
That?s when Lloyd came into the play. The sophomore middle linebacker stopped McPherson cold. The Temple running back fell backwards inches short of the first down, giving the ball back to UConn.
That?s the kind of defense UConn coach Randy Edsall is looking for.
?That play he made at 4th-and-1, he does have that thump to him,? Edsall said of Lloyd. ?He has thickness. When he hits you, guys don?t go forward. He hits you and drives right through you. If that guy falls 5 inches forward it is a first down.?
The entire defense has a thump to it this season. That?s perhaps the biggest difference in this year?s defense. Last year the Huskies were of the ?bend but don?t break? variety that somehow managed to keep teams out of the end zone despite giving up yardage.
If the first two games are any indication, this year?s unit has the potential, as Lloyd did, to stop offenses cold.
The Huskies have yet to give up a touchdown in two games, surrendering only 12 points, with one of the field goals in overtime. That is good for seventh in the nation is scoring defense. UConn is 20th overall defense.
The strength is in the running game, where the Huskies have given up only 168 yards, with 60 of that coming from the scrambling ability of Temple quarterback Adam Dimichele. UConn has yielded only seven first downs this season and has held teams to 2.7 yards per rush.
?It?s been pretty good so far the way we started off the season,? defensive end Cody Brown said. ?We started off a lot like last year and it?s a good start. We are doing the same as last year. It?s the same motto ? gang and swarm tackle.?
The defensive line has been terrific, led by Brown and senior Julius Williams and defensive tackles Alex Polito and Rob Lunn. At linebacker Lloyd has impressed in his two starts and is getting better. He is flanked by sophomores Lawrence Wilson and Scott Lutrus, who have picked up where they left off from last year. The secondary has been tested, but with NFL prospect Darius Butler locking down one cornerback spot, it?s going to make things easier on the rest of the unit eventually.
Lutrus made a first-down-saving tackle in the overtime against Temple that forced the Owls into a field goal. Three plays later Donald Brown was in the end zone for the victory for the Huskies. Brown got the glory, but the defense kept the mistake-prone offense in the game long enough to come back.
?We?ve got to do our job. It doesn?t matter what the offense does,? Lutrus said. ?We can?t control what they do. We?re there for them and support them, and we know they?ll come through, and they did. We?ve just got to do our part and keep points off the board.?
Edsall believes the defense could be even more dominant. The Huskies were burnt in the passing game for several big plays against Temple, and while the statistics look good there are plenty of areas to improve on.
?We have had mistakes. We gave up big pass plays because we have blown things. But, we don?t let them get in the end zone,? Edsall said ?Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships. Our guys are playing hard on defense and running to the ball .We are doing a good job stopping the run. We have to get better stopping the pass and giving up big plays.?
While much of the focus of UConn?s first two games has centered around the offense and Donald Brown, the defense is quietly going about its business and shutting down the opposition. That?s exactly how the Huskies want to keep it.
Virginia QB to sit
Virginia quarterback Peter Lalich won?t accompany the Cavaliers to Connecticut for Saturday?s game, coach Al Groh said Wednesday night, so that he can concentrate on legal problems and not be a distraction to the team.
Lalich, who has started the first two games, is due in Charlottesville General District Court on Sept. 26 for a hearing. The 20-year-old was arrested on an underage drinking charge July 13 and was given a deferred judgment provided he completes supervised probation.
The sophomore said in a release distributed by the school that he does not want his troubles to be a distraction to the Cavaliers (1-1).
?I love my team and my teammates and the way they have let me know that they trust me and have my back,? Lalich said in the release. ?Because I care so much about our team, it is best for me to step back temporarily from my starting position so that my teammates can focus 100 percent on getting ready for the game. Coach Groh and I have frequent conversations and we agree on this. I appreciate that Coach sees me first as a person, then as a quarterback.
?I make mistakes like everyone, but I have followed the terms of my probation and I am committed to our team and the University of Virginia.?
University of Connecticut linebacker Greg Lloyd read the fourth down-and-1 play perfectly late in the fourth quarter against Temple last Saturday.
Temple took a big gamble rushing Lamar McPherson at its own 34-yard line in a 6-6 game with just over four minutes left. But it was only a yard. How hard is that?
With the way Huskies are playing defense, it?s extremely hard.
That?s when Lloyd came into the play. The sophomore middle linebacker stopped McPherson cold. The Temple running back fell backwards inches short of the first down, giving the ball back to UConn.
That?s the kind of defense UConn coach Randy Edsall is looking for.
?That play he made at 4th-and-1, he does have that thump to him,? Edsall said of Lloyd. ?He has thickness. When he hits you, guys don?t go forward. He hits you and drives right through you. If that guy falls 5 inches forward it is a first down.?
The entire defense has a thump to it this season. That?s perhaps the biggest difference in this year?s defense. Last year the Huskies were of the ?bend but don?t break? variety that somehow managed to keep teams out of the end zone despite giving up yardage.
If the first two games are any indication, this year?s unit has the potential, as Lloyd did, to stop offenses cold.
The Huskies have yet to give up a touchdown in two games, surrendering only 12 points, with one of the field goals in overtime. That is good for seventh in the nation is scoring defense. UConn is 20th overall defense.
The strength is in the running game, where the Huskies have given up only 168 yards, with 60 of that coming from the scrambling ability of Temple quarterback Adam Dimichele. UConn has yielded only seven first downs this season and has held teams to 2.7 yards per rush.
?It?s been pretty good so far the way we started off the season,? defensive end Cody Brown said. ?We started off a lot like last year and it?s a good start. We are doing the same as last year. It?s the same motto ? gang and swarm tackle.?
The defensive line has been terrific, led by Brown and senior Julius Williams and defensive tackles Alex Polito and Rob Lunn. At linebacker Lloyd has impressed in his two starts and is getting better. He is flanked by sophomores Lawrence Wilson and Scott Lutrus, who have picked up where they left off from last year. The secondary has been tested, but with NFL prospect Darius Butler locking down one cornerback spot, it?s going to make things easier on the rest of the unit eventually.
Lutrus made a first-down-saving tackle in the overtime against Temple that forced the Owls into a field goal. Three plays later Donald Brown was in the end zone for the victory for the Huskies. Brown got the glory, but the defense kept the mistake-prone offense in the game long enough to come back.
?We?ve got to do our job. It doesn?t matter what the offense does,? Lutrus said. ?We can?t control what they do. We?re there for them and support them, and we know they?ll come through, and they did. We?ve just got to do our part and keep points off the board.?
Edsall believes the defense could be even more dominant. The Huskies were burnt in the passing game for several big plays against Temple, and while the statistics look good there are plenty of areas to improve on.
?We have had mistakes. We gave up big pass plays because we have blown things. But, we don?t let them get in the end zone,? Edsall said ?Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships. Our guys are playing hard on defense and running to the ball .We are doing a good job stopping the run. We have to get better stopping the pass and giving up big plays.?
While much of the focus of UConn?s first two games has centered around the offense and Donald Brown, the defense is quietly going about its business and shutting down the opposition. That?s exactly how the Huskies want to keep it.
Virginia QB to sit
Virginia quarterback Peter Lalich won?t accompany the Cavaliers to Connecticut for Saturday?s game, coach Al Groh said Wednesday night, so that he can concentrate on legal problems and not be a distraction to the team.
Lalich, who has started the first two games, is due in Charlottesville General District Court on Sept. 26 for a hearing. The 20-year-old was arrested on an underage drinking charge July 13 and was given a deferred judgment provided he completes supervised probation.
The sophomore said in a release distributed by the school that he does not want his troubles to be a distraction to the Cavaliers (1-1).
?I love my team and my teammates and the way they have let me know that they trust me and have my back,? Lalich said in the release. ?Because I care so much about our team, it is best for me to step back temporarily from my starting position so that my teammates can focus 100 percent on getting ready for the game. Coach Groh and I have frequent conversations and we agree on this. I appreciate that Coach sees me first as a person, then as a quarterback.
?I make mistakes like everyone, but I have followed the terms of my probation and I am committed to our team and the University of Virginia.?
