The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
UConn hopes Santa can bring FBS win VIEWPOINT
EAST HARTFORD — As UConn extended the nation’s worst losing streak to FBS teams to a mindnumbing 22 games, it has become more and more difficult to separate one L from another L.
We need instantrecognition catch phrases. So let’s file this one under the mistletoe as “The Santa Claus Game.”
We have our wish list, Santa. Just a win against Division IA schools. Any win. We’ve been very good, not a bit naughty. We haven’t once called for Randy Edsall to be fired on Dec. 2, one day after the $1 million buyout clause in his contract expires and 23 days before you come down the chimney.
“We had an opportunity to win the game and we didn’t,” Edsall said Saturday after his Huskies fell, 2417, to Houston at Rentschler Field. “You know what? It’s like (former Syracuse and UMass coach) Dick MacPherson always used to say, ‘If if ’s and buts were candy and nuts, it would be Christmas every day.’”
Yes, Christmas. UConn could have won
this game with some creative playcalling inside the Houston 5yard line in the third quarter and if semisurprise starting quarterback Jack Zergiotis connected with a couple of the handful of wideopen receivers in this one. Didn’t happen.
“You’ve got a freshman quarterback who hasn’t played a lot,” Edsall said. “Trying to get him to understand that he throws the ball on a flat line. He has got to make the ball come down the chimney a little bit, put a little bit more air under it in certain situations.”
Yes, right down the chimney just like you on Christmas morning, Santa.
We know you’re coming. And, surely, you’ll already have airmailed W’s at UMass next weekend or against East Carolina on Nov. 23 in advance. Because UConn can’t lose every game forever, can it? UConn can’t continue to play in front of the considerably fewer than the announced attendance of 19,760, can it.
Already — no, make that finally — UConn is close to announcing six of the eight open dates on its 2020 independent schedule.
“We’re pretty much locked in,” athletic director Dave Benedict said. “Contracts can be challenging. In some cases, multiple institutions are involved in getting one or two games.
“You’re scraping and clawing for opportunities, but we’re hoping to release something later this week after they’re done and signed.”
UMass, Illinois, Indiana and Maine already were announced before UConn decided to leave the American. Benedict said he expects no additional FCS games beyond Maine in 2020. He would not comment on how many Power Five opponents there may be.
“You have to be creative and look for opportunities where they exist,” Benedict said.
In other words, schools juggled some years and series. Not easy. Conferences are already locked into dates for later in seasons. Teams are scheduled out through 2020 and 2021, and even for 2022 and 2023 schools already have much of it filled.
Benedict said he is open to continue playing AAC schools. There is reportedly a deal with UCF for 2021.
“Logistically, geographically, there are some schools in places we want to continue to play in,” Benedict said. “Obviously, Florida is an important place for us to play. Playing Temple in Philly makes sense.”
The UConn football fans who still remain have been salivating for that 2020 schedule, yet more are salivating for a win, any win against a FBS school. UMass may be the only team in America worse than UConn and if the Huskies lose that one — like they did last year to UMass — and to East Carolina and end up 111, well, maybe the real question is, should Randy Edsall find a chunk of coal wrapped with a pink slip in his stocking on Dec. 2?
“I looked out there and we had all freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores out there on defense,” Edsall said. “We didn’t have any juniors or seniors for quite a bit of the day. On offense, you’ve got all these freshmen, all newcomers at receiver, new quarterback, tight end a freshman, I was proud of our kids. They battled their tails off. I think they competed before, but we actually battled and stayed in it and always had an upbeat attitude. They’ve got to build off that. At least we gave ourselves an opportunity to win today.
“Myles Bell (freshman defensive back) learning on the run, man, shouldn’t even be playing. He is and he’s competing. He’ll be better for it. That’s the problem. We’ve got to play too many young kids right now. That’s where our program is. This isn’t going to happen overnight. We’re still a long away. All you have to do is look who’s on the field. In this league and most leagues you’re not going to win with freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores all playing. They’re not all 5 and 4 star recruits, but they’re battling their tails off and I love them to death.”
This one could have been a W. After redshirting its best players, the Cougars seem only semiinterested in winning. Their previous W’s had been against Prairie View A&M and North Texas and this victory may well stand as their only one in the AAC. Dana Holgersen was even caught on TV saying, “I can’t (expletive) coach this (expletive).”
UConn fans have grown accustomed to watching this (expletitive), so they shouldn’t get too jacked up about a near victory.
A Zergiotis interception led to Houston’s first TD. The defense later got caught on a corner blitz on a 58yard touchdown reception by Jere Singleton. There was a missed field goal. The Huskies had the ball firstandgoal at the 4 late in third quarter down 1710 and came up with nothing. After two runs by little Art Thompkins, giving to him up the middle on fourthand 2, sure smelled like a bad call.
“You got to be able get it in there,” Edsall said. “That’s where you want guys up front saying just run it behind me and we’re going to put it in there. I’ve got no problem with any one of the calls. We just didn’t get it done. They line up and get paid, too.”
Or at least get costofliving stipends.
“Trust me when I make these decisions, they’re pretty well thought out,” Edsall said. “I’m sitting there analyzing the game the whole time … I’m not just going to go out there and roll the dice just to say we tried to win. As a coach when you do it for 40 years, 20 years as a head coach, you get a pretty good feel for what’s going on.”
Edsall doesn’t list twodeep. Edsall doesn’t discuss injuries, unless they’re season ending. So each week is a magical mystery tour. He indicated immediately after the loss at Tulane that Michael Beaudry would continue as the starter. Zergiotis said he was told after the game that he’d start, although it’s vague exactly when. Oh, forget it. Trying to unravel the weekly quarterback saga is a lesson in futility.
“( Jack Z) was best for us going forward,” Edsall said. “I think I have enough credibility to watch film and make those kind of decisions. Moving forward he’s our quarterback … The more he plays, the better he’ll get. He’s just like our program. We’re a work in progress. It’s not going to happen overnight.”
Last year, it became all about the kids and it wouldn’t happen overnight.
Now, it has become all about a bunch of mostly different set of kids and it’s not happening overnight.
But Santa is coming and maybe a win over an FBS team is, too, one of these years.