Huskies picking up pieces
Uconn continuing the work of building after one-sided loss at Michigan
Jim Mora has never had a day like Saturday, when the Uconn football team lost 59-0 at Michigan, so he’s never had to coach a team through the physical and mental toll such a day takes.
He went to work on it when the Huskies boarded the bus at Ann Arbor, watching video. By the time their plane took off, he’d watched it all and began the process of putting pieces back together.
“We have to work for ways to find enough success in the pursuit of it to ultimately allow us to achieve it,” Mora said. “We have to find those hidden victories that allow us to see what it will look like and feel like — that’s a stolen quote.”
The quote came from Dick Vermeil, who coached with Mora’s father and has been a strong influence on him. Mora was reminded of it by Carl Peterson, a former NFL GM and Hall-of-fame candidate. It was something Vermeil said when he was hired to turn the Eagles around in 1976, a process you may have seen unfold a few dozen times on NFL Films documentaries of that period.
Of course, Mora had a talk with his father and wouldn’t be surprised if a pick-me-up message comes from Vermeil, 85, in the coming days. “He gives me words of wisdom when I need them,” Mora said, “along with my dad. They give me great perspective at times like this. They’re very telling of the situation we’re in right now.”
Uconn was physically thumped by Michigan, ranked No. 4, as will happen to most teams that go to The Big House to play the Wolverines, who have outscored their three opponents 166-17. The Huskies travel to play No. 12 NC State Saturday night.
“We are trying to identify guys who can help us win,” Mora said. “We’re trying to identify better ways to put players in position to have success, guys who are doing it the right way. We’re trying to identify guys who aren’t doing it the right way and figure out why, if we’re not coaching it right, which is where we always start, if they’re unable to do some of the things we’re asking them to.”
The advice Mora, who has been coaching 35 years, has gotten from many coaches with whom he has spoken, NFL coaches, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and a postgame chat with Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, was consistent: “Don’t take any shortcuts. Build this thing the right way.”
By Sunday afternoon, Mora had a to-do list for the week.
“I’ve got it written down right here,” he said, picking up a sheet of paper. “We have to eliminate the ‘if onlys.’ If only we’d have done this. If only we’d have done that. Those excuses, because you can find them on every play . ... Let’s accept the challenge, and let’s measure ourselves against ourselves and our potential, our standard and not our opponent and not the scoreboard. That’s an approach we have to take right now. Are we playing to the best of our ability on every play?”
“Eventually, that’s not going to be OK. You can’t judge yourself on that. It’s got to be on wins and losses. That’s pretty contrary to the way I have always thought, but the situation that we’re in, it’s important we concentrate on ourselves as we build this thing. [We are not] relenting. There’s way too much pride and competitive here. We have eight games left, and I see no reason we can’t be a very, very good football team by the end of the year, one people are proud of and one our players are proud to be a part of.”
Carter getting MRI
Uconn’s top running back, Nate Carter, suffered a second degree shoulder separation. He will get an MRI on Monday, and his availability in the coming weeks will be evaluated.
Carter tried to return to the game in the second quarter but didn’t play in the second half.
“It’s significant sprain, significant enough that they want to do an MRI,” Mora said. “They tried to numb it, pad him up. He came back like the warrior he is and tried to fight through it, but it was pretty evident at halftime when he walked in, and I looked at him, you know the look in a kid’s eyes. His eyes said, ‘I want to, Coach, as bad as I can,’ but he could barely raise his arm.”
Uconn is short of running backs. Devontae Houston, who also has a shoulder issue, missed the game but could be back next week, Mora said.
Cam Edwards, from Norwalk, has moved from defense to running back and will be worked in. Meanwhile, freshman Victor Rosa from Bristol carried the load, 14 rushed for 37 yards.
“He’s tough as heck. He’s tough as nails,” Mora said. “He’s a stud. He had the fumble, dropped a handoff, but Victor Rosa, I’ll take guys like that all day long. He’s a tough son of a gun.” ... Linebacker Jackson Mitchell, the leading tackler, sat out the fourth quarter. Mora said he was banged up, and he wanted to play young players, but Mitchell is fine . ... Mora agreed improvement in true freshman quarterback Zion Turner is “hard to see,” and he attributes some of the lack of downfield passing to receivers not getting open, but expects more downfield passing as the season goes on . ... Mora expects to add another quarterback to the roster, but necessary paperwork is not yet completed.