D.J. Hernandez is not the quarterback of the future for the UConn Huskies. I question whether he is the quarterback of today, for that matter.
I am increasingly unimpressed with what I have seen. There are moments of hope once or twice every game, but it seems as if the game is moving too fast for him. There are too many occassions where he seemingly panics, makes bad or ill-advised throws or just does the wrong/worst possible thing at any given moment.
Seeing Dennis Brown under center next season would not shock me. But I don't think, barring some drastic changes, that Hernandez is the man for thre job.
Look, he's got the physical ability and the work ethic. But I don't know if it has all come together upstairs for him. No, I'm not saying he's nuts or mentally incapable. I just think he may be overmatched or just not ready. The way he responds to a pass rush is as if he never saw one in his life. I like D.J. he is usually open with reporters and generally says the right things. I want to see him succeed. But I don't now if it will be at QB.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Final: 24-13 Rutgers over UConn
A blocked punt recovered in the end zone for a touchdown squashed any hopes the UConn football team had of coming away with the upset win. Instead, the Huskies fell 24-13 to No. 15 Rutgers.
Sophomore Donald Brown rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns in place of senior tailback Terry Caulley. Brown's performance brought the Huskies within four before a bothched PAT spelled the beginning of the end for UConn. His first score came on a 65-yard run.
Ray Rice, the nation's second-best rusher was held to 79 yards and a score.
Rutgers also scored on an 11-yard fumble recovery.
A blocked punt recovered in the end zone for a touchdown squashed any hopes the UConn football team had of coming away with the upset win. Instead, the Huskies fell 24-13 to No. 15 Rutgers.
Sophomore Donald Brown rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns in place of senior tailback Terry Caulley. Brown's performance brought the Huskies within four before a bothched PAT spelled the beginning of the end for UConn. His first score came on a 65-yard run.
Ray Rice, the nation's second-best rusher was held to 79 yards and a score.
Rutgers also scored on an 11-yard fumble recovery.
Halftime
Rutgers 17, UConn 0
Ray Rice has 61 yards and a touchdown on Rutgers' first possession to lead the Scarlet Knights over UConn, 17-0, at the half.
Rutgers entered the game with the nation's second-best defense and lived up to the hype. Manny Collins picked up a fumble for an 11-yard touchdown return for the second Rutgers score. Kicker Jeremy Ito hit a 51-yard field goal to close out the scoring in the half.
Freshman running back Donald Brown started in place of Terry Caulley and has 94 yards. The last four teams to come into Rutgers Stadium have 85 rushing yards combined.
Rutgers 17, UConn 0
Ray Rice has 61 yards and a touchdown on Rutgers' first possession to lead the Scarlet Knights over UConn, 17-0, at the half.
Rutgers entered the game with the nation's second-best defense and lived up to the hype. Manny Collins picked up a fumble for an 11-yard touchdown return for the second Rutgers score. Kicker Jeremy Ito hit a 51-yard field goal to close out the scoring in the half.
Freshman running back Donald Brown started in place of Terry Caulley and has 94 yards. The last four teams to come into Rutgers Stadium have 85 rushing yards combined.
My 2 a.m. drive to my father's house in New York was entertaining because of the winds blowing my car around. I figured the winds would have subsided by game time. WRONG.
That should make tonight interesting. Although the winds seem calmer than earlier.
FYI: long snapper Martin Bedard dislocated his left elbow in practice Friday.
That should make tonight interesting. Although the winds seem calmer than earlier.
FYI: long snapper Martin Bedard dislocated his left elbow in practice Friday.
My 2 a.m. drive to my father's house in New York was entertaining because of the winds blowing my car around. I figured the winds would have subsided by game time. WRONG.
That should make tonight interesting. Although the winds seem calmer than earlier.
FYI: long snapper Martin Bedard dislocated his left elbow in practice Friday.
That should make tonight interesting. Although the winds seem calmer than earlier.
FYI: long snapper Martin Bedard dislocated his left elbow in practice Friday.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Some last minute thoughts heading to New Jersey for tomorrow's UConn-Rutgers' match up...
I want to believe the Huskies are capable of the upset. Statistically, there's nothing to support the argument. I guess my only explaination would be, as Rhema Fuller says to describe how he selected UConn over other schools, sometimes "I just know."
Speaking of Fuller, I enjoyed sitting down and talking with the young man earlier this week. Even more, impressive is the opinions of him left in his wake. Add me to the lost because rarely have I met someone so genuine.
From the it's a small world department, one of Fuller's high school coaches, Mitch Brown, now coaches under my high school football and track coach. Both are at different schools than they were when Fuller and I played under our coaches.
I want to believe the Huskies are capable of the upset. Statistically, there's nothing to support the argument. I guess my only explaination would be, as Rhema Fuller says to describe how he selected UConn over other schools, sometimes "I just know."
Speaking of Fuller, I enjoyed sitting down and talking with the young man earlier this week. Even more, impressive is the opinions of him left in his wake. Add me to the lost because rarely have I met someone so genuine.
From the it's a small world department, one of Fuller's high school coaches, Mitch Brown, now coaches under my high school football and track coach. Both are at different schools than they were when Fuller and I played under our coaches.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
I have to laugh. Coach Randy Edsall continues to play the "wait until Sunday" card when it comes to announcing who starts at quarterback against Rutgers.
What are the chances if Rutgers prepared for D.J. Hernandez and Matt Bonislawski starts, or vice versa, that the Scarlet Knights feel like they shot themselves in the foot? We're not talking about a Peyton Manning type opposed to a Michael Vick type situation. The game plan doesn't change, or so Edsall had said when he first switched quarterbacks this season.
Reality is that the Huskies are a ball control team. Hernandez is a bit more mobile than Bonislawski and Bones generally makes better decisions than Herandez (see the reasoning behind his initial benching). Let's say the Huskies use the pass to get out to an early lead. They will eventaully revert back to the run.
But I give Edsall more credit than to thik that whomever he starts at QB is really going to be the difference between a win or a loss. As we've seen time and time again this season, if the Huskies don't execute the game plan and avoid mistakes on both sides of the ball, who plays where will be the least of the team's concerns.
What are the chances if Rutgers prepared for D.J. Hernandez and Matt Bonislawski starts, or vice versa, that the Scarlet Knights feel like they shot themselves in the foot? We're not talking about a Peyton Manning type opposed to a Michael Vick type situation. The game plan doesn't change, or so Edsall had said when he first switched quarterbacks this season.
Reality is that the Huskies are a ball control team. Hernandez is a bit more mobile than Bonislawski and Bones generally makes better decisions than Herandez (see the reasoning behind his initial benching). Let's say the Huskies use the pass to get out to an early lead. They will eventaully revert back to the run.
But I give Edsall more credit than to thik that whomever he starts at QB is really going to be the difference between a win or a loss. As we've seen time and time again this season, if the Huskies don't execute the game plan and avoid mistakes on both sides of the ball, who plays where will be the least of the team's concerns.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
It's becoming old hat around these parts. Another game, another UConn quarterback. Seriously, it seems as if Randy Edsall wishes Billy Cundiff never left in August otherwise he'd have another option to go to.
When you look at the schedule and consider the team's realistic chances at becoming bowl eligible, Edsall has to start looking towards next year. Trust me, that is NOT what Rhema Fuller, Terry Caulley and all the other seniors want to hear. But that's the way of the world. D.J. Hernandez looked better Friday than he had earlier in the season. That's not saying much because he still showed signs of very poor decision making, a trait that insures your team of losses.
The time is now. If Edsall believes Hernandez can lead the Huskies for the next two-plus years, feed him to the lions of the Big East. He already saw West Virginia for a quarter-plus, now comes Rutgers, then Pitt. Eventually Louisville. This is the approach Cincinnati head coach Mark Dantonio took with his team, scheduling Ohio State and Virginia Tech to an already brutal schedule. If you play the best, you get better. Hernandez and the Huskies can't play Rhode Island every week. That is, of course, unless the team wants to return to I-AA status.
When you look at the schedule and consider the team's realistic chances at becoming bowl eligible, Edsall has to start looking towards next year. Trust me, that is NOT what Rhema Fuller, Terry Caulley and all the other seniors want to hear. But that's the way of the world. D.J. Hernandez looked better Friday than he had earlier in the season. That's not saying much because he still showed signs of very poor decision making, a trait that insures your team of losses.
The time is now. If Edsall believes Hernandez can lead the Huskies for the next two-plus years, feed him to the lions of the Big East. He already saw West Virginia for a quarter-plus, now comes Rutgers, then Pitt. Eventually Louisville. This is the approach Cincinnati head coach Mark Dantonio took with his team, scheduling Ohio State and Virginia Tech to an already brutal schedule. If you play the best, you get better. Hernandez and the Huskies can't play Rhode Island every week. That is, of course, unless the team wants to return to I-AA status.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Despite an 0-for-7 start by quarterback Matt Bonislawski, UConn football only trails N o. 4 West Virginia 20-3 at the half at Rentschler Field.
Running back Owen Schmitt ran in from one yard out with 20 seconds left in the half to extend the Mountaineers' led to 17.
The Huskies' lone points came on a 29-yard field goal into the wind by new place kicker Tony Ciaravino.
West Virginia sandwiched the UConn field goal with two from Pat McAfee. Mountaineers quarterback Patrick White broke a 45-yard run for a score in the second quarter. White has kept the Huskies' defense off balance, piling up 102 yards on 13 carries to go along with 104 passing yards.
After missifiring on his first seven attempts, Bonislawski completed his next five attempts, including two to tight end Dan Murray, who had no receptions this season.
Running back Owen Schmitt ran in from one yard out with 20 seconds left in the half to extend the Mountaineers' led to 17.
The Huskies' lone points came on a 29-yard field goal into the wind by new place kicker Tony Ciaravino.
West Virginia sandwiched the UConn field goal with two from Pat McAfee. Mountaineers quarterback Patrick White broke a 45-yard run for a score in the second quarter. White has kept the Huskies' defense off balance, piling up 102 yards on 13 carries to go along with 104 passing yards.
After missifiring on his first seven attempts, Bonislawski completed his next five attempts, including two to tight end Dan Murray, who had no receptions this season.
After one quarter, West Virginia 3, UConn 0.
The Huskies are driving and on the WVU 22-yard line. Unable to pass against the Mountaineers, the Huskies have been successful moving the ball on the ground, outgaining the visitors 47-21 in rushing yards with three fewer carries. Terry Caulley has 24 yards and Donald Brown 19.
The Huskies are driving and on the WVU 22-yard line. Unable to pass against the Mountaineers, the Huskies have been successful moving the ball on the ground, outgaining the visitors 47-21 in rushing yards with three fewer carries. Terry Caulley has 24 yards and Donald Brown 19.
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