DFP Sports Report

By David F.P.

My policy is to cover all sports as impartially as possible, but I make an exception for football. I basically cheer on the local teams because basically it’s fun to be able to cheer at games rather than just take notes, and as an alum at UConn I’m entitled.

EAST HARTFORD, CT-Rentschler Field may have not been filled to the brim like Coach Edsall had requested happen at 11:30 but by 11:45 the stadium was really filling up in time for the pregame activities. To honor slain player Jasper Howard was the first order of business today, and many fans had arrived clad in a shirt bearing his number, and others brought signs, while most carried the card with number 6 emblazoned on it. Howard was honored multiple times prior to kick off with an opening musical tribute by the marching band (all wearing number 6 as well) as a sea of 6’s were raised to the sky. Later as both teams streamed on the field and teammates carried Howard’s jersey and helmet onto the field of play the 6’s rose again. A moment of silence soon followed. An additional tribute came during each UConn touchdown as instead of the word UConn the spirit squad carried the letter’s JAZZ and 6 onto the field replacing the U! C! O! N! N! Chant with J! A! Z! Z!.

On the field of play itself play opened with a crushing Rutgers kick return for a touchdown shocking the crowd. It would be the first of many unwelcome surprises. The second was the injury to UConn Quarterback Cody Endres taking him out of the game, one of many injuries on either side, but with Endres out, in came Zach Fraser who was basically two different Quarterbacks throughout the game. On the one hand he effectively got the ball to the running backs, Dixon and Todman, and led drives late in the game to regain the lead, but he also threw three interceptions early on. Connecticut’s defense was holding up pretty well but surrendered some open passes for TDs throughout the game and largely through the 2nd and 3rd quarters the fans were more reserved waiting for something to happen. Sandwiched in between two Rutgers TDs was UConn’s Robbie Frey returning a kick for a TD as well, which momentarily excited the crowd. The score remained 21 to 10 until the 4th when Fraser unleashed a long pass to Marcus Easley for the TD. UConn converted the 2 point conversion to get within a field goal, though the play was reviewed and overturned, causing Coach Edsall to unleash a tirade at the officials tossing his headset to the ground. Nonetheless Connecticut had to settle for an extra point and the need for a TD to regain the lead. The next nearly 10 minutes passed tensely, as UConn tried to get it going, couldn’t, but the defense held, giving UConn multiple opportunities. With time running out they drove down the field to the 2. Repeated attempts to get the ball in failed, until Todman scrambled into the end zone on 4th down sending the crowd into hysterics with less than a minute left in the game.

Connecticut kicked off and on the first play from scrimmage for Rutgers the crowd was on fire, problem was Rutgers QB Tom Savage sent a pass to Tim Brown and he caught it outrunning the entire defense into the end zone sending the crowd from elation to shock.

It was a bittersweet day, lightened only slightly by the silly costumes in attendance for Halloween. Nonetheless a gut wrenching day for the Huskies faithful. Now on the plus side it is clear that UConn can be a very dangerous team, and they have still managed to not lose a game by more than 4 points, but it seems like there are some things that need to be worked out, but my football knowledge does not indicate what those are. Fraser was earning the ire of the fans as the scoring was minimal. Though his late game heroics, and that of the backs and receivers, that nearly saved the day will likely be remembered. I still remain impressed by the defense. They did give up some passes for TDs, but on the other hand they had to be on the field a lot with the offense struggling early on though I lack the context to compare it to, though like versus UNC the last few minutes of the game determined the outcome despite a pretty stingy performance up to that point. Also of note was the insane wind circling through the stadium, no doubt affecting the strategy, as it pretty much shut down the field goal units early on in the game.

Connecticut gets Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Syracuse, and South Florida. Based on their performance so far they can beat any of those teams, or conversely lose any of them, though maybe not Syracuse as the team currently is constituted (I’m all for Syracuse regaining past glory, but it is a transition year.)

Still I’ll risk oversimplifying and don’t mind criticism or worse. It seems like if a team has lost four games by four points or less, it would seem to make sense that if one of more elements clicked that haven’t that might turn the tide in future games and make things very difficult on their opponents.