Breaking down the Connecticut-Michigan football game with Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant
Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant took a few minutes to chat this week about Connecticut football and what fans should expect to see when the Huskies play in Ann Arbor on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ABC).
In many ways, the Huskies sound like a team somewhat like Michigan - secondary questions abound - but came off a four-game win streak to end 2009 instead of a losing skid like Michigan.
Check out what Conner has to say.
Q: How good, and I know it’s tough to know before a game is played, but how good is this Connecticut team?
Desmond Conner: “It comes down to a few things you have to look at. Obviously, the way they lost five games last year, people talk about the combined 15 points on those five losses. The thing that stands out is the way they lost those games. They didn’t have to play catchup or anything like that. They lost the games in the final moments with basically bonehead plays. Some of those plays were being made by inexperienced guys. Now you’re talking about another year’s worth of experience, a spring camp under their belts. You also had Randy Edsall going to coach the safeties. That’s an area that really will determine how good this team will be. That was really a sore spot last year. They are pretty strong every place else. They have a lot of returnees, eight returnees on both sides. Most guys are on the offensive line, other guys are in the skill positions. Defensively, their strongest unit is the linebacking corps now. Greg Lloyd coming back, it’s one of the best trios in the country and certainly in the Big East. As long as the secondary is OK, then, yeah, those are some of the things you need to look at with these guys. They are experienced, been through some of the battles. They ended the year on a four-game win streak after those tough losses. It’s just their time. They are a talented bunch of guys who have been through some ups-and-downs on and off the field, obviously. Now it’s time for them to take that next step. Most people do consider them a good football team at this point.”
Q: With Zach Frazer, he’s had such an up-and-down career, is he a guy who can take advantage of an inexperienced secondary or does he need to stick with short passes?
DC: “I think this game is going to tell us a lot. To be honest with you, the opportunities we had to see Zach throw in practice were few. The first couple times we got to see him but every other time we went there it was a double-session practice and the starters didn’t practice during that session, getting their work when we weren’t there. Zach was a guy who was letting it fly during the four-game win streak that we had not seen to any point in his career. Putting the ball in the right place, not really forcing things, that’s where a lot of his interceptions came from. He wasn’t doing so much of that down the stretch. He was putting the ball out in the air.”
Q: Has Connecticut really ever gone into an atmosphere like this before?
DC: “I think the closest thing to it would be the Notre Dame game with 80,000-plus but let’s be honest it’s 80,000-plus but it’s a lot more than that when you consider the nostalgia of the place, just the aura of the program and playing at Notre Dame. There’s a lot to overcome, more than just 82 or 84,000 people they played in front of that day. But it didn’t seem to bother them. Obviously, they won the game and the thing about that was that Notre Dame was in a desperate situation. They needed to win that game. They were at home. It was senior day. Everybody knew going in it could very well be the coach’s last home game, which it was, and they overcame all of that. I think there will be some of it, but as far as it lasting the whole game, I don’t see that. They’ve played in front of West Virginia, I think that’s in the 60’s with that. Sixty is not 100 and neither is 80, but I don’t think they are going to be too taken aback by 100,000-plus, certainly not for four quarters.”
Q: What’s the best and worst case scenario for this team Saturday?
DC: “That’s a good question. I was thinking about that. They have to use their overall team speed on Michigan. I think they are faster and they have to take advantage of that. I’m guessing Michigan is probably a little bigger. To me, that may mean slower. I think UConn’s overall team speed is terrific, and I’m going to go out on a limb here and say it’s probably the best they’ve had here since they’ve been a I-A program. There’s speed at all positions here, both offense and defense. That’s where they are going to have an advantage on Saturday and throughout the season, to be honest with you. If the secondary is not settled, if Denard Robinson is able to do whatever it is he wants to do, particularly with his legs, because if he can soften them up with his legs he’s going to pick them apart with his arm, too, he’s the guy that they are going to contend with. They are going to have to contend with him and history shows that UConn teams have had trouble with mobile, dual-threat quarterbacks. That would be a key, too. Those are the two major things in terms of getting run out of the building. In the trenches, I think they are going to be OK. They are going to have to be able to run the ball and use their team speed. Those are the things that can win them the game.”
Follow Desmond Conner on his Hartford Courant blog and on Twitter @desmondconner
Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein
Comments
Jaxon5
Sat, Sep 4, 2010 : 12:53 p.m.
47...check fox...I couldn't believe what I was reading. AnnArbor.com most certainly would not post this kind of statement.
umgoblue47
Sat, Sep 4, 2010 : 11:52 a.m.
jaxon5... tell us the name of the other sports site that said this game is a train wreck... what a load of crap... the only train wreck here is your post... go blue...
trigg7
Sat, Sep 4, 2010 : 11 a.m.
UM 24 UCONN 31 UCONN will run the ball to kill the clock.
tulsatom
Sat, Sep 4, 2010 : 9:53 a.m.
I agree that it should be a high-scoring shootout, with boht teams in the high-30's or even 40's. I will say U-M, 44-38.
Jaxon5
Sat, Sep 4, 2010 : 9:17 a.m.
On another sports site, this game is described as a must-see game, not because it's a good game, but because it's a train wreck. People should stop and gawk at Michigan's continued destruction. I hope they're wrong.
MetricSU
Sat, Sep 4, 2010 : 8:53 a.m.
UM 35, UConn 31 The edge is the reopening of the Big House, Brock Mealer, and over 100,000 fans. Should be fun.
jameslucas
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 11:52 p.m.
If Michigan and Connecticut both have a weak secondary, then advantage goes to team with best quarterback and receivers, winner Michigan.
umgoblue47
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 11:01 p.m.
what ever you are smoking, why don't you pass it around so we can see what it's like living in your world... michigan's offensive line is huge and they are going to open up a lot of holes for the tb's and qb's to run through...uconn's defense will have a difficult time with michigan's passing attack... go blue...
Kubrick66
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 10:33 p.m.
Michigan- Lots... UCONN - not nearly enough.
Macabre Sunset
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 10:03 p.m.
The problem is that Connecticut's front seven on defense is good enough to make life difficult for the Michigan offense. Too many three-and-outs are likely. The Michigan linebacking and secondary is poor, which means Connecticut's weaknesses on offense won't be such a problem. Connecticut 28, Michigan 24.
1998pa
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 9:22 p.m.
OK, I just can't help but wonder where all of the team speed is. I'm not saying that to be a hater. I know Denard has blazers, no question there. Tate is a respectable runner at QB. But if anyone has the information, I'd appreciate seeing which wide receivers and running backs are so fast, and what kind of speed we're talking about. I simply don't remember any of the other offensive skill position guys on the roster being remarkably fast.
azwolverine
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 8:14 p.m.
UM 45 UConn 24. I just can't shake the fact that I think UConn is way overrated after losing 5 games last season and a 3-4 Big Least record. I realize UM wasn't great, either, but RR seems to have his teams ready to go early in the season despite their mid/late season collapses. We'll see, but I think this will go the way of the WMU game last season.
Rodie
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 8:10 p.m.
Hopefully Michigans spped is a surprise, because their size won't be.
3 And Out
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 5:25 p.m.
I agree with Conner... Denard is the key to this game. If he gets loose then UM scores a lot and they will need to in order to stay with UConn... that said, I pick UConn by 3. Our kicking game will be the difference, we miss a couple FGs... and UConn scores late to win it 34-31
aarox
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 5:16 p.m.
a2d2, with your prediction of UM scoring 38, you are the first on record guessing that we can kick a field goal. Both of the ESPN bloggers have us as 28. Hope you are right.
NoBowl4Blue
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 3:59 p.m.
Conner is obviously thing about Michigan under Carr refrencing size rather than speed. People underestimate the speed in the Big Ten nowadays. This will be a shoot out. Watching the games last evening it's obvious the Big Ten has some speed and size.
saginaw
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 3:48 p.m.
It should be close -- and that means it may come down to turnovers.
A2D2
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 2:43 p.m.
Brian Cook had the best-ever description of Denard Robinson that I've ever heard:. "We Have A Cheetah Strapped To A Jet Engine And Dropped Out Of A Plane". That's why I'm picking Michigan 38, UConn 28. Go Blue!
rreidannarbor
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 1:47 p.m.
On paper, it sure looks like a 4 quarter game with the outcome in doubt, right up to the last few minutes of the game. If Uconn can pass the ball with any efficiency at all, that would be Michigan's biggest achille's heal. No matter, it doesn't get any better than a close 4th quarter game. The place should be rockin if that is how this one plays out!
MikeB
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 12:51 p.m.
A2D2 I agree. There are any number of things he could have said that would make way more sense than that. Inexperience, secondary, last years record, etc but team speed? Nah Should be a good game, Connecticut has a good team
michboy40
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 12:26 p.m.
Agree a2d2. I think UConn will be suprised by our speed. If UCOnn's secondary is their weak link, then Tate may see more time than people think. I have heard he will start. We'll see. I think UConn will pass all over us, but not run so well against us. We have better athletes in the skill positions though, and I think that will be the difference. UM 42 UCONN 38
A2D2
Fri, Sep 3, 2010 : 11:45 a.m.
Prett fair comments coming from someone with an obvious bias. The only thing I think he's off-base on is "Im guessing Michigan is probably a little bigger. To me, that may mean slower.". Give Coach Rod his due - team speed is paramount, and UofM's overall team speed is pretty darn impressive.