All Entries Tagged With: "UConn football"

The Wedge Thwarted Again
In College Football Rule Changes

Guess who co-chaired the NCAA’s Football Rules Committee during the off season?

None other than Randy Edsall, the head coach at UConn. His team, remember, was the one that ran the play that made poor officiating decision history with Larry Taylor’s fake fair catch and a backbreaking touchdown against Louisville three years ago.

One has to wonder whether Edsall pondered using his chairmanship to make sleights of hand more acceptable during the deliberations. He sure seemed to like the way it turned out for UConn in 2007.

Seriously, it’s time to brush up on the rule changes for 2010, the major, minor and questionable:

• Wedge Formations — On kickoffs, the receiving team may not form a wedge (shoulder-to-shoulder) of three or more players to block for the ball carrier. Penalty is 15 yards. The original flying wedge used by Harvard was outlawed in the 1890′s.
  

• An exception is made if the kick is made from an obvious onside formation. Like players have the time and space to form wedges in these situations.

• Injuries — When the game is stopped for any injury, the affected player must leave the game for at least one down. There goes a time-worn desperation game-delay strategy for some.

• Pre-Game Warm-Ups — Teams encouraged to observe a 10-yard buffer zone between the 45-yard lines beginning 60 minutes before the opening kickoff. Even if one team is stomping on the other team’s logo?

• Eye-Shade — If eye shade is worn it must be solid black with no words, numbers, logos or other symbols. A curious rule. One guesses Tim Tebow’s Bible verses must have offended someone, somehow.

• Socks — Must be the same color and design. No mention made of length.

Just make the calls consistently. That’s all we ask, right Randy?

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Big East Split Inevitable Over Football

No surprise the Big East is again in the unenviable position of having members targeted by other conferences. The Big East leadership has done nothing to resolve the major issues in football scheduling, forcing member schools to fend for themselves.

The inability to recognize that football is the key to securing the future probably stems from its founding as a basketball conference in 1979. The conference didn’t even include football competition until 1992 when Rutgers, Miami, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Temple joined Boston College, Syracuse and Pittsburgh. UConn was in the process of moving up to Division 1A.

The biggest mistake was probably the rejection of Penn State in the early eighties when the conference picked Pittsburgh instead. Penn State football coach Joe Paterno would lobby hard for an eastern conference with many of the same members but he was rebuffed, ultimately joining the Big Ten.

While the lack of vision may have been a good thing for Louisville, making it possible to join the Big East, the failure to be proactive in resolving the football scheduling issues is not. The potential for football revenue (and losses) is much greater than for basketball. The revenue produced by the cellar-dwelling football teams in the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference is comparable to the top Big East teams in both football and basketball.

Because of the Big East’s inertia, there is no move the conference could make that would prevent any other BCS league from taking its lunch money. It’s as if the university presidents, who really make the decisions, are unable to grasp the significance of the issue, or they are so helpless and inept that they prefer to wait until another conference forces them to do something.

As a result, a conference split between the basketball and football schools appears inevitable. However, the lineup of members of the new football conference may not faintly resemble the current one.

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Big East Football: Week 7

By Paul Sykes

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati top the Big East Conference football standings following week seven, in which seven conference teams spread the action over three days, including three conference match-ups. Syracuse was idle.

• Connecticut capitalized on four Louisville turnovers and produced a 17-point third quarter to down the Cardinals 38-25. UConn rushed for 208 yards and threw for 273 to go to 4-2. UConn is off to Morgantown Saturday to play the West Virginia. Louisville (2-4), loser of three in a row, won’t find the road any easier at Cincinnati.

• In a Thursday night showdown, No. 8 Cincinnati doubled the score on No. 21 South Florida 34-17 in Tampa. Despite losing starting quarterback Tony Pike, the Bearcats got solid backup from Zach Collaros, who scrambled for one touchdown and threw for another to steady Mardy Gilyard.. The Bulls (5-1) run at Pittsburgh.

• Dion Lewis of Pittsburgh showed why many consider him the best running back in the Big East, with 180 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a 24-17 win over Rutgers. Pitt (6-1) snapped a four game losing streak to Rutgers (4-2), which  goes to Army for a Friday game.

• West Virginia dominated the second half in their in-state rivalry with Marshall en route to a 24-7 win. WVU trailed Marshall 7-3 at half, but Noel Devine rushed for two touchdowns in the final 30 minutes . West Virginia is 5-1.

• Syracuse (2-4) plays Akron in the Carrier Dome Saturday.

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UConn’s Edsall May Be Feeling The Heat

By Paul Sykes

One doesn’t normally consider a coach with a 3-2 record a reason for fan fire if one is calling the plays at a traditional football power like Alabama, Texas or Ohio State. However, the situation at the University of Connecticut has turned into mini tempest  for coach Randy Edsall.

UConn surrendered a big lead in the fourth quarter to Pittsburgh last weekend, losing 24-21 after jumping out to a 21-6 lead. This on top of a similar loss to North Carolina.

Many fans blame Edsall’s erratic play calling, challenging his conservative, defense-oriented tendencies, wondering out loud if he’s the right coach,

Face it. UConn isn’t exactly a football hotbed. Two big time basketball programs exist on campus, the state’s high school football isn’t exactly a feeder system, and the stadium is the second smallest in the Big East. Television coverage is hard to come by and there’s not much for Edsall to work with.

UConn fans could have it a lot worse. After all, UConn went 8-5 last year. They went bowling. They have beer sales. Edsall is 60-61 after 10 years at the program.

The crying is premature. After Louisville this weekend, the Huskies face a nasty gauntlet, with road trips to West Virginia, Cincinnati and Notre Dame and a visit from Rutgers. Not for the faint hearted.  The whimpering could turn into a full-fledged tantrum by Thanksgiving.

A loss to Louisville at East Hartford on Saturday could be the precursor to a death watch of Kragthorpian proportions.

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Big East Football: Week 6

By Paul Sykes

Six of eight Big East football teams skirmished Saturday. Cincinnati and South Florida took the day off, preparing for an  ESPN event Thursday in Tampa.

• Louisville snapped a three-game losing streak by virtue of a dramatic 64-yard kickoff return by Trent Guy to set up a 32-yard field goal by Ryan Payne. U of L travels to Connecticut for a noon game Saturday.

• West Virginia did little wrong in a 34-13 pasting of Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. The usual suspects produced for the Eers, Noel Devine with two touchdowns and 91 rushing yards, quarterack Jarrett Brown tossing for 244 on 22-30 passing. The 4-1 Mountaineers host Marshall next (wonder if Matthew McConaughey will show?) while 2-4 Syracuse takes a week off to mend.

• Pittsburgh rallied from a late third quarter 21-6 deficit to top Connecticut, 24-21. Pitt nailed the victory on Dan Hutchins’ final play of the game 18 yd. field goal. UConn (3-2) gave up 147 yds. in the final 15 minutes while managing six of their own. Pitt (5-1) travels to Rutgers for a Friday night fight. The Huskies host Louisville Saturday.

• Rutgers stepped out of conference, smothering Texas Southern 42-0. The defense continues to shine in Jersey, creating four turnovers, serving up seven sacks and allowing a minus 25 yards rushing. They’ll need a similar effort if they expect to beat Pitt Thursday night.

A good week for the Big East. The Big East is 26-5 for the year if you eliminate Syracuse and Louisville, 32-12 otherwise. Pitt leads the conference standings at 2-0.  Cincinnati, South Florida and WVU are 1-0.

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Big East Football: Week 5

By Paul Sykes

Six Big East football teams snapped on the helmets this week, the conference going 2-0 in non-league play. There’s a three-way tie for first place in conference standings.

• West Virginia got the ball rolling against Colorado, defending the home turf with a 35-24 win. Once again, Noel Devine displayed his excellent running skills, and WVU WAS never seriously challenged. They take their 5-0 record to Syracuse next Saturday.
• Pitt improved to 4-1 with ITS conference-opening win over Louisville, roaring back from a 10-7 halftime deficit for 28 unanswered points. The 35-10 win included six sacks on U of L quarterback Adam Froman. Pitt hosts UConn next while Louisville renews its rivalry with Southern Miss at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
• South Florida is still unbeaten, using a 20-point third quarter to roll over Syracuse 34-20. This error filled contest included 11 turnovers, with Syracuse QB Greg Paulus leading the way with five interceptions to tie the school record. It doesn’t get any easier for the 2-3 Orange next week when they host WVU. South Florida takes a well-deserved week off.
• Cincinnati went on the road for a 37-13 victory home over Miami of Ohio. Jacob Ramsey racked up three scores and 103 rushing yards and QB Tony Pike tossed for two TD’s. The 5-0 Bearcats sit out next week.
• Rutgers and UConn were idle. They jump back into play Saturday, with the 3-1 Huskies visiting Pitt and 3-1 Rutgers is at home against Texas Southern.
• Cincy, USF and Pitt are 1-0 in conference play. UofL, Rutgers and Syracuse 0-1 against Big East foes. UConn and West Virginia play their first conference games Saturday.

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