We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

[NDGipper32]

I'm in. Caught up and I'll be following. Good luck!

[thesportsguru11]

Just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season!! I'm out of town until Saturday afternoon so no updates 'till then.

As always, a huge thank you to the readers, without whom this would not be possible. It's really a great Christmas present.

[thesportsguru11]

Already did some team outlook and roster previews a few posts back, so I'll just leave you with the roster and schedule. For the schedule, I didn't bother changing UConn's conference games, but I made sure they had each of their 4 non-conference games with the right location.

2014 UConn Roster/Schedule

[RoundingThird]

If you really want things realistic, run the wildcat offense with Foxx at QB from time to time, or as the idiot announcers from CBS Sports Network call it, the "Wild Husky."

[thesportsguru11]

Quote: Originally Posted by Po1soNNN

If you really want things realistic, run the wildcat offense with Foxx at QB from time to time, or as the idiot announcers from CBS Sports Network call it, the "Wildcat Husky."

This makes so little sense it's very humorous. I may be forced to run someone other than a QB at QB. I don't have faith in anyone except Shirreffs, and he has to sit out!!

[RoundingThird]

Quote: Originally Posted by thesportsguru11

This makes so little sense it's very humorous. I may be forced to run someone other than a QB at QB. I don't have faith in anyone except Shirreffs, and he has to sit out!!

That was a typo on my part. I meant "Wild Husky." Those guys drove me nuts during the Army game.

[thesportsguru11]

GAMEDAY!

It's here. UConn plays their first game of 2014, and their first under Bob Diaco as the BYU Cougars come to East Hartford.

BYU could be a surprise New Year's Six bowl team this year, and they also have a dark horse Heisman candidate in Taysom Hill. Coupled with tailbackJamaal Williams, the Cougs have a formidable backfield.

Hill also has weapons in the receiving core as well, in UTEP grad transfer Jordan Leslie and Terren Houk. Both should be a challenge for stud corner Byron Jones.

The UConn offense is where the million dollar question lies. Chandler Whitmer somehow won the starting QB job, and his performance last year didn't inspire much hope for UConn fans. However, he has reportedly looked good in camp. So who knows.

Another interesting matchup to look out for resides in BYU's average secondary against Geremy Davis and Deshon Foxx. If BYU can stop those two receivers and force Whitmer into playing poorly, I'd expect BYU to win easily. Linebacker Alani Fua is the top player on the defense and has the potential to be a big factor.

Prediction: BYU 35, UConn 17

UConn's offense doesn't inspire hope. Taysom Hill could have a cakewalk in his first step to becoming a New Year's Bowl spoiler and Heisman dark horse.

[thesportsguru11]

(BYU Game Card)

Misfire
Whitmer throws 6 INT's as BYU storms back in 4th


Jamaal Williams runs in the winning score off a screen pass.

Quote: Originally Posted by thesportsguru11

UConn's offense doesn't inspire hope.

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner.

Chandler Whitmer, the onetime Illinois QB, left to try to do something right sometime long ago. He started some high amount of games (blown out by Towson!) last season before being benched. I can see why Illinois and Paul Pasqualoni probably didn't want him.

Whitmer's 6 INT's, including 3 in the 4th quarter's closing minutes, was easily the reason behind UConn's offensive struggle and eventual loss to BYU.

But that's not to say he didn't have his good moments. He game managed well for the most part, only having 2 completions that were not INT's, including a perfectly thrown wheel route to Geremy Davis in the back of the end zone during second quarter that brought UConn within 3.

Deshon Foxx with the 94 yard return TD.

UConn was given a spark right after the half when Deshon Foxx, who was held without a catch in the game, more than made up for it by taking the opening kick of the second half 94 yards for a score. UConn held a 14-10 lead, and held BYU to just a field goal, giving them a 14-13 lead going into the 4th quarter.

Josh Marriner would put UConn up 21-13 on a 6 yard scamper, giving BYU only 5 minutes to try to mount a comeback.

Despite poor play from Taysom Hill most of the game, he stepped up when he was needed, guiding a drive capped by a Paul Lasike 2 yard run and accounting for the conversion himself.

Josh Marriner's first career TD.

Whitmer threw another INT to Dallin Leavitt with 3 minutes left, and BYU suddenly had a chance to take the lead again.

Hill, working with a short field, took about 5 plays before a screen to tailback Jamaal Williams, the leading rusher and receiver for the Cougs, took it 22 yards for the go-ahead TD with a minute to go.

I think you can guess what Whitmer did after. BYU kneed out the clock and iced a win.

UConn had a good showing, but one has to wonder one thing on offense, starting with were all 6 INT's Whitmer's fault? The O-Line, which has been bad since Zach Hurd and Moe Petrus left, struggled and couldn't find holes for Max Delorenzo. Bob Diaco did say he would re-evaluate the QB situation through the week. Does this mean Tim Boyle gets a shot?

Stay tuned. Join us back here as Boise State comes to town next week.

Brigham Young Cougars at Connecticut Huskies
Aug 29, 2014	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Brigham Young Cougars (1-0)	10	0	3	15	28
Connecticut Huskies (0-1)	0	7	7	7	21

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		BYU	CONN
4:13	(BYU) Williams 1 run (Samson kick)	7	0
1:06	(BYU) Samson 24 FG	10	0
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		BYU	CONN
5:45	(CONN) Whitmer 23 pass Davis (Puyol kick)	10	7
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		BYU	CONN
6:53	(CONN) Foxx 94 KO return (Puyol kick)	10	14
2:12	(BYU) Samson 19 FG	13	14
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		BYU	CONN
5:15	(CONN) Marriner 6 run (Puyol kick)	13	21
3:43	(BYU) Lasike 2 run (Hill run)	21	21
1:09	(BYU) Hill 22 pass Williams (Samson kick)	28	21

Brigham Young Cougars PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Taysom Hill 16-23 201 1 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jamaal Williams 16 129 8.0 1 Taysom Hill 14 75 5.3 0 Paul Lasike 1 2 2.0 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jamaal Williams 4 62 15.5 1 Terren Houk 4 52 13.0 0 Jordan Leslie 3 30 10.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Alani Fua 9 1 0 0 Jordan Johnson 4 0 0 0 Dallin Leavitt 4 0 2 0

Connecticut Huskies PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Chandler Whitmer 10-18 132 1 6 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Max Delorenzo 23 78 3.3 0 Josh Marriner 3 16 5.3 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Geremy Davis 4 54 13.5 1 Kamal Abrams 2 22 11.0 0 Thomas Lucas 2 23 11.5 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Jefferson Ashiru 9 1 0 0 Graham Stewart 6 1 0 0 Byron Jones 3 1 0 0