Finally!
UConn avenges option curse, tops Mids by 3
Victory Screech!!
OK, sorry, I'm probably getting ahead of myself here. But we did it!
Now that UConn has the most difficult game on their schedule out of the way, and with a big win over the dreaded Midshipmen mind you, we can focus on bigger and brighter things.
But Ken Niumatalolo kept it interesting in this one against our #24 Huskies.
The game was very even all the way through, and UConn was never able to pull away completely. It came down to some big plays from UConn's littlest man once again.
UConn did however, draw first blood with a very long TD drive, punctuated by some unusually pedestrian running from
Josh Marriner, thanks to getting no room from the O-Line, thankfully just on that first drive though.
Regardless,
Bryant Shirreffs showed he hasn't completely lost his 2015 form, as he kept the drive moving with great pass plays to
Damon Mitchell and
Thomas Lucas, the eventual star of the day on O.
Ron Johnson punched in the first points early, 7-0 UConn.
The stout Husky D didn't get off to a great start, allowing a pair of 12 yard rushes to
Toneo Gulley and QB
Will Worth. UConn almost had Navy stopped a handful of times, but Worth scrambled his way out of trouble often.
Fullback
Luke Foster got 2 of the last 3 carries on the drive, gaining 10 to put Navy within 17 yards of the first TD allowed by UConn's D. But following a TFL on Worth from
Luke Carrezola, Foster busted the 19 yard tying score loose.
Magic man
Arkeel Newsome brought the ensuing return to the Navy 42, and Marriner's best run of the game (31 yards) allowed Josh to finish the last 11 yards himself. 14-7 UConn just into the second quarter.
Navy, as always, had an answer though. Gulley busted a big 32 yard run up the left sideline, and Worth followed suit with an identical 32 yard TD run, making
Derek Robinson look like a fool in the process.
Marriner got a trio of solid carries to start UConn's next drive, but
Amos Mason sacked Shirreffs and
Terrance Harris knocked Johnson back to effectively end the drive, and take the 14 deadlock into the half.
Worth did not get going out of the halftime gates though, as the very first play of the second half was an option that was tipped by
Javon Hadley (who had a pick at the end of the first half also), and
Junior Joseph fell on the fumble to recover deep in Navy territory.
Shirreffs snuck in the go-ahead TD 3 plays later.
Navy still didn't get going, as Worth's long pass down the right sideline a few plays later was picked off by
Jamar Summers and ended in a
Jonathan Haden reception TD from 3 yards out.
Oh, but the seamen know how to tread water, and Worth's 42 yard TD run allowed Navy to get right back in the game immediately after Haden's TD.
Following an INT from Harris for Navy, Worth tied the game again on another 22 yard run immediately following a 34 yard TD.
UConn got desperate as the 4th quarter closed in, as they decided to go for it on a 4th down following another Newsome return into Navy ground. Or sea.
Shirreffs continued his dazzling day by throwing a dime to Haden over the top for an 18 yard pitch and catch, and set up a
Tyler McCray field goal and a 31-28 lead.
Neither team scored on their next possessions, but UConn did find themselves in a rut with 5 minutes left. Carrezola missed a zone coverage play in the end zone, and allowed
Brandon Brown to catch a go-ahead TD, 35-31 with time ticking down for UConn. The end is near?
Not quite. 'Keel's clutch gene kicked in and he brought another Navy kick 81 yards to the Navy 15. Marriner punched in the go-ahead score 3 plays later to make it 38-35 with less than 2 minutes to play.
Worth needed to throw, and once again was nowhere near effective as an actual QB. Summers nabbed his second INT of the day, and UConn finally locked up a win over a military school! Holy crap!
But, friends, we have now crossed over the hump that we couldn't get over in any of the last 3 seasons. Is this our year?!?!?!
We shall see. Bowling Green next. Coach Freday, welcome to the jungle. We've got fun and games.
| Navy Midshipmen at Connecticut Huskies |
| Sep 9, 2017 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Navy Midshipmen (0-1, 0-1) | 0 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
| #24 Connecticut Huskies (2-0, 1-0) | 7 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 38 |
| Scoring Summary |
| FIRST QUARTER SCORING | NAVY | CONN |
| 3:14 | (CONN) Johnson 4 run (Miller kick) | 0 | 7 |
| SECOND QUARTER SCORING | NAVY | CONN |
| 6:55 | (NAVY) Foster 19 run (Fields kick) | 7 | 7 |
| 6:06 | (CONN) Marriner 2 run (McCray kick) | 7 | 14 |
| 4:16 | (NAVY) Worth 32 run (Fields kick) | 14 | 14 |
| THIRD QUARTER SCORING | NAVY | CONN |
| 5:50 | (CONN) Shirreffs 2 run (McCray kick) | 14 | 21 |
| 3:18 | (CONN) Shirreffs 3 pass Haden (McCray kick) | 14 | 28 |
| 2:43 | (NAVY) Worth 42 run (Fields kick) | 21 | 28 |
| 1:04 | (NAVY) Worth 22 run (Fields kick) | 28 | 28 |
| FOURTH QUARTER SCORING | NAVY | CONN |
| 6:16 | (CONN) McCray 26 FG | 28 | 31 |
| 1:44 | (NAVY) Worth 9 pass Brown (Fields kick) | 35 | 31 |
| :57 | (CONN) Marriner 4 run (McCray kick) | 35 | 38 |
| Navy Midshipmen | | PASSING | C/A | YDS | TD | INT | | Will Worth | 7-11 | 105 | 1 | 3 | | RUSHING | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | | Will Worth | 17 | 138 | 8.1 | 3 | | Toneo Gulley | 7 | 128 | 18.2 | 0 | | Luke Foster | 5 | 38 | 7.6 | 1 | | RECEIVING | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | | Brandon Brown | 4 | 70 | 17.5 | 1 | | Omar Graham | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 0 | | DEFENSE | TACK | SACK | INT | TD | | Antwan Anderson | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Elijah Merchant | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Terrance Harris | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | Connecticut Huskies | | PASSING | C/A | YDS | TD | INT | | Bryant Shirreffs | 15-19 | 150 | 1 | 1 | | RUSHING | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | | Josh Marriner | 31 | 151 | 4.8 | 2 | | Ron Johnson | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 1 | | RECEIVING | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | | Jonathan Haden | 3 | 45 | 15.0 | 1 | | Damon Mitchell | 3 | 24 | 8.0 | 0 | | Tommy Myers | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 0 | | DEFENSE | TACK | SACK | INT | TD | | Luke Carrezola | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | | Derek Robinson | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Jamar Summers | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
|
Note From the Author: I have no idea why all 4 screenshots at the end of the game were all of Will Worth. Like, really?
Also, a colossal thanks is owed to the kind soul who granted a 5 star rating upon me. In my 5 projects on these boards, I've only had this happen one other time (the man, the myth, the legend Kelton Herren --- cue mindless rolling of eyes), so this is pretty cool as this 'chise has rocketed inside the top 60 most viewed 'chises of all-time! Yay! We'll catch you soon. Finals coming up for me as we're down to 10 days left of school.
