The Best Scoring Defense in the Nation
UConn fends off pesky Houston in defensive game to move to 8-0
Indeed we do. Have the best scoring defense in the nation, that is. And I love me a low scoring game.
For an air raid offense though, we sure have played some low-scoring games together. 24-21 in 2014, 22-17 in 2015, 24-21 in the 2016 regular season game, and now 20-17 this year. (Discard the 52-31 thumping we gave them in the AACCG last December).
Thing is, Bob Diaco is 5-0 now against Houston in his 4 year tenure at UConn. Not bad.
As usual, the defense came to play, and, if not for a few key stops from unlikely sources (
Quintin Harrell and former JUCO transfer
Travis Lumpkin), it could have been a different story, and 3-4 Houston could have been a bigger threat than they actually might have been.
However, this game was a bit different in the sense that UConn actually struggled on offense, especially
Bryant Shirreffs. (
Josh Marriner had a weird day too, but his stats were padded by a string of runs late against a tired Houston D.)
Yet, UConn did find a source of offense. Kicker
Mike Miller. Heh???
Nothing remotely offensive happened in the first 6 minutes of the game, as UConn was stuffed on their first drive, and
Sam Rourke knocked down
Tre Pollock to end Houston's first drive.
RECORD WATCH: Cam Stapleton continued his marvelous career by breaking the UConn career sacks record on the first drive, set by Trevardo Williams in 2012. A major congrats are in order for Mr. Stapleton, who will look to add to his sack total (at 31 at that point) in the last 5-7 games.
UConn's next drive produced 3 negative plays, a -3 yard Marriner run (
Joeal Williams on the tackle), a -1 Marriner run (
Josh Johnson), and a big sack (
Tyus Bowser). As a result, another punt.
But UConn's defense looked sharp again, as Harrell victimized Pollock in Houston territory for another INT for the monster linebacker/end.
Fortunately, it ended better for UConn as a Shirreffs 16 yard scramble set up Marriner for a 3 yard TD to make it 7-0 after a quarter.
Pollock recovered on the next drive though, hitting
Latrell Martin for 7 and 13,
Elton Dyer for 13, tailback
Juan Day for 6, then
Romello Brooker for 31. Following Stapleton "stapling" Pollock for career sack #32, Dyer ended up just short on 3rd and goal.
Victor Woods' field goal made it 7-3.
I smiled as I looked at my game notes, because...
*SOUND SIRENS*
It's 'Keel time!!! Special Teams wonder boy
Arkeel Newsome brought back another (what's this, return TD #10 for his career or something?) 95 yards to break open the game, 14-3. And in defensive battles like the ones we have with Houston, 14-3 is breaking a game open. Don't judge.
Turns out the scoring in the 2nd quarter was far from over, as Pollock orchestrated another efficient drive, hitting Dyer for 24, 5, then taking it himself for a 9 yard scramble to set up Houston in the red zone. Pollock fired a laser to
John Leday that just made it past the outstretched hands of Travis Lumpkin and went for a Houston TD, 14-10.
UConn had a bit of time (3:45 or so), so they tried to use every second of it.
Marriner's best carry of the day thus far (13 yards), allowed Shirreffs to scramble for 9 then find
Thomas Lucas for 16. A pair of Marriner 6 yard gains and an 8 from
Ron Johnson set up UConn at the 1. But...they..couldn't..punch it in.
Mike Miller's field goal made it 17-10 with :38 seconds to go in the half.
However, Houston wasn't quite done yet. Dyer brought the return to the Houston 31, and Pollock scrambles of (gasp) 25, 18 and 19 yards set up Houston with a field goal chance at the horn, which Woods converted to make it 17-13.
The offense did stop in the second half, but man did the game get good after.
A pair of Harrell tackles for no gain sent Houston packing out of the half, setting up UConn with some good field position at their 41.
Jeff McNeal did the heavy lifting this drive, as he accounted for an 11 yard reception, a 7 yard run and another 23 yard reception before Marriner was stopped short of the end zone. Miller added another FG for UConn, 20-13.
Houston didn't get a very good return (to their own 15), and Harrell once again made them pay. Harrell delivered a massive hit on a screen to Day (-6 yards in case you were wondering), then broke up Pollock's pass on 3rd down.
UConn got another great return (to the Houston 42), and were making good progress before Shirreffs threw an INT to
Terrence Alexander on first down and from the 20.
Houston would again be stymied though. Pollock got a yard, Day gave it back, then Rourke pushed Pollock into Stapleton for career sack #33.
Newsome I swear was doing his best to save UConn, as he brought the return to the Houston 34 to the left..............but Shirreffs threw another INT. Joeal Williams. End of 3rd, 20-13. This had the makings of a classic.
Williams did return Shirreffs' INT to the long side of the 45, but Dyer picked up 9 on another catch, Pollock scrambled for 21, then fell on a lineman for a 3 yard sack of himself.
Rinse and repeat. Dyer for 19, Pollock for 7, then another failed screen for Day (-1 yards,
Vontae Diggs for the TFL).
With Houston inching closer to the end zone, Houston wound up with a 3rd and goal, and Pollock fired an incompletion. However, because Tony Levine is a terrible coach (in game), Houston went for it.
Pollock was sacked by Lumpkin on the Corner Blitz. UCaaaaahhhhhhhhhnnnnnnnnnnn Football!!!!
But Shirreffs would throw his third consecutive INT. However, it did look like
Raaquan Lewis did completely interfere with Thom Lucas on the pass, but, oh well.
With the clock now inside 2 minutes, Houston had a great shot to tie it up inside the UConn 15.
Stapleton knocked back Pollock for a loss of 2, and Pollock only gained 3 apiece on 2nd and 3rd downs to set up a pivotal 4th and 6 from the UConn 11.
Pollock lined up in the 'gun, and had a lane to the right with only Quintin Harrell standing in his way, the mountain of a linebacker.
Harrell destroyed Pollock for a one yard gain.
UCaaaaaahhhhnnnnnnnnnnnn Football!
While the defense was pulverizing Pollock, Marriner demanded that Coach Diaco get him the ball, despite only having 40 yards to this point.
Diaco gave in, and Marriner rewarded his ingenious coach with 6 straight carries that covered 51 yards, and another carry after a quick breather for 9 to sew up a pretty little bow on another Houston-UConn defensive shootout.
While the two teams are likely moving to the Big 12 next season, barring a major change of heart from Bob Bowlsby, we can expect more great games in the future.
But I guarantee UConn is more concerned with the 8-0 record on their plate, the best start in school history. The scoring defense was phenomenal, but Pollock went a healthy 22-25 (not good for us), and Elton Dyer was open too many times (10 catches, most courtesy of slot man...Travis Lumpkin. He was picked on a lot in this one). However, I guarantee the offense was a one shot off-day. Marriner's too good for a bad game.
With the defense potentially being a problem following being dominant for 6 games, we continue our road trip to Texas with a Dallas date with Kolney Cassel and SMU, who I believe has no relation to Matt (cousins maybe?). I'll look into that.
We'll see you next time. Thanks as always for joining me on the island of misfits, with the UConn Hype Train. Rise Up Together!
| Connecticut Huskies at Houston Cougars |
| Oct 28, 2017 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| #4 Connecticut Huskies (8-0, 5-0) | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
| Houston Cougars (3-5, 1-4) | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Scoring Summary |
| FIRST QUARTER SCORING | CONN | HOU |
| 1:18 | (CONN) Marriner 3 run (Miller kick) | 7 | 0 |
| SECOND QUARTER SCORING | CONN | HOU |
| 6:21 | (HOU) Woods 20 FG | 7 | 3 |
| 5:26 | (CONN) Newsome 95 return TD (Miller kick) | 14 | 3 |
| 3:53 | (HOU) Pollock 9 pass Leday (Woods kick) | 14 | 10 |
| :38 | (CONN) Miller 22 FG | 17 | 10 |
| :00 | (HOU) Woods 30 FG | 17 | 13 |
| THIRD QUARTER SCORING | CONN | HOU |
| 3:44 | (CONN) Miller 25 FG | 20 | 13 |
| Connecticut Huskies | | PASSING | C/A | YDS | TD | INT | | Bryant Shirreffs | 9-16 | 101 | 0 | 3 | | RUSHING | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | | Josh Marriner | 24 | 100 | 4.1 | 1 | | Bryant Shirreffs | 6 | 19 | 3.1 | 0 | | RECEIVING | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | | Thomas Lucas | 3 | 29 | 9.6 | 0 | | Jeff McNeal | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 0 | | Josh Marriner | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | | DEFENSE | TACK | SACK | INT | TD | | Quintin Harrell | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | | Cameron Stapleton | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | | Travis Lumpkin | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | Houston Cougars | | PASSING | C/A | YDS | TD | INT | | Tre Pollock | 22-25 | 181 | 1 | 1 | | RUSHING | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | | Tre Pollock | 18 | 62 | 3.4 | 0 | | Juan Day | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | | RECEIVING | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | | Elton Dyer | 10 | 115 | 11.5 | 0 | | Juan Day | 6 | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | | Romello Brooker | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 0 | | DEFENSE | TACK | SACK | INT | TD | | Joeal Williams | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | | Terrence Alexander | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | | Raaquan Davis | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
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