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Post by sader1970 on Sept 5, 2021 5:41:10 GMT -5
Attendance-wise, I would agree with 2010 that there was likely that many attendees. My guess of actual attendees was 13,000-15,000.
Don’t forget this was UConn’s first home game in eons and my impression was that the Huskie fans wanted to see if the Fresno game was some kind of fluke; were sure this was going to be a win; was great weather (I did end up with a sunburned face- thanks HC Athletics for the “great”seats 😵💫).
There won’t be nearly as many for their next game as their questions were answered in the negative.
Our last 98 yard drive seemed to devastate them psychologically and we knew this was going into the win column.
Game was a back and forth affair as I expected.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Sept 5, 2021 5:41:34 GMT -5
It’s nice to get an FBS win again, finally. 4th FBS win since ‘82 and by my count the first FBS win over someone not named Army (86, 87, 02). Hope the rest of this season plays out better than the rest of the 02 season, which went downhill quickly if I remember right. No letdowns next week. Merrimack will want to do the same thing to HC that HC just did to UConn. I think we'll beat Merrimack. They're going to fight and likely will put some points up but I hope it's a game where our O-line can set the tone and largely dominate from start to finish. Keep the ball with Oliver and Sluka on the ground 80% of the time, mix in some pass plays and I think we win this game somewhere in the ballpark of 41-24. Speaking of FBS wins, I believe that Holy Cross in 2002 is the only PL team in history to beat an FBS (Army) AND not either win the league or make the playoffs in the same season.
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Post by rgs318 on Sept 5, 2021 6:01:06 GMT -5
Oliver, if he did suffer a concussion, may not play this week. Were there any other players injured?
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Post by HC92 on Sept 5, 2021 6:07:57 GMT -5
From the UConn article rgs quoted above:
“This loss is incredibly embarrassing for the program and can hardly be chalked up to a talent deficiency, rust issue, or melting cleats. This is the worst loss in program history since the drubbing Paul Pasqualoni’s Huskies took to FCS Towson in 2013.”
“If UConn leadership was not already considering changes in the leadership of this football program, this loss is a down point for a program that already hit rock bottom in 2018. If it hasn’t progressed since then, shouldn’t somebody be held accountable?”
You see a lot of this sentiment including some “Fire Edsall” shirts yesterday and lots of angry sports radio callers in CT. I guess the question is what they think success will look like. You’re playing FBS football in CT with no Conference after many years playing in a Conference no one in CT could possibly care about. I don’t like Edsall and I’m sure someone else could do “better” but it’s never going to be good. Success might be a 4-7 season. Is that going to make people happy? It really needs to be scrapped and they join the CAA. Just way to much wasted money while being an embarrassment to the school. Be great at basketball. I know football is king in the college sports world but it’s just never going to work as an FBS independent in CT (or Massachusetts for that matter).
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Post by hc6774 on Sept 5, 2021 6:25:22 GMT -5
is there an issue with state $ in the football stadium politically?
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Post by HC92 on Sept 5, 2021 6:39:35 GMT -5
is there an issue with state $ in the football stadium politically? As a taxpayer, I’m much more concerned about the millions of dollars going out the door now than on the sunk cost of a stadium that was built almost 20 years ago and will still host UConn football in the CAA as well as a number of other events each year.
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Post by hc6774 on Sept 5, 2021 6:47:52 GMT -5
is there an issue with state $ in the football stadium politically? As a taxpayer, I’m much more concerned about the millions of dollars going out the door now than on the sunk cost of a stadium that was built almost 20 years ago and will still host UConn football in the CAA as well as a number of other events each year. are there any pols still in office who were hoodwinked by Robert Kraft?
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Post by sader1970 on Sept 5, 2021 7:06:54 GMT -5
You beat me to it. That was exactly my thought. But it's not just that the Rentschler Field was built 20 years ago. They are likely never to give up football entirely and if they downgrade to FCS, are they going to play in a 40,000 seat stadium that can't be filled at the FBS level? It would be an even bigger financial sinkhole for UConn/State of CT. So, do they then build a smaller stadium somewhere that seats 10-15,000? And Rentschler becomes a dead elephant? UConn and UMass delusions of grandeur thinking they were bigger than other New England states and capable of playing with the big boys is coming face-to-face with reality. Granted they are the most populated states in New England but that's not saying much. I mean, that's as ludicrous as thinking Holy Cross should enlarge Fitton and go FBS or, even sillier, having basketball join the Big East! Discuss . . . .
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Post by HC92 on Sept 5, 2021 7:18:26 GMT -5
You beat me to it. That was exactly my thought. But it's not just that the Rentschler Field was built 20 years ago. They are likely never to give up football entirely and if they downgrade to FCS, are they going to play in a 40,000 seat stadium that can't be filled at the FBS level? It would be an even bigger financial sinkhole for UConn/State of CT. So, do they then build a smaller stadium somewhere that seats 10-15,000? And Rentschler becomes a dead elephant? UConn and UMass delusions of grandeur thinking they were bigger than other New England states and capable of playing with the big boys is coming face-to-face with reality. Granted they are the most populated states in New England but that's not saying much. I mean, that's as ludicrous as thinking Holy Cross should enlarge Fitton and go FBS or, even sillier, having basketball join the Big East! Discuss . . . . UConn football sans conference is a financial sinkhole for the state and always will be. Having 10K fans for FCS games instead of 15K-20K for terrible FBS games will improve the state budget sinkhole rather than make it worse. They could play in the Rent as is and the fan experience/crowds wouldn’t be any worse than they are now as rhe laughingstock of FBS football. Ultimately, I think they could take the second level off of the Rent and make it a nice 20K capacity FCS stadium. Cost and impact on ability to host other events would have to be considered. A new, on-campus stadium would be better for FCS UConn football but can’t see that happening anytime soon.
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Post by efg72 on Sept 5, 2021 7:28:27 GMT -5
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Post by timholycross on Sept 5, 2021 7:40:24 GMT -5
It’s nice to get an FBS win again, finally. 4th FBS win since ‘82 and by my count the first FBS win over someone not named Army (86, 87, 02). Hope the rest of this season plays out better than the rest of the 02 season, which went downhill quickly if I remember right. No letdowns next week. Merrimack will want to do the same thing to HC that HC just did to UConn. I think we'll beat Merrimack. They're going to fight and likely will put some points up but I hope it's a game where our O-line can set the tone and largely dominate from start to finish. Keep the ball with Oliver and Sluka on the ground 80% of the time, mix in some pass plays and I think we win this game somewhere in the ballpark of 41-24. Speaking of FBS wins, I believe that Holy Cross in 2002 is the only PL team in history to beat an FBS (Army) AND not either win the league or make the playoffs in the same season. IIRC that team beat Georgetown the next week and only won one other game. Coach Allen's illness came to the forefront a month or so later; the rest is tragic history.
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Post by hchoops on Sept 5, 2021 7:40:39 GMT -5
Would a subscriber please post Toland’s T&G story ?
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Sept 5, 2021 7:41:37 GMT -5
Story from the UConn site: After flopping in the Week 0 opener at Fresno State, UConn football flopped even harder in its home opener Saturday, losing to FCS school Holy Cross at Rentschler Field, 38-28. Holy Cross opened the game with a 77-yard touchdown drive in which quarterback Matthew Sluka effortlessly moved the Crusaders down the field. Offensively, UConn opened the game with seven plays and 18 yards in its first two drives. After trading punts, Jack Zergiotis tied the game up with a 50-yard cannon to freshman receiver Keelan Marion. On the ensuing possession, Holy Cross fumbled leading to a short field that UConn capitalized on with a Zergiotis sneak for a touchdown, making it 14-7 Huskies. This would be their final lead of the game. Minutes later, a Zergiotis pass deflected off the body of a pass-rusher into the hands of defensive lineman Jason Modack, who returned it 29 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 14. The two teams traded long touchdown drives, with Zergiotis hitting Marion again to make it 21-21 with 2:57 left in the first half. Marion made an incredible effort to secure possession and keep a foot in bounds after the play was initially called Holy Cross responded with a poised drive that included a 3rd-down conversion and a 4th-down conversion to end the half with a field goal and go into the locker room with a 24-21 lead. UConn’s mediocrity continued through the 3rd quarter. The Huskies’ drives ended with a fumble, a touchdown, and a punt. Holy Cross got a touchdown as well to hold on to its three-point lead. In the fourth quarter, turnovers and bad coaching led UConn to squander any offensive momentum it had going. Zergiotis threw two interceptions, the second of which essentially sealed the game for the visitors. UConn also punted from the Holy Cross 41-yard line with 10:35 left in the game down a touchdown. Even though the punt was downed at the two-yard line, an optimal outcome for the decision to punt, Holy Cross drove 98 yards down the field for a touchdown to secure the victory.The 98-yard drive was aided by a 76-yard scamper by Sluka, where UConn displayed terrible discipline and tackling, a play that set the Crusaders up for their game-changing touchdown.Holy Cross out-gained UConn, 361-262, as the Huskies allowed 224 rushing yards. UConn was thoroughly outplayed on both sides of the ball in a way that would be excusable against a Big Ten opponent but absolutely unacceptable against an FCS team. The Huskies coughed the ball up four times while the Crusaders committed just one turnover.
Zergiotis finished 17-for-41 on passing attempts for 174 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. Kevin Mensah lead Husky rushers with 65 yards and Marion was their leading receiver with three catches for 60 yards and the two touchdowns. This loss is incredibly embarrassing for the program and can hardly be chalked up to a talent deficiency, rust issue, or melting cleats. This is the worst loss in program history since the drubbing Paul Pasqualoni’s Huskies took to FCS Towson in 2013.If UConn leadership was not already considering changes in the leadership of this football program, this loss is a down point for a program that already hit rock bottom in 2018. If it hasn’t progressed since then, shouldn’t somebody be held accountable?To be clear, this is not from a site affiliated with the university. It is from a blog site for UConn, hosted by SBNation, which is owned by Vox Media.
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Post by timholycross on Sept 5, 2021 7:59:41 GMT -5
Didn't think any school, no matter how fervently it believes in freedom of expression; would have that on their website. The bean counters will say that Umass and Uconn are better off financially with their crummy teams than going back to the CAA. There's programs that won't play an FCS team and the ones that do don't offer nearly the guarantees that these woeful programs are getting from the likes of Michigan, Clemson, etc. So the bottom line ends up better even if the losses pile up. Wonder whether this latest round (ongoing) of conference shuffles will move them closer or further away from changing directions.
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Post by rgs318 on Sept 5, 2021 8:13:05 GMT -5
My bad. I looked for the UConn site and got "Uconn Blog" which had that story. Here is what is on their website. EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - The UConn football team dropped its home opener, 38-28, to Holy Cross on Saturday afternoon at Pratt and Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Jack Zergiotis threw for 174 yards and three touchdowns including the first touchdown of the season for the Huskies, a 50-yard strike to Keelan Marion to make it a 7-7 game in the first. The UConn defense responded after evening the score by getting a forced fumble by Durante Jones to setup up the Huskies on the goal line. Zergiotis capitalized with a one-yard touchdown run to put the Huskies in front for the first time this season, 14-7. Marion and Zergiotis connected again, on a 3 yd TD pass, to even the score briefly at 21-21 in the second quarter. After the Crusaders built a 31-21 lead late in the third quarter, Zergiotis found Jace Medlock on an eight-yard touchdown pass to get the game to within three.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Sept 5, 2021 8:27:27 GMT -5
Edsall may be a lousy coach, but geez, what what is the attraction for a recruit in 2021? Play off campus, have no idea who you'll be playing from year to year....do they sell them on free tickets to hoop games? fbschedules.com/ncaa/uconn/ There's games on here kids would want to play. The rest of the stuff I agree w/you on. Plus the punching bag aspect of the program My bad for not actually checking the schedule, Tim. I still would say being an Indy isn't all that attractive though. Is there a I-84/I-91 trophy they are still in the running for?
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Post by trimster on Sept 5, 2021 8:30:35 GMT -5
Didn't think any school, no matter how fervently it believes in freedom of expression; would have that on their website. The bean counters will say that Umass and Uconn are better off financially with their crummy teams than going back to the CAA. There's programs that won't play an FCS team and the ones that do don't offer nearly the guarantees that these woeful programs are getting from the likes of Michigan, Clemson, etc. So the bottom line ends up better even if the losses pile up. Wonder whether this latest round (ongoing) of conference shuffles will move them closer or further away from changing directions. One possibility, depending on what shakes out with conference reorg, is a group of Eastern Schools playing as football Independents. It would probably take 7- 8 schools to make it work and a lot would depend on what happens with the AAC and Temple and Navy but I could see them playing each other for 6-7 games and filling out the schedules with lower FBS and Eastern FCS schools. If Army, UMass and UConn can create a schedule of 11 or 12 games right now, I think an East Indy group could pull it off for 5-6 “OOC” games. If it were to happen, I don’t think HC would be involved.
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Post by matunuck on Sept 5, 2021 8:36:03 GMT -5
Anyone have a ballpark estimate of how much UCONN would “save” annually by going FCS?
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Post by mm67 on Sept 5, 2021 8:45:32 GMT -5
ND does not schedule FCS opponents. They recognize it is not supportive of their brand to play teams from the FCS. Also, much to their credit ND sees no value in feasting off inferior teams. If ND is the best then why not play against the best. Play like champions. Act like champions. Cheer, Cheer...
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Post by trimster on Sept 5, 2021 8:46:29 GMT -5
Anyone have a ballpark estimate of how much UCONN would “save” annually by going FCS? Just curious, if they were to go FCS, does UConn still have a football stadium on campus. I can’t see them playing at the Rent if they are 1AA.
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Post by sader1970 on Sept 5, 2021 8:49:52 GMT -5
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Post by sader1970 on Sept 5, 2021 8:51:35 GMT -5
Was told by a UConn insider that the old on-campus stadium was torn down and replaced by the basketball practice and training facility.
Here's a pdf of the Storrs campus map:
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/viewer.html?pdfurl=https%3A%2F%2Fuconn.edu%2Fcontent%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F03%2F11X17-PrintedMap-MAR_15_2021.pdf&chunk=true
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Sept 5, 2021 8:58:29 GMT -5
The implosion of the Big East as a FB conference, and both Conn and Mass' inability to read the tea leaves correctly on such is why they both are in the dismal situation they are.
UMass games were great in the CAA era. Good clubs, good crowds, good regional games, 1AA title in '98, runner-up in '06. Positioned themselves to use Bob Kraft's influence to try to get in the BE after joining the MAC to get their foot in the 1A door, and the the BE blew up.
Isn't a 1A conference in the country that would take either as a stand-alone FB member, and impossible to remain a indy much longer playing either schools no cares to see orgetting paid to get your ass kicked; and winning 1-2 games a season if lucky.
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Post by gks on Sept 5, 2021 9:07:18 GMT -5
UConn and UMass are in college football limbo. Neither will ever go back to FCS. Too much investment.
Only hope for them is with the coming conference shakeups the ACC implode. Could happen if the Big Ten lures a couple of schools away to counter the SEC getting Oklahoma and Texas.
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Post by DFW HOYA on Sept 5, 2021 9:10:51 GMT -5
Anyone have a ballpark estimate of how much UCONN would “save” annually by going FCS? UConn's current P/L is $12 million in revenues (tickets, TV, guarantee games) vs. $16 million in expenses (scholarships, coaches, travel). Let's assume payments on Rentschler Field is covered by the state. A drop to I-AA cuts expenses to probably $6 million (e.g., not paying a head coach $1.5 million, regional travel, 22 fewer scholarships). But the revenues drop under $1 million (assuming attendance drops by two-thirds, no more than one guarantee game per year, no CBS Sports Network contract, no other appearances on ESPN). UConn essentially becomes UNH playing in the optics of a desolate 40,000 seat stadium. It's not quite a wash but as anyone in the PL will tell you if they were honest about it, there's no major upside in FCS if you can play at the next level.
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