UConn’s Long, Strange Trip Continues With 21-0 Loss To Temple

After the most recent debacle, a 21-0 whitewashing by Temple, the UConn
Huskies now get a week to regroup and prepare for Boston College.

Photo By Bill Harper

And this is why they blew up The Big East?

The Connecticut Huskies put on their most dismal display in this season that has devolved into season only a fan of existential literature can truly appreciate with an embarrassing 21-0 loss to the Temple Owls before a disconcerting crowd of an announced crowd of 22,316 (not even close) at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field and a national television audience on ESPN2 on Friday night.

How bad was this loss? Consider the following:

* The Huskies gained just eight first downs, juxtaposed to the Owls’ 22.
* Temple gained 216 yards on the ground, vs. just 91 for Connecticut (66 coming from QB Donovan Williams—most of them the result of the freshman running for his live. Williams was sacked five times in the game).
* The Owls outgained the Huskies in total offense, 206 yards to 53. In the first quarter.
* Temple reached paydirt on its first three possessions, giving the Owls 21-0 lead—which was all the scoring this game would see.

Now consider this: The Huskies are in full panic mode.

Last week against East Carolina, UConn head coach Bob Diaco yanked starting quarterback and team captain Bryant Shireffs late in the game—a dismal 41-3 thrashing at East Carolina, replacing him with Williams. This week, he started Williams, the 6-4, 215-lb. freshman from Dumfries, Va. (The game plan going into the season was to redshirt Williams, and preserve four years of eligibility. So much for that. Diaco and his staff are willing to sacrifice a year of this kid’s eligibility—when he assumedly would be at the top of his game—for what? To salvage what has become a season that has taken on the attributes of Dante’s decent into hell? Ain’t happening, folks.)

Temple opened the scoring beginning with a 32-yard pass-catch play from quarterback Phillip Walker to wideout Jahad Thomas down the right sideline to the Husky 23. That set the stage for a 23-yard scoring pass to Thomas on the very next play. 7-0 Owls. And the fat lady started to sing…

The Owls doubled the lead on their next possession—a three-play, 55-yard touchdown drive highlighted by a 44-yard pass-and-run play from Walker to Ventell Bryant, and culminated with a 10-yard scoring pass to Thomas. Fourteen-zip.

After a blocked 35-yard field goal attempt by UConn’s Bobby Puyol (arguably the Huskies’ MVP, certainly on the offensive side), the Owls went on a six-play, 77-yard drive ending with an 18-yard scoring pass from Walker to Romond Deloatch. The kick by Aaron Boumerhi (who was 3-for-3 in PATs) was good to make 21-0, Rutgers.

Game over. Literally.

And believe it or not, it could have been much worse. Only two picks by UConn's safety Obi Melifonwu in the Temple end zone spared UConn from a 35-0 loss. At home. Three-quarters of the way into the season.

The Owls, who achieved bowl eligibility last week, improved to 5-1 in The American Athletic Conference, 7-3 overall. The Huskies, meanwhile, dropped to 1-6 in conference play, and 3-7 overall. The loss—UConn’s fourth straight—officially eliminated the Huskies from any postseason bowl consideration.

Williams completed 12 of 21 passes for 69 yards in his first start. He also rushed for 66. With all due respect, a +3 pass-to-rush ratio from a team not running a Wishbone offense (or any variation thereof) against a good team—but one that will never be mistaken for Ohio State or Alabama—does not bode well. Indeed, the Huskies (3-7, 1-5) have lost four straight.

Friday night’s game marked the debut of new Husky offensive coordinator David Corley, who assumedly was a key figure on pulling the trigger on the switch from Shireffs to Williams. That move turned out to fix nothing in an offensive unit totally devoid of fire (not to mention touchdowns for the past two games).

“Me as a new quarterback, and Coach Corley as a new offensive coordinator—we still have a lot to learn,” said Williams in the postgame Husky locker room. “But he and I are going to grow stronger over the years, and the offense is going to get a lot better. I’m excited for the last three games, just to finish up the season strong and learn as much as I can.”

The Huskies’ season began to unravel early in the season when they dropped two close games in three weeks—to Navy and Syracuse—with both games ending on their opponents’ 1-yard line. The Huskies’ time management was questioned in both games, and ultimately may have contributed to the benching of Shireffs, and the demotion of offensive coordinator Frank Verducci, who worked with Diaco when they were both assistants at Notre Dame, but now works with tight ends and XXXs.

The spike came in last week’s dismantling by East Carolina, a 3-7 team. Now, after the loss to Rutgers, all hopes for a postseason bowl appearance have officially vanished for Husky Nation.

“I’m sad for our seniors,” said Diaco, who seems to be redefining the word “apoplectic” on a weekly basis. “They made an investment and worked hard to not have to be home for Christmas. Based on our record right now, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

“These are good guys and our culture is strong,” continued Diaco. “They love each other and they work. They show up positive.”

Diaco went on to say that the Huskies’ problems are “fixable” sounding vaguely reminiscent of David Carradine's character, Grasshopper, in the classic '70s TV show, Kung Fu. He is talking about a team that has not scored a single touchdown against middle-tier competition in their past two games, after all.

“The answers are there but the team needs a break. They know we still have exciting match-ups to finish the season and a lot to play for. We have a game on the road against an ACC opponent against a team that’s very important to the people of the state, the team and the University. It’s a big game and an exciting game at Boston College.”

If only BC (or Pittsburgh, or Syracuse) could be a conference game for UConn—in the Atlantic Coast Conference—but is a discussion for another time.

“The team tried hard today,” surmised Diaco. “We fought hard and continued to strain and there is so much to clean up. UConn Nation, I am there with you. We are in lock step. I don’t see it any differently than you see it; we are on the same page.”

Maybe it’s just the cynic in me, but does Diaco sound like a prisoner captured by a band of rogue pirates walking off the plank in the middle of a stormy sea?

Without the ACC as a viable option, in this reporter’s humble opinion, Connecticut’s best path going forward would be to join the Big East in all sports besides football (which, of course, is not a Big East sport), and then play football wherever a conference will take them (including staying put in The American—if The American would allow this scenario). It would challenge the Huskies in men’s basketball (the women’s program has no challengers so far as the eye can see), and would reduce travel costs in all the non-revenue-generating sports. And if The American says ‘Hit the road, Jack!” the Huskies would be best served by playing as an independent in football in the short term, then downgrading the program to FBS status, and joining The Big East in all other sports for the reasons stated previously.

The Huskies now get a week off to try and regroup before heading to Chestnut Hill where they will take on 4-5 Boston College. But besides the long-standing rivalry between the two schools, the Eagles will have plenty to play for after having been spanked at home, 52-7, by the No. 7 Louisville Cardinals yesterday. No TV for this one, but the game will be broadcast live on the UConn/IMG radio network, and on WEEI 850 AM.