Editor’s Note: This is part two of an eight part series giving analysis of each of the eight teams in the Big East Football Conference, proceeding alphabetically, but ending with Syracuse. Two new teams will be released each weekday for the next four days, leading up to the start of the Syracuse Football season. Feel free to use the comment section to supplement the facts and analysis presented, however the opinions will stand. Enjoy and I hope you are looking forward to the new Big East football season as much as I am. Part 1 can be found here.
Connecticut
Preview – Connecticut had the best defense in the Big East last season, limiting teams to 278 yards per game, good for sixth best in the nation. Their offense was Jekyll and Hyde last season, with an excellent rushing attack, and a mediocre passing attack that threw a ton of interceptions. RB Donald Brown is no longer on UConn however, so UConn will look to capitalize on the slight success of QB Zach Fraser (46/83, 536yds, 2 TD, 6 INT, sacked 4 times) last season. UConn’s offensive line was almost perfect last season, but they have lost one of their best players in Mike Hicks. Clearly the defense is the strength of this UConn team, therefore if teams can score with relative ease, this team should be easy to beat. The success of the team rests mainly on the decision making ability of Fraser, as he does not have a stud back to rely on to stretch the defenses like last season.
Key Returning Players – LB Scott Lutrus, FS Robert Vaughn, LB Lawrence Wilson
Key Losses – RB Donald Brown, OT Will Beatty, QB Tyler Lorenzen
My Thoughts – This is a good team with an excellent defense. However, the pick happy offense really hurts this team’s chances at wins. Defenses, if even slightly talented, should easily handle the Connecticut offense, unless Fraser has greatly improved his decision making out of thin air. This team can win unexpected games by scoring points off turnovers, but that could be difficult if the defense doesn’t score outright. This team should finish in the bottom half of the conference and I don’t think a bowl game is in the Huskies’ cards this year.
Will We Beat Them? – This is Syracuse’s last game of the season at Rentschler Field, a place Syracuse has never won in. While I would like to think that Syracuse will experience success for the first time there, I just do not have confidence for Syracuse to take this game in the weather just yet. But as we know, Syracuse loves playing the spoiler late in the season. Who knows, at this point Syracuse may need this game to get to six wins. Anything can happen, and an upset win would not shock me terribly, but the safe play is to say we will get another loss to Connecticut in East Hartford. Enjoy it while you can UConn.
Preview – Connecticut had the best defense in the Big East last season, limiting teams to 278 yards per game, good for sixth best in the nation. Their offense was Jekyll and Hyde last season, with an excellent rushing attack, and a mediocre passing attack that threw a ton of interceptions. RB Donald Brown is no longer on UConn however, so UConn will look to capitalize on the slight success of QB Zach Fraser (46/83, 536yds, 2 TD, 6 INT, sacked 4 times) last season. UConn’s offensive line was almost perfect last season, but they have lost one of their best players in Mike Hicks. Clearly the defense is the strength of this UConn team, therefore if teams can score with relative ease, this team should be easy to beat. The success of the team rests mainly on the decision making ability of Fraser, as he does not have a stud back to rely on to stretch the defenses like last season.
Key Returning Players – LB Scott Lutrus, FS Robert Vaughn, LB Lawrence Wilson
Key Losses – RB Donald Brown, OT Will Beatty, QB Tyler Lorenzen
My Thoughts – This is a good team with an excellent defense. However, the pick happy offense really hurts this team’s chances at wins. Defenses, if even slightly talented, should easily handle the Connecticut offense, unless Fraser has greatly improved his decision making out of thin air. This team can win unexpected games by scoring points off turnovers, but that could be difficult if the defense doesn’t score outright. This team should finish in the bottom half of the conference and I don’t think a bowl game is in the Huskies’ cards this year.
Will We Beat Them? – This is Syracuse’s last game of the season at Rentschler Field, a place Syracuse has never won in. While I would like to think that Syracuse will experience success for the first time there, I just do not have confidence for Syracuse to take this game in the weather just yet. But as we know, Syracuse loves playing the spoiler late in the season. Who knows, at this point Syracuse may need this game to get to six wins. Anything can happen, and an upset win would not shock me terribly, but the safe play is to say we will get another loss to Connecticut in East Hartford. Enjoy it while you can UConn.
Labels: 2009 Big East Football Prospectus, Big East, Football
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