Connecticut 13, Virginia 10
Man, I was hoping to not have to write about many heartbreakers this year.
I kind of called it in my prediction, with a three-point loss, but I was high on the score prediction of 31-28. What really makes it a heartbreaker, though, is that Virginia got off to a fast start and led 10-0, the defense played easily its best game of the year, and then some mismanagement by the coaching staff spoiled a game-winning, then game-tying situation.
For whatever reason, UVa's offense struggled mightily after building its 10-point lead, but finally ventured into the red zone on the game's final possession. After a spectacular fourth-down conversion on a connection from Kurt Benkert to Keeon Johnson got the Wahoos down to the 10-yard line, Virginia had four plays and no timeouts with about 47 seconds left to win or tie.
After a first-down run by Albert Reid to the 5-and-a-half-yard line, Benkert spiked the ball with 27 seconds left. That seems like a lot to go off for just one run play. Virginia needs to be more ready there to clock the ball if that is what you're going to do. On third down, Virginia tried a QB draw with Benkert, getting down to about the 2. The Cavaliers then had to rush their players on to the field with 20 seconds left after the
completion of the run to try a field goal. The kick was missed wide left by new kicker Alex Furbank.
After the game, the staff said they had practiced a rushed field goal throughout the week and it worked fine. With the real pressure on in the game, though, it failed. Furbank was in his first football game and you can only blame him so much. The playcalling, though, is the real issue. Once you are at the 10, with no timeouts, I would've taken three shots to the end zone and then kicked on fourth down if I hadn't scored. That way, the clock would also be stopped, and the kick team can be more leisurely getting prepared for the kick. The first-down run wasn't too bad, but then after the spike, the third-down play almost has to be a pass to the end zone to allow enough time for a comfortable field goal. Once you get to the 20-second mark, I think it is tough to then do a run play and be OK with getting a field goal off. And on second down, why not run a quick pass with the defense on its heels? Make sure it gets to the end zone, and then if it is incomplete, there will still be about 10 seconds left for a third-down play. The staff hoped to kind of surprise UConn with the QB run, I think, and it just didn't work. If you look at the replay, there seems to be more room to the left and if Benkert had ran that way, he might've scored.
Would've, could've, should've. In the end, the way the game ended felt like several of the management blunders under Mike London, and that is a bad thing. However, it is still only three games into the tenure of Bronco Mendenhall, so there is plenty of time for him and his assistants to turn things around. But that one hurt, and moreso because the win was on a silver platter early with a fast start, and at the end with the game-winning TD in sight. It is one thing to lose a close game, which is what I predicted, but it is worse when it seems like the win was given away.
Man, I was hoping to not have to write about many heartbreakers this year.
I kind of called it in my prediction, with a three-point loss, but I was high on the score prediction of 31-28. What really makes it a heartbreaker, though, is that Virginia got off to a fast start and led 10-0, the defense played easily its best game of the year, and then some mismanagement by the coaching staff spoiled a game-winning, then game-tying situation.
For whatever reason, UVa's offense struggled mightily after building its 10-point lead, but finally ventured into the red zone on the game's final possession. After a spectacular fourth-down conversion on a connection from Kurt Benkert to Keeon Johnson got the Wahoos down to the 10-yard line, Virginia had four plays and no timeouts with about 47 seconds left to win or tie.
After a first-down run by Albert Reid to the 5-and-a-half-yard line, Benkert spiked the ball with 27 seconds left. That seems like a lot to go off for just one run play. Virginia needs to be more ready there to clock the ball if that is what you're going to do. On third down, Virginia tried a QB draw with Benkert, getting down to about the 2. The Cavaliers then had to rush their players on to the field with 20 seconds left after the
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| Junior DE Andrew Brown had a great game against UConn, the best of his career, with six sacks, 3.5 for loss, a sack, and a fumble recovery. |
After the game, the staff said they had practiced a rushed field goal throughout the week and it worked fine. With the real pressure on in the game, though, it failed. Furbank was in his first football game and you can only blame him so much. The playcalling, though, is the real issue. Once you are at the 10, with no timeouts, I would've taken three shots to the end zone and then kicked on fourth down if I hadn't scored. That way, the clock would also be stopped, and the kick team can be more leisurely getting prepared for the kick. The first-down run wasn't too bad, but then after the spike, the third-down play almost has to be a pass to the end zone to allow enough time for a comfortable field goal. Once you get to the 20-second mark, I think it is tough to then do a run play and be OK with getting a field goal off. And on second down, why not run a quick pass with the defense on its heels? Make sure it gets to the end zone, and then if it is incomplete, there will still be about 10 seconds left for a third-down play. The staff hoped to kind of surprise UConn with the QB run, I think, and it just didn't work. If you look at the replay, there seems to be more room to the left and if Benkert had ran that way, he might've scored.
Would've, could've, should've. In the end, the way the game ended felt like several of the management blunders under Mike London, and that is a bad thing. However, it is still only three games into the tenure of Bronco Mendenhall, so there is plenty of time for him and his assistants to turn things around. But that one hurt, and moreso because the win was on a silver platter early with a fast start, and at the end with the game-winning TD in sight. It is one thing to lose a close game, which is what I predicted, but it is worse when it seems like the win was given away.
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