What's goin' on?

Freshman Michael Nebrich, an athletically gifted freshman quarterback from Virginia, was in the running for the starting job in the spring and preseason but fell out of after about four weeks into the season.

The Huskies have been rolling with junior walk-on Johnny McEntee (116 of 222 1,409 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions) who has started every game and has had his share of struggles moving the team down field, especially getting into the end zone from the red zone.

That's actually been a disaster.

Scott McCummings, the redshirt freshman who like Nebrich is a dual threat talent, has a package of plays to be productive in the way he can and, has been doing well.

McCummings has completed 4 of 7 for 135 yards with half of his completions going for touchdowns. He has rushed for 125 yards on 40 carries with a score. He really threw Pitt (3x23 rushing 1x1x9 passing) off balance when he was in the game last week.

These two appear to be the guys UConn is going to roll with: McEntee because he's a straight passer in a pro-style offense the coaches want to run and McCummings (6-2, 218) offers a variety but power and strength, too.

I asked UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni what was up with Nebrich today though and we'll get to that in a minute.

I also asked Scott McCummings how Nebrich was doing.

No surprises...

"He's staying positive," McCummings said during the weekly media session at the Burton Complex today."I'm sure we're all still approaching everything the same exact way. We all just want to get better. That's the main goal. Whoever plays that's the coach's decision. We can only do what's within our power you know? But he's OK."

And here's Pasqualoni today 

 

 

Big East commissioner John Marinatto released the following statement upon the conclusion of the presidents' meeting in Philadelphia on Tuesday:

JOHN MARINATTO COMMENTS AFTER BIG EAST PRESIDENTS MEETING

PHILADELPHIA, November 1, 2011 - John Marinatto, Commissioner of the BIG EAST Conference, issued the following statement after the annual meeting of the BIG EAST Conference Presidents. "We had a very productive meeting and were able to discuss the great progress we have made in the last few weeks regarding conference realignment.

"Our Presidents voted unanimously to extend invitations to specific institutions, including both football-only and all-sport members to join the BIG EAST Conference.  I will be speaking to representatives of those schools shortly and look forward to announcing with them their acceptance into the BIG EAST. The addition of these members will extend our reach, bring us to exciting new markets, strengthen our status within the  BCS, and lay the foundation for possible further expansion, all while maintaining the high quality and standards our Conference is known for.

"In light of the lawsuit filed by West Virginia yesterday, the Presidents also discussed and confirmed our continuing commitment to enforce the Conference's 27-month notification period for schools choosing to leave. The Conference believes these claims to be wholly without merit and will explore all its legal options to protect its interests and to ensure that West Virginia lives up to its obligations."

 

West Virginia to make a mess before it leaves. Smart? Not.

 

JOHN MARINATTO COMMENTS ON WVU LAWSUIT
PROVIDENCE,

October 31, 2011 -- John Marinatto, Commissioner of the Big East, issued the following statement in response to the news that West Virginia has filed a lawsuit to leave the conference prior to the 27-month period specified in the Big East bylaws.
 
"We are disappointed that West Virginia has adopted this strategy and cannot imagine why it believes it does not have to respect and honor the bylaws it agreed to as a member of the Big East.  Based on an initial review of the lawsuit, it is clear that the allegations and claims in it are false and inaccurate.  Certainly there is nothing in it that would justify WVU's not fulfilling its obligations.  To put it simply, a contract is a contract. 
 
"Once we have reviewed the filing, we will explore all our legal options and will act vigorously to ensure that WVU lives up to all its obligations to our conference. In the meantime, this lawsuit will not interfere in any way with our ongoing efforts to strengthen and expand the Big East."

Click the play button and join in our weekly UConn football beat writer's chat with The Courant's Desmond Conner. The session is live at 10:30 a.m. and Des is along from 11 a.m. to noon. Chat On Mobile

 

Here's a statement from the Big 12 on West Virginia joining its conference...

followed by a statement from the Big East on West Virginia Leaving...

Statement from Commissioner John Marinatto on the departure of West Virginia:

 "This move by West Virginia does not come as a surprise.  League officials, members of our conference and the candidate schools to whom we have been talking were aware of this possibility.  We have taken West Virginia's possible departure into account as we have moved forward with our own realignment plans.  West Virginia is fully aware that the Big East Conference is committed to enforcing the 27-month notification period for members who choose to leave the conference.  We are confident that in the coming weeks we will complete our own realignment program, adding a number of high-quality members to remain among the top conferences in both football and basketball."

Let's get at it ...

Offense

Line: The Huskies got five yards a pop on the ground from Lyle McCombs and could have been a little bit better in their protection of quarterback Johnny McEntee. He was sacked six times but it was hardly all on them. Doesn't it seem like McEntee steps into the pressure? A couple of those sacks were on him for that and holding the ball too long again. C minus

Quarterback: McEntee (17 of 33, 193 yards, 2 TD) badly needs to work on his footwork and pocket presence first and foremost. It's also a miracle he wasn't intercepted three times. He wasn't intercepted at all. That was on the Pitt defense though because McEntee put a couple right in its hands. On one, he threw an out pattern, the ball went inside and should have been a Pick 6 for Pitt but...You have to give McEntee credit for a productive second half.  A change is needed at quarterback but just listening to Pasqualoni talk about the quarterback situation today it's clear the staff believes McEntee is the best the team has for what it wants to do. So...increase the McCummings package - at least D

Running back: Nice job L-Boogie - 125 yards on 24 carries for Lyle McCombs A 

Receivers/tight end: Surely, hoping for a better finish to the season for Kasif Moore (6x106). The young man is ready, willing and able to help this team win games. He needs to get the pill more as does Isiah Moore who had one catch for 11 yards last night. Tight end Ryan Griffin caught four for 44 but he could have - and should have - had more. C

Defense

Line, linebacker, corners, safeties: Tino Sunseri looked too good last night and not just throwing the ball. he scrambled, ran and broke ankles too. Pitt rang up 529 yards, a season high and Sunseri's passing yaards were a career-high and Heinz Field collegitae record, too? This defense is 100 times better than it showed last night: F

Special teams: This unit - the whole unit just needs become more of a factor in games now because it doesn't look like the Huskies are equipped enough to do what they need to do on offense. Field position, returns, field goals, they're huge for this team now. Huge. Could have been more of a factor last night: C

Coaching; Boy did Pitt expose some weaknessess, particualrly around the linebacker area where the receivers had great success catching the ball and turning them into big play plays. Nice job by Todd Graham and the Pitt staff. On a lot of those the Huskies just weren't there to make the play or, were a step slow to make it. I'm not sure what Paul Pasqualoni could have adjusted there because it is what it is. Don't know about the QB decision, though. D

What's goin on some thoughts from UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni today following the Huskies 35-20 loss to Pitt at Heinz Field last night.

The report card is coming shortly but lets hear from the head coach first particularly on the quarterback situation (Johnny McEntee is still your starter) and on what happened with the defense giving up so much to the Panthers.

The Huskies are 3-5, 1-2 in Big East and in jeopardy of their bowl streak stopping at four this season if the ship doesn't immediately get righted.

They don't play again until Nov.5 (Syracuse) so they should be getting to work.

On Scott McCummings and playing more: "This is really the second week in a row when Scotty has gone in the game and clearly has been a productive part of the game for us," Pasqualoni said. "You know, sometimes, some of that is based on how the game is going, how many points you're down, how many points you're up, that type of thing. I think if we could have kept it maybe at a one score game we may have seen a little bit more of Scott.

"Sometimes when you get down a couple of scores you just in your heart feel to get back in it you might have to be in a little bit more of a drop-back mode than a run-it mode. I think those things, the conditions of the game, the climate, what you're up against, the time on the clock, all that stuff I think it comes into it but we're certainly going to continue the development of Scotty McCummings."

 

 

Q: Dez you wanted McCummings at the start of the year, well you were right, the eyeball test shows you are right, the reason we loose faith in HCPP is that he can't freaking see that you are right and we all can!!!!!! - Kevin, WL CT

A:I don't know Kevin. I thought he was going to be the guy because he looked good running the option, throwing it, plus he's a big boy (6-2, 221). Remember though, I was pretty high on Michael Nebrich as well. When preseason camp broke my feeling was that they were going to go with Johnny McEntee until Nebrich got his feet under him and then he would be the guy come Big East play. Obviously wrong about that one. Just to see how it goes, I'd like to see McCummings start against Syracuse; want to see Nebrich play for sure because that kid's got some "stuff" about him I really, really like beginning with his zest to win.