A few notes and quotes from the Michigan-UConn post game.
Obviously not a good start for the Huskies in what many thought could be their BCS year.
– The defense was awful, though facing Pat White Denard Robinson might not be easy for anyone this year.
Robinson ran for 197 yards and threw for 186. He threw only three incomplete passes.
“I’m not saying that he’s Pat White,” UConn coach Randy Edsall said of Robinson. “Pat was pretty good. But with time I think this young man will have a chance to be a very, very good quarterback.”
Robinson’s rushing total was the most ever by a Michigan quarterback in one game. Steve Smith held the old record, running for 147 yards (on just four carries) against Minnesota Nov. 12, 1983.
– The UConn offense wasn’t a whole lot better than the D.
Three 3-and-outs on their first four drives. Lots of drops and one big fumble by D.J. Shoemate.
“I’m sure it took a little steam out of us,” Edsall said. “They’re human. We had a chance to go down seven points. Now you say ‘OK, let’s see if we can go and stop them.’ That was big. That was big in the ball game, there’s no question about that.”
– WR Michael Smith was all over the place Saturday _ in a good and bad way.
Before the game he collided with teammate Jerome Junior during a simple drill. Smith had the wind knocked out of him, but it looked even worse at first.
“That was bad,” Smith said. “I was just going to catch the ball and ‘Pow!’ I was like ‘What the (heck) happened?’ My stomach hurt and I was like ‘I can’t breathe.’ ”
Smith caught a 47-yard pass (after four bobbles) to set up UConn’s only touchdown but also dropped one at the 2-yard line in the first quarter that would have led to points.
“I had my hands on it,” Smith said. “I probably could have closed the elbows. I had my hands on it but the backside safety came in and jarred the ball loose. That’s a catch I’m supposed to make.”
– As for the drops (Kashif Moore had at least one, Isiah Moore had one, Smith had one or two), QB Zach Frazer took the blame.
“I hold every drop on me. I can take credit for that,” Frazer said. “Some of the passes I threw were a little left, a little right. I’m disappointed if it’s not on their chest, in their hands exactly. I’ll take that on me.”
– On the injury front we’re a little in the dark.
LB Scott Lutrus didn’t play for most of the second half, seemingly hurting his shoulder again. (He also didn’t play for a long stretch in the first half when the Huskies went to the nickel defense but that didn’t seem injury-related).
Edsall refused to talk about injuries after the game.
TE Ryan Griffin (leg) didn’t start but did appear in a few offensive plays and on some special teams. John Delahunt started in his place.
DE Trevardo Williams had to be helped off the field at one point Saturday, though it’s not clear what his injury was.
– QB/WR Leon Kinnard played both of his positions in his debut. He had one run (out of the Wildcat) for two yards. He didn’t catch a pass.
As a wideout Kinnard also appeared to miss a check (audible) from Frazer in the third quarter. Not sure what the play would have been but it didn’t look routine.
– UConn is now 2-1 against Big Ten teams … Edsall’s career record is now 66-66 … UConn is 7-2 in openers since joining Division I-A … Rich Rodriguez is 5-0 (most of them REALLY easy) against UConn.
- Neill
