Thanks fellas, GL.
Connecticut<!--*-->
INSIDE SLANT<!--*-->
UConn has must-win game at Louisville<!--*-->
When the Huskies take the field on Saturday, the national attention will be on the home team. Louisville, with its 4-1 record in the Big East, needs a win to set up a Thanksgiving title-determining showdown with Rutgers.
But the game is no less important for Paul Pasqualoni's crew. For Connecticut to avoid going bowl-less for the second season in a row, it needs wins in both of its remaining games, which means it will need to win Saturday and again on Dec. 1 against Cincinnati.
And for that to happen, a lot of pressure will be on the UConn offense to finally reach its potential when it matters most.
The offense, statistically, is in the bottom 20 percent of the NCAA. Contrary to preseason expectations, the issue isn't so much the passing game. Though Chandler Whitmer has been turnover prone, he's done a good job moving the ball through the air, and the Huskies average 233.6 yards per game -- not great, but right around the midway point among the 120 Division I teams.
But the running game was expected to be the strength, with Lyle McCombs back in the backfield and a mobile quarterback in Scott McCummings as a change of pace. McCombs finished with 1,151 yards on the ground a year ago, but has just 667 with two games left in 2012.
Making this more critical is that Louisville is the top-scoring team in the Big East at 33.2 points per game. The Cardinals have a top quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater, and have had a week of to prepare for the Huskies. While Connecticut's defense has been very good for much of the season, the offense is still going to have to go into the game with an attacking mindset to score the points it will likely need to win.
NOTES, QUOTES<!--*-->
--Nick Williams has been named one of four finalists for the Pop Warner National College Football Award. It goes to a Pop Warner alumnus for making the biggest difference on the field, in the classroom and in his community.
--The Big East announced its division alignments for 2013, and the Huskies will be in the East Division along with Cincinnati, Louisville, Rutgers, South Florida, and newcomer Central Florida. However, Rutgers is reportedly in talks to join the Big Ten, so stay tuned.
--Connecticut has really struggled in the second half over the past month. Over the past five games, it has been outscored 76-3 after intermission.
SERIES HISTORY: Louisville leads Connecticut 5-3 (Last meeting: 2011, 34-20 Louisville)
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Connecticut has talked about this for weeks, but getting the running game back on track is huge. There were positive signs in the victory over Pittsburgh, particularly since Lyle McCombs looked to be running the ball with more confidence. The Cardinals love to use pressure, so the onus will also be on the offensive line to give Chandler Whitmer a chance to set up and throw without getting knocked on his back.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Connecticut is one of the best defenses in the country in yards allowed, but all too often the Huskies have broken at the worst possible times, whether through poor decision-making or a lack of execution. It's going to be challenged by the mobility of Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who's quick enough to avoid pressure and is deadly when given too much time to throw.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm not here to say we've done a great job on offense. I don't believe we have. I've been disappointed, and it eats away at you. I get it. I can't sit here and tell you we've done a fabulous job since I got here, because we haven't offensively." -- Connecticut offensive coordinator George DeLeone told the Hartford Courant.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL<!--*-->
THIS WEEK'S GAME: Connecticut at Louisville, Nov. 24 -- There's a lot of stake for both teams in this one. The Cardinals need a win to stay in the Big East title hunt, while the Huskies have to come away with a victory to keep its bowl hopes alive.
KEYS TO THE GAME: Winning the battles in the trenches is critical. The Huskies offensive line is banged up and has been inconsistent, but is going to have to have its best game of the season against a Louisville team that is very good defensively. Meanwhile, the defense will be charged with shutting down the run and not giving Teddy Bridgewater room to maneuver in the pocket.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
RB Lyle McCombs -- The sophomore had a big game against Pittsburgh, rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. If that momentum continues into this week's game against Louisville, the Huskies have a real shot at an upset.
P Cole Wagner -- Punters aren't very often noticed, but Wagner has been quietly effective for the Huskies. He's knocked 23 punts inside the 20 through the season's first 10 games, and this Huskies team really counts on winning the field position battles to compensate for its lack of offensive punch.
LB Yawim Smallwood -- Smallwood is by far the team's leading tackler, averaging 10 per game. The Louisville game may be decided by how often he and Sio Moore can get into the backfield and disrupt the Cardinals offense.
ROSTER REPORT
--DE Trevardo Williams dinged his shoulder against Pittsburgh, but should be ready to face Louisville this weekend.
--DE E.J. Norris is still battling a shoulder injury and is unlikely to play.
