Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but if there's anybody who expects to see a completely different looking offensive approach when UConn takes to the field Saturday night, that simply is not going to be the case.

The nasty weather prevented UConn from holding its normal Tuesday luncheon but head coach Paul Pasqualoni, quarterback Chandler Whitmer as well as linebackers Yawin Smallwood and Jory Johnson were made available courtesy of a conference call hookup.

Pasqualoni said the focus is on executing the blocks and running the plays better rather than to change the entire offensive philosophy even with an extra week to prepare for the USF game.


“I don’t think after eight games you change everything you do,” Pasqualoni said. “That is not easy to do. We’ve been really, really close in a lot of these games. It has been one thing here and one thing there. I just look for greater efficiency and not turning the ball over, not getting behind, not giving up plays in the kicking game. I don’t think you can start to make wholesale changes at this point.”


The day after a humbling 40-10 loss at Syracuse when the Huskies lost more yards on the ground then they gained, Pasqualoni hinted that he may look to streamline the offensive play calling a little bit. That may still be the case and perhaps he doesn’t want to come out and alert South Florida which running plays the Huskies will be looking to rely on but Pasqualoni made it seem as if status quo will reign once again.

“We have so many runs in our offense. We’ve got power schemes, we’ve got counter schemes, we’ve got gap schemes, and we’ve got trap schemes,: Pasqualoni said. "We have all of those schemes. We are just trying to work on the efficiency of getting those things blocked and getting plays executed. That is really where our focus is.”

Whitmer said he has seen progress during in practice and he is hoping it translates to more continuity when the Huskies attempt to run the ball.

“In the practices that we had in the bye week, I have definitely seen improvements up front,” Whitmer said. “People are flying around and hopefully know what they are doing a little better and be able to execute at a high level. We are trying to simulate the game speed with the scout team and they are doing a good job as well. It is just a matter of continuing to do that and taking it down to Tampa with us.

"What’s best about those guys is that they are all just doing their job," Whitmer said. "Steve Green has been doing a good job making the calls all year. I know Gus is going to step in and do a good job up front for us. I just hope these guys can bring it together and enjoy playing with each other. I think that will show on the field and we have been doing a good job with that in practice. It is just a matter of those guys getting on the same page and I think they will do that."