As the quarterback position thins out for UConn after Casey Cochran decided to hang up his cleats for good, the “next man up” mentality is in full swing in East Hartford. Perhaps even deeper than expected.
Chandler Whitmer, a senior, threw for two touchdowns and 209 yards with two interceptions — one that went for six the other way — in a 38-21 loss to Boise State on Saturday.
Backup quarterback Tim Boyle also had his number called. Head coach Bob Diaco had voiced his desire to keep Boyle redshirted through the season, but he showed no hesitance in playing him in the first half of the contest now that everyone has moved up a notch on the depth chart.
Boyle played limited snaps and finished 6-of-9 with 33 yards. It may be a small sample size, but the ball seemed to come out of Boyle’s hand swiftly and with more zip than what UConn has seen out of Whitmer.
The sophomore quarterback did not throw a touchdown pass last year in 133 attempts, but he did give up seven interceptions in the four conference games he played last season.
With conference play on the horizon for the Huskies, the team prepares for their first road game against USF.
South Florida was the opponent for Boyle’s first career collegiate start, when he went 15-of-43 for 149 yards with no scores or turnovers in UConn’s first game in the post-Pasqualoni era. A 35 percent completion rate isn’t pretty, but it was the lone game where Boyle did not commit a turnover and had positive rushing yards.
Note: Whitmer did start against USF in 2012 and went 24-of-38 with 284 yards and two interceptions, but both teams are much different than the meeting two years ago. The Huskies lost that game by six points.
The game that Boyle started in last year’s campaign was decided by just three points, but the UConn defense did not give up a touchdown to the USF offense. It’s safe to say that revenge is on the minds of Boyle and company.
Make what you will of his turnover-to-touchdown ratio, but expect Boyle to see increased playing time as the season goes on. Diaco often praises the future of the team and how excited he is about the 2015 season and beyond.
Now that the redshirt has come off, Boyle should compete for starting reps alongside Whitmer. The Middlefield, CT product has “top-flight tangible traits,” according to Diaco in a press conference.
The area of focus will still be driving the offense down the field, specifically communication with his teammates.
UConn’s conference schedule is manageable with South Florida, Temple and Tulane up first, but Diaco’s team will need every extra day it has to prepare for East Carolina in a Thursday night matchup in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium — where the Pirates haven’t lost since Week 3 of last season.
By then we could very well see Boyle with an increased role in the offense, possibly even as the new starter if Whitmer cannot lead UConn to an even 3-3 record.
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