UConn Football Keys to Victory Against Buffalo Bulls
The UConn football team will embark upon a contest against the Buffalo Bulls away from home in what should be an exciting game.
UConn is currently 2-2 on the season with losses to Syracuse and Delaware and wins over Central Connecticut and Ball State. The Huskies are arguably a few plays away from being 4-0, and still have a lot to prove moving forward. Buffalo is in a similar boat at 2-2 after melting down on defense in the fourth-quarter against Troy.
UConn aims to secure a third win, and here are three keys to turning the win into a reality.
Avoid Red Murdock, Miles Greer at all Costs
The Bulls have been one of the more interesting MAC programs to watch through four games for a variety of reasons, with two of them being great defensive players. Linebacker Red Murdock and safety Miles Greer have been two of the most productive players on the defensive side of play for Buffalo thus far into the season.
Murdock currently leads the Bulls in tackles with 44 total as well as two sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. The linebacker has been the heart and soul of the Buffalo defense so far and will continue to be the force that drives the team.
In addition to Murdock, the Bulls have a dynamic safety in Greer who can do just about everything that is asked of him. Greer has more of a box safety build at 5-foot-11-inches but still possesses great skills in coverage and passing situations.
For the UConn football team, defeating Buffalo will mean getting past Murdock and Greer which likely can be done with a pass-heavy attack on offense. Murdock and Greer are both stellar defenders but are weakest in pass rush scenarios with grades of 76.5 and 62.2, respectively.
Limit Wide Receivers Victor Snow and Nik McMillan
Buffalo has been a program that in the past was known for aggressive, physical running of the football that warded many defenders off. However, the Bulls have worked to develop two wide receivers into key playmakers for the team that the staff may rely upon moving forward. Receivers Victor Snow and Nik McMillan are both program veterans and have been the leading receivers for Buffalo through four games with a combined 28 receptions, 366 yards, and four touchdowns.
Snow has become the main receiving option for the team and likely will be the target that Buffalo tries to feed the football to during the game against UConn. The talented receiver averages a career 11.9 yards per reception and established himself as a big play threat for the Bulls last season. At 5-foot-8-inches tall, losing Snow in the middle of the field is easy and the receiver tends to extend plays with his elusiveness in the open field.
McMillan, however, is the opposite at 6-foot-1-inch with an impressive aerial game beside Snow. The receiver is a tall, fast weapon on the field that the Bulls like to use in a variety of ways that even includes carrying the football in the past.
Both McMillan and Snow can hurt the UConn defense in different ways, but one important factor will likely decide during the game how the Huskies choose to defend the receivers. Quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson is doubtful to make a start against his former team, which likely means Gunnar Gray will start against UConn. Roberson is more of a single read, run if that guy is not open quarterback due to his gifted running abilities, while Gray has not attempted a carry yet in his limited action.
Gray is much more of a pocket passer and someone who will allow the running back to carry the football rather than make plays occur with his own legs. With that being said, Gray will likely look to utilize his open field playmakers like Snow and McMillan heavily to make his day easier. UConn will have to stay prepared in the secondary as the receiving duo can seemingly slip through any cracks.
Put Together Four Full Quarters of Football
So far through the season, Buffalo has allowed 54 points to be scored in the second-half of play out of a possible 78 points. UConn has not been a team known for closing out games this season and in fact, the fourth-quarter has been the nemesis slowing down the Huskies. Buffalo and UConn both struggle to play defense down the stretch, which is why the Huskies need to jump out in front early and maintain a lead with solid fundamental football.
Buffalo on offense has been a different animal, with 103 points scored and 44 of those points occurring in the first-half of play. The Bulls predominantly find better footing on offense in the second-half of play and tend to take deeper, more aggressive shots down the field in such situations. Buffalo did so against Kent State in a game where the Bulls showed plenty of heart and grit before scoring the game-winning touchdown with nearly a minute left on the clock.
Buffalo might slowly crumble on defense as games progress, but the offense does just the opposite which is a concerning trend for a team like UConn who arguably struggled the most to defend at the end of games. UConn lost to Syracuse and Delaware after allowing comebacks to develop and then nearly allowed Ball State to do the same. Ball State is a talented team, but does not have the same firepower that the Bulls have down field which could be the difference if the Huskies fall into a similar situation.
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