UConn QB Chandler Whitmer (10) attempts to elude the BYU defense during the second quarter on August 29, 2014 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT
We’ve known for quite a while that UConn Huskies head coach Bob Diaco was going to play two quarterbacks during games. Two weeks ago, we found out those two quarterbacks were going to be Casey Cochran and Chandler Whitmer.
Last Thursday before the eventual loss against the BYU Cougars the following night, they learned how they would be used.
“We preset that every third drive was going to be Chandler’s,” Diaco said during his teleconference on Saturday. “We felt he had a higher aptitude at that point. We had a plan for him to come in once the ball penetrated 22 yard line and got into the scoring zone.”
“If the drive stalled, we would activate Chandler in the high and low red. Which, we ended up doing. We detailed our plan on Thursday, shared it with the players Thursday afternoon, and we stuck to it. We did exactly what we wanted to.”
On the outside looking in, it looked as though Whitmer had the better game as he moved the Huskies down the field and led them to their first and only touchdown. They looked more cohesive as a unit.
But Cochran also moved the ball down the field well to start the third quarter only to be replaced by Whitmer, who then sacked twice. UConn tried a fake field goal with Blake Feagles but the Cougars sniffed it out.
Here’s the thing.
While they may have some different tangible and intangible traits, they are essentially the same quarterback. One is good at this while the other is good at that. But both play the same style. So it’s easy to prepare for both of them when they could be looked at as one and the same.
Down on the field, I could hear the fans grumbling when a quarterback change was made. We’ve seen it in the past at UConn and it hasn’t worked.
That doesn’t mean it won’t work under Diaco.
So what should we expect to see on Saturday against Stony Brook?
According to Diaco on Monday’s American Athletic Conference coaches call, we’re going to see both Cochran and Whitmer again with maybe more Whitmer in the red zone.
“I think he (Whitmer) has a little better capacity to keep plays alive with his legs and it opens up more offensive plays for us a bit,” said Diaco. “He’s a got a higher aptitude and maturity in decision-making down there in a complex situation.”
Don’t rule out Cochran in the red zone either.
“Casey is getting much better down there, too.”
