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.”

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UConn Football links

Photos: UConn Huskies vs BYU Cougars – 8/29/14 [sox & dawgs]

BYU Spoils Diaco’s UConn Debut, 35-10 [sox & dawgs]

Video: Highlights from BYU’s 35-10 Win over UConn Football [sox & dawgs]

Video: Matt Balis Has Reshaped UConn Football Team [sox & dawgs]

Video: The Change In Culture Under Bob Diaco [sox & dawgs]

16 Former UConn Football Players Make 2014 NFL Rosters [sox & dawgs]

UConn football: A long way to go [john silver – sny uconn]

The day after: On quarterbacks and subs [john silver – sny uconn]

UConn football: How the 2 QB system worked [john silver – sny uconn]

Wrapping up the American Week 1: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly [john silver – sny uconn]

Tale of the Tape: UConn offense vs. BYU [the uconn blog]

Change Is Here [uconn huskies]

BYU pounds UConn 35-10 in opener [ct post]

High School stars Cochran, Newsome connect on pass play [ct post]

UConn notebook: Diaco relies on youth in season opener [ct post]

A Deflating Debut As UConn Falls To BYU [hartford courant]

From Clean And Crisp To Bedraggled, Just Like That [hartford courant]

BYU’s Hill Lives Up To Expectations [hartford courant]

For Huskies, BYU Sets A Good Example [hartford courant]

UConn Report Card [hartford courant]

BYU dominates UConn in Bob Diaco debut [new haven register]

A stark reminder of how far UConn football has to go [new haven register]

UConn trying to get more receivers involved in passing game [new haven register]

BYU spoils Diaco’s debut at UConn 35-10 [the day]

Are Diaco’s measures of progress different than ours? [the day]

UConn falls to BYU 35-10 in season-opener [the hour]

Platoon II: Calling the UConn quarterback situation what it appears to be [the hour]

Penalties resulted in a choppy Cougar performance at UConn [daily herald]

BYU football creates own perfect storm, rolls past UConn [daily herald]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

UConn women always a top draw [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Chris Clarke Down to 7, Set for UConn Visit [zagsblog]

Other UConn related links

W. Soccer. Hill Scores In Third Straight, UConn Falls 3-1 At No. 8 Penn State [uconn huskies]

W. Volleyball. UConn Sweeps UNH in 2014 Season Opener [uconn huskies]

W. Volleyball. Volleyball Finishes Second at 2014 UConn Classic [uconn huskies]

M. Soccer. No. 8 Huskies Fall To No. 17 Coastal Carolina, 3-2, In Season Opener Friday [uconn huskies]

M. Soccer. Coastal Carolina’s Comeback Spoils UConn Opener [hartford courant]

M. Soccer. No. 8 UConn Continues Regular Season Action Monday Against Stony Brook [uconn huskies]

W. Cross Country. UConn Women’s Cross Country Posts Excellent Results in Season Opener [uconn huskies]

Field Hockey. No. 3 UConn Tops No. 14 Northwestern, 3-2, In Overtime [uconn huskies]

Baseball. Barnes Pitching With A Major Purpose [hartford courant]

M. Ice Hockey. UConn’s Goalies Coach Has Wealth Of Experience [hartford courant]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly football honors for the first week of the college football season.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Keevan Lucas • So. • WR • Tulsa • Abilene, Texas

Lucas helped Tulsa rally from a 21-7 deficit as the Golden Hurricane scored a 38-31 double-overtime win against Tulane in both teams’ American Athletic Conference debuts. Lucas had 13 receptions for 233 yards and three touchdowns, finishing six yards shy of the conference’s single-game record for receiving yards. He had touchdown receptions of 43 and 84 yards in the first half, both of which brought Tulsa within seven points of the Green Wave, and his 3-yard TD catch with 2:53 left in regulation forced overtime.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Tavon Young • Jr. • CB • Temple • Oxon Hill, Md.

Young registered a pair of interceptions to lead a Temple defense that limited Vanderbilt to 28 yards of offense in the Owls’ 37-7 win. Temple, which had just three defensive interceptions in the entire 2013 season, matched that total in Week 1 behind Young’s two picks — both of which led to points on the offensive end. Young finished the day with two tackles and had a combined 35 yards on his two INT returns.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Marvin Kloss • Sr. • K • USF • Naples, Fla.

Kloss, who was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker in 2013, got off to a strong start in 2014 as he scored 12 points, including a 3-for-3 showing on field goals, in USF’s 36-31 win against Western Carolina. Kloss hit first-half field goals of 47, 33 and 26 yards to help the Bulls trail by just one point at halftime after the offense struggled in the first 30 minutes.

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

Justin Hardy • Sr. • WR • East Carolina • Vanceboro, N.C.

Had eight receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns and threw a 41-yard touchdown pass in a 52-7 win against North Carolina Central. Became the school’s career receptions leader (274).

Jarvis Cooper • Fr. • RB • Memphis • West Memphis, Ark.

Rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries in a 63-0 win against Austin Peay. Became just the third player in school history to reach 100 yards in his first career game (joining DeAngelo Williams in 2002 and Larry Porter in 2006).

Marlon Mack • Fr. • RB • USF • Sarasota, Fla.

Rushed for an American Athletic Conference-record 275 yards on 24 carries with four touchdowns (62, 60, 57, 3) in a 36-31 win against Western Carolina. Scored three second-half touchdowns to help the Bulls rally from a halftime deficit.

P.J. Walker • So. • QB • Temple • Elizabeth, N.J.

Completed 23 of 34 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 21 yards and a TD in a 37-7 win at Vanderbilt.

Sherman Badie • Fr. • RB • Tulane • Metarie, La.

Rushed for 215 yards, including a 90-yard touchdown, on just 15 carries in a 38-31 double-overtime loss at Tulsa. Finished one yard shy of Matt Forte’s freshman rushing record at Tulane.

BOSTON, MA – The Boston Red Sox today acquired infielder/outfielder Jemile Weeks and minor league infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for infielder/outfielder Kelly Johnson and minor league third baseman Michael Almanzar.

Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.

Weeks, 27, appeared in only three games for Orioles this season and was 3-for-11 (.273) with a triple and two runs scored. A switch-hitter, he has spent the majority of 2014 with Triple-A Norfolk in Baltimore’s minor league system. In his 63 games there, Weeks hit .280 (58-for-207) with 12 doubles, four triples, one home run, 19 RBI, and 28 runs scored. With Double-A Norfolk, he totaled more walks (37) than strikeouts (30). For his major league career, he has hit .259 (225-for-870) with 41 doubles, 17 triples, four home runs, and 56 RBI in 226 games between the Oakland Athletics (2011-13) and Orioles (2014). The younger brother of Milwaukee Brewers infielder Rickie Weeks, Jemile was a first-round selection of the Athletics (12th overall) in the 2008 June Draft. He was originally selected by Milwaukee in the eighth round of the 2005 June Draft, but elected to play baseball at the University of Miami.

De Jesus Jr., 27, spent all of 2014 with the Orioles’ Norfolk affiliate, where he was named to the International League’s mid-season All-Star Team. He hit .282 (116-for-411) with 19 doubles, five triples, five homers, 56 RBI, and 50 walks in 113 games and appeared at shortstop (98 games), second base (8), and third base (1). The right-handed batter has a .205 average with three doubles and five RBI in 48 career major league games over parts of two seasons between the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-12) and Red Sox (2012). De Jesus Jr. was first acquired by the Red Sox on August 25, 2012 as part of the nine-player deal that sent Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, and Nick Punto to the Dodgers. He played in eight games for Boston in the final month of September 2012 and went 0-for-8 at the plate. The son of 15-year major league veteran shortstop Ivan De Jesus, Sr., he was the Dodgers’ second-round pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft and has hit .298 with 178 doubles, 22 triples, 38 home runs, 421 RBI, and 73 stolen bases in 945 career minor league games.

Johnson, 32, was acquired from the New York Yankees on July 31 and played in 10 games for the Red Sox after being activated from the 15-day disabled list on August 7. The left-handed batter went 4-for-25 (.160) with a double and an RBI for Boston, appearing at first base (5 games, 4 starts), third base (2 games, 1 start), second base (1 game), and left field (1 game). In 87 games between the Red Sox and Yankees in 2014, Johnson has hit .212 (48-for-226) with 10 doubles, two triples, six home runs, and 23 RBI. A nine-year major league veteran, Johnson has hit .250 with 201 doubles, 40 triples, 130 home runs, 465 RBI, 81 stolen bases, and 462 walks in 1,138 career games between the Braves (2005, 2007-09), Diamondbacks (2010-11), Blue Jays (2011-12), Rays (2013), Yankees (2014), and Red Sox (2014).

Almanzar, 23, was acquired by the Orioles during the Rule 5 Draft this past December and returned to the Red Sox organization on July 1. The right-handed batter played in nine games in the Orioles system between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, High-A Frederick, and Triple-A Norfolk. In the Red Sox system, he has played 49 games this season, all with Double-A Portland, batting .277 (46-for-166) with nine doubles, five homers, 25 RBI, and 12 walks. Originally signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2007, Almanzar has hit .251 with a 147 doubles, 12 triples, 55 home runs, and 333 RBI over seven minor league seasons.