Tim Boyle (14) completes a passing drill during UConn's preseason practice.

Tim Boyle (14) completes a passing drill during UConn’s preseason practice.

No offense to UConn Huskies QB Chandler Whitmer, who is a great guy, but it is time for head coach Bob Diaco to turn over the keys to the offense to Tim Boyle.

Why?

Boyle was supposed to spend the season learning the new offensive system while Casey Cochran and Whitmer ran the offense. Cochran’s retirement changed that. Since then, it’s been Whitmer with Boyle backing him up getting a series a game.

If Boyle is the quarterback of the future as Diaco has said repeatedly this season since Cochran retired, then he needs to get more than one series per game. When he does get in, it usually lasts three snaps. In the Army game, he got a season-high six snaps.

Diaco has also said he wants to get everyone reps. He’s done that at other positions with freshman players using up their first year of eligibility. Sure at some positions it was necessary to do.

He’s also stated that it’s not about wins and losses. It’s about development.

So why not let Boyle see what he can do these last three games against two solid opponents in Cincinnati and Memphis as well as SMU and prepare himself for the 2015 season.

It makes the most sense to do that and unless something has changed this week, it will be Whitmer, not Boyle, under center when the Huskies have their first offensive possession at what should be a chilly Rentschler Field tonight.

photo credit: ian bethune