Staring Down The Musket At...The UConn Huskies

This week's opponent is the UConn Huskies who, as of the time I'm writing this, have yet to be accepted for membership into any other conference and are still relegated to the Big East for the time being.  That's probably because officials from other conferences have watched the Huskies play football this year.  Or at least what's supposed to be football.  Our friends from...Storrs?...East Hartford?...hell, I was at the game last year and I still don't know where they play...haven't exactly done the Big East any favors in 2011, dropping winnable games at home against Iowa State and Western Michigan and at Vanderbilt, while beating only an FCS team and lowly Buffalo.  I tried to get in touch with the folks at The UConn Blog, but it looks like they've already given up on football for the year.

So instead of having a real Q&A, I decided to take a stab at how I thought they would answer my questions. After extensive research and thought, here is what I came up with:

Country Roads:  Well, I guess I have to ask.  You guys beat us last season, ruining our chance at defending our Big East championship and spring boarding the Huskies to one of the most memorable seasons in UConn history.  They say revenge is a dish best served cold, so how are you feeling about this year's trip to Morgantown?

Fake UConn Blog:  Last year was definitely a special one for UConn fans.  After a disappointing start, we got hot at the right time and rode that success to a Big East Championship.  Unfortunately, our best player bolted for the pros, and while it's going to be hard to replace a guy like Kemba Walker, we welcome back Jeremy Lamb and Alex Oriakhi, who should be able to take a step forward and allow us to pick up almost where we left off.  The Coliseum is a tough place to play, but WVU is young, so I'm not sweating it yet.

CR:  Your coach has a track record of success in the Big East and is known for recruiting well in the northeast, but he's starting to get up there in age.  Does a slow start mean it's about time to pull the plug?

FUB:  Jim Calhoun just won another national championship and you think a slow start would be cause for firing him? Highly doubtful.  Calhoun is a legend in these parts and should be allowed to leave on his own terms.  Sure, he's had his health issues and he's getting old, but don't underestimate his resiliency.  It's going to take a series of losing seasons for UConn to get rid of him.

CR:  UConn has never been an offensive juggernaut, but it looks like this year's team especially has to rely mostly on defense.  They appear to do a great job of clogging the middle and disrupting an opponent's passing game.  Given those tendencies, do you expect a high-scoring or low-scoring game?

FUB:  There's no question the loss of Walker is going to affect UConn's ability to outscore people.  Sure, Lamb can score, but the ultimate success of the team is going to rest on Oriakhi's ability to clog the middle and block shots.  If our guards can get hands into passing lanes and disrupt offensive flow, then we'll really have something.  Given WVU's youth, I don't see the Mountaineers running up the score much.  This will be a bruising defensive slugfest.

CR:  I have to ask about conference realignment.  Where is the best place for UConn going forward, and where do you think they will ultimately end up?

FUB:  I think we have the academic reputation to get into the Big Ten, but we don't fit culturally there at all.  So that leaves the ACC and a reconstituted Big East that may or may not have WVU, Louisville and Cincinnati.  While we would obviously miss great rivalries with Georgetown, St. Johns and Villanova and the thought of playing in Madison Square Garden every year for the tournament, our best bet is the ACC.  Being able to reunite with Pitt, Syracuse and BC, plus start new rivalries with UNC and Duke is too great an opportunity to pass up.

CR:  I'm starting to make a habit out of this.  WVU is favored by 20.5 and the over/under is at 55.5.  Whatcha got?

FUB:  This is absolutely laughable.  Did you make those odds yourself?  That's cute.  I know the game is in Morgantown, but there is no way WVU wins this game, let alone by that much, unless Lamb and Oriakhi both get shot in the first half.  And I know I said it would be a defensive struggle, but I've seen higher over/unders for high school games.  The teams will blow by that number early in the second half.  I'll take UConn and the over, duh.