EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – It would have been easy for quarterback Chandler Whitmer to pack his bags and walk way from the UConn football program. He had earned his degree. He had started for the Huskies, lost his job and basically slipped to third on the depth chart.
And coach Paul Pasqualoni was being replaced by Bob Diaco, someone Whitmer didn’t know.
But Whitmer rarely follows the easy path. He is back with the Huskies as a redshirt senior and anyone with an objective mind would have to say he was the best of four quarterbacks Diaco used Saturday in the 2014 Blue-White Spring Football Game at Rentschler Field.
Playing with the second-team offense, Whitmer completed 19 of 26 passes for 163 yards and one touchdown, a 13-yard toss to receiver Kamal Abrams on his first drive of the game. No one is ready to name Whitmer the starter for UConn’s Aug. 29 season opener against BYU.
But it wouldn’t be wise to count out such a competitor after he proved so much to the Huskies and a crowd estimated at 6,500.
“I appreciate Coach Diaco letting me come back,” said Whitmer, who made his decision to return in January. “Me? I’m just going out and having fun. No pressure or anything like that. I’m just going out and playing ball like I’ve always known. I’m just having fun, trying to help the team the best I can. Whatever happens, happens.”
Whitmer certainly was leaning toward leaving before Diaco was named coach.
“We had a team meeting in the locker room when it was first announced he would be the head coach,” Whitmer said. “Just from an outsider’s perspective, I was there, I wanted to see what he was all about. That positive image he brought, the aura that he has, I appreciated taht. When I was home on break, he gave me a phone call and let me know everything is clean and there’s no [carry over] from what happened last year.”
Whitmer appreciated those words and discussed his options with his family. After transferring from Butler Community College (Kansas), Whitmer started all 12 games for UConn in 2012. Last season, he started the first four games but the season quickly turned into a train wreck and Whitmer received a lot of the blame. He said he didn’t handle adversity well.
“I’m really just trying to leave last season behind me, change my attitude, be positive and help this team in whatever way – if I’m the starter, the backup, third guy , whaterver it may be,” Whitmer said Saturday. “Coming in with a different mindset kind of changed my perspective from what happened last year. There was a lot of adversity, a lot of things went on. I appreciate that experience last year and to be able to come back with a positive attitude, be thankful for each day.”
Casey Cochran started with the first unit and was a bit shaky. He was 10-for-20 with one interception for 91 yards. Tim Boyle was 7-for-14 for 97 yards. Michael Ecke complete his only two passes for 12 yards.
Defense was the focus of this spring game, and that was reflected in the final score of White 46-Blue 37 – with defense on White and offense on Blue and a very unconventional scoring system that rewarded big plays as well as scores.
“At times, spotty and just OK,” Diaco said when asked about the quarterbacks. “I would like to see better clock management collectively. They kind of sauntered around, not really cognizant of the play clock. There were some moments of delivering the ball a little too quick or holding on to it a little too long. The timing of that needs to improve and will improve.”
Whitmer has always given UConn his best – even when it didn’t work. And he’s always been a stand-up, honest guy. Clearly that hasn’t changed.
“One more year, one more go around,” he said Saturday. “I’m going to do whatever I can to help the team to win.”
For the scoring and statistics, photos and more quotes, check the UConn football page.
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