Storrs — The way that coach Bob Diaco looked at it, he had little choice but to take a conservative approach in UConn's most recent defeat.

UConn's first four pass plays in Friday's 17-14 road loss to South Florida produced disastrous results.

Diaco recapped the ugly details during his weekly press conference Tuesday while also looking ahead to Saturday's American Athletic Conference game against Temple (2-1) at Rentschler Field in East Hartford (4 p.m., ESPNEWS).

In its first 12 plays, UConn threw four passes. The poor results - and Friday's rainy weather - forced him to change his game plan.

"Pass number one was a hold," Diaco said. "Pass number two was a strip sack. Pass number three was intentional grounding and pass four was a chop block. So what would you have done?

"So what we talk about all the time is eliminating the things that cause losing. So at that point as coach and leader of the team and the organization, why wouldn't I make a decision to stop this piece of losing?

"Let's play ping-pong. Let's not do the things that cause losing. ... So I shut down the passing game."

UConn quarterback Chandler Whitmer passed the ball just six more times, completing 6 of 10 overall for 88 yards and a touchdown, and the Huskies ran it 26 times overall for just 57 yards. The result: only one offensive touchdown, just six first downs and 0-for-9 on third down conversions.

Yet the Huskies stayed within striking distance the entire game.

"We had an opportunity to win the game at the end as bad as it was," Diaco said.

Still working on laying the foundation for his program, Diaco is focusing on executing a game plan that will put his team in the best position to win. That meant a heavy dose of running the ball on Friday.

Against Temple, it might mean something else.

Whitmer, who received high marks from Diaco, is willing to do whatever the game plan calls for in any given game.

"We've got to do what's best to win," Whitmer said. "Whatever coach decides to do, that's what we have to execute as players."

As an inexperienced offensive line matures, Diaco will likely open up the offense. The Huskies can't survive by emphasizing a rushing attack that's produced just 64.2 yards per game. They also rank next to last in the conference in rushing, scoring offense (16.0) and total offense (253.2 yards).

Right now, the Huskies are under-utilizing their most explosive player - wide receiver Geremy Davis - whose only catch went for a 32-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter during the two-minute drill.

"That weapon that you have as an offense is keeping the defense guessing, not knowing if you're going to run or pass," Whitmer said. "So being balanced is clearly the goal. But, at the end of the day, whatever you've got to do to win the ball game is the number one priority."

According to Diaco, the Huskies (1-3, 0-1) improved in a few areas on Friday, ending up even in the turnover battle for the first time this season and producing more negative plays than their opponent. The offensive line made strides, too, in the footwork, assignment and fundamental departments, but still needs a massive amount of work, Diaco added.

Drive-stopping penalties continue to be an issue.

Overall, Diaco walked away from the loss encouraged.

"Rome wasn't built in a day and this won't be either," Diaco said.

g.keefe@theday.com

Twitter: @GavinKeefe