Depth chart

2010 University of Connecticut Post-Spring Practice Depth Chart

Offense

LT

Adam Masters (RSo., 6-4, 270)

Jimmy Bennett (RSo., 6-8, 301)

Greg McKee (Fr., 6-5, 299)

LG

Mathieu Olivier (RSr., 6-6, 276)

Erik Kuraczea (RSo., 6-2, 315)

Steve Greene (RFr., 6-4, 324)

C

Moe Petrus (RJr., 6-2, 292)

Gary Bardzak (RJr., 6-3, 297)

Ben Chapman (RSo., 6-2, 276)

RG

Zach Hurd (RSr., 6-7, 323)

Tyler Bullock (RFr., 6-4, 291)

RT

Mike Ryan (RJr., 6-5, 332)

Kevin Friend (RFr., 6-5, 287)

Stephen Brown (RFr., 6-4, 289)

TE

Ryan Griffin (RSo., 6-6, 240)

John Delahunt (RSo., 6-3, 243)

Corey Manning (RSo., 5-4, 255)

Alex Kaiser (Sr., 6-5, 238)

TB

Jordan Todman (Jr., 5-9, 190)

Robbie Frey (RFr., 6-0, 199) OR

Kelmetrius Wylie (RJr., 5-10, 223)

Jonathan Jean-Louis (Sr., 6-0, 200)

Martin Hyppolite (RFr., 6-0, 210)

FB

Anthony Sherman (Sr., 5-11, 242)

Bret Manning (Sr., 5-11, 255)

QB

Zach Frazer (RSr., 6-4, 236)

Cody Endres (RJr., 6-4, 223)

Michael Box (RFr., 6-3, 194) OR

Leon Kinnard (Fr., 5-9, 179) OR

Johnny McEntee (RSo., 6-3, 216)

WR

Michael Smith (Jr., 6-0, 200)

Malik Generett (RFr., 6-4, 210)

Joshua Massey (Sr., 5-8, 186)

WR

Kashif Moore (RJr., 5-9, 177)

Nick Williams (So., 5-9, 182)

Dwayne Difton (So., 5-11, 171)

Eric Sawicki (RFr., 6-0, 189)

WR

Isiah Moore (RJr., 6-1, 183)

Gerrard Sheppard (RSo., 6-2, 205) OR

Marcus Aiken (RFr., 5-11, 191)

Defense

DE

Jesse Joseph (So., 6-3, 231)

Trevardo Williams (So., 6-1, 224) OR

A.J. Portee (RSo., 6-4, 236)

Jonathan Louis (Fr., 6-5, 241)

DT

Kendall Reyes (RJr., 6-4, 287)

Alex Polito (RSr., 6-6, 284) OR

Shamar Stephen (RFr., 6-5, 291)

DT

Ryan Wirth (RSo., 6-2, 275) OR

Twyon Martin (RJr., 6-2, 270)

Tim Willman (RFr., 6-3, 271)

DE

Marcus Campbell (Jr., 6-2, 227)

Greg Lloyd (Sr., 6-2, 234) OR

Ted Jennings (RS., 6-5, 238)

“Husky” LB

Jory Johnson (RSo., 6-1, 219)

Andrew Opoku (Fr., 6-4, 217)

Matt Edwards (RSo., 6-0, 189)

Emmanuel Omokaro (RJr., 5-10, 207)

MLB

Scott Lutrus (RSr., 6-3, 240)

Jerome Williams (RSo., 6-11, 248)

Michael Osiecki (Fr., 6-2, 225)

WLB

Lawrence Wilson (RSr., 6-1, 217)

Sio Moore (RSo., 6-1, 231)

Mark Hinkley (RSo., 5-11, 228)

CB

Blidi Wreh-Wilson (RSo., 6-0, 184)

Tevrin Brandon (RFr., 5-10, 172)

S

Jerome Junior (RSo., 6-1, 208)

David Kenney (RFr., 6-0, 186)

Harris Agbor (RJr., 5-10, 192)

John Yurek (RJr., 6-0, 200)

S

Kijuan Dabney (Sr., 6-0, 214)

Mike Lang (So., 5-11, 186) OR

Chris Lopes (RFr., 5-10, 183)

CB

Dwayne Gratz (RSo., 6-0, 190)

Gary Wilburn (RJr., 5-11, 196) OR

Gilbert St. Louis (Fr., 5-11, 176)

Special Teams

P

Chad Christen (RFr., 6-1, 200) OR

Cole Wagner (RFr., 6-2, 197)

K

Dave Teggart (RJr., 6-0, 209)

Chad Christen (RFr., 6-1, 200)

LS

Derek Chard (Sr., 6-3, 234)

Stephen Brown (RFr., 6-4, 279) OR

Mark Hinkley (RSo., 5-11, 228)

H

Chad Christen (RFr., 6-1, 200)

Zach Frazer (RSr., 6-4, 236)

PR

Gary Wilburn (RJr., 5-11, 196) OR

Nick Williams (So., 5-9, 182) OR

Leon Kinnard (Fr., 5-9, 179)

KR

Robbie Frey (RFr., 6-0, 199)

Jordan Todman (Jr., 5-9, 190)

UConn update

Robert McClain, a cornerback, was taken by Carolina in the seventh round, S Robert Vaughn heading to Green Bay and RB Andre Dixon signed with Pittsburgh.

First Husky

Buffalo selects Marcus Easley in the fourth round, 107th overall.

Easley is a great story; wasn't recruited, walked on at UConn and went from scout team his junior year to starter and best WR the school has seen in a long time.

2010 schedule

The Big East released its 2010 schedule, and of note for UConn are the three weeknight games -- which coach Randy Edsall is not a fan of. Those three games, as well as the regular season finale will aired nationally.

9/4 at Michigan
9/11 Texas Southern (originally Northeastern)
9/18 at Temple
9/25 Buffalo
10/2 Vanderbilt
10/8 at Rutgers (Friday night, 7:30 p.m., on ESPN)
10/23 at Louisville
10/29 West Virginia (Friday night, 8 p.m., on ESPN2)
11/11 Pittsburgh (Thursday night, 7:30 p.m., on ESPN)
11/20 at Syracuse
11/27 Cincinnati
12/4 at South Florida (TBA, ESPN/ESPN2/ABC)

UConn's recruit list

Name                           Pos.     Hgt.      Wgt.     Hometown/High School

Alexander, Joshua         LB        6-3        215       Waldorf, Md./Westlake

Brown, Ty-Meer             DB        6-1        180       McKeesport, Pa../McKeesport

Cruz, Gus                     OG       6-4        256       Manchester, N.H./Kimball Union Academy

Davis, Geremy               WR       6-2        205       Lawrenceville, Ga./Norcross

Frank, Reuben               FB        6-2        229       Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Poughkeepsie

Hansson, Mark              OT        6-5        256       Clearwater, Fla./Palm Harbour University

Jones, Byron                 DB        6-0.5     175       New Britain, Conn./St. Paul (Bristol)

Jones, Tebucky             WR       6-0        180       Farmington, Conn./New Britain

Louis, Jonathan             DE        6-5        240       Brockton, Mass./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.)

Mack, Taylor                 DB        5-10      170       Powder Springs, Ga./The Lovett School

McBryde, B.J.               DE        6-5        250       Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls

McCombs, Lyle             RB        5-8        175       Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph By The Sea

McCummings, Scott      QB       6-2        210       Natick, Mass./Natick

McKee, Greg                 OT        6-5        295       Chicago, Ill./Martin Luther King College Prep

Opoku, Andrew              DB        6-4        226       North Brunswick, N.J./Fork Union Military Academy (Va.)

Paull, Bryan                  C          6-4        290       Parkland, Fla./M. Stoneman Douglas

Pruitt, Angelo                DL        6-2.5     270       Cincinnati, Ohio/North College Hill

Smallwood, Yawin          LB        6-3        215       Worcester, Mass./Doherty

St. Louis, Gilbert            CB        5-11      175       Davie, Fla./Plantation

Steg, Brandon               LB        6-3        220       Coral Springs, Fla./J.P. Taravella

The following student-athletes each signed a Letter of Intent with UConn in 2009 and enrolled for the Spring 2010 semester

Name                           Pos.     Hgt.      Wgt.     Hometown/High School

Kinnard, Leon                QB       5-9        180       Reistertown, Md./Loyola Blakefield

Osiecki, Michael            LB        6-2        225       Seymour, Conn./ Seymour

Former Husky arrested

Fullback Deon Anderson, who plays for the Dallas Cowboys, was arrested:
http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=4881623

UConn's Big East All-Academic Team members

Name                          Year    Pos.     Hometown                  Major

Harris Agbor                So.       S          Mesquite, Texas           Political Science

John Apostolakos         Sr.        TE        Pittsford, N.Y.              Sports & Leisure/Finance

Jimmy Bennett              RFr.     OT       Alexandria, Va.            Undeclared

Derek Chard                Jr.        TE        Burlington, Conn.          Finance

Marcus Easley              Sr.        WR      Stratford, Conn.           Sport Management

Robbie Frey                 Jr.        RB       Lehighton, Pa.              History

Alex Kaiser                  Jr.        TE        Newington, Conn.        Economics

Brad Kanuch                Sr.        WR      Johnstown, Pa.             Sports & Leisure

Alex LaMagdelaine       Sr.        OG      Rumson, N.J.               English/Economics

Corey Manning             RFr.     TE        Tyrone, Ga.                  Undeclared

Alex Molina                  Sr.        WR      Waterford, Conn.         Psychology

Emmanuel Omokaro     So.       S          Danbury, Conn.            Sports & Leisure

Moe Petrus                  So.       C         St. Laurent, Que.          Psychology

Alex Polito                   Jr.        DT       Reading, Pa.                 Communication Sciences

Dave Teggart                So.       K         Northborough , Mass.   Sports & Leisure

John Yurek                   So.       S          Greencastle, Pa.           Biological Sciences

Jazz, Huskies honored

I'll start with word of the team being nominated for the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award for the strength and determination it has showed in light of Jasper Howard's murder.

Each week, the Football Writers Association of America nominate a team or player who best exemplifies courage. The winner will be announced at the end of the college football season.

Also, this from the university regarding Saturday's game:
The University of Connecticut and its Division of Athletics will honor the memory of Jasper Howard as the team returns to Rentschler Field on Saturday for the first time since Howard passed away on October 18. UConn will take on Rutgers at noon in a BIG EAST Conference game.

All fans who attend Saturday’s game will receive a “6” card in honor of Jasper Howard’s jersey number.  In addition, the first 15,000 fans who enter the gates will receive “Jazz Live 365” wristbands.

UConn students who attend the game will receive the same “eye-black” that the Husky team is wearing – one with a “6” and the other with a “JH”. All UConn students will also receive a “6” button.

Prior to the contest, the UConn Marching Band will come onto the field all wearing No. 6 jerseys and will display the formation of a “6” in the word “UCONN” during its pregame program.

Following the entrance of both teams on to the field for the game, there will be a “Moment of Respect” in honor of Howard with both teams lining up on their respective sidelines.

“We encourage all Husky fans to arrive at their seats in Rentschler Field by 11:30 a.m. on Saturday in order to see the pregame band show and to be present for the Moment of Respect,” says UConn Head Football Coach Randy Edsall. “There are a number of pregame activities and we would like to see every seat occupied as a sign of respect for Jazz.”

The Connecticut team will once again wear a “JH” sticker on its helmet while Rutgers will wear a “6”.

As fans enter Rentschler Field, they will have the opportunity to donate to both of the funds that have been set up in his memory. 

"The Jasper T. Howard Endowed Scholarship" will be annually awarded to a UConn football student-athlete who plays at the cornerback position and who best displays the outstanding leadership qualities which Jasper embodied.

 "The Jasper Howard Fund" will assist Jasper's family with expenses such as funeral costs, travel to attend the memorial service and support for Jasper's soon-to-be-born child, in a manner consistent with NCAA guidelines.

Fans are also reminded that they will be permitted to bring signs honoring Howard into Rentschler Field. This will be a one-time exception to the regular Rentschler policy prohibiting signs.

Signs cannot be on sticks or poles --- and signs cannot impair the enjoyment of the game for other fans.

"This is one more way that our fans can make a personal tribute to Jasper Howard," says UConn Director of Athletics Jeffrey Hathaway. "We thank our friends at Rentschler Field for relaxing the 'no signs' policy for this one game only and providing fans another opportunity to honor Jasper." 

Prior to the game at approximately 9:40 a.m., the UConn football team will take part in their usual pregame “Husky Walk”. Fans can greet the Huskies from Gates D to C at Rentschler Field to welcome the team to the game.

Jasper Howard's Funeral

If you want to watch...go to nnbcmiami.org and click NNBC on Demand. Click on the scrolling marquee that says Jasper Howard Funeral. A pop-up box will appear prompting you to sign up. You must do this in order to view.

Once you do this, you'll be set.

Jasper Howard vigil

From UConn:
Beginning at 6:00 on the lawn outside the student union.
Pres. Hogan, Coach Edsall, student gov. pres. Thomas Haggerty and MAYBE a representative from the West Indian group will speak. Candles will be provided.
There will be some kind of acapella song from a group on campus.
The crowd will then be led in a procession to mirror lake (in front of Monteith and Arjona) for some final words.
Candles will be left by the lake.

The latest on Howard

Randy Edsall said that the team will keep Howard's locker in place until the time he would have graduated (2011). His number will not be retired, but will not be worn until after Howard would have graduated and given only to a player who shares the same character as Howard.

The funeral is expected to take place Monday in Miami and the team will travel.

UConn's game at West Virginia on Saturday will go on, but the Mountaineers will wear a No. 6 on their helmets and hold a moment of silence before kickoff.

Tuesday presser

The normal meeting place, perhaps appropriate today -- the defensive meeting room -- is standing room only as everyone and their cousin is in here to hear what Randy Edsall has to say regarding Jasper Howard's death.

There are 11 TV cameras, numerous photogs and countless scribes.

While we wait, read what former Husky Dan Davis shared:

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/x1801873133/Dan-Davis-I-cant-believe-my-teammate-was-killed

Press conference on Howard's death

Randy Edsall said he arrived at St. Francis Hospital around 1:30 a.m., where several players and other students were present. He spoke with Howard's mother and later, was called in to identify the body around 4:30 a.m.

He addressed the students who were on present, calling the situation "not pleasant" for him and others.

Edsall, with his voice quivering, called Howard a "great young man."

"We had lost a brother, a teammate, a great person, a mentor and just somebody you love to be around," Edsall told the team at a 6 a.m. meeting.

UConn will do something to remember Howard this season with a helmet or jersey logo and will make tribute in the football complex.

The most tragic news is that Edsall spoke with Howard's girlfriend in Miami and learned that Howard was going to become a father.

Howard dies

Jasper Howard, the UConn CB, was killed in an on-campus stabbing early Sunday morning, team spokesman Mike Enright confirmed.

More details later.

Big play

Kashif Moore caught a 67-yard reception, one that should have been for maybe 15 but the blocking of Ryan Griffin and Dwayne Difton sprung him deep into Louisville territory.

The drive ended with Andre Dixon's second TD.

Untouchable

Andre Dixon's touchdown run was impressive for a few reasons, most most notably the juke he used to get past a defender. He ran untouched into the end zone. Dixon is having a bounce-back season that has the Huskies excited and confident in handing the senior the ball.

Homecoming

While cold, the weather is holding up at Rentschler Field -- for now. Good crowd and a winable game. The question is can UConn not choke as it did in its two losses.

First possession is a three-and-out.

But Blidi Wreh-Wilson picked off the Cardinals' Adam Froman thanks to a Greg Lloyd tip.

Sell out

Saturday's game against Louisville officially sold out today. With a forecast of rain, it will be interesteing to see how many people show up at Rentschler Field.

Changes

Randy Edsall announced that redshirt sophomore Mike Ryan will replace NFA grad Dan Ryan, and redshirt freshman Erik Kuraczea will replace Mathieu Olivier.

As we evaluated the position, we think Mike Ryan is the better football player,” Edsall said. “Mike Ryan is going to be the starter and will continue to be the starter. Dan Ryan has to be ready to back up both sides and be ready to play in case of an injury. It’s the same situation at left guard. We feel Erik Kuraczea gives us the best opportunity now and in the future for what we need at that position.

Also, Cody Endres is the starting quarterback over Zack Frazer. The numbers say it all:
Frazer is 22-of-43 for 221 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. Endres is 55-of-83 for 663 yards, three TDs and no picks.

New QB

Johnny McEntee replaces Cody Endres late in a blowout game.

Two. Two straight fumbles.

UConn went from dominance over Rhode Island to fumbles on consecutive possessions. If UConn coughs up this game, I propose it gives up the rest of the schedule.

Two drives, two scores

UConn needed to come out and establish the pass for two reasons. The first being to keep Rhode Island's defense honest. The second is to get that element of the offense on track before the bye week.

The Huskies may or may not get Zach Frazer back in two weeks at Pittsburgh, but either way the offense has to BELIEVE it can throw the ball. If it doesn't have the confidence going into Big East play, it never will.Running backs Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon have been used as receivers already, but the Huskies will have to expand upon the options. Brad Kanuch, who made a great block for Todman, also made a nice diving catch for a 10-yard gain.

If UConn can get five guys with 30 or more yards receiving, it will be a step in the right direction.

Frazer out

Zach Frazer hurt his right knee and is doubtful to return. Cody Endres is now at QB.

Griffin hurt

Tight end Ryan Griffin hurt his back with &;22 left in the first half. The play was a run by Jordan Todman, away from Griffin. Griffin was on his stomach and grabbed his lower back. He got up, tried jogging to the sideline but fell down and eventually walked off with help.

I'm not a doctor, but my guess is he herniated a disc.

Some tidbits...

Former Husky D.J. Hernandez is in attendance. He looks good and smiling more than he did while in school. He's coaching high school football, something he seems fit for.

Rentschler has some changes, such as blue tarp wrapped around the lower level border. It looks good. Now, if UConn would add a blue end zone and some fans -- the stadium is about 30 percent full.

Injuries, etc

Scott Lutrus will not play, Kijaun Dabney is starting in his place.

Also, a couple of Tar Heels are out due to swine flu.

Stay here for live updates.

Some things to look forward to

From UConn:


The UConn men’s ice hockey team celebrates its 50th anniversary as a varsity program this weekend and former players and coaches will be honored during a ceremony….The newest class of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame will be introduced at halftime...A new gameday program will debut on Saturday….”UConn Playbook” is a 48-page, playbill-style magazine that will be distributed to fans for free…”UConn Playbook” is a joint production of UConn and IMG College....FanFest takes place from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. outside the stadium between Gates C and D and features entertainment and family activities...the “Husky Walk” will makes its season debut as fans get a chance to welcome the UConn team as they get off the team buses and head to the stadium. That takes place at approximately 9:45 a.m. between Gates A and B.

Q & A

Time to answer some questions from the mailbag. Mike asks:

Q: What are your expectations for the team this season?

I'll save the offensive portion for question No. 2...

Mike, I've grown to like UConn's defense. It's rarely flashy, but it usually finds a way to get the job done as long as it isn't West Virginia on the other sideline. I try not to sound too much like a Kool-Aid drinker, but if Randy Edsall is throwing a true freshmen at defensive end, the guy must be good. I'm talking about Jesse Joseph. He's probably a little on the small side (6-3, 238), but he is strong and quick. The d-line will miss Cody Brown, so there will be some drop off there.

The starting linebackers are excellent and, for as good as Scott Lutrus is, I am always impressed with Lawrence Wilson's knack for being in the right place at the right time. My concern is depth. If someone gets hurt, UConn will likely have some inexperienced players stepping into big roles. Sure, they need to get experience some time, but its always better when you get to play behind the vet.

I believe the secondary will be fantastic. I'm a big Robert Vaughn fan. He has a nose for the ball, and because Jasper Howard and Robert McClain force quarterbacks into making bad passes, Vaughn -- and maybe Jerome Junior -- will be waiting.

The Huskies' special teams is solid. I wouldn't begin to play with spectacular or other grandiose descriptions. Desi Cullen is primed for a good year, as is David Teggart. There's three more years -- including this one -- of Teggart, so he needs to be strong. Coverage has lacked at times last year, and probably will agains with younger guys on the field. The good news is there are guys, like Robbie Frey who make big plays. However, the main concern is punt protection. It cost the Huskies the North Carolina game a year ago.


Q: What do you expect out of the offense tempo wise? Will the team be better offensively?

All the talk is of the no-huddle, and it should be. UConn is going to try to move the chains at a furious pace. Can they? I like its ability to run with Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon. If Dixon plays the way he did two years ago, there's no worries on the ground. Where the no-huddle can flop is if QB Zach Frazer can't complete a pass. Each dead ball nullifies the no-huddle, so drops and incompletions or penalties defeat the purpose.

Don't expect UConn to always use the no-huddle. Every seems to be in love with it, but the draw back to a fast-moving offense is extended field time for the defense.

If the Huskies can grab a sizable lead, expect them to slow the pace.

Will they be better? That's really hard to say. Will Todman and Dixon be better than Donald Brown? Not likely.

Frazer still has to prove he can run the team, and that it's a different offense than he's had the last two years, it has to take some adjusting. Anyone who thinks he will significantly better than last year from the start needs to rethink the position.

I like the o-line because there are so many familiar faces, which the Huskies enjoy. Injuries have chipped away at some depth, but many guys can play at several spots, so UConn should be good there. They will still miss Will Beatty ( A LOT!!!) and Keith Gray. Gray might not have been the best center, but he got the most out of what he had, which started upstairs.

The receivers are the tricky -- and most pivotal -- aspect of the offense in terms of the team's chances to win besides quarterback. The returning wideouts are mad that they've essentially been discounted for the new guys. Fine. It's deserved, but fine. If a healthy Brad Kanuch can stretch the defenses in the manner Randy Edsall imagined years ago, it will be a start. There's so much talk about freshman Dwayne Difton, and physically he's got the goods. He's a mini Darius Butler. He's also got the pedigree -- comes out of South Florida, played for the state title four years in a row and was trained by NFL legend Cris Carter. All this means the kid knows a thing or two. The two guys to watch are Michael Smith, who the team has been raving about of late, and Kashif Moore. Moore was a surprise starter last year and was hot and cold, but mostly cold.

If four wideouts get close to 500 yards each, it's a good year. Or, if one approaches 1,000 and another is in the 500-700 area, things are good.

Q: Thoughts about the Ohio game?

This is a tricky game. Ohio wasn't a good team a year ago but gave Ohio State fits. Most of the team is back, which bodes well for the Bobcats. Their leading rusher had fewer yards last year (529) than Todman and Tyler Lorenzen combined (580), which didn't happen on many carries. All three of their leading rushers had over 300 yards, so they'll mix and match for the matchups or hot hand.

Ohio is much more of a passing team, but I don't like their quarterbacks at all. I have not seen them, but coach Frank Solich described them as guys who can throw on the run. Sure, that's handy but you don't want to talk about how your QBs can throw while running. It means you have a bad o-line.

The other thing is Ohio, while scoring a few fewer points per game than UConn (0.8), it allowed 70 yards more per game against MAC foes.

The line in Vegas says Huskies by 3 or 4. I say 14.

Media Day: Week 1, Ohio

Don't call them Ohio U. or OSU. That's what the Ohio University game notes say. I kid you not.

Anyhow, sorry for the late post. Immediately after leaving Storrs, I had a newspaper to put out.

Coach Randy Edsall is glad to see game week arrive -- you know they are tired of hitting each other.

* He said that Zach Frazer is ready to be the starting QB. Edsall said Frazer throws well, is tough, a competitor, is smart and has a presence that commands respect from the other guys in the huddle. For his part, Frazer said he has been waiting for this opportunity (to be the unquestioned starter). It's been a long road considering he hasn't been the guy since high school.

Frazer said, in response to questions about his concussions last year, that he is wearing the best helmet possible to protect his noggin.

* Edsall has been pleased with Desi Cullen and Dave Teggart in camp and expects that to continue.

* Another person who has impressed is freshman Jesse Joseph. He'll be starting at defensive end, and the time he spent on campus and around the team and coaching staff going back to January, appears to be the deciding edge over another true freshman, Trevardo Williams. The Huskies really like these guys and could be bookends for the next three years once Lindsay Witten graduates.

"He's one of those players that has a knack for the game. He has very good savvy. he's a competitor, he's gotten stronger since January. ... He just has that innate ability to understand the game and play with good leverage," Edsall said of Joseph.

I'll tell you this, you don't hear coaches use savvy too often when describing players. That makes me think UConn believes it found another gem in Canada.

* With it being Week One,Edsall said that if players have trouble getting their focus right for this game, it will be tough to do so later on as the season progresses.

* Injuries/suspensions update: Harris Agbor is still out. John Yurek (safety) is having surgery on Sept. 18, and OL Jimmy Bennett;s surgery went well and "they are very pleased with where he's at already," Edsall said.

* The coach was asked about the allegations at Michigan, and understandably, Edsall was careful with his words as he is friends with Rich Rodriguez. He gave us a breakdown of how the Huskies spend their week.

Sunday (4 hours):
50 minutes of weight training
2 hours meetings
1 hour, 10 minutes practice

Monday (off).

Tuesday (4 hours)
1 hour, 10 minutes meetings

Wednesday (4 hours)
50 minutes of weight training
2 hours meetings
1 hour, 10 minutes practice

Thursday
meetings

Friday (2 hours, 10 minutes)
I imagine all practice time

Saturday (3 hours)
Game

Grand total 19 hours, 35 minutes. Edsall wasn't clear with all of the breakdowns time-wise. By deduction, Thursday is 2 hours, 25 minutes. I also believe the team practices Thursday's, but I don't have the split.

I'll try to post some more during the day Wednesday, with some quotes from the team.

Depth chart

OFFENSE
WR: 3 Brad Kanuch (Sr., 6-1, 192))
1 Dwayne Difton (Fr., 5-11, 170)
WR: 80 Michael Smith (So., 6-0, 192) OR
82 Kashif Moore (RSo., 5-9, 182)
83 Isiah Moore (RSo, 6-1, 185)
LT: 73 Dan Ryan (RSr., 6-8, 316)
63 Adam Masters (RFr., 6-4, 281)
LG: 66 Mathieu Olivier (RJr., 6-6, 286)
60 Erik Kuraczea (RFr., 6-2, 333)
C: 57 Moe Petrus (RSo., 6-2, 288)
70 Gary Bardzak (RSo., 6-3, 293)
RG: 78 Zach Hurd (RJr., 6-7, 315)
74 Alex LaMagdelaine (RSr., 6-3, 310)
RT: 79 Mike Hicks (RSr., 6-6, 323)
71 Mike Ryan (RSo., 6-5, 324)
TE: 94 Ryan Griffin (RFr., 6-5, 240)
89 John Delahunt (RFr., 6-3, 243)
QB: 10 Zach Frazer (RJr., 6-4, 225)
12 Cody Endres (RSo., 6-4, 223)
TB: 23 Jordan Todman (So., 5-9, 189)
2 Andre Dixon (RSr., 6-1, 202)
FB: 49 Anthony Sherman (Jr., 5-11, 230)
47 Anthony Davis (RJr, 5-10, 243)


DEFENSE
DE: 91 Jesse Joseph (Fr., 6-3, 238)
48 Trevardo Williams (Fr., 6-1, 221)
DT: 99 Kendall Reyes (RSo., 6-4, 286)
54 Alex Polito (RJr., 6-6, 287)
DT: 4 Twyon Martin (RSo., 6-2, 271)
52 Brandon Dillon (RSr., 6-3, 292)
DE: 9 Lindsey Witten (Sr., 6-5, 260)
56 Mike Cox (RJr., 6-3, 242)
SLB:* 32 Scott Lutrus (RJr., 6-3, 244)
28 Jory Johnson (RFr., 6-1, 211)
MLB: 95 Greg Lloyd (Jr., 6-2, 245)
10 Greg Robinson (RJr., 6-2, 240)
WLB: 8 Lawrence Wilson (RJr., 6-1, 220)
46 Sio Moore (RFr., 6-1, 219)
CB: 42 Robert McClain (Sr., 5-9, 198)
5 Blidi Wreh-Wilson (RFr., 6-0, 180)
S: 33 Robert Vaughn (Sr., 6-0, 200)
18 Marcus Aiken (Fr., 5-11, 188)
S: 15 Jerome Junior (RFr., 6-1, 212)
19 Kijuan Dabney (Jr., 6-0, 204)
CB: 6 Jasper Howard (Jr., 5-10, 180)
24 Dwyane Gratz (RFr., 6-0, 192)
* Commonly referred to as the “Husky” linebacker



Special Teams



FG: 38 David Teggart (RSo., 6-0, 214)
13 Desi Cullen (Sr., 6-0, 211)
KO:  13 Desi Cullen (Sr., 6-0, 211)
38 David Teggart (RSo., 6-0, 214)
P: 13 Desi Cullen (Sr., 6-0, 211)
13 Chad Christen (Fr., 6-1, 191)

H: 13 Desi Cullen (Sr., 6-0, 211)
10 Zach Frazer (RJr.., 6-4, 225)
SN: 93 Derek Chard (Jr., 6-3, 235)
54 Alex Polito (RJr., 6-6, 287)
KR:  23 Jordan Todman (So., 5-9, 189)
44 Robbie Frey (RSo., 6-0, 201)
PR: 6 Jasper Howard (Jr., 5-10, 180)
42 Robert McClain (Sr., 5-9, 198)

Tidbits

Just want to thank the folks at WNER 1410AM in New York for having me on yesterday.

Also...The Huskies will announce their depth chart Sunday afternoon as they enter preparations for next week's opener at Ohio University. Will there be any surprises? Probably not, but knowing Coach Randy Edsall, the depth chart will feature a lot of "OR"s next to people's names.

Q&A with Big East commissioner John Marinatto

Courtesy of BigEast.org:

Q: Talk about the BIG EAST’s bowl selection process as a whole. How long ago did it begin?

A: Every conference is in a similar position as the BIG EAST right now; every four-year cycle usually brings about shifting in relationships between conferences and bowls. We tried to be ahead of the game, so our process started over a year ago. As a result, we’re excited to be the first BCS automatic qualifying conference to announce a bowl agreement for the next cycle.

Q: Why did the BIG EAST decide to move away from its long standing relationship with the Gator Bowl?

A: The Gator Bowl has been a great partner with the BIG EAST for 16 years, but our coaches and athletic directors were excited about the opportunity to have a new experience for our student-athletes and fans. In the end, we felt as though the Champs Sports Bowl better fit the criteria we have established for our first bowl opportunity after the BCS (2nd overall).

Q: Why is it advantageous for the BIG EAST and its members to have a partnership with the Champs Sports Bowl for its first bowl opportunity after the BCS?

A: It is our goal to put together the best possible bowl line-up we can, and when we evaluate our bowl opportunities, we look at destination, geography and opponent. The Champs Sports Bowl provides our membership with a desirable place for fans and student-athletes to go, a bowl located in a place that our fans can drive to or get to easily and a game that would be played against a BCS automatic qualifying opponent. In addition, Orlando, which has been hosting bowl games for over 60 years, is a city rich in bowl tradition. Our rosters continue to be stocked with players from Florida, and its no secret that Orlando sits in the middle of a recruiting hot bed for college football.

Q: Is it true that the BIG EAST would not accept a “hybrid” model that currently exists between the BIG EAST, Gator and Sun Bowls?

A: Yes, it is true. We feel as though were are in a much better negotiating position now than we were four years ago based on our recent performance and the stability of the conference. The hybrid structure would allow for Notre Dame to be selected twice in a four-year period in our No. 2 bowl spot. In our new agreement with the Champs Sports Bowl, Notre Dame can be selected only once during the four-year period.

Q: Why does the BIG EAST Conference choose to partner with Notre Dame when establishing its bowl deals?

A: A BIG EAST member in 24 sports, Notre Dame has been and continues to be a great partner for us in football. The relationship between Notre Dame and the BIG EAST Conference in football works because it is mutually beneficial. It allows the conference to sign better bowl agreements while at the same time, provides Notre Dame guaranteed bowl tie-ins outside of the BCS that it would not have been able to garner on its own.

Q: Is it important for the BIG EAST to have a bowl game that’s played on New Year’s Day?

A: The college football bowl landscape has changed over the last several years. There are 34 bowl games played over a two-and-a-half week span, with the highest level (BCS) games being played a week after New Year’s Day. As a result, we feel as though the day of a game has become less important. Instead, we placed more of an emphasis on destination, geography and opponent.

Q: What can we expect from the BIG EAST in terms of signing subsequent bowl deals now that the Champs Sports Bowl agreement has been announced?

A: Most conferences tend to negotiate their partnerships from the top, down. As a result, we can now focus on the rest of our lineup, which entails discussions with both current partners and new ones. We will continue to evaluate our opportunities with the same criteria we have with the Champs Sports Bowl.

Champs Sports Bowl

The Big East's No. 2 team will be heading to Orlando beginning this season to play in the Champs Sports Bowl.

"We're obviously elated to announce our new partnership with the Champ Sports Bowl," Big East commissioner John Marinatto said.

Notre Dame is still part of the mix, getting a spot in the bowl once every four years.

The conference is still ironing out its other bowl games

Huskies to tangle with Wolverines

UConn announced Tuesday that it has finalized a two-game series with Michigan. The Huskies will travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a Sept. 4, 2010 game and the Wolverines will play at Rentschler Field on Sept. 21, 2013.

“We are very excited about having a football series with the University of Michigan,” UConn Director of Athletics Jeffrey Hathaway said in a statement. “This football series will provide two outstanding games for both programs and their respective fans. We are happy to bring this premier intersectional matchup to our dedicated football fans who fill Rentschler Field.”

This agreement, along with a previous deal with Tennessee, might end the hyped and controversial deal UConn sought with Notre Dame. The schools will face each other this season at Notre Dame, but with plans for six more games and the three UConn home games played at neutral sites, the school seemingly decided it was in its best interest to go in a different direction. There has been no official word on the status of that deal, but none of the schedule games with the Fighting Irish were mention in the release, which listed upcoming opponents.

Coach Randy Edsall said UConn doesn’t want to play more than three non-conference Bowl Championship Series eligible teams in one year.
“It is very exciting for our football program to have a series with Michigan,” Edsall said in the release. “We want to challenge our team by playing a strong non-conference schedule in addition to the Big East slate we face every year. Michigan is a nationally-prominent program and we are happy to have them on our future schedule.”

Next year’s game with Michigan forces the rescheduling of the Northeastern-UConn game to Oct. 9, 2010. It is also the rededication game of Michigan Stadium

Notes from media day

Redshirt freshman Eric Kuraczea from Ansonia is “in better shape,” Edsall said, but needs to monitor his weight. The 6-foot-2, 333-pound guard has made strides in knowing his assignments as he continues the transition from high school to college ball.

***

Zach Frazer holds the top spot on the quarterback depth chart, but Edsall said that the pecking order behind the redshirt junior begins with Cody Endres then Michael Box, Johnny McEntee and Casey Turner.

***

Randy Edsall would like to see more linebacker depth. With Scott Lutrus, Greg Lloyd and Lawrence Wilson starting, the coach feels that backups Sio Moore, Greg Robinson and Kijuan Dabney cam get the job done if need be says that if injuries occur, there is some flexibility. Meaning, there are players who can play multiple positions.

***

Redshirt sophomore safety Harris Agbor will be out at least six weeks with a lateral collateral injury.

***

Following a 145-play scrimmage on Sunday, a few positions have sorted themselves out, most notably NFA grad Dan Ryan’s experience winning over redshirt freshman Jimmy Bennett’s potential at one offensive tackle position.
“That’s just one thing that you can’t teach right away,” Ryan said. “It is what it is; this is my fifth year here now. I have a lot of game experience, played behind a great player in (New York Giant) Will Beatty and learned a lot of things from him and (Miami Dolphin) Donald Thomas. Over the years, you pick up small things that the coaches can’t teach. You have to pick it up out there.”

Bowl announcement

The Big East has a bowl announcement this afternoon, likely making official the speculation that the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla. will become the destination for the league's No. 2 team.

Difton to start

UConn football coach Randy Edsall isn’t ready to divulge his depth chart, but that’s not stopping highly touted freshman wide receiver Dwayne Difton from spilling some of the beans.
Difton, the highest-rated recruit to ever commit to play for the Huskies, said Monday that he will be the team’s starting Z receiver, or flanker.

“I’m going to work really hard, real hard,” he said at the team’s media day. “Right now they got me as Z on the first team right now. I’m going to work hard, stay humble, stay determined and take it from there.”

Edsall didn’t confirm Difton’s claim, but said the team saw the depth chart Monday. All Edsall would offer is that Difton could crack the starting lineup for the Sept. 5 season opener at Ohio University.

UConn Pro Day video

Speedy tidings

If credentials, history, track record and pedigree mean anything, Dwayne Difton is going to leave his mark on the UConn football program in a short amount of time.

The 5-foot-11 wideout became the highest-rated recruit to commit to UConn, when the four-star Floridian gave his verbal Friday. He'll arrive as the 39th ranked player at his position and leaving a St. Thomas Aquinas High School squad that ESPN and USA Today considered the best in the nation.

Difton told me that his mind was made up after researching new UConn offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead's track record. But when I spoke with Difton's father, he said that running backs coach Terry Richardson came to him "man-to-man" and assured him that playing doesn't matter if the younger Difton doesn't take care of priority No. 1 — grades.

Difton never saw snow before his official visit on Jan. 16, but said he knows that the coaching staff has in place an environment that will help him as he deals with the changes that college, football and Connecticut present.

The kid seems genuinely nice and he knows that he's going to start next season, alongside Kashif Moore and Brad Kanuch. If there's one thing the Huskies will have at wide receiver is speed. Now, if they can get the ball to the WRs — and they can catch the ball — there's a lot of potential.

And let's not overlook that if UConn can improve its passing attack (it'll be hard not to), it takes pressure of Jordan Todman, who should start in the place left by Donald Brown.

New OC

The Huskies named former Akron offensive coordinator and QB coach Joe Moorhead to the same position. Clearly, this is a step up for Moorhead who leaves the MAC for the Big East.

What I like: Moorhead has a multi-set no-huddle offense that he will be implementing. He's a 50/50 kind of guy, so seasons such as the one Donald Brown just had should become a thing of the past once a reliable passing attack is in place. He should also make UConn more attractive to high school WRs looking for a place to play.

What I don't like: Rankings-wise, Akron was much better than UConn. Statistically, Akron wasn't much better. The Zips averaged 10 yards and three points more than the Huskies per game. If the Huskies had that tacked on to this season's games, they would have won one more game and maybe would have played in a different bowl, but not likely. Give me six points and we're getting somewhere. I'll admit, having what should be -- I emphasize should be -- better talent in Storrs than in tire country may more than make up for that gap and then some. However, two new o-linemen, a new tight end, a new QB and a new tailback not named Donald Brown means this could be a very bumpy first year for Moorhead.

Sayanora, Ambrose

Rob Ambrose, UConn's offensive coordinator, was named the head coach at Towson Saturday. It ends Ambrose's seven-year stint with the Huskies. Ambrose began his tenure at UConn as the quarterbacks coach and then moved up to the post he is leaving.

Now the search for a replacement begins. My guess is the replacment comes from the outside.

Back in the saddle

It's been a while, and between finals and using the last of my vacation, this blog is up and running again.

I want to use this spot to discuss Donald Brown. Granted everything this season seemed to have a hint of Brown to it, but that's OK. Yes, he's said he was coming back but today after speaking with a program official, let's see if he changes his tune once the NFL underclassman evaluation comes back in about a month.

The honors have not stopped coming in for him. He found himself first or second team All-American on just about everyone's list, which is no small accomplishment. It shows you how much people are really paying attention.

The day the Doak walker award was announced, I published this column, which was picked up by a sister paper in Illinois, not far from Iowa. The Iowa fans waited until Shonn Greene won before saying anything. Check out the responses. The e-mails weer even better.

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/sports/columnists/x1049853612/Joe-Perez-Voters-must-have-not-noticed-Donald-Browns-incredible-season

When UConn decides its going to promote Donald Brown in the future, it should consider this:

Here's a better way to compare Greene and Brown: The quality of rushing defenses faced.I've excluded Maine for Greene and Hofstra for Brown.

Iowa faced rushing defenses Nos. 81, 95, 37 (common opponent/Pitt), 36, 72, 93, 43, 78, 8, 94 and 71. (Avg rank 64.36)
UConn faced rushing defenses Nos. 9, 13, 37 (common opponent/Pitt), 40, 47, 49, 53, 57, 75, 88 and 101. Avg rank 51.72)
Based on that statistic, it's tough to say Greene faced a harder group of defenses. Furthermore, with UConn having zero passing game, everyone knew Brown was getting the ball.

Pitt can be the tie breaker, if we'd like. Greene had 23 carries for 147 yards and a TD. Brown had 34 carries for 189 yards and a TD. One had more yardage, but the other a higher average.

As for Greene's yards per carry, he was 24th in the nation, so clearly that can't be that significant of a factor if that many backs had better averages.

I've needed to get that off my chest because at the risk of sounding like a homer, I do believe Brown was the best running back this year.


Some stocking stuffers before Christmas....Tony Ciravino will likely handle kick offs in Toronto. Desi Cullen had his appendix removed last week and is recovering. Cullen will still punt.

Offensive coordinator Rob Ambrose is interviewing at his alma mater, Towson State, for their head coaching position. I hope Ambrose gets it. The Huskies need a more creative mind calling the plays.

Linebacker C.J. Marck is transferring, likely to a I-AA or Football Championship Subdivision school. He's not playing in Toronto and has already left the team because he felt he shouldn't play if he's not coming back. That's a tough call to make -- not playing, that is. That's a class move by someone who from what I've been told, was well liked by teammates.

Awards

Tonight most of the college football awards are presented. There are two awards I am interested in: the Doak walker (RB) and Fred Bilitenkoff (WR).

The first because I think its a shame UConn's Donald Brown isn't a finalist. I'm not saying he should win, but you can't tell me he isn't one of the three best at his position.

The second, because I voted on that award and think it's going to be a lot closer between Michael Crabtree, last year's winner, and Dez Bryant.

Today voting begins on the Football Writers Association of America's coach of the year award. We rank them 1-9.
My vote:
Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Chris Petersen, Boise State
Mike Leach, Texas Tech
Joe Paterno, Penn State
Nick Saban, Alabama
Mack Brown, Texas
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
Pete Carroll, USC
Urban Meyer, Florida

Your thoughts?

Brown sets the standard

Donald Brown became the first UConn player to win a major Big East award. he was named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year Wednesday. Brown, a junior, led the nation in rushing yards and yards per game. He was also among the leaders in scoring.

Now the question of will he or won't he leave really begins to heat up.

It's Toronto

The UConn football team has accepted an invitation to play in the International Bowl on Jan. 3 in Toronto.

Playing in a bowl game in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history, UConn will face MAC champion Buffalo in the noon kickoff from the Rogers Centre.

"We are very excited to be playing in the International Bowl in the beautiful city of Toronto," say UConn head coach Randy Edsall. "I think it is a strong statement to the development of our program as we have now played in bowl games in back-to-back years for the first time our history. We worked with the executive director Ken Hoffman and his staff in 2004 when we played in the Motor City Bowl and had a terrific experience and we look forward to the same for this bowl"

Check back with this blog and www.NorwichBulletin.com for more info.

Leader One

If his numbers hold up, Donald Brown will end the regular season as the leading rusher in all of Division-I football.

Shame on you

Fans,

You want your UConn football team to be taken more seriously. You think it's not treated like the supposed "big-time" program you allege it is on blogs and message boards throughout cyberspace.

Why not try showing up to home games, particularly the last game of the season, on a day when your seniors are being honored? 5,000 people in the stands for senior intros and under 15,000 for kickoff is a joke.

Until YOU treat the program like it matters, no one else will.

Fond farewell

Nineteen seniors say goodbye to Rentschler Field today.

Some we've gotten to know well as a result of their regular playing time, some we've started to get to know and other we just never saw much of.

This much is true: Whatever happens in the game today against No. 23 Pittsburgh, these 19 men will have quite a few memories to share for a lifetime. Let us not forget there's still one more game, probably the International Bowl.

I began talking to players about their careers a month or so ago when I sat down with D.J. Hernandez. D.J.'s an interesting cat. He really puts a great deal of thought into what he does and doesn't say. But I'd say since last year he's begun to show great introspection.

After games, D.J. was the worst interview win or lose. Usually terse, short, annoyed or saying as little as possible with as many words as possible, he's changed. In group settings he'd clam up a bit, which is understandable. But this year, he was so infrequently available that many of my peers and I would speak with him with one or two other people. The result was D.J. opening up about family, college, football and his future.

Then when you watch him become all but forgotten this season, you appreciate him a whole lot more.

There were a few standup guys in this senior class that deserve recognition for that. Tyler Lorenzen, Rob Lunn, Keith Gray, Cody Brown and Tony Ciaravino.

Tyler was the kind of guy who enjoyed the candid moments with people and told you what he thought. As a QB, he was the ideal interview. Never took the credit and always took the blame even when it wasn't his to take.

Lunn, despite being a Red Sox fan, is the guy everyone wants to be around. He's smart and funny, and puts things into amazing context, beyond most people his age. This past week, it took him 15 seconds before he started crying when asked about his memories at UConn. You know the bye week killed him. That gave him two weeks to marinate on playing his last home game.

He reminded me that there's more than Xs and Os, something easily forgotten week after week when everyone is talking about this formation or that, starting quarterbacks and "personal reasons."

Keith Gray flies under the radar. He's deceptively funny. Every week he imparts a little humor and shares his take on the previous game and the next. Few people take the win or loss as personally as he does.

Eveyone knows that Cody Brown is funny. He's a different funny than Lunn. You see how amped he gets on game day and then minutes after the game ends, he's doing standup. Every team needs a Cody Brown and everyone needs to know a Cody Brown.

Finally, Ciaravino is a unique kicker. He understood the pitfalls of being a kicker and never complained. He was always willing to face the music and because of it, the media held him in high regard. He's also blessed with a great disposition. I'm sure he's looking forward to getting back to the warm weather in Florida.

Good luck to the seniors.

Dixon arrested

An already disappointing season for UConn redshirt junior tailback Andre Dixon took a major turn for the worse and not only is his ability to play in an upcoming bowl game in question, but so is his place in the program.
Dixon was indefinitely suspended from the team after he was arrested early Tuesday morning for driving under the influence. The New Jersey native was released after posting $500 bond. Dixon is slated to appear in Rockville Superior Court on Dec. 15.
Huskies coach Randy Edsall announced the suspension at his weekly press conference, calling it a violation of team rules.
“The young man made a mistake and he came into see me and we’ve talked,” Edsall said. “It’s unfortunate, but he made a mistake.”
Dixon was pulled over around 1:30 a.m. after following a police cruiser too closely on North Eagleville Road. The arresting officer pulled Dixon and issued a field sobriety test, which he failed.
A year after rushing for 828 yards and second-team All-Big East, Dixon has been a non factor from the start. A nagging ankle injury slowed him coming out of training camp and true freshman Jordan Todman surpassed him, unofficially, on the team’s depth chart.
This season, Dixon has played in nine games and has 37 rushing yards.

What the Big East has to say about the last UConn play

I just got off the phone with conference spokesman John Paquette, who gave me the Big East's view of the final play for UConn in it's 17-13 loss at South Florida Sunday night.

"The passer's back foot was still behind the line (of scrimmage), so when the pass was released. Also, the play would have been reviewed and probably reversed by replay, but since the pass was incomplete the ball belonged to USF anyway," Paquette said.

As for whether Lorenzen was on the receiving end of a late hit, cause for a personal foul call against the Bulls, Paquette added, "Those are all judgement calls. A play like that is a judgement cal and we wouldn't offer an opinion on that."

Called into question

On the Huskies' final play from scrimmage, the play where Tyler Lorenzen was called for an illegal forward pass,UConn coach Randy Edsall provided the Big East with a video of that play. His contention is that Lorenzen was subjected to a personal foul after the throw.

I've reached out to the head of Big East officiating Terry McAulay and hopefully I can give you definitive word on the league's take before the night is out.

Also, I eluded to the Biletnikoff Award. My semifinalist votes went to Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree, BYU's Austin Collie and Missouri's Jeremy Maclin. The final ballot arrived today and the finalists are: Crabtree, Maclin and Oklahoma State's Dez White. Maybe my memory is short, but when was the last time the country had three sophomore WRs like those guys?

Brown no Walker

UConn's Donald Brown is not a finalist for the Doak Walker award, given to the nation's top running back. Michigan State's Javon Ringer, Georgia's Knowshon Moreno and Iowa's Shonn Greene are the three finalists.

“For me, that’s a disappointment because I think he should be,” coach Randy Edsall said. “He’s the leading rusher in the country; he’s up there (among the best). What else would you have to do? Just because he’s not from a big-name school, a supposed big-name school? He has more yards than them, probably more carries (and) more touchdowns; that is kind of surprising to me. That’s the way it is. He’ll just go about his business and keep working hard and try to help his team win.”

Your take

I just submitted by ballot to determine the finalists for the Biletnikoff Award (top WR). I'm not about to reveal my picks ( I will in a few days but don't want to skew the vote) but I want to see who the fans like.

Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
Chase Coffman, Missouri
Austin Collie, BYU
Quan Cosby, Texas
Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
Eric Decker, Minnesota
Jarett Dillard, Rice
Casey Fitzgerald, North Texas
Kerry Meier, Kansas
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri

Notice, all but three are from the Big 12.

Larry Taylor en fuego in Canada

Two kickoff returns for touchdowns by the former Husky put Montreal in the Grey Cup Nov. 23.

Is he seeing Orange?

That's what everyone wants to know about UConn head coach Randy Edsall. Is he going to leave for the newly vacant Syracuse job?

Let's look at the facts.

* He spent 14 years there as a player and a coach
* It is, despite what UConn fans may say, a bigger program. Just check out the history.

Let's look at the factors.
*If Edsall wanted to go to Syracuse and move onto another job, a bigger one I presume, he would probably get the same job if he stays put. Why? Because he has to rebuild Syracuse before it can compete and win games. At UConn he's built a respectable program and will have consecutive bowl teams.
* Syracuse would have to make him among the best-paid coaches in the nation. Plus, handle his buyout. Not happening. Plus, Edsall has zero leverage with UConn. He got a new deal a year ago. I do think had the'Cuse come calling then, he would have left. But it was Georgia Tech then. So what it's another Big East school? The state of Connecticut isn't about to give him another raise.
*The most important factor -- he's miffed over not getting the job when the Orange hired Greg Robinson. I can totally see Edsall smiling to himself in private, and he should. Clearly -- Edsall or not -- G-Rob was the wrong call.

Tying in a hot-botton topic of the day, Edsall has said he has no interest. But as he's shown, he's not affraid to lie. He's said as much himself.

Why are reporters, such as myself, in such a tizzy over this? Understand that you, the fan, come to us for news. Our job is to present you the truth of what is going on, no matter if its politics, sports, business or a pet show. Thursday Edsall said it was Zach Frazer or Cody Endres who would start at QB and that he didn't know what Lorenzen could do. He even had Frazer warm up with the first team Saturday night. He knew Tyler Lorenzen was starting. He didn't have to say Lorenzen was starting. He could have said, "Lorenzen is practicing, but right now it's Zach or Cody."

If we are to believe Edsall made the decision based on Thursday's practice, which is generally a walk-through for road games, then the head coach thinks we are all idiots. He says the deciet was an act of gamesmanship. Nevermind that you wasted it on Syracuse, but Lorenzen was a non factor. He passed for 70 yards. 70!!!!

The really point isn't what he lied about. It's that he's done it a few times and we've reported essentially false info as a result. So why should you, the fan, read what we print about your team? There's no way of knowing what is truth and what isn't.

We as reporters should be mad. This isn't a game to play with people's livlihood's, especially in this economy. You want to argue that the press does this with him, but he is a public figure, a state employee. That's part of the job when you coach a football team.

So when Randy Edsall says he's not interested in Syracuse or hasn't been contacted by Syracuse or a third party, etc., do you believe him?

I don't.

Vote for the Don...

or another RB, if you choose.

Donald Brown, the electric UConn tailback, is a finalist for the Doak Walker award. It's the annual award given to the nation's top running back. The folks with the Doak Walker award are allowing fans -- yes, fans -- like you to vote on ESPN.com.

It works like this: Whomever gets the most fans votes will receive one actual vote in the balloting. With so many outstanding backs this season, that one vote could make the difference.

So in the spirit of this election year, exercise your right to vote!

http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/rank?versionId=2&listId=60

Another nomination for Brown

In addition to being a finalist for the Maxwell Award (top player) and Doak Walker Award (top running back), the Walter Camp Football Foundation has named UConn's Donald Brown as a finalist for its player of the Year award. He is one of 15 nominees.

Lean with it

During this stellar season for tailback Donald Brown, Brown has been a staple of the weekly media sessions. He's also shown a great amount of emotion when dealing with the media. I don't mean banging fists or crying or yelling or anything like that. But he's an expressive young man, who when the Huskies lose, he's disturbed. When they win, he's more affable.

Today, he showed some humor and laughed more than most of my types have seen in three years.

Recalling memories of Syracuse's appeal when he was younger and the legacy of "44s" or star running backs with the Orange, Brown was asked about running backs coach Terry Ricardson, who played at the 'Cuse.

Brown said that when there's been down time in the fikm room, sometimes he pops in old footage of Richardson. There was one game that stood out where Richadson scored against Louisville and then posed by leaning up against the goal post.

The redshirt junior said he doesn't believe that act would fly today, meaning it is far too tame.

Coach Richardson was kicking it old school.

Midweek update

Anyone want to fancy a guess at who is the Huskies' starting quarterback Saturday night at Syracuse?

Right now the only guess that has the odds against it would be Tyler Lorenzen, and his odds are improving -- slowly.

It's still Cody Endres or Zach Frazer -- my money is on Frazer -- and it's still a game-time decision. Endres said he's been working on the basics, something that got away from him in the second half against West Virginia two weeks ago. The three interceptions hurt the most because each led to a Mountaineers score.

Lorenzen looks fine walking around the football complex and is no longer wearing a boot. The screw is still in his right foot, but that hasn't prevented Lorenzen from doing light drills under the guidance of the training staff. He's essentially replicating common movements for quarterbacks such as drops and shuffles. He has yet to get the OK for full-speed running, so that will have to wait at least until later today at the earliest.

Brown named Maxwell semifinalists

Donald Brown was named one of 15 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award, given annually to the college player of the year.

Brown has set new UConn career carries and singfle-season rushing yards records is having a break out season. Despite the consideration, Brown is trying to keep the nomination in perspective.

"To be honest with you, it's an honor, but at the same time, it's unrealistic," he said. "A kid from UConn will never win an award like that. I know it just as well as anyone else – a kid from UConn will never win an award like that."

The other candidates are: Sam Bradford, So., QB, Oklahoma; Donald Brown, Jr., RB, Connecticut; Darryl Clark, Sr., QB, Penn State, Michael Crabtree, So., WR, Texas Tech; Chase Daniel, Sr., QB, Missouri, Shonn Greene, Jr., RB, Iowa; Graham Harrell, Sr., QB, Texas Tech; Jeremy Maclin, So., WR, Missouri, Colt McCoy, Jr, QB, Texas; LeSean McCoy, So., RB, Pittsburgh; Knowshon Moreno, So., RB, Georgia; Javon Ringer, Sr., RB, Michigan State; Zac Robinson, JR., QB, Oklahoma State; Mark Sanchez, Jr., QB, USC; Tim Tebow, Jr., QB, Florida.

Syracuse game time

Originally, the Nov. 15 game between UConn and Syracuse at the Carrier Dome was slated for a noon start. It's been changed to 7 p.m. and will air on ESPNU.

The day after: West Virginia

A few other bits of information besides the update on Darius Butler's condition.

Coach Randy Edsall said he was pretty happy with the special teams against the Mountaineers, and believes that there were a couple of situations on kick returns that had the Huskies gottten the appropriate blocking there might have been a touchdown or two in the cards.

One area Edsall said the team needs to work on is making the opposition kick field goals in situations where touchdowns were scored.

Against a team like West Virginia, the Huskies tried a few different looks on both sides of the ball to put more speed on the field -- an issue that has really haunted the team the last two seasons. Jordan Todman played over Donald Brown (a move I have to disagree with) and Dahna Deleston played at linebacker. The latter move was one that had been discussed in the preseason and it wouldn't surprise me if he sees more time there.

"All it does is puts more speed on the field. I thought we had a great plan defensively yesterday. I thought putting Tywon Martin in there and having Julius (Williams) in at the tackles and Lindsey (Witten) at the ends and Cody (Brown) and Dahna where he was and Scott in the middle and Aaron out there, it just put more speed and athleticism out to play against a team like West Virginia. I thought it was productive for us for the most part."

Ironically, Edsall was happy with how his team stayed away from penalties, but noted that the only penalty came on a 3rd-and-1 and ultimately forced them to punt. If they don't get the call against them and gain the first down in West Virginia territory, it's fair to assume UConn scores.

No decision has been made regarding who will start at QB in two weeks at Syracuse.

“That’s something we’ll evaluate and take a look at and make a determination as we see fit,” he said.

There's no update on whether Tyler Lorenzen can return in time for the next game. My guess is he plays at South Florida in three weeks.

The coach was asked about recruiting players with teams like the Mountaineers in mind.

"We try to recruit the kids that have the academics, tat have the character, the character, the work ethic, the speed and athleticism to fit into our program and we hope we can get the fastest and most athletic guys we can and combine that with the rigors of what the academics are at the university to fit them in."

Butler out 4-6 weeks

The injury to cornerback Darius Butler will keep him out 4-6 weeks, coach Randy Edsall announced Sunday. The injury is being described simply as a "knee injury" that wouldn't require surgery by Edsall. He said that was the extent of what the medical staff want released.

For Butler, this is good news. He won't play until a bowl game, but that he should be OK for NFL workouts is positive.

Analysis

There was a lot to not like about today's 35-13 loss. We can start with 28 unanswered West Virginia points -- at home. How do you do that? Donald Brown and D.J. Hernandez's fumbles hurt, as did three Cody Endres interceptions. I noticed the last two weeks that Endres seems to play a decent half but not a complete game. Because of his inexperience, he forgets his mechanics when under pressure and makes mistakes. You won't win many football games with that happening.

I suspect that in two weeks at Syracuse, Zach Frazer will start and Tyler Lorenzen's return may not be too far away.

The loss all but assures the Huskies won't win the Big East. That means a best-case bowl scenario is the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte once again. More likely they end up in Birmingham or Toronto for the games played there.

No official word, but expect Darius Butler to have torn his ACL and have his season end early. Even worse is that this will hurt his draft position since he won't be ready to go to the combines in late winter. Any team that takes him is taking him sort of sight unseen. Scouts have been at games and have game footage to watch but its not the same. Last year, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dave Campo told me you have to see a player run drills live. This injury may have cost Butler millions of dollars. That's sad because he's a great talent.

The drops have to stop. Randy Edsall called out his wide receivers after the game saying he needs someone -- likely a recruit -- to come in and want the ball. I don't know if stick 'em would work with this crop. Kashif Moore, who had the biggest drop of them all, said he thinks the unit as a whole can be that go-to receiver. Sorry, Kashif, but show me one person who has what it takes to do that. There is no swagger a la Keyshawn Johnson, where they say, "Throw me the damn ball."

Finally, let's not give the Huskies' defense a hard time. How much should be expected when they have 30-40 yards to work with. Notice when they had the Mountaineers backed up, the defense was in control for the most part.

Notes

Some things you won't read in tomorrow's Bulletin. I guess that makes it semi-exclusive to this blog depending on which other publications run it.

Donald Brown, who had his streak of 100-yard games snapped at eight, passed Terry Caulley as the school's all-time leader in rushing attempts. He's now at 585 carries.

Anthony Sherman had a few career bests: 16 rushing yards, 16-yard run, seven catches and 51 receiving yards.

4:26

That's not a Biblical reference, but the amount of time that West Virginia needed to score three touchdowns. Donald Brown fumbled and it led to another WVU score, a three-yard Sanders run. 28-13 West Virginia.