Running Backs
Terry Richardson is in his 10th season as a member of the Connecticut football
coaching staff, all spent working with the Husky running backs.
The
ground attack made dramatic improvements under Richardson’s watch as soon as the
team joined the Division I-A
ranks and has been one of its most consistent units over the past six years. In
2002, Terry Caulley galloped for 1,247 yards to lead all true freshmen in the
nation. Overall, UConn’s per game rushing average shot up to 136.6 yards after
averaging just 77.5 yards per game in 2001.
The depth at running back, that became such a well-told
story line of the 2003 season, is a credit to Richardson. During the season,
UConn started four different tailbacks, three of whom gained at least 186 yards
in a single game. This includes two of the top 10 single-game rushing efforts in
UConn history as Terry Caulley ran for 234 yards at Buffalo and Chris Bellamy
scampered for 212 at Kent State. Not to be outdone, Cornell Brockington rushed
for 10 touchdowns over the final three games alone.
In 2004, Cornell Brockington carried the load for UConn,
leading the BIG EAST with 1,218 yards and earning first team All-Conference
recognition. The 2005 season saw three different Huskies (Caulley, Brockington
and Lou Allen) record a 100-yard rushing game in a deep position group. In 2006,
UConn ranked 13th nationally in rushing offense behind All-BIG EAST performer
Donald Brown.
UConn saw another All-BIG EAST performer
in 2007 as Andre Dixon gained 828 yards on the ground, narrowly edging Brown’s
821 for the team lead.
Richardson is a 1994 graduate of Syracuse where he was a
four-year letterwinner at running back and wore the fabled uniform number 44.
The coveted jersey is awarded only to exceptional Orange rushers, including Jim
Brown and 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. Richardson was Syracuse’s
leading rusher as a senior in 1993 and played in the Blue-Gray All-Star Game
following his senior season. Richardson helped the Orange to three bowl berths
during his career, the 1990 Aloha Bowl, 1992 Hall of Fame Bowl and 1993 Fiesta
Bowl. Syracuse won all three games.
Richardson signed a free agent contract with the NFL’s
Cincinnati Bengals in 1994 and also spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles
(1995), Kansas City Chiefs (1996) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1996-97). He spent
the 1998 season at Northeast High School in Oakland Park, Fla., as offensive
coordinator and running backs coach to start his coaching career.
A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Richardson has four
children, Terrance (18), Sheenai (17), Kayla (13) and Tierra (6).
