UConn Football 2004 Season Outlook

For the second straight year, the University of Connecticut football team enters a new season on the heels of an immensely successful 9-3 campaign. Last year, the momentum from an outstanding 2002 campaign was transferred into a stellar opening season at Rentschler Field, Division I-A’s newest and most modern college-football focused facility. The full head of steam that UConn built up in the 2003 season, which saw the Huskies beat teams from the ACC, Big Ten, BIG EAST and Conference USA, will have a similar inaugural focus in 2004.

After five years of steady and consistent growth, the day that UConn football has dreamed of has finally dawned. Following a long march that began after the 1999 season, the Huskies join the ranks of the national elite this fall as they become a part of the Bowl Championship Series with full-membership in the BIG EAST Conference on the gridiron.

The Huskies are poised to take full advantage of this opportunity and should prove to be worthy competition on the field. The team welcomes back 17 starters from the 2003 team that went 9-3 and ranked eighth in the nation in total offense. Since Nov. 1, 2002, only 10 teams have won more regular season contests than the Huskies. Connecticut hopes to remain in such lofty and elite company with a strong 2004 campaign and a respectable debut in a conference that has produced the best bowl game winning percentage of any BCS circuit since 2000.

“I think that we’re ready to go in and compete in the BIG EAST,” says head coach Randy Edsall assessing the overall strength of his squad. “How we do remains to be seen. But, I think confidence-wise and physically, this team is going to be ready to face some of the outstanding teams that are a part of the BIG EAST Conference.”

Although the new dog in the show, the Huskies should represent the university well in the new league. The team has faced several members of the conference over the past few years in regularly scheduled contests. In addition, Edsall is one of four coaches on the staff who has either previously coached or played in the BIG EAST. The Huskies know both the awesome challenge that faces them and what will be needed to rise up and meet it.

“We know the league,” says Edsall. “We know the kind of coaches that are in this league. We know the kind of players that are in this league. From a coaching standpoint, I think that familiarity helps because we can let the players know what to expect. I think having that background will aid us in our game preparation as we take the field in the BIG EAST.”

OFFENSE

Led by a competent triggerman in senior quarterback Dan Orlovsky, the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year in several publications, the Husky offense returns nine starters. This includes the bulk of its key performers from a 2003 squad that ranked eighth in the nation last fall in total offense, 10th in passing offense and 17th in scoring offense.

UConn has three different tailbacks on its roster with at least two 100-yard games to their credit. The Huskies return four starting linemen who average 29 career starts apiece. Of the 15 players who caught a pass last fall, 12 return and throwing to this multitude of targets is Orlovsky, whose 61 career touchdown passes rank second amongst all active quarterbacks in the nation.

Depth will be a concern in a few areas, but provided the starters remain in good health, the Huskies should be able to move the ball with good efficiency in 2004.

“The strength of our offense will be the depth that we have at tailback, the quality of our top four receivers, the experience of our offensive line, the talent of our quarterback and the blocking ability of our fullbacks, plus the combination of blocking and catching abilities of Tim Lassen and Dan Murray at tight end,” says Edsall. “The thing that still concerns me is the backup situation on the offensive line, the depth at wide receiver and making sure we have a second quarterback that we feel comfortable with.

“On offense, I thought this group as a whole made strides this spring and we have to make sure as we go into the fall that we continue to develop that depth which we will need to help ensure our success. I think this is a group that can do great things if we stay healthy.”

QUARTERBACK

As the Connecticut High School Player of the Year in 2000, Dan Orlovsky found schools from the Big Ten and ACC knocking on his door, but with a strong belief in Edsall and the potential at his own state university, he spurned their offers and headed up I-84 to Storrs. To date, the decision could not possibly have worked out better for all parties involved. Orlovsky has matured into one of the country’s top senior passers and has helped shepherd the growth of the program from one that lost to Eastern Washington and Utah State in 2001 to one that comfortably defeated Indiana and Wake Forest in 2003.

Standing on the brink of breaking every UConn career passing record, Orlovsky has also begun to make waves on a national level. His 61 career touchdown passes and 7,352 passing yards rank second and eighth, respectively, amongst all active Division I-A passers. He ranked seventh in the nation in passing last fall. Orlovsky’s improved poise and maturity has led him to develop into a consistent passer who has an active school record streak of 24 consecutive games with a touchdown pass. In his last 16 starts, Orlovsky has helped guide UConn to a 13-3 record and continued to show that moxie this past spring and summer as he relished his role as a team tri-captain, coordinating the team through spirited summer workouts.

Should Orlovsky suffer an injury or otherwise falter, five other young guns will look to step in and assume the reigns of the Husky offense in 2004 while being further groomed as a potential 2005 starter at the critical position. Sophomore Matt Bonislawski stands as the top reserve after two impressive spring seasons. Although he has yet to throw a collegiate pass, Bonislawski did earn a varsity letter last fall as the holder for field goals over the last eight games. Junior Jermell Williams has seen limited action as a backup for Orlovsky the past two seasons, completing 12 of his 22 career passes for 226 yards and one touchdown. However, Williams missed spring drills this year after suffering a knee injury last winter.

A pair of walk-on sophomores, Shane Fogarty and Peder von Harten, will compete behind Bonislawski and Williams for a reserve role. Fogarty is the older brother of wide receiver Seth Fogarty while von Harten transferred last summer from Monmouth University. Highly-touted true freshman D.J. Hernandez, the Gatorade Connecticut Player of the Year at Bristol Central High School, will also throw his hat into the ring and could develop into a fine Husky.

RUNNING BACKS

Depth is the least of Edsall’s concerns at tailback, which starting on Sept. 27 of last fall epitomized making a positive out of a negative. Terry Caulley, the nation’s leading rusher through four games, suffered a season-ending knee injury on just his second carry at Virginia Tech that afternoon. The reserves behind him were untested redshirt freshman Cornell Brockington, junior Chris Bellamy who had been shifted to wide receiver in part because of Caulley’s dominance, and true freshman Matt Lawrence whom the coaching staff had hoped to redshirt. Instead of wilting, the UConn tailback corps stepped up their play beyond anyone’s expectations and transformed the issue of depth from a giant question mark into a team strength, making the word “or” after the players’ names as much a fixture of the Husky tailback depth chart as the uniform numbers listed before them.

While the status of Caulley, a true junior, will not be determined until immediately before the start of the season, Bellamy, Brockington and Lawrence have all proven to be capable backups who will duel daily for the starting nod.

Lawrence and Brockington shared time for the remainder of the Virginia Tech game and combined to go over 100 yards. Lawrence got the first crack at starting the following week at home against Lehigh and turned in a solid 88-yard effort on 19 carries with a touchdown. Bellamy had been moved to wide receiver, but came back to tailback after the Caulley injury and gained a respectable 42 yards on eight carries as he spelled Lawrence against Lehigh with his first career touchdown. Lawrence drew the start at NC State the following week, but the day belonged to Bellamy who gained 166 yards on 29 carries as the Huskies narrowly fell short of an upset of the Wolfpack. Bellamy eclipsed the century mark in each of the next two games, including a 212-yard effort at Kent State, before yielding to Brockington who took charge. In the final three games of the season, Brockington rushed for 10 touchdowns and 11 scores in all. He chipped in 182 rushing yards during UConn’s monumental 51-17 win at Wake Forest that closed the season, while also scoring the game-winning touchdown with 26 seconds to play against Rutgers.

Senior Jon Wholley will help add yet more depth to this area while the Huskies will also benefit from the services of promising signee Larry Taylor, who was Florida’s Class A Mr. Football at Fort Lauderdale’s Glades Day.

“At tailback, I think we have three guys capable of going in and doing the job in Matt Lawrence, Cornell Brockington and Chris Bellamy,” says Edsall. “Matt Lawrence had a tremendous spring. That depth I feel very good about. We’ll just have to see how Terry Caulley comes along with his injury and we’ve also got Larry Taylor coming in as a true freshman to add to the competition. It will be interesting to see how it all works out.”

The situation at fullback is less cloudy than at tailback. Stout junior Deon Anderson has started every game of the past two seasons when the Huskies opened with a tailback and will likely hold down his starting role. An excellent blocker and a tremendous performer on special teams, Anderson perfectly fits the mold of a traditional fullback in the Husky offense. Sam Dorvil is a more than competent backup who, like Anderson, is a steady and powerful blocker while contributing greatly on special teams. The duo, weighing a combined 481 pounds, was also occasionally used in tandem last fall in goal line situations, helping to batter open holes in opposing defenses. True freshman Lou Allen will also have a chance to work his way into the mix.

“Deon got even better this past spring and part of that is because Sam has pushed him,” says Edsall. “Sam is going to be a player for us and have a chance to get in there this year and do some good things. It’s a great situation for our team.”

WIDE RECEIVER

Wide receiver is the one area where the Husky offense will have to replace significant losses in 2004 in the form of Academic All-American Shaun Feldeisen (65 rec., 860 yards, seven TDs) and O’Neil Wilson (51 rec., 655 yards, nine TDs); however, a competent and deep rotation in both 2002 and 2003 leaves Edsall with several experienced options.

Senior Keron Henry leads the pack at the “X” wide receiver slot. The converted quarterback is a tall and agile target downfield who, had strong numbers on the field (39 rec., 662 yards, four TDs) in 2004. In addition, Henry is also a double major in electrical engineering and computer science Walk-on senior Brian Sparks used a tremendous effort during the spring to propel himself into the top backup role behind Henry, while Maryland transfer Aaron Smith and true freshman Nollis Dewar of Windsor round out the group.

Speedy true junior Brandon Young has consistently improved during his Husky career and enters the fall as the starter at the “W” receiver post. Young will once again compete to be UConn’s kickoff returner in addition to his fine work at wide receiver where he has appeared in 21 career games. Redshirt freshman Seth Fogarty, a prized recruit from Morgantown, W. Va., will try and hold down the top position behind Young as he sees his first collegiate action. A pair of capable walk-ons in sophomore David Sanchez, who served as the team’s top punt returner in 2003, and redshirt freshman Matt D’Agata back up that duo and will be joined by true freshman Brandon McLean out of the Hyde Leadership School in New Haven.

Senior Matt Cutaia returns to head the pack at the “Z” receiver position. Battling several injuries in his UConn career, Cutaia has appeared in 22 games with five starts for the Huskies and is one of the team’s top deep threats, averaging 15.8 yards per reception in his career. Junior Jason Williams will also have an opportunity to start at wide receiver for the Huskies in 2004. A 2003 BIG EAST qualifier for the UConn track team, Williams has seen significant playing time as a kickoff returner in addition to his 24 career games played (with five starts) as a wide receiver. Sophomore Dan Desriveaux and incoming freshman Ellis Gaulden, an All-State track performer from Tallahassee, will also look to work their way into the mix.

“We have four guys that I know have played and have demonstrated their capable play making ability at this level in Keron Henry, Brandon Young, Jason Williams and Matt Cutaia,” says Edsall of the unit as a whole. “After those four is Brian Sparks who I feel more comfortable with after spring practice as our number five. Then we have a host of others, including Seth Fogarty, David Sanchez, Matt D’Agata, Dan Desriveux, Aaron Smith, along with our three true freshmen, who are all going to be fighting to see if they can be the sixth or seventh receiver or even move up into a higher position. I like the experience we have there, but I think we have to develop a little more depth.”

TIGHT END

Perhaps the team’s biggest area of concern on offense entering the 2003 season sorted itself out nicely as the year progressed. Three different players started a game at the position during the season and Tim Lassen emerged as the best of the bunch despite being limited to six games by a preseason shoulder injury. An exceptional blocker, Lassen also proved a capable short-yardage target by catching eight passes for 90 yards and a trio of touchdowns.

Dan Murray, a redshirt sophomore, was the lone tight end to appear in all 12 games last fall and made four starts. Murray averaged 13.7 yards on nine catches and also was a steady blocker, often lining up alongside Lassen in UConn’s double tight end sets. Sophomore Ziggy Goryn also has an opportunity to factor into the tight end slot for UConn in 2004 while true freshmen Steve Brouse and Rob Getek will help the team build to the future.

“Timmy is a capable player who has demonstrated that he can help win games for us at this level,” says Edsall. “Danny is getting better all the time. I feel comfortable with those two in the game for us. Ziggy is our third tight end and he will push for playing time this fall.”

OFFENSIVE LINE

With four starters still intact from the past two seasons, UConn boasts one of the most veteran offensive lines in the nation. Three seniors secure the left side of the line in team tri-captain Ryan Krug at left tackle, left guard Brian Markowski and center Billy Irwin. Junior Grant Preston will again start at right tackle, giving the Huskies four linemen who have combined to start an incredible 115 games (28.75 each) entering the 2004 season. The unit is hardly a push-over on the field. In 2003, UConn yielded just 10 sacks, the third fewest of any team in the nation.

Named to the Outland and Lombardi Trophy watch lists, Krug is the anchor of the unit from left tackle where he has protected Dan Orlovsky’s blind side capably since 2001. Markowski has been a stalwart, starting each of the 35 games of his decorated UConn career including each of the last 24 at left guard. Irwin was named to the Rimington Award’s watch list as one of the nation’s top centers. Preston admirably and adequately adjusted to right tackle last fall after starting 11 games as a freshman at right guard.

The one starting vacancy on the line is expected to be filled by redshirt sophomore Craig Berry, a 6-5, 321-pound giant from New Jersey who showed promise during spring practice.

The backup posts are one of Edsall’s largest concerns of the entire offensive unit. However secure the starting nods are within this group, the unit has a mixture of talent and unproven talent that is yet to be seen. While the starters have combined for 115 starts and 116 games played, the remainder of the linemen have played in a total of 43 career games, 35 of those by senior long-snapper Jeff Fox. Senior Brendan Borowski and sophomore Aloys Manga will duel for the right to backup Krug at left tackle while junior Michael Kodish and senior T.J. Dlubac will have Markowski’s back. Fox, the team’s veteran long snapper, is firmly entrenched as the top reserve at center with true freshman Immanuel Hutcherson currently at the third center spot. Redshirt freshman Brian Kersmanc showed promise this spring as a potential backup right guard while classmate Chad Atwell is expected to be the next option at right tackle after Preston. Ken Rice could also prove to be an option for depth at right guard.

“The good thing about the offensive line coming in to the season is that we have four of five starters coming back and Craig Berry showed during the spring that he will be a capable starter at right guard,” says Edsall. “What we have to do now is find out who our third and fourth tackles and guards are going to be. Those are answers that will have to come out during the fall, but I feel good about the five people that we have up front. I feel that their experience together and their knowledge will enable us to do what we’d like to do with our offensive line.”

DEFENSE

Aside from the defensive line where the Huskies suffered heavy graduation losses, UConn welcomes back the bulk of its defensive two-deep, including each of the squad’s top six linebackers and seven of the top eight defensive backs. The line will see ample opportunity for untested freshmen and sophomores to lay claim to top roles. The Huskies lost 2003 starting defensive end senior Uyi Osunde, the school’s career record holder in tackles for loss, both of its starting tackles in seniors Sean Mulcahy and Ryan Bushey, and its top reserve end in senior Hakeem Kashama. The remaining six starters from the linebacking corps and secondary will have to continue their steady play to help the team get the ball rolling on defense in 2004.
“We’ve got to develop some more depth at the defensive end position,” says Edsall. “But, if we can do that, I think we have a chance to have a really sound two-deep with our defensive unit.”

DEFENSIVE LINE

A major storyline during spring drills was the play of the defensive line. Spirited competition for the three vacant starting positions made this group both one of the most closely watched of the spring, and one of the most successful as a group. The line may have been depleted by graduation, but it is far from devoid of talent. Leading the way is the unit’s lone returning starter, senior “Bandit” defensive end Tyler King. Often overshadowed by Osunde, King turned in a tremendous 2003 season recording 17 TFLs, eight of them sacks, and garnering All-Independent honors. King ranks fifth on the UConn career TFL chart with 30 and his ability to get loose in the backfield is evidenced through the 27 forced hurries he accumulated in 2003.

Sophomore Shawn Mayne appears to be the leader for the starting role opposite King after a redshirt freshman campaign in which he gained a good measure of experience coming off the bench in 11 games. Redshirt freshman Harold Stanback and sophomore Jason Ward will try to fend off freshmen Gary Mack and John Baranowsky for the top reserve positions. Incoming freshmen Dan Davis and Nate Tucker will also line up at end this fall.

The top four tackles are all set and will form an equitable rotation. Junior Deon McPhee is the most experienced player in the quartet and is a likely starter. McPhee has appeared in 22 career games and has been credited with 27 stops, three TFLs and a sack. Sophomore Rhema Fuller has the inside track on the other starting nod. The Floridian appeared in all 12 games last fall making 14 tackles, two of them for a loss with one sack. Promising sophomores Ray Blagman and Matt Applebaum are slated to be the reserves in the interior line while true freshman Afa Anoai will also lend support to the unit.

“I thought our defensive line came along this spring,” says Edsall. “I feel good about the four tackles up front. I think we’ve got a good four man rotation between Deon McPhee, Rhema Fuller, Matt Applebaum and Ray Blagman. I feel that Tyler King will have a good senior year and Shawn Mayne has come along, but my concern right now is that we need to get some depth at defensive end. The biggest concern I think on the entire defensive side of the ball is the depth at defensive end.”

LINEBACKERS

The heart of UConn’s defense in 2004 could most likely be its linebackers. All three starters return, including All-Independent selections Alfred Fincher and Maurice Lloyd. Along with James Hargrave, who contributed 74 tackles to the Husky cause last year, and having each of the top three reserves back in the fold, this unit should be the least of Edsall’s concerns.

“Those are the people that make all of the adjustments and having that experience will always help,” says Edsall. “In terms of adjustments and all the things you have to do when determining running and passing plays, having that experience at linebacker is critical. When you include (incumbent strong safety) John Fletcher, who plays like a linebacker for us, we have a group of players with a tremendous amount of experience.”

Voted a team tri-captain, Fincher anchors the entire defense from his middle linebacker post. An All-Independent selection in 2003 after making 115 tackles with 11 TFLs, Fincher has started 23 games over the past two seasons and acts as a defensive counterpart to his roommate, quarterback Dan Orlovsky. Darius Leak proved an able backup last fall and hopes to retain that role with an expected charge from freshmen Ryan Henegan and Julius Williams in a battle for playing time.

Named to the Bronko Nagurski Award’s preseason watch list, senior Maurice Lloyd has led UConn in tackles each of the past two seasons as the top weakside linebacker. Effective in both pursuit and pass coverage, Lloyd has started 28 of his 33 career games played and amassed 295 tackles, 35.5 of them for a loss to rank second on UConn’s career chart in that category. Taurien Sowell was a dependable backup to Lloyd in 2003, leading UConn in four defensive categories (14 tackles, 12 solos, three TFLs and three pass break-ups) when given the opportunity to start at Army when Lloyd was hurt. Redshirt freshman Danny Lansanah, who had a strong spring season, will push Sowell for the top reserve role behind Lloyd along with true freshman Johnathon Smith.

Hargrave has not looked back since taking over the reign as strongside “Husky” linebacker from senior captain Jamal Lundy during the 2002 season. Starting 11 games last fall, and playing the final two games with a broken thumb, Hargrave was the team’s sixth leading tackler while adding eight TFLs. Hargrave’s understudy, Kinnan Herriott, may be the team’s top non-starting linebacker. A senior with 29 career games played under his belt, Herriott is ready and willing to help the team how ever necessary. Freshmen Justin DeRubertis and Robert Theoudele will also work out at “Husky” linebacker.

“The linebackers are solid,” says Edsall. “We have three returning starters who have played a lot of football for us. Maurice Lloyd, Alfred Fincher and James Hargrave all just keep getting better. The interesting thing there is the competition for the backup positions between some of the redshirt freshmen and the people who have been here on campus, between Darius Leak and Ryan Henegan in the middle and between Taurien Sowell and Danny Lansanah on the weak side. Of course, we have a capable backup at the Husky position in Kinnan Herriott who has stepped in and filled that role very well.”

SECONDARY

UConn’s secondary returns almost entirely intact from a unit that ranked in the top third nationally in both passing defense and passing efficiency defense last fall. Losing only starting free safety Terrance Smith to graduation, and gaining some prized freshmen off of redshirted 2003 campaigns, the Huskies will have the depth of talent needed to produce good results.

Justin Perkins is once again expected to be the team’s top cover corner. Showing no ill-affects from missing almost the entire 2002 season with a knee injury, Perkins earned All-Independent recognition in 2003 after making six interceptions, breaking up 21 passes and registering 69 total tackles. Sophomore Allan Barnes assumed the starting role on the opposite corner late in the 2003 season as a true freshman and has yet to let it go. The defensive game ball recipient after the win at Wake Forest, he led all of the team’s talented true freshmen with his 37 tackles, including nine on special teams, second-best on the squad. Barnes also has the ability to return kickoffs. Ernest Cole and Cathlyn Clarke will enter the fall as competent top reserves at corner, boasting a combined 37 career games played with nine starts. Sophomore Jahi Smith, a key special teams performer for UConn in 2003 will be joined by redshirt freshman Ricky McCollum and Darius Butler in a dog fight for playing time at a deep position.

The depth at safety is also bountiful. John Fletcher is the incumbent starter at strong safety where he was effective last fall in what is a complex role in Edsall’s scheme. Sophomore M.J. Estep was a capable nickel back last fall and, during the spring, earned the starting nod as fall practice opens. A pair of athletic players in sophomore Dontá Moore and redshirt freshman Donnell Ford will help make the initial two-deep at safety a formidable one. Moore showed plenty of promise in limited special teams play a year ago while Ford twice earned Defensive Scout Team Player of the Work distinction. Another speedy true freshman, Marvin Taylor, will have every opportunity to crack the two-deep at free safety while senior Quanear Gaskins will battle at strong safety. Taylor will also be in the fix as a potential punt returner. Incoming freshmen Tyvon Branch, one of New York’s top sprinters, and Dahna Deleston, will also add to the mix.

“In the secondary, we were limited in the spring due to injuries, but I feel good where we are with Justin Perkins and Allan Barnes at corner, John Fletcher at strong safety, and as of right now, M.J. Estep at free safety,” says Edsall. “I think there is still competition to occur with Dontá Moore and Marvin Taylor at free safety as that is something that will be decided in the preseason and beyond. I thought that some of our young corners have come along. Ernest Cole gives us someone who has played and can go in and compete, along with Cathlyn Clarke, Ricky McCollum and Jahi Smith. Donnell Ford is a solid backup to Fletcher and he keeps getting better. Plus, we have three true freshmen in Branch, Butler, and Deleston that will get an opportunity to show us as coaches what they can do. From a secondary standpoint, we have a chance to have more depth than we ever had.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

Nothing on the UConn squad is presently more undetermined than the kicking and punting duties as five players will vie for those chores right up to opening day and likely throughout the season.

The Huskies do not have a single player on the roster who has ever punted in a collegiate game after graduating four-year starter Adam Coles, a senior who returned to his native Australia after graduating in May with every UConn career punting record. Redshirt freshman Chris Pavasaris was Coles’ understudy in 2003 and was the squad’s lone punter during spring drills. He will be challenged by Shane Hussar who averaged 44 yards gross and 40.9 yards net per punt in high school, while also playing linebacker and fullback.

Both Matt Nuzie and Graig Vicidomino saw action as UConn’s place kicker in 2003. While Nuzie performed the bulk of the duties, neither truly seized control of the position. The duo will be joined in August by Tony Ciaravino who was Palm Beach County’s best kicker a year ago.

“Kicking is the biggest question mark we have on our entire football team right now,” says Edsall. “We’re going to give Shane Hussar and Tony Ciaravino every opportunity to win the job. Matt Nuzie, Graig Vicidomino and Chris Pavasaris are going to be competing, but the freshmen will get every opportunity to compete based on what we’ve seen of them on tape.”

The kickoff and punt return roles are up for grabs. Incumbent kickoff returners Brandon Young and Allan Barnes will continue their battle this fall while redshirt freshman Larry Taylor will push David Sanchez for the punt returning honors. Others could find themselves in both of these mixes as well. Jeff Fox is back for the fourth consecutive season as UConn’s deep snapper. Meanwhile, Matt Bonislawski is again expected to hold for placement kicks, a role he assumed from Coles for the final eight games of the season.

CONCLUSION

The 2004 season will be yet another historic one as the Huskies cap their recent ascent to BIG EAST and BCS membership. In what is becoming a rite of fall, UConn will once again face the toughest schedule in its history. A full slate of BIG EAST competition includes West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Boston College, all of which made bowl games last year. A pair of ACC foes in Duke and Georgia Tech also add strength to the slate. The Huskies will play an unprecedented seven home games in 2004, including six of the first seven games overall to open the season. UConn will not have to travel by airplane until the Oct. 30 contest at Syracuse. While the burden is slightly alleviated by those quirks, the opposition is daunting nonetheless.

“There’s no comparison in terms of strength of schedule to our previous seasons,” says Edsall. “I’ve said each of the past three years that this is our toughest schedule that we’ve ever played and that holds true again this year. We’re looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity. Some of these teams are your better teams in the country and we’re looking to see how we stack up and compete against them. Each and every week it’s a dog fight but we’re anxious to play.”

Regardless of the outcomes, America will see how the Huskies have progressed first hand as the team will play four live nationally televised games, three of them in prime time on the ESPN family of networks. Never before has UConn been afforded such exposure on the gridiron. It is a level that few teams in the nation receive, let alone one in just its third year of Division I-A football. Husky fans will see first hand how the combination of a talented and rising program and added pressure come to a head and the coaching staff will be alongside those anxious to see how the team reacts.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how we respond to playing on national TV and in a conference,” says Edsall. “These are all new things for this program. I’m excited to see just how far this team has come because I think this team has good chemistry, a lot of heart and desire and this team wants to do well. I’m anxious to see them go out and compete. I think there are a lot of talented players on this team and if we go out and put it together for 60 minutes, for 11 games, good things could happen for us.”

In addition to three respected captains and 17 returning starters, a competent coaching staff will help steer this ship. Edsall and three of his assistants have first hand experience navigating the waters of the BIG EAST Conference. The staff has remained remarkably intact for a Division I-A team. In the past two years there has been just one coaching change, affording a stability and familiarity both with the system and the personnel that few schools can match. The one change to the staff was the addition of Scott Lakatos over the winter as defensive backs coach after Torrian Gray left for a position on Lovie Smith’s staff with the Chicago Bears. Lakatos is an invaluable addition in preparation to bravely face this new league as he came directly from Rutgers and also gained BIG EAST expertise during a stint at Syracuse.

The Huskies feel that they are on the right track to achieve success in their BIG EAST debut this fall. Steady off-season preparation the past two years has led to a fall season of unparalleled success in UConn lore. Edsall is cautiously optimistic about what could happen this fall with more of the same hard work and dedication.

“Everyone on our team knows that they have to work harder, but I think that we’ve made great strides with the program that we started with five years ago,” says Edsall. “We haven’t made any drastic changes to the way we train just because we’re entering the BIG EAST. They’ve been doing BIG EAST caliber off-season regimes already. Out student-athletes just have to understand that they have to do a great job of preparing themselves because the challenges that we will face week-in and week-out will be more than we’ve ever faced in the previous years.

“Our expectations won’t change. We’re going to work as hard as we can. We’re going to play hard each and every game. We’re going to prepare each and every day. Hopefully we’ll be able to execute and give ourselves an opportunity to win.”