#14 D.J. Hernandez

Sophomore
Quarterback
6-1, 202
Bristol, Conn.
Bristol Central

An athletic redshirt sophomore who was UConn’s top quarterback during the spring of 2006 and aspires to hold the starting role this season.

2005: Played in seven games with two starts, coming against Cincinnati (Oct. 15) and Louisville (Dec. 3)…Completed 46-of-90 passes on the year for 515 yards with six touchdowns and just one interception, good for a team-best 118.96 efficiency rating…Also ran the ball 64 times for 286 yards with one touchdown…Completed 18 of his 32 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns without an interception for a 154.13 rating against Louisville in the season-finale with a bowl bid on the line. Also led UConn in rushing against the Cardinals with 49 yards, running for four first downs on his own in addition to the 11 that his passes picked up. His 304 all-purpose yards in the game were the best by a Husky all season…Made his first career start at Cincinnati and, while breaking his non-throwing wrist during the game, still threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 70 more yards…After Matt Bonislawski fractured his clavicle against Syracuse (Oct. 7), came off of the bench to guide UConn to victory, completing 50% of his passes and rushing for 86 yards and a TD. The 86 yards tied for the team lead and was nearly UConn’s first 100-yard rushing game by a quarterback since 1980. Earned the team’s offensive game ball for his efforts against the Orange.

2004: Redshirted.

High School: 2003 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year who was nominated for the Army All-American Game...Named first-team All-State by the New Haven Register as a senior and also named to the Hartford Courant’s All-State team...Rated as one of the top 10 prospects in New England...The first player in state history to both rush and throw for over 3,000 yards in his career, gaining 3,116 yards and 45 touchdowns on the ground and 3,114 yards and 31 TDs through the air...As a junior became the first Bristol quarterback to gain over 1,000 yards rushing (1,599) and passing (1,302) in the same season, while also lending a hand in a combined 34 touchdowns (19 rushing and 15 passing)...Threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more in the 2004 Governor’s Cup All-Star Game at Rentschler Field...Spent his first two seasons at Bristol Central as a wide receiver...Also a two-time All-State basketball player, helping guide Bristol Central to the 2003 state class LL championship, averaging 20 points per game...Named All-Conference in baseball after batting .368 in 2003...Graduated with 10 varsity letters (four in football, three each in basketball and baseball)...Team captain in both football and basketball...Honors student.

Personal Profile: Dennis John Hernandez…Born on May 18, 1986…Late father, Dennis, lettered at UConn in 1976 as a defensive back and his uncle, David, also played at UConn before transferring to Louisville…A human development and family studies major.