Running Backs

Terry Richardson is in his ninth season as a member of the Connecticut football coaching staff, all spent working with the Husky running backs.

The ground attack made dramatic improvements each of the past five seasons under Richardson’s watch. 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.

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 (17), Sheenai (16), Kayla (12) and Tierra (5).