Rainy Skies, Sunny Spirits For UConn Football Friday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Dec. 28, 2007) - The skies over Charlotte may have been cloudy and rainy on Friday, but the spirits of the University of Connecticut football team remained clear and sunny as it moved one day closer to Saturday's Meineke Car Care Bowl.

UConn cheerleaders help get the crowd pumped up with the help of the marching band at the Kick-Off Luncheon Friday.

Players started the day with team meetings before select players made their way to Fuel Pizza for media day, along with head coach Randy Edsall. From there, the group met up with the rest of the Husky team for the Kick-Off Luncheon at the Charlotte Convention Center. With both UConn and Wake Forest present, in addition to hundreds of fans, over 1,200 people participated in the luncheon activities.

Following the Kick-Off Luncheon, the team took a quick tour of Bank of America Stadium but the rains prevented the team from having its scheduled walk-through. UConn returned to the Omni Hotel where players had a little free time to mingle with friends, family and the hoards of UConn fans that descended upon Charlotte in the last 24 hours. Torrential rains threatened to cancel the day's pep rally and street festival, but the Huskies decided to push forward with the activity despite the weather.

Hundreds of Husky fans from across the country turned out for the event, illustrating UConn's incredible fan base. Following the rally, UConn football players have a team dinner and have the opportunity to visit with family members before resting up for tomorrow's big game.

Left: Ray Dunaway, of the WTIC Morning Team, speaks with Tim Newman, the chief executive officer of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, as part of his live broadcast Friday morning. Right: Randy Edsall meets with NBC30's Kevin Nathan, along with a local North Carolina writer at Media Day from Fuel Pizza.

Tyler Lorenzen (left) and Darius Butler (right) meet with members of the media at Media Day from Fuel Pizza. Both players will also be featured in ESPN's game broadcast introducing the players on their respective sides of the ball.

Left: Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe and UConn's Randy Edsall share a laugh at the Kick-Off Luncheon at the Charlotte Convention Center. Right: UConn sophomore Brad Kanuch speaks after being presented with an academic award at Friday's luncheon.

Left: Former UConn Director of Athletics John Toner, former UConn men's basketball coach and longtime athletics ambassador Dee Rowe and BIG EAST Commissioner Mike Tranghese (left to right) gather at Friday's Kick-Off Luncheon. Right: Ken Walker, President and CEO of Meineke joins Director of Athletics Jeff Hathway in recognizing UConn football coach Randy Edsall at the Kick-Off Luncheon.

Left: UConn quarterback Tyler Lorenzen speaks alongside Wake Forest QB Riley Skinner. Right: UConn defensive tackle Dan Davis and Wake Forest defensive end Jeremy Thompson share the stage during the Kick-Off Luncheon Friday.

Left: The UConn dance team, along with the cheerleading squad and marching band, brought some Husky spirit to Kick-Off Luncheon at the Charlotte Convention Center. Right: UConn fans were not deterred by the day's rain showers, as crowds gather at the pep rally and street festival Friday evening.

UConn head coach Randy Edsall (left) and Director of Athletics Jeff Hathaway (right) speak to crowd gathered at the pep rally and street festival Friday evening in honor of Saturday's Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Left: UConn defensive tackle Dan Davis pumps up the crowd as he joins his teammates on stage at the pep rally and street festival. Right: The UConn captains and head coach Randy Edsall spread the Husky spirit leading up to tomorrow's Meineke Car Care Bowl by leading everyone in singing the school's fight song.