University of Connecticut Athletics
Football Gears Up
8/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
STORRS, CONNECTICUT (August 15, 2001) -- The Husky Football team is still three weeks from the 2001 season opener at Virginia Tech on September 1, but UConn fans will have the opportunity for a sneak preview on Saturday, August 18 at 1:30 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. Head Coach and the Huskies will hold a public scrimmage that will go a long way toward determining who will take the field in the opener against the Hokies.
With pre-season well underway on the Storrs campus, UConn head coach Randy Edsall and his coaching staff have gotten a good look at the 2001 Huskies. The battles are fierce at many positions for starting spots, but the competition has been spirited and the staff is very happy with how things look.
Senior quarterback Ryan Tracey looks to be completely recovered from a knee injury that ended his 2000 campaign and his health will go a long way toward determining UConn's fortunes in the 2001 season. Many other spots on the offensive side of the ball are still up in the air, but senior C.J. Hessel returns to anchor the offensive line and protect Tracey in the pocket.
Defensively, juniors Jamal Lundy and Roy Hopkins have both looked sharp and will lead a unit that should be faster, quicker and stronger than a year ago. Junior Greg Smoot will lead the front four and looks poised to have a breakout season.
Special teams features one of the top stories from a year ago, as sophomore punter Adam Coles returns for his second year as a Husky. In 2000, Coles set a UConn freshman record for punting average and was named a freshman all-american for his efforts.
The schedule for the 2001 season is the most challenging in school history. The season opener again national top ten opponent Virginia Tech is only the first in a series of challenges that will test the mettle of UConn's second-year Division I-A program. Two other BIG EAST opponents, Temple and Rutgers, are also on the schedule. In all, the schedule features ten Division I-A opponents.
FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS REMAIN ON SALE
Season ticket packages for the five-game home schedule are still available for $60 (Adult/Reserved Seats) and $30 (Youth/Senior Citizens/Reserved Seats). Single game reserved tickets are priced at $14 for adults and $8 for youths/senior citizens. Season Ticket packages offer a savings of $10 off the combined single game ticket price.
Purchasing Husky Football season tickets now will give people priority for ticket purchase in Rentschler Field in 2003.
The UConn Ticket Office is located on the Storrs campus in the breezeway between the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion and the Hugh S. Greer Field House. Ticket office hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m.. The ticket office can also be reached by phone toll free from anywhere in the U.S. at 1-877-AT-UCONN or by calling 860-486-2724.
As of August 9, the University of Connecticut has sold a school-record total of 6,400 football season ticket packages, surpassing the previous record of 5,300 set in the 2000 season.
RANDY EDSALL WEEKLY RADIO SHOW SET FOR THURSDAY NIGHTS
WTIC-AM Newstalk 1080 will once again be the home of the Randy Edsall Show during the 2001 season. The show will be on Thursday nights from 6:00-7:00 p.m. and feature head coach Randy Edsall along with WTIC SportsTalk hosts Joe D’Ambrosio and Arnold Dean. The show will consist of weekly reports from Husky camp, interviews with players and other members of the program and an opportunity for listeners to call-in with questions for the head coach. The first show will take place on Thursday, August 23 and continue every Thursday throughout the season.
