University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Heads to Nashville For SEC Matchup
10/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
THE COACHES
CONNECTICUT HEAD COACH RANDY EDSALL
Randy Edsall has compiled a 11-29 career record in his fourth season at UConn and has never faced Vanderbilt. A veteran of 19 years of major college coaching with three years in the NFL, Edsall has tackled the challenge of bringing a former NCAA Division I-AA team up to par with the BIG EAST in a six year span head on. Immediately prior to becoming UConn’s 27th head coach on December 21, 1998, Edsall served as defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech in 1998 under George O’Leary. Edsall began his coaching career at his alma mater, Syracuse, from 1980-1990, working under Frank Maloney and Dick McPherson in a variety of capacities. Amongst his highlights at Syracuse was being a part of the 1987 team that went undefeated at 11-0-1, tying Auburn, 16-16, in the Sugar Bowl. Edsall moved on to Boston College where he coached defensive backs under Tom Coughlin from 1991-93 before following Coughlin to the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, staying on the First Coast through the 1997 season. Edsall is a native of Glen Rock, Pa., and graduated from Susquehannock High School.
VANDERBILT HEAD COACH BOBBY JOHNSON
Bobby Johnson is 61-42 in his nine-year head coaching career and 1-6 at Vanderbilt. He has never faced UConn as a head coach. Johnson is coaching outside of South Carolina for the first time this year. Johnson served as head coach at Furman from 1994-2001, leading the Paladins to four NCAA Division I-AA Tournaments (including a runner-up spot last year) and three Southern Conference Championships. He was named the 2001 I-AA National Coach of the Year for his efforts. Johnson had worked as an assistant at Furman from 1976-79 and 1981-92, only leaving Greenville to spend the 1980 and 1993 seasons at Clemson. A Columbia native and Eau Claire High School grad, Johnson was a three-year letterman at Clemson from 1969-72 as a wide receiver and cornerback.
RADIO/TV COVERAGE NOTES
RADIO COVERAGE
For the 11th consecutive season, WTIC 1080-AM in Hartford will serve as the flagship station for the UConn Radio Network. WTIC is the state’s only 50,000 watt clear channel signal and can be heard in 23 states and parts of Canada. Veteran UConn announcers Joe D’Ambrosio (play-by-play) and Wayne Norman (color commentary) return to call the action with Bob Joyce on the sidelines. The UConn pregame show begins one hour prior to kickoff while at home games, the UConn Tailgate Show will air two hours prior with Arnold Dean. The UConn Radio Network is comprised of: WILI 1400-AM in Willimantic, WLIS-1420 AM in Old Saybrook, WMRD 1150-AM in Middletown, WICC 600-AM in Bridgeport and WSUB 980-AM in Groton. UConn football games are also broadcast over the internet, with assistance from Yahoo!, at www.UConnHuskies.com.
THIS WEEK’S TV
For the second straight week and third time this season, WFSB TV-3, Hartford’s CBS affiliate, will broadcast the Huskies live, this week from Nashville. The station will air a total of five games this season with Joe Tessitore, Don McPherson and Eric Clemons calling the action. WFSB is also the home of Randy Edsall’s weekly coaches show on Sunday nights at 11:45 pm. All of UConn’s WFSB games are also available nationwide as a part of ESPN’s GamePlan package.
THE UCONN HUSKIES: MUST SEE TV
UConn will have eight of its 12 games broadcast on live television this year. The BC game was an ESPN Regional production which aired on both NESN and MSG. The YES Network carried UConn’s games against Georgia Tech and Buffalo. WFSB-TV 3, Hartford’s CBS affiliate, is carrying five games as they Huskies battle Ohio, Temple, Vanderbilt, Florida Atlantic and Navy. With eight total TV games, it is by far the most football games that UConn has ever had televised in a single season. Curiously, former Syracuse star Don McPherson will serve as UConn’s color commentator for seven of these eight games, appearing on three different networks.
EDSALL ON THE AIR
UConn head coach Randy Edsall will have weekly television and radio shows this year. The television show will air on Sunday nights at 11:45 pm on WFSB TV 3 in Hartford with Eric Clemons. Edsall, along with a selected player each week, will also be featured on an hour-long radio call-in show Thursday nights from 6:00 to 7:00 pm on WTIC 1080-AM with Joe D’Ambrosio and Arnold Dean.
SERIES NOTES
UCONN-VANDERBILT HISTORY
Connecticut and Vanderbilt meet on the gridiron for the first time ever. This is not an unusual occurrence for the Huskies this year as Vanderbilt is one of six first-time opponents for UConn in 2002 (Georgia Tech, Ohio, Miami, Vanderbilt, Florida Atlantic and Iowa State). The game is UConn’s second ever against a SEC school, losing at Kentucky, 45-14, on Sept. 11, 1999. This contest is UConn’s second visit to the middle Tennessee region in the past two seasons, having dropped a 38-14 decision to MTSU last Nov. 17 in Murfreesboro. It also marks only the third time in school history that UConn has played a game outside of the Eastern time zone.
LOOK AWAY (FROM) DIXIELAND
The land of cotton hasn’t been very friendly to UConn historically as the Huskies hope that old times there are soon forgotten. The Huskies are just 7-32-1 all-time in games played south of the Mason-Dixon line, including losses in each of the last eight such games, dating back to a 34-26 win on Nov. 14, 1998 at William & Mary. All-time, UConn is: 0-1 at Davidson, 2-12 at Delaware, 0-1 at Delaware State, 0-1 at Furman, 0-1 at Georgia Southern, 0-3 at James Madison, 0-1 at Kentucky, 0-1 at Louisville, 0-1 at Miami, 0-1 at Middle Tennessee, 0-3 at Navy, 0-1 at North Carolina, 4-0 at Richmond, 0-1 at South Florida, 0-1 at SMU, 0-0-1 at VMI, 0-1 at Virginia Tech and 1-2 at William & Mary.
HEY, DON’T I KNOW YOU FROM SOMEWHERE?
While UConn has no native Tennesseans, Vanderbilt’s Matt Weiss is a native of Cheshire, Conn. and a graduate of the Hopkins School...UConn OT Mike Henry and Vanderbilt DE Libnir Telusca both attended Miami’s Monsignor Pace High School...UConn’s Ezra Carey played with both VU’s Jovan Haye and Nigel Seaman at Fort Lauderdale’s Dillard High School...There will also be several reunions off of the field on Saturday....Vanderbilt wide receivers coach J.D. Hall coached UConn’s receivers for the past two years (2000-01)...Vanderbilt Director of Athletics Todd Turner held the same position at UConn from 1987-90 and is remembered very fondly in Storrs. Amongst’s Turner’s accomplishments at UConn was the opening of Gampel Pavilion and UConn winning it’s first women’s basketball BIG EAST title in 1989 and men’s hoop crown in 1990...UConn Assistant AD for Marketing Rick Thorpe held the same position at Vanderbilt in the mid 1990s...UConn Assistant SID Leigh Torbin worked in the Commodore Media Relations office from 1998-2000...UConn head athletic trainer Bob Howard was born and spent several years of his youth living in suburban Nashville.
SQUAD NOTES
NOT HALF BAD AT MIAMI
UConn outscored Miami 14-6 in the second half of its game there on Oct. 5 which is a very rare accomplishment. In its current 28-game winning streak, Miami has lost just seven of its 56 halves. Of those seven lost halves, only two have come against an unranked team, as UConn joins Louisiana Tech (Oct. 28, 2000) in that regard. Miami’s other five lost halves came against Florida State (2000 and 2002), Virginia Tech (2000 and 2001) and Nebraska (2002 Rose Bowl). All of those teams were ranked #14 or better at the time.
WIN THIRD DOWN AND WIN THE GAME
Third down conversions, while a critical element in any football game, have proven to be the key to success in several UConn games this year. The team that has posted a better third down conversion percentage has won each of UConn’s seven games this season. Interestingly, the discrepancies in the percentages are often similar to the scores of the game. UConn’s two biggest losses were also its worst conversion percentage differentials (Georgia Tech - 36%-20% and Miami - 50%-15%). UConn’s biggest win (24-3 at Buffalo) saw its largest positive margin (28%-7%). The narrow overtime loss against Ball State saw less than a percentage point advantage for the Cardinals (47.0%-46.7%).
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST: HUSKIES PROVING TO BE STRONG FINISHERS...
UConn has scored 73 of its 150 total points (49%) in the fourth quarter of games, outscoring its opposition 73-15 in the final stanza. Until the Temple game, UConn had not surrendered a score in the fourth quarter since the season opener at Boston College when Brian St. Pierre hit Grant Adams for a 14-yard TD with 3:56 to play. The Husky defense shutout their opponents for the next 91:08 of elapsed fourth quarter time after the BC touchdown. Meanwhile, the UConn offense has found resurgences during the final quarter of most games, outscoring Georgia Tech 14-0, Buffalo 14-0, Ohio 24-0, Ball State 7-0 and Miami 7-0. The Huskies’ 24 fourth quarter points against the Bobcats were the most fourth quarter points UConn has ever scored in a game back to 1961, the beginning of the school’s available quarter-by-quarter records. UConn had previously scored 21 points at Boston University on Nov. 7, 1975.
...BUT STUMBLING OUT OF THE GATE
The Huskies have been outscored 62-16 in the first quarter of games this year. Until scoring 13:15 into the Ball State game in week five, UConn’s lone first quarter score came on its opening drive of the season, a 12-play 90-yard march to the end zone at Boston College, with a missed PAT. Until Dan Orlovsky hit Cliff Hill with a 27-yard TD pass against Ball State, UConn had been shutout in the first quarter for an elapsed time of 67:55.
TEAMS NEED TO MAKE THE MOST OF OPPORTUNITIES
While UConn has been able to generate more turnovers than its opposition this year, maintaining a positive turnover margin all season, the end result has often been favorable to the opposing team. UConn has been able to produce just 27 points off of its 14 gained turnovers while UConn’s opponents have scored 49 off of UConn’s 13 miscues. In each of UConn’s seven games this year, the team with more points off of turnovers has gone on to win the game. The stat was especially critical in the overtime loss to Ball State when the Cardinals scored 14 points off of UConn miscues while the Huskies were shutout in a pair of chances.
UCONN PARTIES LIKE IT’S 1999
The Buffalo game nearly evoked a recurrence of the 1999 season, Randy Edsall’s first at UConn. Just like in 2002, the 1999 Huskies opened 0-2 after losing to a pair of tough teams. UConn fell to I-AA power Hofstra in the season opener and then lost 45-14 at SEC member Kentucky against Hal Mumme’s "Air Raid" offense in 1999. Each time, UConn drew Buffalo in week three and came away with a comfortable win (23-0 in ‘99, 24-3 in ‘02). The 1999 win triggered a three-game winning streak. UConn won two straight in 2002 before a narrow overtime loss to Ball State.
YOUTH IS SERVED
Five true freshmen appeared in the Huskies season opener at Boston College, including an all-true freshman starting back field featuring fullback Deon Anderson and tailback Terry Caulley. Overall, seven true freshman have played for UConn this season. Brandon Young earned a slot in the wide receiver rotation while also serving for a while as UConn’s top punt returner. James Hargrave plays a backup role at Husky linebacker and on special teams. He started for the injured Jamal Lundy against Ohio and led UConn with 17 tackles. Ernest Cole has also seen time, mainly on special teams, while Rhema Fuller and Cathyln Clarke made their Husky debuts against Georgia Tech.
EAGLE SCOUTS
Each week head coach Randy Edsall issues an award for the Scout Team Player of the Week on both offense and defense. In recognition of their often-overlooked hard work, those players earn a spot on the Husky travel squad and dress list for that week’s game. The weekly honorees are listed below.
Game Offense Defense
Boston College RB Cornell Brockington DB Ryan DeRubertis
Georgia Tech WR Joe Villapiano LB Darius Leak
Buffalo WR Conn Davis LB Kinnan Herriott
Ohio FB Gary Whitehill LB Justin Quinn
Ball State OG LeAndre Dupree DB M.J. Estep
Miami RB Jonathan Wholley LB Darius Leak
Temple OT Brendan Borowski DT Chris Clarke
YOUNG GUNS
Frequent redshirting of players over the past couple of seasons and drastic expansion in the total number of available scholarships to 85, has enabled head coach Randy Edsall to put together a fairly young team. This is especially true on the offensive side of the ball. UConn has just four offensive scholarship seniors and 70% of scholarship players are sophomores or younger on offense.
2002 Scholarship Chart
Class Off. Def. Spec.
Sr. (12) 4 7 1
Jr. (21) 9 11 1
So. (17) 10 7 0
RFr. (13) 10 3 0
TFr. (21) 10 10 1
Total (84) 43 38 3
OUR OWN LITTLE EPCOT CENTER HERE IN STORRS
While the overwhelming majority of the UConn football team is comprised of players from the northeastern United States, the Huskies have a far greater foreign influence than your typical college football team with players hailing from three different continents. UConn has five Canadian players, two from Ontario (Hakeem Kashama and O’Neil Wilson) and a trio of Quebecois (Dan Desriveaux, Shawn Mayne and Jason Ward). Although now a Canadian citizen, Kashama was actually born in Zaire. Punter Adam Coles is a native Australian while offensive tackle Aloys Manga is a native of Duana, Cameroon. Although not a foreign nation, UConn’s Conn Davis grew up outside of the 50 states as a native of the Virgin Islands.
CONNECTICUT TRI-CAPTAINS
Senior tight end Tommy Collins, senior linebacker Jamal Lundy and senior defensive tackle Greg Smoot are the Huskies’ three captains for the 2002 season. All three have been regular contributors since their true freshmen year in 1999 and eventually developed into regular starters and team leaders. Smoot has started 42 of his 43 career games as a Husky while Lundy has been the first or second leading tackler in each of the past two years. Showing their team-first mentalities, all three have had a position change during their UConn careers with Collins shifting from fullback to tight end, Lundy moving from safety to linebacker and Smoot pushing inward from defensive end to defensive tackle.
OFFENSE NOTES
WHO YOU GONNA CAULLEY?
True freshman tailback Terry Caulley eclipsed the 100-yard rushing plateau in three consecutive games (Buffalo, Ohio and Ball State), becoming the first Husky to post three straight 100-yard rushing games since Wilbur Gilliard ran for over 100 yards in the first four games of the 1995 season. Although he has not appeared in enough games to qualify for the NCAA leaders, his 105.0 ypg average would tie him for 27th in the nation overall and second amongst freshmen, behind only Ohio State phoneme Maurice Clarett (140.0). After rushing for 62 yards in his debut against BC and missing the Georgia Tech game with a shoulder injury, Caulley had his breakthrough game at Buffalo, rushing for 136 yards, a performance he followed up with 117 yards against Ohio and 131 against Ball State. Caulley missed the Miami game with a neck injury. Called both "Mighty Mouse" and "Squeak" by his teammates for his 5-7 frame, Caulley has also caught 14 passes out of the backfield for 109 yards, even leading UConn with five receptions during the win at Buffalo. UConn now has three running backs on its team with a 100-yard game to their credit as joining Caulley and Chandler Poole (100 vs. MTSU, 2001) and Evan Benson (119 vs. USF, 2000).
DAN-O PUTTING ON A SHOW
Sophomore Dan Orlovsky, a high school All-American and the Connecticut Player of the Year in 2000 at Shelton High School, has been steady as the Huskies’ starting quarterback this season, posting solid numbers. Orlovsky has hit on 125-of-222 passes (56.3%) for 1,401 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. He had a streak of 77 consecutive passes without an interception snapped when throwing the ball up for grabs on a Hail Mary play at the end of the first half of the Ohio game. Orlovsky started the season off on the right foot as he showed great poise in leading UConn on a 12-play, 90-yard TD drive on the game’s opening possession at Boston College’s Alumni Stadium. That drive was UConn’s longest TD drive since going 92 for a score against Northeastern on Sept. 23, 2000 and for Orlovsky was part of a monster half that saw him hit on 14-of-17 attempts (82%) for 132 yards. He also led UConn in two 95-yard touchdown drives against Ball State, the latter one tying the game with 0:29 to play. Helping make Orlovsky more effective has been his improved running ability and UConn’s ability. Orlovsky’s positive rushes (non-sacks/TFLs) have accounted for 77 yards so far this season after rushing positively for just 43 yards in all of 2001. He has also rushed for three touchdowns in 2002.
CALLING CAPTAIN COLLINS
Senior tri-captain Tommy Collins has been an integral part of the UConn passing attack from his tight end post this season. Collins leads the Huskies with 27 receptions, 356 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Collins’ 356 receiving yards and 27 receptions already establishes a new career seasonal highs. His team-high seven catches against Temple was also a career high and accompanied 84 yards and a touchdown. Doing a little bit of everything, Collins has also done a fine job as a blocker at tight end, serves as the punt team’s long snapper and has made six tackles on special teams, including four solos.
TAKING THE LONG ROAD
Showing increased poise and maturity, the UConn offense has been able to string together some long drives this season. UConn’s 17 touchdown drives have averaged 66.9 yards this season, including seven of 80 yards or longer and three of 90 yards or longer. Only four times this year has UConn started in opposing territory for a TD march, usually earning the six points with a strong drive. Amongst the highlights was a 90 yarder on the season’s opening possession at BC, a pair of 80 yard scoring drives against Georgia Tech and a 95 yarder to tie the Ball State game with 0:29 to play and force over time.
STANDING STRONG IN THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE
While Dan Orlovsky’s third-quarter touchdown pass to Tommy Collins at Miami may have not meant much in the final outcome of the game it was very significant in the notebook. It was one of only nine passing TDs that Miami had allowed over the past two seasons combined. The 2001 season saw national powers like Syracuse, Washington, Virginia Tech and Nebraska play a full 60 minutes against the ‘Canes without throwing for a touchdown. Thus far in 2002, Boston College and Florida have not thrown for a TD in their games against Miami.
REGARDING HENRY
Backup quarterback Keron Henry was moved to wide receiver on the Monday after the Miami game and after a bye week made his debut as a wide receiver against Temple. Henry played on 11 snaps, making one catch for zero yards. The move was designed to get the athletic 6-2 sophomore an opportunity to make more plays down field. Jermell Williams has replaced Henry as the backup quarterback behind Dan Orlovsky.
HUSKY GROUND GAME SHUFFLES THROUGH BUFFALO
When UConn posted 187 rushing yards in its 24-3 win at Buffalo on Sept. 14 it proved to be a pretty significant total in the program’s recent history. The sum marks the best single-game rushing output for the Huskies since running for 192 in a triple overtime loss to Villanova on Oct. 16, 1999. It marked the most rushing yards for UConn in a road game since racking up 203 in a triple-OT game at Maine on Oct. 11, 1997. For a higher total from a regulation road game you only have to go back a couple of weeks from there to when UConn rushed for 283 at Hofstra in a 35-31 win on Sept. 20, 1997.
YOUTH REIGNS IN CONNECTICUT BACKFIELD
UConn is starting true freshmen at both fullback and tailback in Deon Anderson and Terry Caulley, respectively. The diminutive, 5-7 Caulley dazzled in the fall camp, demonstrating the solid instincts that led him to be named last years’ Maryland offensive player of the year. Anderson took charge early on at the fullback spot. The three sport (football, wrestling and track) standout at Providence’s Hope High School and Connecticut’s Avon Old Farms Prep picked up the Husky offense quickly and won a starting nod. Anderson has not disappointed, picking up 103 yards this year on 27 carries, with a TD, while blocking well.
DEFENSE NOTES
HUSKY PASS DEFENSE RANKS HIGH NATIONALLY
The Huskies have been able to slow down its opposition’s passing attacked fairly well in 2002. UConn ranks 15th in the nation in passing defense by averaging just 171.86 yards per game and 35th in passing efficiency defense with a rating of 111.46. This has contributed to a total defense figure of 342.43 that ranks 37th in the country. Five of UConn’s seven opponents this year have completed 15 or fewer passes, including as season low of eight by Temple. With 11 interceptions to its credit, the UConn defense is tied for 16th nationally and is not far behind San Jose State and Tulane which share the national lead at 16.
BUT HUSKIES NEED TO STOP THE RUN BETTER
While UConn has done a good job against the pass this year, the Huskies have not had as much success against the run. UConn is 80th in the nation in rush defense, allowing 170.57 yards per game. Every UConn opponent this season, except for Buffalo, has produced a 100-yard rusher against the Huskies, but none have had a 100-yard receiver.
FINCHER PHENOMENAL IN NEW STARTING ROLE
Sophomore Alfred Fincher, a native of Norwood, Mass., made the most of his opportunity after beating out incumbent middle linebacker Razul Wallace this fall. Fincher is tied for the UConn team lead with 65 total tackles on the year and has five tackles for loss. At BC, in his first career start, Fincher tied for the team lead with seven solo tackles and was credited with a team-best 15 total to accompany a pair of tackles for loss, a pass deflection and his first career interception which he ran back 19 yards to the BC 42 yard line late in the third quarter. His only missed start this season came against Temple when UConn played most of the game in a nickel package against the Owls’ spread offense.
ROY’S A NATURAL
Hopkins is part of an eight-way tie for 15th place in the NCAA by averaging .47 interceptions a game (four in seven games). UConn’s only three fifth-year seniors on the team, joining Marc Hickok and Frank Quagliano, Hopkins’ four interceptions this season equals his total for the rest of his career combined. Hopkins by far leads UConn with his 11 pass breakups this year while making a solid 30 tackles. Hopkins also blocked an extra point kick against Temple.
MY OH MEYER
Junior safety Chris Meyer has made his presence known both with some hard hits and also with the sheer quantity of them. Meyer is second on the team with 45 solo tackles on the year and is second to Alfred Fincher and Maurice Lloyd with 56 total tackles. Meyer has two interceptions. His first of the year plus a 17-yard return, coming late in the Ohio game, was one of the most important factors in the momentum swing that secured a Husky victory. Meyer also had 10 solo tackles against the Bobcats.
UCONN FORCES BUFFALO TO GO THE DISTANCE
Critical to the success of the Husky defense at Buffalo was its good work on first and second down in forcing the Bulls into several third-and-long situations. UB was forced to convert on third-and-10 or more eight times against UConn and were denied on all eight attempts. Against BC and Georgia Tech combined, UConn’s foes only faced double-digit distances on third down five times (converting two). The Bulls faced third-and-15 or more four times. UB was 1-for-14 overall on third down (7%) after BC and Georgia Tech converted on a combined 32% (9-for-28) of its total tries. As a result of their tough defense, UConn forced six three-and-outs at Buffalo, a percentage that represents 40% of UB’ 15 possessions. UConn forced five more three-and-outs against Ohio.
RUNNING OF THE BULLS ONLY IN PAMPLONA, NOT BUFFALO
UConn’s defense stuffed Buffalo’s rushing offense that had rushed for a solid 284 yards in its first two games. The Bulls posted just 45 yards on the ground, the fewest allowed by UConn since Eastern Michigan was held to 31 last year. Buffalo did not gain yardage on 13 of its 25 rushing attempts against UConn with six rushes for loss and UConn stopping UB for no gain seven times.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
THE CROCODILE PUNTER
Junior Adam Coles, a native of Gladesville, Australia and a former Australian Rules Football player, has made a solid transition to the American version of football and is quietly making noise in UConn’s record book. Coles is presently second all-time at UConn with a 39.8 average for a minimum of 80 career punts and ranks amongst the top five in school history for both number of punts and yardage. Coles hasn’t disappointed this season, kicking for a 40.1 average, including a long of 64 at Miami. In that game, Coles showed his AFL background on a punt in the second quarter when the snap went well over his head and he had to back peddle about 20 yards, finally getting off what he termed a "snap kick" at his own seven yard line just before being flattened by Miami’s Marcus Maxey. Although it went in the book as a 24 yard boot, it went about 50 yards in the air. Coles was named to the Ray Guy Award’s preseason watch list.
CHASIN’ JASON
Jason Dellaselva has made his presence known this year on special teams. Dellaselva leads UConn with six special teams tackles, covering both kickoffs and punts. He also serves as the team’s kick returner, averaging 20.1 yards on his 15 returns, including a long of 47 yards against Miami, a team that held its opponents to a scant 13.8 yards per return entering the UConn game. Dellaselva’s was the longest kick return against Miami since Larry Johnson of Penn State ran one back 69 yards on Sept. 1, 2001. No one has returned a kickoff for a touchdown against the Canes since 1998 (Kevin Johnson of Syracuse). Dellaselva also recovered the fumble off of a muffed punt by Miami.
SCHEDULE NOTES
WHO ARE YOU? WHO? WHO? WHO? WHO?
As a part of their move to Division I-A status the Huskies will face a revamped schedule in 2002, one which features six first time opponents for UConn. The Huskies oppose Georgia Tech, Ohio, Miami (Fla.), Vanderbilt, Florida Atlantic and Iowa State for the first time ever on the gridiron this season. In fact, fellow-Division I-A neophyte Buffalo is the only 2002 opponent that UConn has faced more than 10 times with the Huskies and Bulls playing for the 13th time on Sept. 14. Entering the season, a total of just 36 games had been played all-time between UConn and its 2002 opponents combined, fewer than its series with six individual schools, a list led by Rhode Island with 92 meetings. In addition to its new opponents, UConn will face its first ever member of the Big 12 Conference (Iowa State) and only its second ever foe from the Southeastern Conference (Vanderbilt). UConn travelled to SEC member Kentucky in 1999. The Georgia Tech game marked UConn’s second ever game against an active Atlantic Coast Conference opponent with the Huskies having faced North Carolina in 1990. UConn also played then-Southern Conference member Maryland in 1942 prior to the ACC’s formation in 1953.
HUSKIES PLAYING THE BCS FIELD
UConn faces opponents from four different conferences this season that are amongst the six members of the Bowl Championship Series as the Huskies face foes from the ACC (Georgia Tech), BIG EAST (Boston College, Miami, Temple), Big 12 (Iowa State) and SEC (Vanderbilt). Facing four different BCS conferences ties UConn for the most of any school in the nation in the 2002 season joining Florida State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Virginia and Virginia Tech. The one common denominator is that all seven schools play at least one ACC team while all but the Red Raiders face a BIG EAST squad.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN...AND AGAIN
With the decrease in regional scheduling brought about by UConn’s independent status, the Huskies will make some historic road trips in the program’s lineage which dates back to 1896. UConn’s game at Miami marked the furthest south the team has ever travelled for a game, eclipsing its trip to Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium for a game last year against South Florida. This mark should hold forever as the Orange Bowl is the southernmost stadium in the continental United States for a I-A school although it is a couple of miles north of the actual UM campus in Coral Gables. UConn’s game at Iowa State in Ames just narrowly misses being its furthest ever western destination, a nod that goes to Dallas, Texas where the Huskies faced SMU in 1989.
SET YOUR WATCHES
The team’s games at Vanderbilt (Nashville, Tenn.) and Iowa State (Ames, Iowa) are significant as they mark just the third and fourth times, respectively, that UConn will ever play outside of the Eastern time zone. Both schools are located in the Central time zone. The Huskies have twice previously played an hour behind Storrs, losing at SMU in Dallas in 1989 and at Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro in 2001. UConn has never played in either the Mountain or Pacific time zones.
MAC-NIFICENT
The Huskies have become quite familiar with the Mid-American Conference as UConn faces four teams from the league in 2002 in Buffalo (W, 24-3), Ohio (W, 37-19), Ball State (L, 21-24 OT) and Kent State. UConn also faced four MAC teams in 2000, posting a 2-2 record, and three MAC schools in 2001, going 1-2. The Huskies will play four MAC teams in both 2003 and 2004 as well. With their 2-1 mark so far in 2002, UConn now stands at 12-10 all-time against MAC schools. Five of UConn’s last six wins have come against schools from the MAC.
LOOKING AHEAD
The 2003 and 2004 Connecticut football schedules feature teams from the BIG EAST, Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conferences and also include a home-and-home series with Army. The schedules, which were announced in mid-September, will mark the first two years of play for UConn at Rentschler Field in East Hartford and are also the final schedules before the Huskies enter BIG EAST Conference play in 2005. Of the 23 games UConn will play in 2003 and 2004, ten of them will be against teams from Bowl Championship Series Conferences, while two others will be the Army series. The complete 2003 and 2004 Husky football schedules are shown to the right with times and television information to be announced at a later date.
STADIUM/ATTENDANCE NOTES
MEMORIAL STADIUM SOON A MEMORY
The 2002 season is the Huskies’ final at Memorial Stadium after a 50 year run. UConn has posted a 129-102-4 (.557) record all-time in the 16,200 seat facility that opened on October 10, 1953 with a 26-6 win over St. Lawrence. UConn has not been shutout at Memorial Stadium since 1978, a 30-0 loss to Navy. Memorial Stadium will soon be torn down to make room for the Burton Family Football Complex which will house coaches’ offices, meeting rooms, locker rooms and other football-related facilities. To help recognize the 50th and final season at Memorial Stadium, UConn is wearing commemorative patches (pictured) on the right chest of their 2002 game uniforms.
MOVIN’ ON UP TO THE EAST SIDE
The Huskies will move into brand new Rentschler Field in East Hartford for the 2003 season with the stadium set up open its doors on August 30 for a game against the Big Ten’s Indiana Hoosiers. Conveniently located within miles of Interstates 91, 84 and 384, Adriaen’s Landing and downtown Hartford, the new home of the Huskies lies on 75 acres of land donated to the State of Connecticut from the historic Pratt & Whitney Airfield by company founder Frederick Rentschler. The new stadium will hold approximately 40,000 seats and 40 luxury suites in a massive press box tower which will help enclose the natural grass field. The $91 million construction project, part of Governor John Rowland’s economic development program for the Hartford metro-area, is currently about 80% completed and on schedule. The picture above is from October 18 when Randy Edsall helped install the stadium’s natural grass playing field.
STARTING A COMMOTION
Swelling interest in the Husky football program as it gradually moves up into BIG EAST play can be evidenced by a rise in attendance. The Ball State game drew 16,849 fans to Memorial Stadium, the most in the facility’s 50-year history, breaking a mark set on Sept. 7 when 16,751 came out for the Georgia Tech game. The Ohio game drew 15,901, the tenth most ever at Memorial Stadium. UConn’s season-ticket base for 2002 stands at a school record of approximately 11,300 while the Huskies have also sold a record of approximately 600 student season-tickets.
SURE COULD USE THOSE EXTRA SEATS RIGHT ABOUT NOW
Operating at 100.65% of capacity at 16,200 seat Memorial Stadium this season, the Huskies presently rank 17th in the nation in average attendance based on percentage of capacity. UConn is one of 20 schools in the nation to average at least 100% of its stadium’s capacity. While UConn is not yet a member of the conference, no BIG EAST school is amongst the 20 schools averaging a sellout or better while Notre Dame is the only other independent.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
CONNECTICUT’S NEW CLOTHES
The Huskies have been sporting completely new ensembles this season. Blue and white with silver trim, the fashionable look was designed by new sponsor Aéropostale. The uniforms also bear a patch on the right chest commemorating the team’s 50th and final season at Memorial Stadium before moving into Rentschler Field in East Hartford next season. Additionally, this season’s helmets will include a white interlocking "UC" logo on a blue background. The uniforms feature the players’ names on the back for the first time under head coach Randy Edsall’s watch. The red accents commonly found on UConn uniforms have been replaced with silver accents on the 2002 football jerseys. Instead of white uniform pants for home games this year, UConn will don silver britches. Also, the front of the jerseys will say "Connecticut" instead of "UConn," a point that Edsall was especially passionate about. At the team’s August 9th media day he said "We’re Team Connecticut. From Greenwich to Torrington and Norwich to Danbury, we want everybody to know that we’re your team. We want people from all those areas to come up and experience the things that we’ve got going." UConn and Aéropostale recently announced a new corporate partnership that will see the company provide practice and sideline apparel for football and 18 other UConn sports. Aéropostale will also be involved in a number of campus activities.
TAKE A HISTORY LESSON BEFORE HUSKY HOME GAMES
Start off your Connecticut football home game days by touring the new 2,700 square foot J. Robert Donnelly Husky Heritage Sports Museum. Located in the newly expanded UConn Alumni Center and within shouting distance of Memorial Stadium, the museum is the ultimate living document to UConn’s many athletic successes. Long time Husky Sports Information Director Tim Tolokan serves as the museum’s curator and director. Banners, memorabilia and NCAA championship trophies line the display cases while video monitors perpetually replay glorious moments from UConn’s athletic past. The Connecticut Basketball Rotunda is a can’t-miss for any Huskies fan, preserving the memory of the school’s national championships in both men’s and women’s basketball.
WELL I MADE IT UP TO MUSIC ROW
UConn will take a Delta charter on Friday morning to Nashville. The Huskies will hold a closed Friday afternoon walk-through at Vanderbilt Stadium. The team will stay at the Airport Marriott (615-889-9300) off of Old Hickory Boulevard and charter home immediately following the game.
OWLS RETURN TO STORRS NEXT WEEKEND
After facing the Temple Owls last week, UConn will return home next Saturday to play host to the Owls of Florida Atlantic at noon at Memorial Stadium. The I-AA independent from Boca Raton will bring to Memorial Stadium perhaps the most famous football coach to grace the facility in its 50-year history. FAU is led by Howard Schnellenberger, who as a head coach guided Miami to the 1983 national championship, served as offensive coordinator under Don Shula on the Miami Dolphins undefeated 1972 team and was offensive coordinator for Paul "Bear" Bryant on Alabama’s 1961, 1964 and 1965 national championship teams.
