University of Connecticut Athletics
Three Huskies Named All-Independent
12/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
December 10, 2002
STORRS, Conn. - Tail back Terry Caulley was named the Independent Rookie of the Year and was one of three Huskies named All-Independent by . Caulley was joined on the team by tight end Tommy Collins and offensive linemen Ryan Krug. The three players helped UConn to a 6-6 record this past fall, including a shutout at Navy and a 37-20 triumph at bowl-bound Iowa State.
At the end of the regular season, Caulley is the nation’s freshman rushing leader (11th overall) at 124.7 yards per game and also leads all freshmen (21st overall) in all-purpose yards at 145.2 yards per game, despite not serving as either a punt or kickoff returner. Caulley is tied for the freshman scoring lead, and the 10th overall position, with Ohio State’s Maurice Clarett, averaging 9.6 points per game. Caulley’s 1,247 rushing yards this year, coming in 10 games, are the most in the nation by a true freshman since Jamal Lewis of Tennessee ran for 1,364 in 1997. Caulley’s 124.7 rushing yards per game is a school record while his 1,247 total rushing yards are just 15 shy of the UConn school record. Caulley went over 100 yards on the ground seven times in his 10 games played this year, including a career-best 191 at Iowa State.
Caulley was also tabbed as being the fourth best player overall amongst independent schools, behind South Florida quarterback Marquel Blackwell and Notre Dame All-Americans Shane Walton and Courtney Watson.
Collins, a tri-captain for UConn, served as an integral part of the UConn passing attack from his tight end post in 2002, making 39 receptions this season for 497 yards and six touchdowns, all team highs. The senior had a touchdown catch in six of UConn’s 12 games after making just four total TD catches in his career entering the 2002 season. Collins also served as a blocker at tight end, the punt team’s long snapper for the first eight games, and he also made six tackles on special teams, including four solos.
Krug helped anchor the offensive line for his left tackle post. Krug started 10 games this year, and missed the first two of his Husky career (against Ball State and Miami) due to a right hand injury that he played through for much of the season. In addition to opening holes for Caulley, Krug was part of a line that helped UConn improve its total offense by 112.9 yards per game over its 2001 season total. The unit went four consecutive games late in the season without yielding a sack, a stretch that covered 132 consecutive passing attempts and spanned from the Temple game on Oct. 19 to the Iowa State game on Nov. 23.
