University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Drop 26-24 Decision to Rutgers at Rentschler
10/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (Oct. 22, 2005) - Freshman running back Ray Rice ran for a career-high 217 yards and Rutgers scored 23 points after halftime as the Scarlet Knights rallied for a 26-24 BIG EAST Conference victory over Connecticut before a sellout crowd of 40,000 at Rentschler Field.
The loss drops the Huskies’ record to 4-3, 1-2 in the conference. Rutgers improves to 5-2, 3-1 in the BIG EAST.
Freshman quarterback Dennis Brown (Miami, Fla.), seeing his first collegiate action in place of injured starters Matt Bonislawski (Natrona Heights, Pa.) and D.J. Hernandez (Bristol, Conn.), was almost able to lead the Huskies to a miracle win. With Rutgers leading 26-17 late in the contest, Brown led the Huskies down the field on a 10-play, 88-yard drive that culminated with Brown connecting with wide out Jason Williams (McKeesport, Pa.) with a 15-yard touchdown to bring the Huskies within two with 2:40 play. After an unsuccessful onside kick attempt, UConn forced Rutgers to punt, but Rutgers pinned UConn deep in their own territory on a 40-yard punt by Joe Radigan. Brown’s first pass attempt was intercepted by Ron Girault and the Scarlet Knights sealed the win.
After spotting Rutgers an early 3-0 lead, UConn forged ahead on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Brown to tight end Dan Murray (Gloucester, Mass.) with 6:15 to play before intermission. After Tyvon Branch (Cicero, N.Y.) intercepted Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel, Matt Nuzie (Trumbull, Conn.) drilled a 40-yard field goal right before halftime to give the Huskies a 10-3 lead at halftime.
Rutgers quickly knotted the score on their first second half possession when Ryan Hart, who relieved Teel in the third quarter, hit Brian Leonard with a 19-yard scoring catch and run. The Huskies answered right back when Cornell Brockington (Burlington, N.J.) busted through the line and scampered 51 yards for a score to give the Huskies a 17-10 lead. It was Brockington’s longest run from scrimmage this year. The touchdown was the 25th of his UConn career, good for a tie for fourth all-time at Connecticut. The lead was short-lived as Hart hit Tres Moses with a 31-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.
Rutgers took the lead with 9:20 to play, when Brown fumbled a shotgun snap and threw the ball through the end zone for a safety. Rutgers took the ensuing kickoff and took a 29-17 lead when Hart found Sam Johnson on a 15-yard touchdown. Hart finished with five completions in 11 attempts for 94 yards and the three touchdowns.
Brown finished his first game with 18 completions in 35 attempts for 196 yards, to go along with his two touchdowns and one interception. Brockington led the rushing attack with 56 yards, as the Scarlet Knights out gained UConn, 508-293. The 200 yards rushing allowed to Rice was the first time an individual opponent had topped the 200-yard mark since Tanardo Sharps of Temple accomplished the feat on October 19, 2002.
The Huskies hurt themselves by committing a season-high 12 penalties for 80 yards, including a crucial defensive holding on the drive the Rutgers took the nine-point lead that kept the drive alive.
Freshman linebacker Jonathon Smith (Camp Hill, Pa.) had 15 tackles for the Huskies.
UConn will return to the gridiron on Wednesday, November 2, when they travel to Morgantown, W.V. to play league foe West Virginia. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be nationally televised by ESPN2.
UConn Head Coach Randy Edsall Quotes
Thoughts on the game:
“When you can’t stop the run on defense, and you commit foolish penalties you are going to make it very, very difficult to win a football game. That is really what happened today. It is all three phases. We missed a field goal which is three points. Offensively we had all those false starts. We had the holding penalties. We had guys not blocking up front. Defensively, in the second half, they just ran the ball down our throats. Guys just didn’t take care of their gaps from what I could see. We had a guy up there for every gap that we could and played as much man coverage. We didn’t execute. We were four of fifteen on third downs. We just didn’t do a good enough job on probably second down and some first down situations. When you do that you leave yourself the opportunity to not win a football game.”
On Freshman Quarterback Dennis Brown:
“I thought he did well. I thought he was under a lot of pressure all night long. Thankfully he is mobile. I think what we have to do is, again, whether it is harsh weather; the guys up front have to fight harder. I thought he threw some really good balls. He was 18 of 35 and has one pick at the end. For his first time, in the rain, he basically did everything he could possibly do to try to help us win.”
On going to the shotgun:
“With a young quarterback sometimes it is good to be in that so he doesn’t have to drop back, and he can see things and make things happen. If you do get pressure he can move a little bit better. We went with it just because I think the situation dictated it, and I thought it was more beneficial for us to be successful on offensive.”
On not using the running backs frequently:
“We had a tough time running the ball. Terry (Caulley) had 10 carries (Cornell) Brockington had three, Lou (Allen) had six and (Anthony) Barksdale had one. Dennis (Brown) probably had to run 13 times the way it looks. We just couldn’t get anything going there.
Was it the offensive line’s fault for the loss?
“It wasn’t the offensive line that lost the game. It was a team thing. Every body has got to get better. It is just not one group. Because again, we made mistakes offensively, we made mistakes defensively and we made mistakes on special teams. We just have to keep working.”
UConn Player Quotes
OL GRANT PRESTON (on the play of the UConn offense & the amount of penalties):
I felt we did some things better [compared to last week] but we still have some things to work on. Obviously, a big part of that are the penalties. It’s hard to make a good play call when it’s first and 15, second and 15. You have to credit Rutgers. They came in and beat us and that’s the bottom line. We could have done some things better, but I’m sure a lot of it was about our execution [on the offensive line].
TE DAN MURRAY (on the play of QB Dennis Brown):
I think he looked good. Coming into his first collegiate game, going in as a freshman, I think he did all right and threw the ball good. I just think us and our offensive line need to pick it up a notch. We need to help to give him extra time to get out there, take his time, go through his reads and throw the ball.
QB DENNIS BROWN (on his play and the play of the offense):
We came out kind of sluggish, but we picked it up, though. But we got a couple of penalties and things like that will hurt you over the course of a game. We tried to capitalize and do what we needed to do but we just came up short today. [After getting my run game going] I was able to get more familiar with the offense. After that, I felt like it was time to play football. I was much more comfortable out there. I wouldn’t say I wasn’t nervous [before the game] but my coach prepared me for this and I was ready for the competition.
DE DEON McPHEE (on the run defense):
Cincinnati opened up a wound against us and we've got to close it pretty soon. They used their power and pulled everybody to the tight side of the formation. The back side people on defense have to get over there and fit into a specific spot or the ball’s going to break. When that happens, you have two defensive people on three offensive players and that’s where the problem’s being created. Rutgers was able to stretch us al little bit and ran the ball really well. So, we saw that this week, we’ll see it next week and the week after but we’ll shut it down.
Rutgers Quotes
Coach Greg Schiano:
I am very proud of our football team.
I am not going to speak about what I am going to do about quarterback next week.
He (Teel) got hurt at Syracuse but felt fine during the week.
In the first half we made a lot of mistakes. I’m proud of our team because we went on the road in the Big East and did not play our best game and came away with a win.
Ray (Rice) has such incredible balance. I think the bad weather effected everyone else today but I don’t think that it effected him.
Part of what we do is try to wear people out and I think that’s part of what happened in the second half.
They (UCONN) paid for putting 9 people up front in the first half. They committed to stopping the run.
I’m excited about this – I just left a bunch of guys happy as heck to win this game. We had a sour taste in our mouth about this stadium and it is good to see them on the end of the stick this time.
It is about getting Big East victories. It isn’t about this stadium. This is a tough conference.
I don’t know about that review. I thought they were going to review it and give us a first down but then they reviewed it and moved it (the ball) back.
I thought our kids played great against the run except for that one play and that one was on me. I made a call I’d like to have back.
We know what we’re getting close to – every win is getting us close to something exciting.
We have won two games in a row on the road now. That is something that I do not think has ever been done by Rutgers in the Big East before.
Ron Girault:
Some plays did not go our way but we didn’t lose our focus.
Ryan Hart:
We are not worried about it (who will start at QB – Teel or Hart). When my number is called I’m ready to play. We’ll leave that up to Coach Schiano.
I have gotten through this with my family and friends and just prepared as a starter. Today I just went out there and played football and had fun again.
Ray Rice:
I didn’t know I was going to get the ball 27 times. I just want to take advantage of every opportunity I can to get the ball.
The offensive line was giving me confidence as the game went on. They just made me stronger and stronger.
Re: having 27 carries and 217 yards rushing:
I don’t think it has sunk into me yet. It feels great – especially after a win like this.
