University of Connecticut Athletics
Football Prepares For Pittsburgh On Saturday
12/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
STORRS, Conn. (Dec. 2, 2008) – Here are the UConn football notes for the Huskies game this Saturday against Pittsburgh.
SERIES NOTES
HUSKIES VS. PITTSBURGH ALL-TIME
Today’s game is the fifth meeting between UConn and Pittsburgh and the Huskies hold a 3-1 advantage and a 2-0 mark at Rentschler Field. The series dates back to 2004 when UConn joined the BIG EAST Conference. Last year, UConn and Pittsburgh opened the BIG EAST season as the Huskies took a 34-14 win at Heinz Field. Tyler Lorenzen was 12 of 25 in the air for 174 yards while Donald Brown rushed for 54 yards. UConn led 27-7 at the half and the teams exchanged TDs in the fourth quarter.
On Sept. 30, 2004, UConn claimed its first ever BIG EAST win with a 29-17 victory over Pittsburgh at Rentschler Field before a national television audience on a Thursday night. Cornell Brockington ran for 185 yards and Dan Orlovsky threw for 237 more. On Nov. 12, 2005, UConn lost 24-0 at Heinz Field, the Huskies’ lone shutout of the Division I-A era. The Huskies outgained Pitt, 299-192, but were undone by three interceptions thrown by Matt Bonislawski and a blocked field goal returned for a Pitt touchdown by Josh Lay. On Nov. 11, 2006, UConn downed Pitt, 46-45 in double overtime, in a thrilling game where Pitt led 31-17 with 12 minutes to play and the Huskies on their own two yard line. But, D.J. Hernandez led UConn back to tie the game on a touchdown pass to tight end Dan Murray with 0:03 left in regulation and on to victory by running in the game-winning two-point conversion in the second overtime period.
PITTSBURGH CONN-ECTIONS
A total of 13 Huskies hail from the Keystone State and several of them are natives of the Pittsburgh area. Brandon Dillon (Woodbridge), Cody Endres (Washington) and Brad Kanuch (Johnstown) are all from western Pennsylvania...Also, UConn linebackers coach Todd Orlando is a native of Pittsburgh where he attended Central Catholic High School. He began his coaching career at Central Catholic and Fox Chapel Area High School...Pittsburgh running backs coach David Walker was a teammate of Terry Richardson’s in the Syracuse backfield from 1990-92. Scott Lakatos was the defensive graduate assistant on the 1992 team while Randy Edsall coached the then-Orangemen defensive backs on the 1990 team. Edsall was also Syracuse’s recruiting coordinator when Walker signed with the Orangemen...Pittsburgh Director of Football Operations Chris LaSala held the same title at BC when Edsall was there...Pitt’s Greg Gaskins and UConn’s William Beatty both played offensive line at William Penn High School in York, Pa. ...Edsall’s administrative assistant, Joanne Fazio, is a Pittsburgh native.
SQUAD NOTES
HUSKIES ARE BOWL ELIGIBLE
With the win over Cincinnati on Oct. 25, UConn won its sixth game of the season and is “bowl eligible”. UConn makes the mark for the fourth time in the past six seasons. In 2003, UConn was 9-3, but did not go to a bowl because of its independent status. In 2004, the Huskies went 7-4 in the regular season and played in the Motor City Bowl and last year, UConn was 9-3 in the regular season and went on to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
HUSKIES MAKE NATIONAL POLLS
Connecticut earned a spot in both national polls on Sunday, Sept. 28 following its win at Louisville. UConn was ranked 23rd in the USA Today coaches’ poll and 24th in the Associated Press poll. The Huskies fell out of both polls following the loss to North Carolina.
In the latest set of polls, UConn is receiving five points in the USA Today poll and three in the Associated Press version. During the 2008 season, UConn has been ranked in the AP top 25 one week and have received votes in nine of the other 14 polls. In the USA Today poll, UConn has been ARV in every week but one.
UConn earned its first national rankings last year as it appeared in four AP polls: 16 on Oct. 28, 16 on Nov. 14, 25 on Nov. 11 and 20 on Nov. 18. It also appeared in three USA Today polls: 20 on Oct. 28, 16 on Nov. 4 and 21 on Nov. 18.
UCONN HONORED BY AFCA FOR GRADUATION RATE
The University of Connecticut football program has been honored by the American Football Coaches Association for its graduation of student-athletes as part of its Academic Achievement Award program. This recognition is the fourth time in the past six years that the UConn program has been honored. UConn was also recognized by the AFCA in 2003, ’05 and ’07.
The Academic Achievement Award program was established by the College Football Association in 1981. The awards recognize CFA-member Football Bowl Subdivision institutions with high graduation rates among members of its football team. When the CFA disbanded in 1997, the AFCA stepped in to present the award and conduct a graduation rate survey that encompassed all members of the FBS.
This year's award marks the first time the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) formula has been used to select the winner. From 1981 to 2007 the award was presented based on a formula used by the College Football Association and the AFCA.
TWO BIG EAST ROAD WINS IS A SEASON HIGH
UConn owns an all-time mark of 4-13 in BIG EAST Conference road games, since joining the league in 2004, after the wins at Louisville and Syracuse and the losses at Rutgers and South Florida. The 2008 season marks the fist time that UConn won more than one BIG EAST road game.
The Huskies posted a 1-2 mark in BIG EAST road games in 2007 with a win over Pittsburgh and losses at West Virginia and Pittsburgh.
HOME SWEET HOME
The loss to West Virginia on Nov. 1 at Rentschler Field ended an 11-game home winning streak for the Huskies. UConn had won those 11 games by an average margin of 20.5 ppg.
The Huskies joined the 1993 West Virginia Mountaineers in 2007 as the only teams in BIG EAST history to ever record a perfect 7-0 home record.
LONG ROAD WINDING DOWN
For the third time in four years, UConn is playing on both the first and last permissible playing dates in a season.
The Huskies started off the Thursday before Labor Day (Aug. 28) with a 35-3 win against Hofstra and will finish up this Saturday -- the first Saturday of December (Dec. 6).
UConn is one of three teams nationally facing this type of schedule along with Cincinnati and Troy.
UConn also went the distance in 2005 and 2006. In each case UConn won its opener defeating Buffalo in 2005 and Rhode Island in 2006, but lost its finale, falling twice to Louisville.
HUSKIES IN TEAM NCAA STATISTICS
Here’s the categories where UConn is in the top 30 in the latest NCAA statistics:
Rushing Offense 20th at 202.73 (Second in BIG EAST)
Rushing Defense 26th at 119.64 (Fourth in BIG EAST)
Passing Defense 11th at 166.64 (First in BIG EAST)
Pass Eff. Def. 7th at 98.71 (First in BIG EAST)
Total Defense 10th at 286.27 (First in BIG EAST)
Scoring Defense 20th at 18.45 (Second in BIG EAST)
Punt Returns 21st at 12.38 (First in BIG EAST)
Interceptions 18th with 16 (First in BIG EAST)
Sacks Allowed 15th at 1.09 (First in BIG EAST)
HUSKIES IN THE NFL
UConn currently has six former players that are currently on NFL rosters.
The veterans of the group are both entering their fourth year in the league. Quarterback Dan Orlovsky is in his fourth year with the Detroit Lions and has started four games this season although he is now out with an injury. Linebacker Alfred Fincher is in his first year with the Washington Redskins after playing his first three years with New Orleans.
Fullback Deon Anderson is in his second year with the Dallas Cowboys after starting four games for the team last year before an injury ended his season.
UConn currently has three rookies on NFL rosters: offensive lineman Donald Thomas with the Miami Dolphins – a sixth round draft pick who started opening day but suffered a season-ending injury -- and defensive back Tyvon Branch of the Oakland Raiders – a fourth round pick who has made 10 tackles in eight games this season and has also had an interception. Danny Lansanah was a free agent signee of the Green Bay Packers last year and was placed on the 53-man roster on Oct. 7 and has played in four games this year. Defensive tackle Dan Davis was in camp with the Indianapolis Colts, but was released.
HUSKIES IN THE CFL
In addition, there are six former Huskies that played in the Canadian Football League this year – O’Neill Wilson (Hamilton Tiger-Cats) and Jordan Younger (Edmonton Eskimos), who were both fifth-year players in the league.
Maurice Lloyd (Saskatchewan Roughriders) was is in his third year with the team after earning a Grey Cup ring with the team last year; Terry Caulley (Hamilton Tiger-Cats) was in his second year; Shawn Mayne (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), in his second year and Larry Taylor (Montreal Alouettes) was a rookie.
Taylor had an unbelievable playoff game Nov. 15 as he returned two punts for TDs in the CFL East Division Final in a 36-26 victory over Edmonton. Montreal lost to Calgery in the Grey Cup final
HUSKIES ON THE REBOUND
UConn is now 19-11 in games following a loss since Oct. 26, 2002, with its 35-3 win over Hofstra on August 28, the 12-10 loss to Rutgers on October 18 and the wins over Cincinnati and Syracuse.
The Huskies posted a 3-1 in such games in 2007. The Huskies downed Duke to open the 2007 season on the heels of a three-game losing skid to end the 2006 campaign. 
The team later beat Louisville six days after losing at Virginia on Oct. 13. The Huskies downed Syracuse, 30-7 on Nov. 17 a week after losing at Cincinnati. UConn went 4-4 following a loss in 2006.
OFFENSE NOTES
BROWN LEADS THE NATION IN RUSHING
UConn junior running back Donald Brown currently leads the nation in rushing yards at 148.45 yards per game.
Shonn Greene of Iowa is next at 144.08 and Javon Ringer of Michigan State is third at 132.50 per game and The next BIG EAST Conference performer is LeSean McCoy of Pittsburgh who is eighth at 118.91.
Brown is also tied for 19th in the country in scoring at 8.73 points per game. He is 14th all-purpose running at 159.82..
Donald Brown is the leading rusher and second-leading scorer in the BIG EAST, is seventh in total offense and also first in all purpose yards (159.8) per game.
BROWN SETS CAREER RUSHING MARK
Here is a summary of where Donald Brown, still a junior, is in the Husky career records books.
Brown now has 3,350 career rushing yards, which is first in school history. He broke the record of Terry Caulley (2002-06) on Nov. 15 at Syracuse. Caulley’s totat was 3,187.
His 31 rushing touchdowns places him tied for second in school history. Wilbur Gilliard (1992-95) leads the way with 34 and Caulley also had 31.
Brown now has 635 career rushing attempts, which places him first in school history. Caulley was the previous leader with 570.
BROWN SETS SINGLE SEASON RUSHING MARK
Here is a summary of where Donald Brown is in the Husky single-season records books for 2007.
His 1,633 yards of rushing is already the UConn single-season record -- topping the mark of 1,262 set by Tory Taylor in 1995.
His 16 rushing touchdowns is the third-highest in single-season history. Walt Trojanowski is the leader with 22 in 1945 while Wilbur Gilliard had 17 in 1993.
His 304 carries this year is the highest in school history as Eric Torkelson had 276 in 1973.
In the win over Temple on Sept. 6, his 36 carries was the fourth-highest total in school single-game history while his 214 yards was the ninth-highest.
BROWN WAS SEMIFINALIST FOR DOAK WALKER AWARD
Donald Brown was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2008 Doak Walker Award presented by The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum. The award is annually presented to the top running back in the country.
The semifinalists (in alphabetical order) were: Donald Brown (Jr.), Connecticut; Glen Coffee (Jr.), Alabama; Tyrell Fenroy (Sr.), Louisiana-Lafayette; Shonn Greene (Jr.), Iowa; Kendall Hunter (So.), Oklahoma State; LeSean McCoy (So.), Pittsburgh; Knowshon Moreno (So.), Georgia; Javon Ringer (Sr.), Michigan State; Jacquizz Rodgers (Fr.), Oregon State; Evan Royster (So.), Penn State.
BROWN NAMED WALTER CAMP “PLAYER TO WATCH”
Donald Brown has been named one of 15 “Players to Watch” by The Walter Camp Football Foundation for its 2008 Player of the Year award, the fourth-oldest individual college football award in the nation.
A list of five finalists were announced on Tuesday, December 2. The 2008 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, who is voted on by the Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on Thursday, December 11 during the 6 p.m. edition of ESPN SportsCenter.
The 15 “Players to Watch” for the 2008 Walter Camp Player of the Year award include: Sam Bradford, Sophomore, QB, Oklahoma; Donald Brown, Junior, RB, Connecticut; Michael Crabtree, Sophomore, WR, Texas Tech; Chase Daniel, Senior, QB, Missouri; Jarrett Dillard, Senior, WR, Rice; Graham Harrell, Senior, QB, Texas Tech; Jerry Hughes, Junior, DL, TCU; James Laurinaitis, Senior, LB, Ohio State; Jeremy Maclin, Sophomore, WR/KR, Missouri; Rey Maualuga, Senior, LB, USC; Aaron Maybin, Sophomore, DL, Penn State; Colt McCoy, Junior, QB, Texas; Scott McKillop, Senior, LB, Pittsburgh; Javon Ringer, Senior, RB, Michigan State; Tim Tebow, Junior, QB, Florida.
BROWN WAS SEMIFINALIST FOR MAXWELL AWARD
Donald Brown was named one of 15 semifinalists for the 72nd Annual Maxwell Award, given annually to the Collegiate Player of the Year by the Maxwell Club of Roslyn, Pa.
The complete list of semifinalists include: Sam Bradford, So., QB, Oklahoma; Donald Brown, Jr., RB, Connecticut; Darryl Clark, Sr., QB, Penn State, Michael Crabtree, So., WR, Texas Tech; Chase Daniel, Sr., QB, Missouri, Shonn Greene, Jr., RB, Iowa; Graham Harrell, Sr., QB, Texas Tech; Jeremy Maclin, So., WR, Missouri, Colt McCoy, Jr, QB, Texas; LeSean McCoy, So., RB, Pittsburgh; Knowshon Moreno, So., RB, Georgia; Javon Ringer, Sr., RB, Michigan State; Zac Robinson, JR., QB, Oklahoma State; Mark Sanchez, Jr., QB, USC; Tim Tebow, Jr., QB, Florida.
BROWN FOR 100, BROWN FOR 200
Donald Brown has rushed for 100 yards in nine of 11 games this season and 15 in his career.
He has rushed for 200 yards in two games this year (214 vs. Temple and 206 vs. Virginia) and now has three 200-yard rushing games, the other vs. Pittsburgh in 2006 with 205.
TWO-WAY DARIUS
UConn senior cornerback Darius Butler had been working with the Huskies’ offensive unit during spring drills and also through fall camp. He has seen time on offense in the past five games and against North Carolina he started on both offense and defense. He did suffer a knee injury against West Virginia and is out for an extended period of time.
He now has eight receptions on the year for 107 yards and a TD. In the win over Louisville, he earned the UConn’s offensive game ball, as he made three receptions for 40 yards -- including the first TD reception of his career. That catch was a 13-yard reception from QB Zach Frazer, which was also the first TD throw of his collegiate career. The score came with 4:19 left in the third quarter to make it 21-17 Louisville.
Against Virginia, he carried the ball one time for a 13-yard TD run in the second quarter. Butler also had two receptions for 40 yards, including a 29-yarder. On defense, he made four tackles with half a tackle for a loss.
He was named to the BIG EAST weekly honor roll for those efforts.
In the win over Baylor, he made two catches for 24 yards on offense, had four tackles and also had two kickoff returns for 47 yards.
GAULDEN BACK IN ACTION
UConn senior wide receiver Ellis Gaulden tallied a career-high 62 yards against Hofstra on four catches. He was also tied for the team lead in receptions with two against Temple.
Gaulden recorded his first career TD reception on a 43-yard pass from Tyler Lorenzen against South Florida.
Gaulden has had an often-injured career with knee issues as he missed the first three games of 2007, the entire 2006 season and played in just one game in 2005.
Gaulden entered the Hofstra game with five career receptions for 29 yards. He almost doubled his reception number and did double his yardage number.
A versatile athlete, Gaulden is a two-time BIG EAST Conference high jump champion. He is the fourth-leading receiver on the Husky squad with 16 for 171 yards.
MOORE TIED AS LEADING RECEIVER
Redshirt freshman Kashif Moore is tied as the leading receiver on the team this year with 24 catches for 255 yards for an average of 23.2 yards of receiving per game.
Moore had four receptions in his first college game vs. Hofstra and then had three against Virginia and three on Nov. 15 vs. Syracuse.
Moore, a native of Burlington, N.J., was a second team All-State player as a senior at Burlington Township High School and a two-time All-conference pick.
LORENZEN BACK IN THE LINEUP
Tyler Lorenzen returned to the UConn lineup on Nov. 15 against Syracuse as the Huskies’ starting quarterback. Lorenzen had missed the previous four games due to a broken foot. The Huskies now have a 15-5 record over the past two years with Lorenzen as the starter. Lorenzen was 7-of-15 in the air for 70 yards against the Orange and was 10-of-24 for 119 yads and one TD in the loss to South Florida.
The native Iowan and first-team All-State quarterback signed with Iowa State out of high school. The Cyclones tried to switch him to wide receiver. Lorenzen, wanting to play quarterback, transferred to Palomar Community College near San Diego where he was named a first-team JuCo All-American in 2006. Lorenzen joined UConn in January and was named the starting quarterback on August 14.
SHERMAN IS EMERGING RECEIVER
Redshirt freshman Anthony Sherman has enjoyed several recent outstanding games in the receiving department and now is tied as the leading receiver for the Huskies with 24 reception for 255 yards.
Sherman had 12 receptions over the first eight games of the season, but has made 12 receptions in the past three games. Sherman had seven receptions for 51 yards against West Virginia, one catch for 10 yards vs. Syracuse and four receptions for 45 yards vs. South Florida.
DEFENSE NOTES
WILSON HONORED BY BIG EAST
Husky sophomore linebacker Lawrence Wilson had a career moment on Sept. 26 when he returned an interception 45-yards for the winning touchdown against Louisville. He was honored by the BIG EAST as the Defensive Player of the Week.
Wilson is tied for the team lead in interceptions this year with three.
He is second on the Husky team in tackles with 64. He has started all 24 games of his UConn career after being redshirted in 2006.
DEFENSE AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
UConn’s defensive unit was amongst the best in the nation in 2007 and continues to be this year. In 2008, the UConn scoring defense is ranked 20th in the country and second in the BIG EAST at 18.45 points per game and is 10th in the nation and first in the BIG EAST in total defense, giving up just 286.27 yards per game. UConn is also first in the league in pass efficiency defense and seventh in the country.
LUTRUS LEADS THE WAY
UConn sophomore Scott Lutrus currently leads the Huskies in tackles with 90 and also had an interception and five pass break-ups this year.
He had 12 tackles vs. Temple and was named to the BIG EAST weekly honor roll. Lutrus also led UConn in tackles in the win vs. Virginia with six and had 10 tackles and 2.5 for a loss in the win over Baylor. He led UConn with nine tackles in the win over Cincinnati.
Lutrus led the Huskies with 14 tackles vs. Syracuse.
As a redshirt freshman last year, he make an immediate impact at the strongside linebacker post in 2007. He was third on the squad with 107 tackles, eight of which were for a loss.
He also had four interceptions on the year, returning two for TDs to tie both UConn’s season and career records. Lutrus’ four INTS in ‘07 tied for the most in the nation by a linebacker.
YOUTH ON DEFENSE
The Husky defense is a young group as it develops into one of the top units in the country and the BIG EAST.
Of UConn’s top seven tacklers this season, four are in their second year of eligibility (Jasper Howard, Scott Lutrus, Greg Lloyd, Lawrence Wilson) while another is in his third (Robert Vaughn). The only two seniors among UConn’s top seven tacklers are Cody Brown and Dahna Deleston.
McCLAIN MAKES FIRST START OF SEASON
Husky junior cornerback Robert McClain made his first start of the season on Nov. 15 vs. Syracuse in placed of the injured Darius Butler. McClain made the most of his opportunity as he returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of the game.
He had five tackles in the loss to South Florida.
McClain is tied for the team lead in interceptions with three -- and has returned two for TDs.
CODY BROWN IS BIG EAST SACK LEADER
Husky senior defensive end Cody Brown has 10 sacks on the season for a total loss of 60 yards. He is second in the BIG EAST in that category and 16th in the country.
He is third in the BIG EAST in total tackles for loss (1.14 per game).
Brown has played in 40 games over the past four seasons and was the first true freshman at UConn during its FBS era to start on either the offensive or defensive line.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
TEGGART ALREADY IN RECORD BOOK
Dave Teggart made his collegiate debut on Oct. 25 as the Huskies’ kicker and was an impressive four-for-four on field goals and also made four extra point attempts.
Teggart hit on field goals of 26, 47, 32 and 22 yards. The 47-yarder was even more impressive considering it was kicked into a strong Rentschler Field wind.
The four field goals tied a UConn single-game record with five other Husky kickers -- the most recent being Matt Nuzie against Toledo in the 2004 Motor City Bowl.
He also hit a pair of field goals against West Virginia of 36 and 38 yards and had three field goals vs. Syracuse of 23, 37 and 21 yards.
Teggart is already a two-time BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week -- earning the honor after the Cincinnati and Syracuse games.
He has made the first 11 field goal attempts of his collegiate career and the 11-straight is already the longest streak in school history. Matt Nuzie made 10-straight in 2004.
Teggart is the first kicker in school history to successfully convert his first 11 field goal attempts.
In addition, he is also a perfect 10-for-10 in extra point attempts.
JASPER THE RETURNER
UConn sophomore cornerback Jasper Howard is also the Huskies punt returner. He currently is first in the BIG EAST in punt returns with an average of 13.00 yards per return, which is also good for 19th in the country.
On Nov. 15 against Syracuse, he had his first career punt return for a TD with a 69-yard effort in the third quarter.
Howard earned the special teams game ball in the win over Baylor.
Defensively, he had a career-high nine tackles against Louisville on Sept. 26.
STADIUM/ATTENDANCE NOTES
A HOT TICKET
Swelling interest in the Husky football program as it gradually moved up into BIG EAST play can perhaps be best evidenced by the rise in attendance.
UConn sold 28,000 season tickets in 2008 and sold its entire allotment of student season tickets at 4,700. The opening game against Hofstra saw over 5,000 Husky students attend the game. These figures are staggering sums considering that the entire 2001 season ticket base was around 4,000. In 2002, the number reached 11,300 in the final season of Memorial Stadium. The burgeoning season ticket base more than doubled to 24,000 for the inaugural season at Rentschler Field and rose to 28,000 a year later in 2004. UConn reached an all-time high of 32,000 season tickets in 2005.
RENTSCHLER FIELD PROVES FRIENDLY FOR HUSKIES
The Huskies went 7-0 at home in 2007 at Rentschler Field and 4-2 in 2005 after compiling a 6-1 home record in 2004.
UConn’s 3-4 mark at home in 2006 was its only sub-.500 record at Rentschler Field.
The seven home wins in 2007 set a school record for a single season which was previously set in 2004. In the process, the Huskies joined the 1993 West Virginia Mountaineers as the only BIG EAST schools to ever post a perfect 7-0 home record.
UConn presently stands at 29-9 all-time at Rentschler Field including an 18-3 mark in non-conference game
Players Mentioned
