University of Connecticut Athletics
Football Downed by Pitt in Season Finale 34-10
12/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Huskies await bowl bid
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (Dec. 6, 2008) - The University of Pittsburgh converted five second-half turnovers into 31 points as the Panthers blew open a tie game at intermission and they defeated the University of Connecticut, 34-10, Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 39,535 at Rentschler Field.
The Huskies finish the regular season at 7-5, 3-4 in the BIG EAST Conference. The 23rd-ranked Panthers finish at 9-3, 5-2 in the league.
The Huskies were once again led by All-America candidate running back Donald Brown (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.), who secured the national rushing leadership. Brown finished with 189 yards on 34 carries and scored the Huskies’ lone touchdown on a 57-yard bolt down the sideline in the third quarter. Brown now has 32 career rushing touchdowns, and trails only Wilbur Gilliard on the all-time school list. He now has 1,822 rushing yards this season, and 17 touchdowns this year.
The first half was a defensive battle that saw the two teams combine for just 134 yards as they settled for a 3-3 stalemate at intermission. However the teams opened up their offenses in the third quarter. LeSean McCoy scored on a 47-yard scamper to put Pittsburgh ahead 10-3, and on the next Connecticut possession, the contest took a turn for the worst as Tyler Lorenzen (Fremont, Iowa) was intercepted, the first of five interceptions Connecticut quarterbacks would throw in the second half.
The Panthers’ Greg Williams returned the interception down to the Connecticut six, but the Husky defense held, and Pittsburgh had to settle for a field goal and a 13-3 lead.
The Huskies answered right back on Brown’s long touchdown run, but Pittsburgh had their own answer, when Bill Stull hit Derek Kinder with a 61-yard scoring strike and the Panthers were never seriously threatened again.
Lorenzen struggled throughout the contest, completing just six of 27 passes for 80 yards and two interceptions. Zach Frazer replaced Lorenzen in the fourth quarter and threw four incomplete passes, three of which were intercepted, one that was returned for a score.
The Husky defense did their part, allowing just 228 total yards (36 in the first 30 minutes.) Linebacker Scott Lutrus (Brookfield, Conn.) led the Huskies with 10 tackles, including two for loss. Aaron Bryant (New London, Conn.) chipped in with nine tackles.
Freshman placekicker Dave Teggart (Northborough, Mass.) missed a 53-yard field goal in the first quarter, his first miss at Connecticut after 11 consecutive makes. He connected from 45 yards out in the second quarter, his second-longest at Connecticut.
The Huskies will now await word as to their bowl destination that will be announced on Sunday evening.
Game Notes
- David Teggart missed a 53 yard field goal in the first quarter, the first miss of his career. He converted his previous 11 attempts.
- David Teggart's 45 yard field goal was the second longest of his career.
- Today marked the third time this season where neither team scored in the first quarter of play.
- Jasper Howard recorded his fourth interception of the season during the second quarter.
- Donald Brown finished the regular season as the leading rusher in the FBS with 1,822 yards.
- Donald Brown now has 32 rushing touchdowns in his career, surpassing Terry Caulley's career total of 31 from 2002-06.
- Today’s loss to Pittsburgh marked the first time that UConn was defeated at home by a BIG EAST opponent other than West Virginia since it dropped a 26-23 decision to Cincinnati on November 25, 2006.
- Today’s loss drops UConn to 3-2 in the all-time series against Pittsburgh, including a 2-1 mark at Rentschler Field.
- UConn slips to 14-20 all-time in BIG EAST Conference games since joining the conference in 2003.
- Today’s loss to Pittsburgh marked only the second home loss to the Huskies in the last 13 games.
- UConn allowed 24 points to Pittsburgh in the third quarter – the most allowed in any quarter since allowing 28 points to Miami (Fla.) in the second quarter on October 5, 2002. This also marked the most UConn has given up in any home game since giving up 24 to Buffalo in the fourth quarter on September 22, 2001.
- Donald Brown has rushed for 150 or more rushing yards in 7 games this season including today.
- Marcus Easley's 43 yard reception in the fourth quarter was the longest of his career.
Post Game Quotes
University of Connecticut
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Head Coach Randy
Opening Statement:
“It is a very simple story, half the game that we haven’t won was on us and we came in and had five turnovers, a blocked punt and dropped passes. We gave up two plays on defense, the long run and pass play, other that I thought defensively we played pretty strong and good. We held LeSean McCoy under 100 yards and got after him. You have to be able to throw and catch the football. We have to work on those things and we will. Donald Brown is just amazing. You don’t like to talk about an individual’s performance after a loss but I think it is necessary to talk about his individual performance this year. It has been phenomenal what he did this year, he had more than 180 yards; he had 200 yards but with the losses 180. The leading rusher in the country to be at UConn and no one ever thought that would happen so that says a lot for him. But again we need to have balance in our offense, which we did not have. The great thing about it is that we have one more game to play and we are seven and five. It is disappointing today with the seniors going out but we will bounce back to get our eight win.”
On passing game:
“There wasn’t the consistency that people were looking for and that is something that we evaluate as a coach, something that I evaluated all year and evaluate more after we get through the bowl game. Again I know that we have to get better there and I think that it is a combination of a bunch of things and it isn’t just one person or area. This is a situation that we will press when the time comes.”
On batted down passes:
“Well it is two things it is the offense line getting those guys arms down and you have to slide yourself as a quarterback. It gets back to not being one person or area, it is collectively everyone involved.”
Sophomore QB Zach
How do you feel when you go into the game, what is your approach?
“It’s both ways I like the playing time, but it was a tough spot I was in. I go out there and try my best and it didn’t work out.”
Can you sum up the season as a whole as you prepare for your bowl game?
“We are lucky to have one more game. I just feel bad for all of the seniors because it would have been nice to send them off with a win.”
Regarding the interceptions, was it a result of guys getting into the lane, or the ball being thrown too low?
“It was a combination of a lot of things. I mean once the ball is tipped, there is really nothing you can do about it. That stuff happens.”
Senior QB Tyler
Randy said he did not want to make the decision to pull you out in the third quarter, can you explain what was going through your mind at that time?
“Things were not working out just right. We were trying to make it happen and I was trying to make plays but that didn’t happen either. Coach thought it was best to pull me. It was his decision and I was not going to sit there and argue with him or anything like that, and I went out. That’s how football works, you get pulled, you get pulled and that’s what happened”
How frustrating was this on senior day?
“It just sucks, there is no doubt about it. This is not how we pictured it to happen but then again its sports. It is not like we are out there shooting at each other; it is not like we are at war. Some games you play great and you win and some games you play bad and you lose. Today was one of those days where we lost and we didn’t make the plays we needed to. It does not take away from the seniors’ careers and what they have accomplished and what they have done to better the program, but it will leave a lasting memory in our hearts. It disappointing but it is what it is and a lot of us guys have a lot to offer to the world than just football. It is important to us no doubt, but on the same token you need take a deep breath and understand it is just a game and today Pittsburgh got the best of us and they got the win.
University of Pittsburgh
HEAD COACH DAVE WANNSTEDT
“I want to start by congratulating this group of players we have. They played like champions all year. With the West Virginia win last week and with the importance and emphasis on playing West Virginia that is placed there from a player’s standpoint, a coach’s standpoint, the rivalry – everything that’s involved with that game – for our guys to get emotionally ready, come up here, play this game today and win it the way they did… and play with the enthusiasm that they did… this is a great group of young men, a great group of seniors. For them to win nine games and top it of with an invitation to the Sun Bowl, it’s a great day for Pitt football.”
On the play of the defense and their five interceptions:
“It was almost as many as the Super Bowl in ’92 against Buffalo [when I was defensive coordinator for Dallas] – where we had nine, so we needed a few more to keep that up. Our coaches had a good plan. Connecticut’s a good team. They’re really good on defense. In the first half, we felt like we had a couple of offensive plays [left on the field]. We had the ball at the 50 [yard line], got no points. We had the ball at their nine [yard line] and got a field goal. So, we felt like we didn’t take advantage of opportunities. You got to give them credit. But in the second half, our guys just showed that relentless attitude and effort that we’ve shown all year.”
LB SCOTT MCKILLOP
“This was a great team effort today. The defense made a lot of plays while [senior LB] Greg Williams had two picks. We played one of our best games all season. That’s one of things that Coach Wannstedt always stresses – try and play your best football at the end of the season. We had a lot of people step up and make plays today. We knew it was going to be a defensive game, just based on where both offenses were [at this point of the season]. We’re happy with the victory and its always nice – we knew we were going to a bowl game – to know we’re coming off of a win.”
On the difference between last year’s loss to UConn and this season’s victory:
“We executed – being in the right place at the right time. A couple of picks were batted balls that go to the right players… just being in the right place at the right time. We knew they wanted to run power and we knew what [UConn RB Donald Brown] was capable of. He’s a great back. He played well today. They made a couple of mistakes and we capitalized on them. This time, we were more prepared and we executed better.”
Players Mentioned
