University of Connecticut Athletics
Football Arrives In Philadelphia For Temple Game
9/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Sept. 5, 2008) – The University of Connecticut football team arrived in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon for its game against Temple on Saturday at noon. The team had a brief walk-through at Lincoln Financial Field and then settled into its team hotel. Game condition could be interesting as tropical storm Hanna is moving into the area. The game will be televised on ESPNU and radio on the WTIC-UConn Radio Network.
Here are the UConn football notes for the Huskies game this Saturday against Temple in Phladelphia.
THE COACHES
CONNECTICUT HEAD COACH RANDY EDSALL
A semifinalist for the 2007 Bryant and Munger Coach of the Year Awards, Randy Edsall has tackled the challenge of bringing a former NCAA Division I-AA team up to par with the BIG EAST in a brief 10-year span head on, guiding the Huskies to the 2007 BIG EAST Championship and its first two bowl games.
He has compiled a 51-55 career record in his 10th season at UConn, including wins in 40 of UConn’s last 65 games.
Edsall is 2-2 vs. Temple, and has won his last two meetings against the Owls, with the Huskies posting a 45-31 win on Oct. 23, 2004 and a 22-17 victory in the most recent meeting between the programs, which came last season (Sept. 15. 2007). Both of those UConn wins came at Rentschler Field. Temple defeated UConn 56-7 in 2001 (one year prior to the Huskies move to Division I-A) and claimed a 38-24 win in 2002. Saturday’s game will mark Connecticut’s first road game at Temple since Nov. 24, 2001.
Immediately prior to becoming UConn’s head coach in 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 MacPherson in a variety of capacities. 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. He was recently inducted into the York Area Sports Hall of Fame.
TEMPLE HEAD COACH AL GOLDEN
Al Golden is in his third year in charge of the Temple program and at age 39 is the fifth-youngest NCAA FBS head coach in the country.
Golden owns a 6-19 record entering Saturday’s game vs. Connecticut. Prior to taking over the Owls, he was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Virginia (2001-05) and was also a graduate assistant at Virginia from 1994-96. Golden was also an assistant coach at Boston College (1997-99) and Penn State (2000).
Golden is a 1991 Penn State graduate and was a tight end for the Nittany Lions, serving as team captain his senior year.
RADIO & TV COVERAGE
TV COVERAGE
Saturday’s game with be televised nationally by ESPNU, which is now offered in HDTV.
Dave Armstrong in on play-by-play while former Miami (Fla.) head coach Larry Coker provides color and Todd Jones is the producer.
RADIO COVERAGE
For the 16th consecutive season, WTIC 1080-AM in Hartford serves as the flagship station for the UConn Radio Network. WTIC is the state’s only 50,000 watt 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 Kevin Nathan on the sidelines and Eric Davis on production.
The UConn pregame show begins 90 minutes prior to kickoff and is hosted by Bob Joyce, while at home games, the UConn Tailgate Show will air two and a half hours prior to the game with Arnold Dean.
The UConn Football Radio Network also includes WILI 1400-AM in Willimantic, WXLM, 102.3-FM in New London, WLIS 1420-AM in Old Saybrook, WMRD 1150-AM in Middletown, and WLAD 800-AM in Danbury. UConn football games are also broadcast over the internet at WTIC.com.
SERIES NOTES
HUSKIES VS. TEMPLE ALL-TIME
Connecticut will be meeting Temple for the 11th time in the all-time series when the two programs meet on Saturday afternoon before a nationally-televised ESPNU audience at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The series began in 1963 and currently has Temple holding a 7-3 all-time edge over the Huskies, but Connecticut has won each of the most two recent games in the series, as it posted wins at Rentschler Field over the Owls in 2004 and 2007.
The most recent meeting between the programs came in 2007 as the Huskies handed Temple a 22-17 setback on Sept. 15, 2007 at Rentschler Field. Andre Dixon rushed for 129 yards and Donald Brown scored two touchdowns in the Husky win.
Prior to that, UConn defeated Temple by a 45-31 count at Rentschler Field on Oct. 23, 2004. Temple’s last win in the series was in 2002 – by a 38-24 score at Memorial Stadium in Storrs.
UConn’s last trip to Temple came back on Nov. 24, 2001 – a 56-7 Owl win at Franklin Field. That game was originally schedule for Sept. 16, but moved because of the Sept. 11 attack.
Temple won seven of the first eight games in the series with wins in 1963, ’65, ’66, ’70, ’71, ’01 and ’02.
TEMPLE CONN-ECTIONS
UConn has five players from the Philadelphia area --- Greg Robinson (Philadelphia, Pa.), C.J. Marck (Newtown, Pa.), Alex Polito (Reading, Pa.), Kashif Moore (Burlington, N.J.) and Ryan Wirth (Medford, N.J.).
Temple features eight players from the state of Connecticut – Colin Clancy (Stonington), Dy’Onne Crudup (New Haven), Alex Joseph (Stamford), Elijah and Elisha Joseph (Hartford), Terrance Knighton (Windsor), James Nixon (New Haven) and Brian Sanford (Hartford).
UConn assistant coach Scott Lakatos and Temple’s Mark D’Onofrio were both on the Rutgers staff from 2001-03.
HUSKIES ALL-TIME VS. MAC OPPONENTS
Connecticut enters Saturday’s meeting at Temple with a 12-1 record against opponents from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) since making the move to Division I-A in 2002.
The Huskies have won each of their last 10 games against MAC foes by an average margin of 20.5 points over that span.
Connecticut’s last loss to a MAC opponent came back on Sept. 28, 2002, when it dropped a 24-21 overtime decision at Ball State.
Saturday’s game at Temple will mark UConn’s first road game against a MAC foe since traveling to Kent State on Oct. 18, 2003. it will also mark the Huskies’ first trip to Temple since 2001 and its first-ever game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Temple is the only Mid-American Conference team that UConn will face this season after meeting two MAC opponents (Temple & Akron) during the 2007 regular season.
The Huskies have become quite familiar with MAC foes as the school transistioned to FBS football. UConn faced four of its members in both the 2002 and 2003 seasons, two more in 2004, Buffalo in 2005 before playing Temple and Akron last season.
UConn’s last 10 wins against the MAC also includes a 39-10 win over Toledo in the 2004 Motor City Bowl.
HUSKIES VS. NON-CONFERENCE FOES SINCE 2002
Connecticut boasts a 30-14 record against non-conference opponents in the regular season since making the move to Division I-A in 2002.
The Huskies have won five of their last six non-league games overall with the only blemish coming via a one-point loss at Virginia (17-16) in 2007.
UConn has posted the following records in non-conference games: 6-6 (2002), 9-3 (2003), 4-1 (2004), 3-1 (2005), 3-2 (2006), 4-1 (2007), 1-0 (2008).
LOOKING TO OPEN 2-0
The Huskies will be looking to open the season with two consecutive wins when they play at Temple on Saturday afternoon.
Connecticut has opened 2-0 four previous times since making the move to Division I-A in 2002 and has accomplished the feat three times since 2004.
UConn has opened 2-0 in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.
HUSKIES ON THE ROAD SINCE 2002
The road has not always been kind to the Huskies as they have put together a 12-19 road record since 2002.
In non-conference road affairs over that same span, Connecticut has posted a mark of 11-8 and has won three of its last four such games entering Saturday’s meeting with Temple.
The Huskies posted a 1-1 mark in non-conference road games in 2007 with a win at Duke and a loss at Virginia. In 2006, the Huskies won at Indiana and in 2005 they defeated Army and lost at Georgia Tech.
HUSKIES ALL-TIME IN NFL STADIUMS
On Saturday, when the Huskies face Temple at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, UConn will be playing in an active (at the time of the game) NFL stadium for the ninth time in its history.
UConn owns a 3-5 record in such games entering Saturday’s clash with Temple.
UConn defeated Toledo, 39-10, on Dec. 27, 2004 at Ford Field (home of the Detroit Lions) in the Motor City Bowl.
UConn lost to South Florida in 2001 and 2006 at Raymond James Stadium (home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), lost the 2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte (home of the Carolina Panthers), split a pair of games at Pittsburgh (Heinz Field) in 2005 and ’07
Connecticut also split a pair of games against Yale in 1973-74 at the Yale Bowl, which was serving as a temporary home of the New York Giants during the reconstruction of Yankee Stadium.
HUSKIES IN ROAD OPENERS
Connecticut enters Saturday’s game at Temple with a record of 3-3 in the first road game of the season, dating back to 2002.
The Huskies have won each of their last two road openers, having recorded a 14-7 win at Indiana in 2006 before posting a 45-14 win at Duke in 2007.
UConn dropped its road opener in both 2004 (at Boston College) and 2005 (Georgia Tech).
The Huskies also lost to Boston College in 2002 before winning at Army in 2003.
HUSKIES IN SEPTEMBER
Connecticut boasts a record of 16-8 in games played during the month of September dating back to the 2002 season.
The Huskies enter Saturday’s meeting at Temple having won each of their last five games played in September by an average margin of 25.6 ppg.
Connecticut last loss in the month of September came on Sept. 30, 2006, when it dropped a 41-17 decision against Navy at Rentschler Field.
UConn’s last road loss in the month of September came during the 2005 campaign, when it slipped up 28-13 at Georgia Tech (Sept. 17, 2005).
HUSKIES IMPROVE TO 6-1 SINCE 2002 IN SEASON OPENERS
UConn’s 35-3 win over Hofstra on August 28 improved its mark to 6-1 in season openers since making the jump to then-Division I-A in 2002.
UConn is perfect in its five season openers at Rentschler Field (2003-Indiana, 2004-Murray State, 2005-Buffalo, 2006-Rhode Island and 2007-Hofstra).
The Huskies also downed Duke, 45-14, on the road in Durham, to open the 2007 season. UConn’s only I-A era opening day loss was also its only road opener in that span, a 24-16 defeat at Boston College on Aug. 31, 2002 in UConn’s first game as an official member of Division I-A.
Overall, UConn is 49-58-2 in season openers dating back to 1896.
HUSKIES TIE RECORD FOR SEASON-OPENING WINS
UConn has won each of its last six season openers. That marks most that UConn has won since a string of five straight season-opening wins from 1985-89.
The streak also matches the school record of six straight season-opening wins from 1923-28 under head coach Sumner Dole.
Nationally, only 12 schools have a longer active streak of opening day wins than the Huskies.
LONGEST ACTIVE OPENING DAY WINNING STREAKS
23 Nebraska
19 Florida
12 Georgia
11 USC, Wisconsin
9 Ohio State, South Carolina, Texas
8 Iowa
7 Alabama, Missouri, Penn State
6 CONNECTICUT, Arizona State, LSU, TCU, Texas Tech
HUSKIES CONTINUE DOMINANCE OVER I-AA FOES
UConn has played one Division I-AA school (now called the Football Championship Subdivision) in each season since joining Division I-A (Football Bowl Subdivision) in 2002. 
UConn has won all seven of these games defeating Florida Atlantic in 2002, Lehigh in 2003, Murray State in 2004, Liberty in 2005, Rhode Island in 2006, Maine in 2007 and Hofstra in 2008.
The closest of these games has been a 35-17 win over Lehigh in 2003. Overall, UConn has won the seven games by a combined score of 332-55.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COACH EDSALL
Wednesday, August 27 marked head coach Randy Edsall’s 50th birthday. Much like his team the past few seasons, Edsall is young but experienced as he enters his 10th year at the helm of the UConn program at just 50 years old.
He is tied for the 12th longest tenured FBS coach at his current job.
In addition to Edsall, Clemson’s Tommy Bowden, Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz (a UConn graduate), Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops and Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville were all hired for their current jobs heading into the 1999 season.
The entire nation of course trails Joe Paterno who embarks on his 43rd year as head coach at Penn State.
LONG ROAD AHEAD
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 on the first Saturday of December (Dec. 6) when they play host to Pittsburgh.
UConn in one of three teams nationally facing this type of schedule along with Cincinnati and Troy.
Several teams can join the Huskies, Bearcats and Trojans if they reach their respective conference championship games.
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.
TOUGH SLATE IN 2008 FOR HUSKIES
Three of UConn’s non-conference opponents this fall are members of BCS Conferences as the Huskies will face North Carolina and Virginia of the ACC and Baylor of the Big 12.
UConn is one of just three schools who are members of a BCS conference to play three fellow BCS conference members out of league, joining Baylor and Wake Forest.
HUSKIES EARN POLL VOTES
UConn received nine votes in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll, tied for 39th-most nationally.
Last fall, the Huskies were ranked for four weeks in the AP poll and three weeks in the coaches poll, peaking at No. 16 in both on Nov. 4.
The Huskies received 10 points in the 2008 Preseason AP Poll, also 39th-most nationally.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Huskies are presently riding an eight-game winning streak at Rentschler Field and have won those games by an average margin of 19.0 ppg.
The Huskies joined the 1993 West Virginia Mountaineers in 2007 as the only teams in BIG EAST history to ever a record a perfect 7-0 home record.
UConn’s streak is amongst the longest active ones in the nation as the 2008 season enters its second week.
LONGEST ACTIVE FBS HOME FIELD WINNING STREAKS
18 Oklahoma (Oklahoma Memorial Stadium)
15 Wisconsin (Camp Randall Stadium)
14 Boise State (Bronco Stadium)
13 BYU (Lavell Edwards Stadium)
10 Kansas (Memorial Stadium)
8 Tennessee (Neyland Stadium)
8 CONNECTICUT (Rentschler Field)
7 Missouri (Memorial Stadium)
SQUAD NOTES
BIG EAST COACHES TAB HUSKIES SIXTH
Despite UConn earning a share of the conference title in 2007 and returning a total of 35 lettermen and 19 starters from that championship squad, the BIG EAST coaches have tabbed the Huskies to finish sixth in the preseason poll.
Connecticut garnered a total of 97 points, just one shy of fifth-place choice Cincinnati (96) and 28 in front of seventh-place Louisville (69).
West Virginia (189), USF (149) and Pittsburgh (128) were ranked 1-3 according to the preseason list.
UConn will be hoping for a repeat of 2007, when it was able to prove the prognosticators wrong by capturing a piece of the league crown after being selected to finish seventh in the conference in the preseason by the coaches.
HUSKIES IN THE NFL
UConn currently has five former players that are currently on NFL rosters.
The veterans of the group are both entering their fourth year in league. Quarterback Dan Orlovsky is in his fourth year with the Detroit Lions while 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 entering 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 two rookies on NFL rosters: offensive lineman Donald Thomas with the Miami Dolphins – a sixth round draft pick who is currently starting for the team and defensive back Tyvon Branch of the Oakland Raiders – a fourth round pick who injured his thumb during an exhibition game.
Danny Lansanah (Green Bay Packers) – a free agent signee who played in the first two exhibition games; and defensive tackle Dan Davis (Indianapolis Colts) – a free agent signee, were both recently released.
HUSKIES IN THE CFL
In addition, there are six former Huskies currently playing in the Canadian Football League – O’Neill Wilson (Hamilton Tiger-Cats) and Jordan Younger (Edmonton Eskimos), who are both in their fifth year in the league.
Maurice Lloyd (Saskatchewan Roughriders) who is in his third year with the team after earning a Grey Cup ring with the team last year; Terry Caulley (Hamilton Tiger-Cats) is in his second year; Shawn Mayne (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), in his second year and Larry Taylor (Montreal Alouettes) enters the season as a rookie
SCOUT TEAM PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Each week head coach Randy Edsall issues an award for the Scout Team Players of the Week.
In recognition of their often-overlooked hard work, those players earn a spot on the Husky travel squad and then dress list for that week’s game. The weekly honorees are listed below.
HOFSTRA
Ben Chapman (offense), Dwayne Gratz (defense), Sio Moore (special teams).
GAME BALLS
After each UConn victory, head coach Randy Edsall awards game balls for the team’s top performer on offense, defense and special teams. The 2008 recipients are listed below.
HOFSTRA
Donald Brown (offense), Cody Brown (defense), Robbie Frey (special teams).
ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS: Cody Brown (4), Donald Brown (3), Darius Butler (3), Andre Dixon (3), William Beatty (2), D.J. Hernandez (2), Scott Lutrus (2), Terry Baltimore, Steve Brouse, Tony Ciaravino, Desi Cullen, Dahna Deleston, Robbie Frey, Keith Gray, Mike Hicks, Alex LaMagdelaine, Tyler Lorenzen, Rob Lunn, Lawrence Wilson.
UCONN ASSISTANTS KNOW HOW THE “HEAD” GUY FEELS
Three members of Connecticut’s coaching staff boast head coaching experience from previous stops in their coaching career.
Offensive Coordinator Rob Ambrose was the head coach at Catholic University (Washington, D.C.) in 2001 just prior to his arrival at UConn in 2002.
Offensive line coach Mike Foley was the head man at Colgate from 1987-92 and current Director of Football Operations Tim Pendergast served as head coach at Cornell from 2001-03 and Hamilton College (N.Y.) in 2000
HUSKIES IN AUGUST
The Huskies are 3-1 in August since 2002, its entire tenure in Division I-A. UConn is 3-0 at home in August in the I-A era. UConn’s lone blemish in the month of August since its move to I-A was a 24-16 setback at Boston College in the 2002 season opener.
UConn’s season-opening win over Hofstra on Aug. 28 marked the first time that Connecticut has played a game in the month of August since it defeated Rhode Island 52-7 on August 31, 2006.
HOFSTRA POSTGAME THOUGHTS
Win moved UConn’s record in night games at Rentschler Field to 8-3 overall….Huskies move to 3-2 all-time against Hofstra…UConn moves to 26-8 all-time at Rentschler Field dating back to its opening in 2003….UConn running back Donald Brown posted a pair of 1-yard TD runs in the first quarter, marking the fifth time in his career he has rushed for multiple touchdowns in the same game, with the most recent prior to this evening coming on September 15, 2007 vs. Temple….Anthony Sherman’s 33-yard reception in the first quarter marked the longest of his career (previous long reception: 7 yards vs. Syracuse, Nov. 17, 2007)….UConn’s 14 points in the first quarter marked its highest scoring output in an opening quarter since it posted 14 against Syracuse on Nov. 17, 2007….UConn has not allowed a single first-quarter point in three of its last four games overall, dating back to Nov. 17, 2007 vs. Syracuse….Donald Brown’s four rushing touchdowns marked a personal career high and are the most by a UConn player in a single game since Cornell Brockington scored three vs. Liberty on Sept. 10, 2005….Donald Brown’s four rushing touchdowns also tied for the third-most in a single game by a UConn player in the program’s history (the feat has been accomplished nine previous times)….The four touchdowns by Brown also tied the UConn single-game rushing record since the program moved to Division I-A in 2002 – matching Cornell Brockington’s four TD’s at Wake Forest on Nov. 15, 2003….Donald Brown’s 146 rushing yards marked his seventh career game with over 100 yards on the ground….UConn’s first two touchdowns tonight came via 1-yard rushes, the last time UConn posted a pair of 1-yard rushing TDs in the first quarter was against Northeastern on Sept. 20, 1980….UConn’s 28-0 halftime advantage marked its largest lead at the break since it led Liberty 38-0 on Sept. 10, 2005….UConn held Hofstra without a single point through the first half, the last time the Huskies shutout its opponent for the opening half came in the 2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl against Wake Forest on Dec. 29, 2007….UConn senior receiver Ellis Gaulden finished with a career-best 62 receiving yards on four catches. Gaulden entered tonight’s game with five career receptions for 29 yards….Tyler Lorenzen’s three interceptions marked a single-game high. His previous high was one interception, which he did six times last season, the most recent was against Wake Forest in the Meineke Car Care Bowl on December 29, 2007….Redshirt freshman running back Robbie Frey’s 2-yard TD run in the fourth quarter represented the first touchdown of his career….UConn won despite committing five turnovers – it marked the first time that the Huskies have won a game with as many as five turnovers since it moved to Division I-A in 2002….UConn’s 218 rushing yards marked its highest single-game output since posting 256 yards on the ground vs. Rutgers on November 3, 2007….Donald Brown’s 146 rushing yards marked the highest total by a UConn player since Donald Brown rushed for 154 yards against Rutgers on Nov. 3, 2007.
HUSKIES WHEN RANKED
UConn is 2-2 all-time when it is ranked nationally.
UConn made its debut as a ranked team on Nov. 3, 2007 when the Huskies downed Rutgers, 38-19, at Rentschler Field. At the time, UConn was ranked No. 16 by the AP and No. 20 by the coaches.
The Huskies lost, 27-3, on Nov. 10, 2007 at Cincinnati when they were ranked No. 16 in both polls.
UConn was ranked No. 25 by the AP for its win over Syracuse on Nov. 17, 2007 and was ranked No. 20 entering its loss at West Virginia on Nov. 24, 2007.
HUSKIES NINE WINS IN 2007 NEAR 109-YEAR MARK
UConn’s 9-4 record in 2007 tied for the second-winningest season in the school’s 109 years of football.
UConn won a school-record 10 games in 1998 as it advanced to the Division I-AA Quarterfinals.
The Huskies also won nine games in 2003. UConn had previously won eight games in a season six times (1901, 1973, 1986, 1989, 1995 and 2004).
SWEET 16! HIGHEST AP POLL DEBUT IN 43 YEARS
UConn earned its first ever AP Poll ranking on Oct. 28, 2007 when it checked into the poll at No. 16. That marked the highest debut ranking for a school since Florida State, led by All-American Fred Biletnikoff, first broke into the AP rankings at No. 10 on Oct. 12, 1964.
The AP Poll was just a Top 10 ranking from 1961-67. In the 43 years since Florida State’s AP debut, the closest that any school has come to debuting at No. 16 was when San Diego State debuted at No. 17 on Oct. 24, 1970.
HUSKIES RUSH PAST THE MARSHALL PLAN
With its Oct. 28 Associated Press and USA Today Coaches rankings, UConn became the second-fastest team to ever make the polls after moving up from what was once called Division I-AA.
Only Marshall which joined I-A in 1997, moved faster as it was ranked after two years and four weeks.
Ironically, UConn edged past South Florida for second place, the team it defeated to earn its initial ranking. The Bulls became a full-fledged I-A program in 2001 and also cracked the Top 25 in 2007 after six years and three weeks.
FASTEST FROM DIVISION I-AA TO THE POLLS
SCHOOL I-A DEBUT FIRST RANKING
Marshall 1997 Two years, four weeks (9/12/99)
CONNECTICUT 2002 Five years, 10 weeks (10/28/07)
South Florida 2001 Six years, three weeks (9/9/07)
Boise State 1996 Six years, 13 weeks (11/10/02)
THE QUEST FOR A BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP
With a 5-2 record last season in BIG EAST play, the Huskies earned a share of the 2007 BIG EAST Title with West Virginia.
The five wins were just one shy of the six total BIG EAST wins by the Huskies since joining the league in 2004.
In 2004, UConn went 3-3 in its inaugural league slate while the Huskies won two league games in 2005 and just one in 2006.
Prior to 2007, when the Huskies stood at 4-0 in league play heading to Cincinnati on Nov. 10, UConn had never even started a BIG EAST slate at 2-0.
The last time UConn won more than five league games in a year was in 1998 when UConn went 6-2 in the Atlantic 10.
The Huskies have not won a league championship outright since taking the Yankee Conference crown in 1973. UConn last shared in a conference championship in 1989 when it was YanCon Tri-Champion.
HUSKIES PAY THE RENT ON TIME EVERY TIME
UConn went a perfect 7-0 in 2007 at Rentschler Field. UConn joins the 1993 West Virginia Mountaineers as the only teams in BIG EAST history to complete a season with a perfect 7-0 record at home.
The seven home wins topped the previous school record set in 2004 when the Huskies went 6-1 in East Hartford.
UConn’s best undefeated home season before 2007 was a 5-0 mark in 1989 at Memorial Stadium in Storrs.
HUSKIES GAIN BOWL ELIGIBILITY ONCE AGAIN
For the third time in the past five years the Huskies were bowl eligible in 2007 and earned a berth in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte where they dropped a 24-10 decision to Wake Forest.
UConn was also bowl eligible in 2003 when the team went 9-3 as an independent but was not selected for a bowl bid. In 2004 when UConn was 7-4 and went on to win the Motor City Bowl.
HUSKIES ON THE REBOUND
UConn is now 17-10 in games following a loss since Oct. 26, 2002, with its 35-3 win over Hostra on August 28.
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.
SUCCESS IS RELL-ATIVE IN CONNECTICUT
UConn’s success on the gridiron in 2007 did not go unnoticed by people in high places.
Just a few hours after UConn earned its first ever national ranking on Oct. 28 by beating then-No. 11 USF, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell issued a statement congratulating the team saying: "The big dogs have hit the big time. Coach Edsall and his team have made all of Connecticut proud. I know the season is not over yet, but the team, the university and state residents should celebrate this tremendous win and this first ever national ranking."
ROAD WORRIERS
While UConn is 26-8 all-time at Rentschler Field, the results on the road have not always been as joyful for the Huskies.
Of UConn’s 31 losses in the Division I-A era, 19 have come on the road. During the combined 2004-08 seasons, UConn is 5-14 on the road but 21-7 at home with a 1-1 mark at neutral sites (Motor City and Meineke Car Care Bowls).
UConn is 2-11 in BIG EAST road games with the lone wins coming at Rutgers on Nov. 25, 2004 and at Pittsburgh on Sept. 22, 2007.
UConn won a single road game each year from 2004-06 before winning a pair in 2007.
The Huskies last won multiple road games in 2003 when the Huskies took four games away from Rentschler Field with victories at Army, Buffalo, Kent State and Wake Forest.
EDSALL ERA HITS THE CENTURY MARK
Connecticut’s win over USF on Oct. 27, 2007 was the 100th game in Randy Edsall’s 10-year tenure as head coach at Connecticut. Edsall (106 games) is the fourth coach to lead the Huskies into 100 career games, joining J.O. Christian (121), Tom Jackson (119) and Robert Ingalls (106).
On a national level, his 10-year tenure at UConn is tied for the 13th-longest tenure at his current school of any coach at an active FBS school. The longest active tenure is Joe Paterno who is in his 43rd year as head coach at Penn State.
Within the BIG EAST, only USF’s Jim Leavitt at 12 years has been in his current position longer than Edsall.
The five members of the coaching hire class of 1999 who are still at those schools is an especially strong one, also including Tommy Bowden (Clemson), UConn graduate Kirk Ferentz (Iowa), Bob Stoops (Oklahoma) and Tommy Tuberville (Auburn).
EDSALL HITS 50-WIN MARK - AND COUNTING....
Randy Edsall currently owns a 51-55 career record at UConn, including a 42-30 (.583) mark through the first 72 games of UConn’s tenure at the FBS (Division I-A) level.
By beating Syracuse on Nov. 17, 2007, for his 50th win at UConn, Edsall became just the third Husky mentor to ever win 50 games at the school, joining J.O. Christian (66) and Tom Jackson (62).
BALL CONTROL IS THE KEY
A telling sign of UConn’s strong performance on both sides of the ball during its brief tenure as a Division I-A program has been its ability to both record and prevent long drives.
Since the start of the 2002 season, UConn’s offense has strung together 58 scoring drives of at least 80 yards while the Husky defense has surrendered just 32 such marches.
UConn also holds a 16-5 advantage over its opponents in the number of 90-yard and over drives since becoming a I-A program.
HUSKIES DOMINATING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL
Over the past 65 games, UConn has outgained its opponent 43 times, including one time in 2008.
This stretch, like many UConn trends, dates back to a disheartening 28-24 loss at Vanderbilt on Oct. 26, 2002.
CONNECTICUT’S FOUR CAPTAINS
The UConn team has selected four team captains for the 2008 season, Darius Butler, Donald Brown, Tyler Lorenzen and D.J. Hernandez.
Butler and Hernandez will be serving as captains for the second season, after also holding the responsibility during their junior campaigns.
OFFENSE NOTES
TOUCHDOWN BROWN WASTES NO TIME SETTING OFF 2008
UConn junior running back Donald Brown got his 2008 season off to a fast start against Hofstra with 23 carries for 146 yards and four touchdowns.
Brown has now rushed for multiple touchdowns in five games during his career, the four TDs marked the third-highest total in school history, having been accomplished nine previous times.
The four rushing touchdowns also tied the Husky record since the program moved to the FBS in 2002 – joining Cornell Brockington with four at Wake Forest in 2003.
Brown has now rushed for 100 yards or more seven times in his career – four as a freshman in 2006 and two last year.
GAULDEN BACK IN ACTION
UConn senior wide receiver Ellis Gaulden tallied a career-high 62 yards against Hofstra on four catches.
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 games 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.
HUSKIES AND THE RED ZONE
The Huskies made seven trips to the red zone against Hofstra and scored five touchdowns and had two interceptions on those possessions.
Since 2002, UConn has scored on 235 of 276 (85.1 percent) of its red zone possessions. Of the 41 non-scoring drives, 25 have been missed field goals.
ODDS AND ENDS
Sophomore fullback Anthony Sherman had a 33-yard reception in the first quarter of the Hofstra game, the longest of his career…UConn has not allowed a point in the first quarter in three of its past four games…UConn has now won six-straight home openers, something it last accomplished in 1923-28…The Huskies 28-0 halftime lead was its largest since a 38-0 mark against Liberty on Sept. 10, 2005…The win over Hofstra was the first one in UConn’s FBS history where it turned the ball over five times.
FROM IOWA TO CONNECTICUT VIA SAN DIEGO
Tyler Lorenzen took a circuitous route to being named UConn’s starting quarterback. 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 after completing 229-of-332 passes (69-percent) for 2,960 yards with 26 touchdowns and three interceptions. Lorenzen joined UConn in January after carrying a 4.0 grade point average at Palomar and was named the starting quarterback on August 14. At Duke, he became the fourth different starting quarterback for UConn in the past four opening days. D.J. Hernandez started last year’s opener, Matt Bonislawski was under center when the 2005 season began and Dan Orlovsky started the third and final opening day contest of his illustrious UConn career in 2004.
DIXON BACK AFTER BREAKTHROUGH 2007
Tailback Andre Dixon saw his first significant action of his career at tailback against Temple on Sept. 15, 2007, and made the most of his opportunity.
Dixon ran for 129 yards on 21 carries against the Owls. Dixon is one of three active UConn players who have a 100-yard rushing game to their credit as a Husky, joining Donald Brown (five times) and D.J. Hernandez (2006 vs. Pitt).
He continued to shine against Akron on Sept. 29 rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries while catching four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. On Oct 19 against Louisville, he enjoyed his third 100-yard rushing game, gaining 115 and scoring the game-winning touchdown with 1:32 to play. He made it four 100-yard games out of six with a 167-yard rushing effort against USF.
DEFENSE NOTES
DEFENSE DOESN’T LET TURNOVER PAY
Although the UConn offense committed five turnovers in the win over Hofstra, the Husky defense only allowed three points to be scored off those turnovers.
The UConn defense forced a punt, got the ball back on downs, had an interception and the game ended on the other turnovers.
DEFENSE AMONGST THE NATION’S BEST
UConn’s defensive unit was amongst the best in the nation in 2007. The Huskies ranked 37th nationally in total defense yielding just 351.38 yards per game.
The Huskies ranked tied for 13th in scoring defense at 19.00 points per game.
UConn is 10th in passing efficiency defense with a 121.67 rating. UConn’s 23 interceptions tied for fourth nationally, while its 29 total turnovers gained ties for 20th.
SKIP TO MY LUTRUS
UConn saw a redshirt freshman make an immediate impact at the strongside linebacker post in 2007. Brookfield’s Scott Lutrus ranked third on the squad with 107 tackles, eight of which were for a loss.
He also has four interceptions on the year, returning two for touchdowns to tie both UConn’s season and career records. Lutrus’ four interceptions in 2007 tied for the most in the nation by a linebacker.
In his short time at UConn he has shown a true knack for intercepting passes as he picked off three passes in UConn’s Blue-White Spring Game, returning two of them for touchdowns. Lutrus made a game-high 18 tackles against Louisville and was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts. He won the honor again a week later against USF.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
TONY TONY TONY HAS DONE IT AGAIN
Tony Ciaravino edged out true freshman Dave Teggart to serve as UConn’s extra point and field goal kicker in 2007.
His 22 field goals made broke the UConn single-season record and represent the fifth-most in BIG EAST history.
Ciaravino ended up hitting three of his four field goals in the 2007 season opener at Duke and has not looked back. The three field goals made were the most by a Husky kicker since Matt Nuzie hit four in the 2004 Motor City Bowl. Ciaravino Ciaravino matched that total two weeks later in UConn’s win over Temple when his three field goals included career-long boots from 47 and 50 yards, earning him the special teams game ball and BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.
Ciaravino handled UConn’s field goals and extra points as the 2006 season drew to a close, the third Husky to serve in that role last season. Ciaravino hit both of his field goal tries last fall and went 12-for-13 on extra points on the year.
NINE TIMES FOR CIARAVINO
Tony Ciaravino tallied a run of nine consecutive made field goal tries during the 2007 season, bookended by a 52 yard miss at Virginia on Oct. 13 and a 51-yard miss against Maine on Sept. 8.
It was the longest streak by a Husky since Matt Nuzie’s school-record string of 10 consecutive field goals during the 2004 season.
Ciaravino’s run matched David DeArmas’ nine straight in 1994 for the second longest streak in school history.
KENTUCKY HAMMER NAILS HIS AUDITION
Louisville native Desi Cullen, the self-proclaimed “Kentucky Hammer,” solidified his role as the team’s starting punter and kickoff specialist with a steady fall camp.
In 2007 he earned the special teams game ball after the season opener against Duke.
Last season, Cullen averaged 40.7 yards on his 75 punts and also handled kickoffs with 11 touchbacks on 74 kicks.
Cullen handled kickoffs in five games in 2006 as a true freshman and was the understudy to senior Chris Pavasaris at punter.
Cullen has also showed a tendency towards not staying back in coverage as he has aggressively made five tackles on the season.
STADIUM/ATTENDANCE NOTES
RENTSCHLER FIELD
The Huskies moved into brand new Rentschler Field in East Hartford for the 2003 season with the stadium opening its doors on August 30 when UConn defeated Indiana, 34-10.
Conveniently located within miles of Interstates 91, 84 and 384, the home of the Huskies lies on 75 acres of land donated to the State of Connecticut from the historic Pratt & Whitney Airfield.
The stadium, like the former airfield, is named for that company’s founder, Frederick Rentschler. The stadium boasts a capacity of 40,000 with 38 luxury suites in a massive press box tower which helps enclose the natural grass field. While UConn football serves as the primary tenant, the facility also attracts other prominent events to Hartford.
Rentschler Field hosted two concerts by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, one by the Rolling Stones and one by The Police. Several prominent international soccer contests have been played on the pitch at Rentschler Field, most notably a World Cup Qualifier between the United States and Trinidad & Tobago on Aug. 17, 2005.
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 ticket 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.SELLOUTS THE NORM
The Huskies have sold out 22 of their first 34 dates at Rentschler Field, including a stretch of 12 in a row.
UConn has played to 96-percent of capacity all-time in East Hartford, drawing 1,306,179 fans, or an average of 38,417 per game.
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 26-8 all-time at Rentschler Field including a 17-3 mark in non-conference games.
Due to the crowd noise, UConn’s opponents have been flagged for a total of 56 false starts and delay of game penalties in the past 25 games at Rentschler Field.
UP NEXT
UConn returns to Rentschler Field next Saturday as it entertains Virginia of the Atlantic Coast Conference at 7:30 p.m.
The game will be televised to a national audience on ESPNU.
The primetime showdown will mark just the second meeting between the two schools with the most recent seeing Virginia nip the Huskies 17-16 in a classic game in Charlottesville on Oct. 13, 2007.
Players Mentioned
