UConn sports

The UConn men’s basketball team’s annual race around the Storrs campus, the Husky Run, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 12.

Registration is from 1-2 p.m. outside Gampel Pavilion. The 3.4-mile race, in which all members of the team run along with anyone else who wishes to participate, begins at 2 p.m.

Participants receive a free T-shirt as well as food and drinks after the race.

UConn just released a statement from President Susan Herbst:

“The past several days have magnified the period of instability that exists today in the world of college athletics. I want to say thank you to all of our loyal supporters and fans of UConn and our athletic programs for their patience during this time.

“Please know that we will always do what is in the best interests for the University of Connecticut.

“We remain committed to our ideals and principals in intercollegiate athletics and will continue to achieve excellence academically and athletically.”

I was able to catch up with UConn President Susan Herbst Tuesday afternoon on the Storrs campus. She was attending a press conference to celebrate a new building project on campus (FYI, if you’re an alum and ever had a class in Arjona or Monteith, you’d be both proud and jealous of the new digs) and was gracious enough to speak for a minute about the Huskies’ place in the conference upheaval going on now. You can read the story here, and below are a few of her comments:

SUSAN HERBST

– Herbst emphasized the importance of geography in conference affiliation but then said it can’t be the end-all, be-all any more. She was asked if her stance on geography takes a possible merge with the Big 12 off the table.

“No. It’s more that we’re going to have to make it work wherever we land and wherever this settles,” Herbst said. “If it’s a reconstituted Big East that has some pretty far away places, we’re just going to have to figure out our schedules so that our student athletes don’t miss too much class. We have to figure out a way to get them supported with technology and travel so they can manage the longer trips.

“The regional constraint is over,” Herbst added. “It’s been leaking that way for a while but now we have to rethink the game and practice schedules to work around it.”

Late this afternoon came word that the Big East’s remaining “football” teams are going to meet tonight in New York. Presidents and AD’s Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, Rutgers, UConn and West Virginia (and possibly TCU) will meet for what source called a “relatively informal” talk about the future.

Buffalo quarterback Chazz Anderson, a transfer from Cincinnati, has his helmet knocked crooked after getting hit in a game against Pittsburgh Sept. 3. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

A few notes and quotes from UConn football coach Paul Pasqualoni and the Huskies as they get ready for Buffalo:

– The coach had a few more words about the changing landscape of the Big East and the conference realignment.

“I think it just clearly illustrates that in this day and age, people are going to absolutely do what they think is the best thing for them to do. They’re going to take care of themselves first,” Pasqualoni said.

It’s not like it was when he was at Penn State.

“This idea of loyalty to conference, region, it’s not what it was years back,” Pasqualoni said. “It’s all driven by the TV deals, the contracts with ESPN, money.”

It probably doesn’t bother the current players, Pasqualoni says.

“Our plate is so full with the season right now, we have not discussed it,” Pasqualoni said. “They’re watching TV like everybody else and reading the paper. They’ll have their opinion on it.”

– A few changes on the depth chart this week, most of which represent what happened on the field to start last week’s game against Iowa State.

Jimmy Bennett is now listed as the starter at LT, where he began that game. Kevin Friend is now “officially” at LG and Mike Ryan over at RT.

RB Deshon Foxx is now listed as one of the kick returners, a role he filled last week against the Cyclones.

Quarterbacks Johnny McEntee, Scott McCummings and Mike Nebrich (insert your own joke here) remain tri-starters, and tailbacks Lyle McCombs and D.J. Shoemate are also in the old “OR” situation.

“We’re going to have the three quarterbacks ready again,” Pasqualoni said. “My sense is we’ll make exactly which way we go at the end of the week.”

– Some of the problems in the run game last week were perhaps the result of the offensive line switches.

“Even though Mike Ryan is a veteran and has played a lot of football, it’s hard to take a guy from the left and put him on the right and expect everything to be perfect,” Pasqualoni said.

– DE Jesse Joseph (knee) is back at practice and could play this week. Joseph and Teddy Jennings are listed as “OR” starters on the depth chart.

“It’s going to mean a lot to have Jesse Joseph back. Jesse is a real quality player. He’s one of those guys that delivers every day,” Pasqualoni said.

Jennings’ play was a big positive, however, Pasqualoni added.

“Teddy really, really played well. He played solid. We feel we have some depth there,” Pasqualoni said.

– What happened on Shoemate’s fumble last week?

“D.J., because of the ankle, hasn’t gotten the number of reps. … His footwork is off a little bit. He wasn’t as wide as he needed to be. He needed to be a little tighter,” Pasqualoni said. “He runs into (Mark) Hinkley and Hinkley causes the fumble.”

– Pasqualoni was asked about some of the turmoil and change (new AD, new president, booster mad, conference changes) in his brief tenure at UConn. How is holding up?

“Great,” Pasqualoni said with a chuckle. “As long as we’ve got a game to play that I can coach, I’m in good shape.”

– Buffalo is coached by former Cincinnati offensive coordinator Jeff Quinn and is quarterbacked by former Cincinnati QB Chazz Anderson.

– The Bulls have already played a Big East team this season. They lost to Pittsburgh 35-16 on Sept. 3.

– This is the 19th meeting between UConn and Buffalo, and the Huskies hold a 14-4 series edge. Their last meeting came last season when the Huskies won 45-21 at Rentschler Field. That game was tied 14-14 at the half.

– Buffalo has exactly one win over a BCS opponent in its history, a 34-11 win over Rutgers in 2002.

– Buffalo LB Khalil Mack leads the nation in tackles for loss (7.5).

– Jim Barbar (play-by-play) and John Gregory (color) will call the game on SNY, if you need to know. The incomparable Joe D’Ambrosio and Wayne Norman are on the case, as usual, on WTIC-1080, too, of course.

The latest on UConn’s place in the whirlwind conference realignment going on, from myself and talented colleague Rich Elliott.

I spoke with UConn men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun early this afternoon and many of his comments are included in the story, but here’s a little more from the coach:

“I think this is at the presidential level, clearly, as you can see from Pittsburgh and Syracuse,” Calhoun said by phone. “I have a great deal of faith in Susan (Herbst). I know that she’s been able to get some other council to help us through this. But most importantly it’s her decision.”

Calhoun has spent plenty of time talking with the UConn president about the school’s athletic future, he says.

“I think we have a ton of things going for us,” Calhoun said, mentioning the school’s recent ranking (19th) by U.S. News and World Report and the extensive media coverage his team receives. “And I think we have to stay active. Yet, we can’t jump unless it’s an ideal fit for us. That will be Susan’s decision. I have discussed it with her _ at length, actually. I think she’ll make the decision that’s best for us.”

The coach doesn’t appear to be ruling out anything for his team.

“We have to go someplace,” Calhoun said, not ruling anything out. “I think we’re very attractive to anybody. We certainly have no qualms with what we’ve done basketball wise in the last 20 years. We’ve just put over $200 million into football and built a stadium that’s expandable.”

Calhoun, like many, said he saw something like this coming.

“This may be long term and may change the face of athletics. I’ve always thought the 120 would get together,” Calhoun said, referring to the number of schools that field an FBS (Division I-A) football team. “There’s been a lot of talk, even from (NCAA President) Mark Emmert, about who is going to legislate them and whether or not they start over again. I don’t know those answers. I do know it’s a time of change, that’s for sure.”

USC wide receiver Robert Woods loses his helmet while driving toward the goal as Syracuse defensive end Torrey Ball (95) and safety Shamarko Thomas tackle him during the first half Saturday in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The usual Monday morning conference call the Big East conducts with its football coaches was anything but usual. Coaches were asked about conference realignment over and over, and found different ways not to say very much.

“I don’t have no reaction at all,” Louisville coach Charlie Strong said.

UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni was one of the few to be honest and expound a bit.

Pasqualoni said he hasn’t had a chance to sit down with UConn President Susan Herbst yet on the issue.

“Obviously this came on very, very quickly,” Pasqualoni said. “We’ve been so busy getting ready to play football games, I haven’t really had a chance to meet with any officials here.

“My feeling on it would be really assess, if in fact Syracuse and Pitt are going to the ACC, are the Texas and Oklahoma schools going to the Pac-12?” Pasqualoni continued. “What are the remaining Big 12 schools going to do? What would be the landscape of, let’s call it the ‘new’ Big East? Does that bring in Baylor, Missouri? Can that be worked out with the remaining Big East teams?

“Or is there opportunity to go to another conference?” Pasqualoni added. “These are things that are going to have to be discussed here very quickly, and in the very near future decisions are going to have to be made.”

“You want to be, the best position for UConn would be in a BCS conference, would be in a conference with teams that we have some similarities with, a chance to have some rivalries, a chance to develop relationships within the conference geographically, if that’s possible. There’s a lot to think about.”

– West Virginia may be headed to the SEC. What does football coach Dana Holgorsen think about that?

“I don’t have an opinion. We’re in capable of hands of (athletic director) Oliver Luck and (president) James Clements,” Holgorsen said. “I’m going to worry about X’s and O’s.”

– Of course, the coaches at Syracuse and Pittsburgh were happy to talk about the ACC just a bit.

“We’re excited about the opportunity for the future,” Pitt coach Todd Graham said.

– UConn and Rutgers seem like somewhat natural (if geography and traditional rivals mean anything at this point) additions to the ACC, and both obviously have interest.

The New York Post reported that both could join the ACC in a matter of weeks.

For his part, Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano wasn’t ready to talk about such issues.

“I’ve taken the stance that I’m going to coach the football team. (Athletic director) Tim Pernetti and our administration are going to handle on the conference stuff, and let them be the spokesmen,” Schiano said. “I’m going to answer questions about the Ohio game and stick to that.”

– A few football notes, in case those still matter:

– LSU hosts West Virginia Saturday night and ESPN’s College GameDay will be in Morgantown, too.

“It’s going to be a challenge. They’re obviously good. Their team speed is unbelievable,” Holgorsen said. “They’re as fast as any football team out there.”

– Louisville QB Will Stein (shoulder) left Saturday’s game against Kentucky but that doesn’t change the Cardinals’ lineup following the bye they have this week, coach Charlie Strong said.

“We will not change up at all. Stein will be back,” Strong said.

– Stop me if you’ve heard this one before in the last few years: UConn leads the Big East in total defense (256.3 ypg) but is next-to-last in total offense (323.3 ypg)

– UConn’s nine-game win streak at Rentschler Field ended with Friday night’s loss to Iowa State.

– UConn PK Dave Teggart is the only player in Big East history to hit two field goals of more than 50 yards in a single game. And he’s now done it twice.

UConn just released this statement from school president Susan Herbst in regards to the recent moves by Pitt and Syracuse to the ACC:

“Conference expansion and realignment has been a subject of public speculation for the last several months and will continue to be so in the future, for years most likely. It is not close to being over, so we need to have some patience. There have been new rumors every day regarding schools and conferences, and now Pittsburgh and Syracuse are leaving the Big East, which is a jolt, but not a huge surprise.

“UConn is a proud charter member of the Big East and we have taken a lead role in the league’s success over the years. However, it is my responsibility as President that we stay in constant communication and be actively involved in discussions with our counterparts from around the country to ensure the successful long-term future of our university’s athletic program. The truth is that our teams will play competitive athletics at the highest level of excellence, wherever things land, and our central goals will be academic success and compliance, always.

“To my mind, the conference realignments and incessant national gossip is distracting many presidents and athletic directors from the real conversations we should be having, about academics, the distorting role of money in sports and what it means to support student-athletes. I hope all settles soon, and we can change the national focus away from profiteering and back to student-athletes, where it belongs.”

The Iowa State football team was rather happy and healthy upon leaving Connecticut this weekend, but the Cyclones’ mascot got more than a little dinged up.

Cy (who is a Cardinal, not a Cyclone, in case you were wondering) suffered a broken arm after interacting with a few UConn fans during Iowa State’s 24-20 win Friday night at Rentschler Field. Cy (ISU student Zane Brugenhemke, actually) apparently went into the UConn student section during the second quarter for a little playful taunting and soon got into a little back-and-forth with the Husky fans. As he turned to leave Cy fell down the stairs and fractured two bones in his forearm. Initial reports indicated Brugenhemke was pushed, though that apparently wasn’t the case.

Officers from the Connecticut State Police, according UConn officials, immediately investigated the incident by interviewing witnesses, including Brugenhemke.

According a news release from UConn:

“The police determined there was no physical altercation tied to the event and no charges were filed. Instead, it was determined that the injuries were caused when the student in the mascot costumed tripped down the stairs. These facts were confirmed by the student mascot in an interview with the police. In addition, there were no patrons ejected from the game because of the incident,” the statement read.

Cy _ well, Brugenhemk _ was treated by local EMTs as well as team doctors from both UConn and Iowa State before being taken to the UConn Health Center in Farmington. A replacement Cy took over inside the costume and cheered with the rest of the Cyclone faithful in the second half.

Brugenhemke was able to fly home on the school’s charter flight back to Ames, Iowa, following the game.

Brugenhemke posted on his Facebook page Saturday a picture of his arm in a sling. He indicated he would have surgery in Omaha, Neb. on Sunday.

“UConn quickly rose to No. 2 on my most-hated fan bases,” Brugenhemke wrote, probably keeping Iowa at his personal No. 1. “Breaking my arm isn’t a good first impression guys.”