UConn sports

A few tidbits from the Big East’s weekly conference call.

Not a whole lot of news:

– UConn is preparing to face both of Ohio University’s top quarterbacks when they meet Sept. 5 in Athens.

UConn head coach Randy Edsall said Monday that the Huskies expect to see both Boo Jackson and Theo Scott.

“We’re preparing for both of them,” Edsall said. “Both of them are very good quarterbacks.”

– A media member tried to ask West Virginia coach Bill Stewart about his former boss Rich Rodriguez but was quickly cut off.

“Next question,” Stewart said. “I’m talking about West Virginia football today.”

Rodriguez, now the head coach at Michigan, held what appeared to be a very emotional press conference Monday as he and the program try to answer questions about how many hours his players spend “practicing.”

– A number of questions about the Big East not having any representatives in the top 25. Most coaches said it doesn’t matter _ yet.

“The Big East will show its merit by the end of the season,” Edsall said. “Which is what it’s all about any how.”

– UConn fans, who for the better part of three decades loved to hate Duke, will soon get their chance to face Greg Paulus, who Duke-haters for the better part of three years have loved to … well, hate.

Paulus used to be a point guard at Duke but now he’s a quarterback with the Syracuse football team. He grew up in Syracuse and was a standout high school quarterback. He has returned to the town’s university as a grad student and will take the reins of the Orange offense.

Paulus and the Orange face Minnesota on Saturday at the Dome.

“At the end of the day myself and the rest of the staff felt that our best chances of winning were with Greg at quarterback,” first-year Syracuse coach Doug Marrone said. “If he wasn’t good enough, he wouldn’t play. I told him that from the beginning. There were no deals or anything like that.”

Marrone says Paulus’ job isn’t some sort of ploy for publicity.

“I’ve come here to win games right away,” Marrone said. “Greg gives us the best chance to do that.”

Marrone says Paulus is stronger than he was in high school and has better vision. He’s obviously still in shape, too.

“The only question about Greg is the durability, playing week-in and week-out,” Marrone said.

- Neill

No real surprises on the ol’ two-deep for the Huskies. Still, let’s go through some notes on the first depth chart of the season:

– Senior Brad Kanuch is listed as the starter at (Z) wide receiver. True freshman Dwayne Difton is listed as the backup.

That doesn’t mean Difton won’t play or even play a lot. And based on depth charts in previous years, it doesn’t even rule out Difton starting on a regular basis.

Anyway, here’s the coach’s take.

“I think Brad was consistent. Dwayne is a very good player,” Edsall said. “I think you’re going to see both of them in there.”

– The Huskies listed five wide receivers on the two-deep. Kanuch is on top at one wideout spot and sophomores Michael Smith and Kashif Moore are listed as “OR” starters at the other. Sophomore Isiah Moore is listed as the backup to Smith/Moore.

Edsall said Sunday that redshirt freshman Gerrard Sheppard and junior Alex Molina are also in the rotation at this point.

That leaves a few notable exceptions: Senior Marcus Easley, true freshman Mike Lang and true freshman Malik Generett.

Of course, we know that all could change in week 2.

– OK, it looked late in training camp like Jerome Junior had pulled ahead in the battle to become the starting strong safety. And, lo and behold, Junior was named the starter Sunday.

But where did Jonathan Jean-Louis’ name go?

The junior from Cambridge, Mass., wasn’t listed as Junior’s backup. That honor went to recently converted linebacker Kijuan Dabney

And Robert Vaughn’s backup at free safety? That was true freshman Marcus Aiken.

Jean-Louis, it seems, has been moved to the Husky (strong-side) linebacker position. He wasn’t listed as the No. 2, however. Jory Johnson had that slot.

As an aside, the Huskies have waaaaay too many players with the initials JJ. Perhaps the coaching staff could address that in recruiting over the next few years.

Anyway, back to the safeties. Don’t expect Aiken to see the field any time soon. He just moved over from wide receiver last week.

Also, Edsall said the suspended Aaron Bagsby (a sophomore free safety) would be “back in a few weeks.”

– Jesse Joseph won the battle at defensive end, beating out fellow true freshman Trevardo Williams.

“Jesse has very good skills and has just picked things up a little bit better,” Edsall said. “Maybe he’s a little bit better all-around.”

– Blidi Wreh-Wilson would seem to be in line to be the nickel back but Edsall wouldn’t confirm that Sunday.

“We’re still working on that. He’s in the mix for that,” Edsall said, mentioning Dwayne Gratz as well.

– Tight end Derek Chard, a junior who is the Huskies’ primary long-snapper, has been given a scholarship.

– True freshman Michael Box is No. 3 on the QB depth chart. Don’t expect him to play, of course, but that shows the coaching staff likes what it has seen from the rookie in August.

– Dave Teggart is the Huskies’ field goal kicker full-time. Don’t expect senior punter Desi Cullen (as has been rumored) to kick the long ones in Teggart’s place.

“He actually kicked a 56- or 57- yard field goal (in practice),” Edsall said of Teggart. “I have extreme confidence in him to be able to do that. He’ll be our field goal kicker: short, long, medium, windy, with the wind, rain, whatever.”

- Neill

Here’s the depth chart for the Huskies in week 1 against Ohio. Be back shortly with comments from coach Randy Edsall.

OFFENSE
WR: 3 Brad Kanuch (Sr., 6-1, 192))
1 Dwayne Difton (Fr., 5-11, 170)
WR: 80 Michael Smith (So., 6-0, 192) OR
82 Kashif Moore (RSo., 5-9, 182)
83 Isiah Moore (RSo, 6-1, 185)
LT: 73 Dan Ryan (RSr., 6-8, 316)
63 Adam Masters (RFr., 6-4, 281)
LG: 66 Mathieu Olivier (RJr., 6-6, 286)
60 Erik Kuraczea (RFr., 6-2, 333)
C: 57 Moe Petrus (RSo., 6-2, 288)
70 Gary Bardzak (RSo., 6-3, 293)
RG: 78 Zach Hurd (RJr., 6-7, 315)
74 Alex LaMagdelaine (RSr., 6-3, 310)
RT: 79 Mike Hicks (RSr., 6-6, 323)
71 Mike Ryan (RSo., 6-5, 324)
TE: 94 Ryan Griffin (RFr., 6-5, 240)
89 John Delahunt (RFr., 6-3, 243)
QB: 10 Zach Frazer (RJr., 6-4, 225)
12 Cody Endres (RSo., 6-4, 223)
TB: 23 Jordan Todman (So., 5-9, 189)
2 Andre Dixon (RSr., 6-1, 202)
FB: 49 Anthony Sherman (Jr., 5-11, 230)
47 Anthony Davis (RJr, 5-10, 243)

DEFENSE
DE: 91 Jesse Joseph (Fr., 6-3, 238)
48 Trevardo Williams (Fr., 6-1, 221)
DT: 99 Kendall Reyes (RSo., 6-4, 286)
54 Alex Polito (RJr., 6-6, 287)
DT: 4 Twyon Martin (RSo., 6-2, 271)
52 Brandon Dillon (RSr., 6-3, 292)
DE: 9 Lindsey Witten (Sr., 6-5, 260)
56 Mike Cox (RJr., 6-3, 242)
SLB:* 32 Scott Lutrus (RJr., 6-3, 244)
28 Jory Johnson (RFr., 6-1, 211)
MLB: 95 Greg Lloyd (Jr., 6-2, 245)
10 Greg Robinson (RJr., 6-2, 240)
WLB: 8 Lawrence Wilson (RJr., 6-1, 220)
46 Sio Moore (RFr., 6-1, 219)
CB: 42 Robert McClain (Sr., 5-9, 198)
5 Blidi Wreh-Wilson (RFr., 6-0, 180)
S: 33 Robert Vaughn (Sr., 6-0, 200)
18 Marcus Aiken (Fr., 5-11, 188)
S: 15 Jerome Junior (RFr., 6-1, 212)
19 Kijuan Dabney (Jr., 6-0, 204)
CB: 6 Jasper Howard (Jr., 5-10, 180)
24 Dwyane Gratz (RFr., 6-0, 192)
* Commonly referred to as the “Husky” linebacker

Special Teams

FG: 38 David Teggart (RSo., 6-0, 214)
13 Desi Cullen (Sr., 6-0, 211)
KO:  13 Desi Cullen (Sr., 6-0, 211)
38 David Teggart (RSo., 6-0, 214)
P: 13 Desi Cullen (Sr., 6-0, 211)
13 Chad Christen (Fr., 6-1, 191)

H: 13 Desi Cullen (Sr., 6-0, 211)
10 Zach Frazer (RJr.., 6-4, 225)
SN: 93 Derek Chard (Jr., 6-3, 235)
54 Alex Polito (RJr., 6-6, 287)
KR:  23 Jordan Todman (So., 5-9, 189)
44 Robbie Frey (RSo., 6-0, 201)
PR: 6 Jasper Howard (Jr., 5-10, 180)
42 Robert McClain (Sr., 5-9, 198)

New View

The official announcement regarding what we told you on Sunday:

STORRS _ The University of Connecticut Division of Athletics, along with its multi-media partner IMG College, will be installing new scoreboards and video boards in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion for the 2009-10 season.

This scoreboard installation project is being coordinated and managed by TS Sports, an LED installation/integration company. The company’s most recent award was to produce the scoring and information systems at the American Airlines Arena, home of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

The new scoreboards and video boards will replace the current boards, which were installed in fall of 2000. The old scoreboard will be removed in September and final installation of the new boards will be in early October.

The state-of-the-art video board displays will be manufactured by Lighthouse Technologies and will be approximately 12½ feet by 23 feet each, more than two times the size of the current video boards in Gampel Pavilion. Each video board carries a pixel pitch of 10mm and contains more than more than 270,000 total pixels, enhancing overall resolution.

In addition to the main scoring and video board displays in each endzone, additional statistical information will be provided on separate displays, including individual and team statistics.

Message boards will also be installed in each of the four corners of Gampel Pavilion just above the concourse, providing new message center locations to display information to fans. These displays are approximately 7 feet by 20 feet each.

“We are pleased to introduce these new technologies in Gampel Pavilion to enhance the game day experience for our dedicated fans,” UConn Director of Athletics Jeffrey Hathaway said in a statement. “Our partnership with IMG College has provided us the opportunity to bring these exciting enhancements to our on-campus basketball venue. The new scoreboards represent another way that we can thank our loyal UConn ticket holders who regularly come to our facilities.”

In addition to the new equipment in Gampel Pavilion, and through the UConn/IMG partnership, new baseball and softball scoreboards will be installed for the coming spring (2010) seasons.

- Neill

Some rather big news from UConn football practice Tuesday morning. I’ll give you the nuts and bolts with a few more details later:

– OT Jimmy Bennett, a key reserve who nearly unseated Dan Ryan for the starting left tackle job, will miss the entire season.

Bennett hurt his right knee in a scrimmage Saturday and will have surgery on it Friday.

Redshirt freshman OG Adam Masters will move to tackle to add depth but expect Mike Ryan to be the “third tackle” and play if anything happens to Dan Ryan or Mike Hicks.

– S Aaron Bagsby and DE Beau Brunelli have both been suspended indefinitely “due to athletic department policies,” UConn coach Randy Edsall said.

Edsall didn’t specify the infractions.

– TE Yianni Apostolakos’ career at UConn is over. The sophomore’s injured hip won’t allow him to play football anymore.

– S John Yurek, like Bennett, will have season-ending knee surgery soon.

– S Harris Agbor will miss 4-5 weeks because of the knee injury he suffered last week.

– Because of the need at safety (and because he probably wants to get him on the field) Kijuan Dabney is moving to strong safety.

The one-time linebacker’s shoulder injury isn’t too serious, it seems. He was practicing Tuesday with a red jersey on (no contact) but will resume full duties on Wednesday or Thursday.

“Just trying to get the best guys where we can fit them in,” Edsall said.

Freshman David Kenney’s move to linebacker appears permanent.

– Freshman WR Marcus Aiken has also been moved. He’s going to free safety.

“I know Marcus can be a wide receiver but we have a need at free safety right now,” Edsall said. “So I’m going to take a look at him there. That could be a permanent thing or could be a situation where we put him back at wide receiver.”

Whew. OK, I think that’s it.

- Neill

The IMG story I promised is up now and in Sunday’s paper.

The contract UConn signed with IMG has volumes of provisions and guidelines. Some didn’t get into the print (or on-line) version of the story but here are a few of the interesting ones:

Section VIII, Paragraph A.
Service of Head Coaches

With respect to the covered activities, the University agrees to allow IMG to have access to, without expense to IMG and subject to the Current Coaches Agreements, the reasonable services of its football, basketball and soccer Coaches or mutually agreed upon members of its Division of Athletics for services that include, but are not limited to, attendance at dinners held at the football field for sponsors and/or donors; designation of a team practice for sponsor attendance, including an introduction to the coach, autographed items provided to sponsors. The provision of services shall not interfere with primary duties and responsibilities of the Coaches or personnel from the Division of Athletics.

Section VIII, Paragraph I.
UConn vs. Notre Dame Football Games

IMG and University may negotiate to grant a portion or all of the management of the University’s home football Games with the University of Notre Dame to IMG in exchange for either a financial guarantee, a revenue share, or a mutually acceptable combination of both financial options. This may include marketing rights, ticket sales, applicable merchandising and licensing rights, venue negotiations and selections, applicable broadcast agreements, naming and entitlement rights, publications, vending, hospitality, game day activation, and parking. Revenues generated as a result of the management of the University’s home games with Notre Dame are outside of the revenue sharing threshold considerations of this Agreement.

Section VIII, Paragraph K.
Rivalry Series

IMG shall have the opportunity to negotiate with the University to develop a rivalry series between the University and one (1) or more collegiate institution(s). The Division of Athletics shall have the right to approve any and all prospective opponents in a rivalry series, and the Division of Athletics and IMG shall mutually agree upon the sponsorship inventory to be associated with any such rivalry series.

Here’s the payment breakdown”

Contract Year Amount

Prepayment $4,224,000

2008-09 $4,204,000

2009-10 $5,218,000

2010-11 $6,168,000

2011-12 $6,418,000

2012-13 $7,218,000

2013-14 $7,618,000

2014-15 $7,918,000

2015-16 $8,138,000

2016-17 $8,608,000

2017-18 $8,828,000

- Neill

I had a chance to talk to UConn Athletic Director Jeff Hathaway this week.

It’s for a story on the school’s multi-media/marketing deal with IMG coming this Sunday but we also touched on a few other issues facing the Huskies.

Here’s a taste:

– Hathaway’s department is in the “planning process” for a basketball practice facility.

“We are just at the point where we’re beginning to get renderings and drawings back from the architect,” Hathaway said.

IMG will pay $2 million toward the project and the school’s deal with Nike includes $1 million for the building.

Hathaway says the Huskies are still in the “silent phase” of the fund-raising for a project that will cost in the neighborhood of $25 to $30 million.

The new building, obviously, will eventually be located on the site of the former (it’s still standing, though) Memorial Stadium.

“It has to be on that piece of land. It has to be next to Gampel and there’s no where else to go,” Hathaway said.

– Men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun is entering the final year of his contract and has wondered aloud (to other respected media outlets, at least) about how long it might take. He hopes it gets settled before the hoop season begins.

Hathaway says it’s going to happen.

“We’re not going to put any time frames on contracts,” Hathaway said. “Clearly Jim’s very important to the University of Connecticut. We got the last contract done and we’ll get this one done.”

– As for the NCAA’s investigation/review, Hathaway was expectedly mum.

“I can’t comment on that. It wouldn’t be fair to comment on it,” Hathaway said.

– Hathaway says he’s happy with the Big East’s deal with the Champs Sports Bowl.

“I think the Champs Bowl is a very good bowl for us,” Hathaway said. “I think Orlando’s a great destination. Students will go, families will go, fans will go. Retirees that are from Connecticut who live in Florida will go.

“Great destination. Great media market. It’s a win-win for us.”

– And now for the fun one: the Notre Dame series.

As we (and others) have said, it’s not dead. It’s just sort of dying on the vine.

“The series is not dead. I would not say dead,” Hathaway said. “I would say we had a chance to pursue a couple opportunities to bring top-flight non-conference teams (Michigan, Tennessee) to our fans at Rentschler Field. And we did that.

“I think conversations with Notre Dame will continue and we’ll see where they go.”

The likelihood of UConn agreeing to play the Irish in Jersey or Foxboro is not good. The likelihood of Notre Dame agreeing to play the Huskies in East Hartford is not good.

The two teams will play this year and that might be it.

How the proposed deal fell through isn’t completely clear, but Hathaway did offer some clues.

“They have a new athletic director (Jack Swarbrick). Their prior athletic director (Kevin White) was a very valued colleague,” Hathaway said. “He had situations, guidelines that were important to him. We wanted to get Notre Dame on the schedule. We wanted to play them, we wanted to take advantage of the television exposure.

“For whatever reasons, we got to a point where they were going through the transition and they wanted to get their new athletic director on board and give him the chance to evaluate their scheduling philosophies, what was on the books and what was tentative. And Jack’s been on board now for a year and he’s had a chance to evaluate that.

“I hope I have a feel about what’s important to the University of Connecticut and I have a feel about what’s important to Randy (Edsall) and me as we schedule.

“We’ll continue those conversations and we’ll see what comes of it.”

OK, enough chatter. Long day for me and it’s not over.

Don’t make me go all Robert Frost/Sponge on you.

- Neill

Another beautiful day in Storrs for some football. Here’s a quick rundown of the day’s news:

– LB Kijuan Dabney was walking around with his right arm in his sling.

It turns out Dabney hurt his shoulder Wednesday while working on blitz drill.

“He went around and reached his hand out to touch the bag,” UConn coach Randy Edsall said. “We went to touch the bag and his shoulder went out.”

No news from the coach on how long Dabney will be out.

Dabney is/was Scott Lutrus‘ backup at the Husky.

For now, freshman David Kenney has been moved from safety to Husky. He’ll move back if Dabney’s injury isn’t serious.

Of course, if _ God forbid _ something happens to Lutrus and a replacement has to play, expect Greg Robinson or the like to move back and fill in for Lutrus.

– DE Lindsey Witten (hamstring) left practice early on. Edsall says it’s not serious.

– OT Mike Hicks (right foot) left practice in the middle. Edsall says it’s not serious.

Jimmy Bennett filled in (seemingly well) for Hicks.

– CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson wore a red jersey during practice, indicating he wasn’t to be involved in full contact stuff. He still mixed it up (re: hit people) a few times.

Blidi looks like a safe bet to be the fifth DB.

– WR Kashif Moore didn’t participate much in practice. He’s got a minor injury, though the coach didn’t say what that injury was.

– WR Michael Smith’s grandmother died. He left after Thursday morning’s practice to return home to Houston for the funeral. He’s expected back Saturday.

– QB Zach Frazer, still the No. 1, wasn’t the Huskies’ quarterback during a two-minute drill at the end of practice.

“I was surprised. He (Edsall) just told me I had the period off. I thought it was my birthday or something,” Frazer said. “I didn’t think I was playing that well but I’ll take it.”

Edsall said he just wanted to see how Endres would handle the situation.

– WR Isiah Moore made a number of very, very good catches Thursday. Most of them were tough ones over the middle.

– TE Ryan Griffin made a number of very, very good catches Thursday.

– CB Jasper Howard on freshman WR Dwayne Difton:

“Four-star, five-star, whatever he was, he’s lived up to it.”

– Mike Osiecki, the former Seymour and future UConn linebacker, was at Thursday’s practice along with his father Sandy.

- Neill