UConn sports

Long day in Storrs is over but how about a few quick words following UConn 76, Hofstra 67:

– Hofstra coach Tom Pecora wasn’t about to be happy with merely coming close to beating the Huskies.

“We’re not about moral victories,” Pecora said. “We’re not about coming to places and playing people tough. This is a game we wanted to win, and we wanted to play in Madison Square Garden next week.”

– UConn continues to have trouble rebounding, obviously.

“I know we’re facing all spread teams. We won’t face spread teams much like this in the league,” coach Jim Calhoun said. “But the ball is still there and we should be able to do a better job.”

– Calhoun didn’t blast his team like he did after ho-hum wins over William & Mary and Colgate. The coach was really proud of the comeback and the signs of life the Huskies showed.

“Overall I’m going to classify it as a good win at a time when this team is still trying to find its identity,” Calhoun said.

– The best, the Huskies hope, is yet to come.

“We’re 3-0. We haven’t played anywhere near the kind of basketball I think we’re capable of,” Calhoun said. “I think we can be pretty good.”

- Neill

For those interested to learn about the consolation game in the north region of the NIT Season Tip-off, you’re in luck.

Yale just knocked off Colgate 65-55 here at Gampel Pavilion.

Alex Zampier, though he hit only 5-of-16, scored 16 to lead the Bulldogs (1-2).

Kyle Roemer hit five three’s and score 18 in a losing effort for Colgate (0-2).

Colgate, which came within an eyelash of out-rebounding UConn on Monday, got beat up on the boards Tuesday. Yale won the rebound battle 38-27, with Michael Sands pulling down 12.

Interesting stat: Colgate made more 3-point field goals (10) than it did 2-point shots (9).

- Neill

One of the regional Sports Illustrated covers coming out this week

Greetings from Gampel Pavilion and the second session of what is a sportswriting doubleheader for the likes of Ed Daigneault, Wayne Norman, Zac Boyer, Chris Elsberry and myself.

We’re waiting for UConn-Hofstra to tip off and still trying to come to grips with the death of Ken Ober.

You don’t know Ken Ober? The host of MTV’s old game show “Remote Control” and the man who helped start the careers of Colin Quinn, Denis Leary, Adam Sandler and Kari Wuhrer?

Shame on you.

OK, maybe it’s not that big a deal.

I know he’s a UMass guy but I think Ober grew up in Hartford West Hartford. And he was just 52.

Oh wait, this is a basketball/football blog not an ode to odd pop culture of the 1980′s. OK then, on to the hoops:

– Hofstra coach Tom Pecora has been around. We’re not saying he’s old, but he knows his basketball gyms.

An assistant at Villanova, UNLV and other places, Percora has been the head coach at Hofstra since 2001. But his team’s trip to Kansas earlier this season was one of the most memorable of his career.

“The reverence that the people in Kansas have for the game of basketball….It’s the toughest place to play where everyone is polite,” Pecora said with a laugh. “It’s not the Big East tournament. It’s not like going into the Garden. You can’t repeat what people say to you in there during the course of those games.”

– UConn coach Jim Calhoun has plenty of respect for Hofstra, especially guard Charles Jenkins.

“A couple guys _ one without question is a Big East guard,” Calhoun said of the Pride roster. “He’d score in our league at the same rate he scores if not higher.”

– One of Calhoun’s biggest gripes with the Huskies’ performance against Colgate (there were many), was their ability to get to the line.

“Ten foul shots for us against this team is despicable,” Calhoun said. “Our four- and five-men did not take a foul shot, nor did they deserve to take a foul shot.”

- Neill

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis and quarterback Zach Frazer probably haven’t spoken since the latter left the Irish and transferred to Notre Dame.

That’s why Frazer was playfully trying to eavesdrop a bit on Weis’ conversation with a few reporters from Connecticut Tuesday afternoon. As a bunch of scribes huddled around a speakerphone inside the Burton Complex, Frazer inadvertently (by that I mean intentionally, of course) got a listen to a few of Weis’ thoughts on facing his former QB.

“He still has that live arm and can sling it all over the place,” Weis said. “But instead of trying to be a hero, he’s been doing a better job of running the team. You can see he’s grown up.”

Frazer says he left the Irish because “The coaching situation over there just didn’t work out.” He had three different quarterback coaches in his brief tenure.

“He came here and he was a good player for us,” Weis said. “We went through a spring where things didn’t work out on the depth chart for him. He decided that it would be in his best interest to try and find another opportunity. It was a very cordial way we handled it.”

Frazer also said there are no hard feelings (hard to tell if I believe him)

“I still like the campus, I still love the school,” Frazer said. “But I’m on the UConn side now. We’re playing them on Saturday and I want to get a win.”

Weis wished Frazer the best _ sort of.

“I’m glad to see him playing,” Weis said. “I just hope he doesn’t play very well this week.”

Frazer’s grandmother, Isabel “Izzy” Stathas, died last week, perhaps adding to his motivation.

“I’ll be playing for her,” Frazer said.

- Neill

A few notes and numbers from UConn football coach Randy Edsall’s chat with the media and the Huskies’ game against Notre Dame.

– The Zach Frazer-keep-your-emotions-in-check speech will continue throughout the week from Edsall and the coaches.

“I know he has good friends out there and good memories,” Edsall said. “But once he hits that field, it’s just another game.”

The coach, obviously, began the speech long before Tuesday.

“I brought him in and I spoke to him, as you can well imagine,” Edsall said.

– Frazer transferred to UConn before the Huskies and Irish scheduled to play each other. When he arrived in Storrs, he learned a series might be in the works.

When a single game was scheduled, Frazer says he was told quickly.

“I was one of the first to know and I’ve had it marked down on my schedule for a while,” Frazer said.

– No changes to the UConn depth chart, with the exception of Sio Moore’s name reappearing as Lawrence Wilson’s backup at will linebacker and Kashif Moore officially being listed as the starter at (slot) wide receiver.

Sio Moore’s been hurt and hasn’t been in the two-deep. Kashif has been listed as an “OR” starter along with Isiah Moore.

(Yeah, I know. Too many Moores to keep track of.)

– The bye week apparently did the Huskies good.

“You could see that they were rejuvenated,” Edsall said.

– It’s Notre Dame and many fans are excited but Edsall is trying to treat the game (as he always does) the same as any other.

“It is just another game. It’s the 10th game of this season,” Edsall said. “From the school’s standpoint it probably means more.”

– Notre Dame is fifth nationally in passing offense and ninth in total offense.

“We’re going to see a team that’s got a lot of skill players offensively that can make a difference,” Edsall said.

– RB Andre Dixon is a little banged up, though he’ll probably play. RB Robbie Frey is out for the season with a shoulder injury. RB Kelmetrus Wylie is about ready to come back but is also injured.

So who is Jordan Todman’s backup if Dixon and Meme can’t play?

In reality it’s probably FB Anthony Sherman but the next man on the depth chart is apparently freshman Nick Williams.

But Dixon is going to go this week, it seems.

“Andre’s fine,” Edsall said.

“I’m not real concerned with the depth at that position now,” the coach added.

– UConn will (in all probability) play before more fans than it ever has. Notre Dame Stadium seats more than 80,000 fans.

The previous largest crowd to see the Huskies play was 65,115 during a 2003 game at Virginia Tech.

– Big East teams have won three straight games over Notre Dame (Pitt this year, and Pitt and Syracuse last year).

– Edsall was asked about New England Patriots coach Bill Belichik’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 Sunday night. At first the coach took a pass.

“I fell asleep,” Edsall said. “So I didn’t see it until the next day.”

But Edsall didn’t appear shocked by the call.

“He made a decision that he thought we give his team the best chance to win,” Edsall said.

Edsall was having dinner Monday night with a few of his players, including DT Kendall Reyes. The players (as well as anyone else who knows Edsall) had a good idea what Edsall would have done in the same spot.

“Kendall said ‘I know what you would have done. You would have punted it!’ ” Edsall said.

- Neill

Two games into the season and coach Jim Calhoun isn’t happy. If you’re a UConn fan you’re probably not happy either.

The Huskies beat Colgate 77-63 in the first round of the Preseason NIT (OK, I’ll call it the NIT Season Tip-Off like I’m supposed to…but I refuse to type 2009 Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off…It’ll take me all night to write stories).

End of rant, back to basketball.

– It’s Hofstra tonight at Gampel.

“Are we in desparate shape? No,” Calhoun said. “And hopefully (tonight) we’re turn it around and be the team I know we can be. But we’re not playing fast, we’re not playing aggressive.”

– The Huskies aren’t rebounding, they’re not defending very well and they’re not running enough.

Other than that, it’s been a great start to the season. (Oh, they’re 2-0 as well but that sometimes gets lost in the translation).

“I have no explanation for how we played,” Calhoun said. “It’s a continuation of the other night except we played 10 minutes and Sticks (Stanley Robinson) turned it on.”

Robinson had 18 points and made all eight of shots.

“Improvements? I’m trying to find them. I guess Stanley,” Calhoun said. “But then again he could have had 50 tonight.”

As he spoke to the media following the game Calhoun appeared to try and talk himself into a better mood, remembering the few areas where the Huskies looked better than they did against William & Mary. But in the end he was still frustrated.

“We’re not playing with any kind of urgency, we’re not playing with any kind of toughness,” Calhoun said.

– UConn out-rebounded Colgate 29-27. That wasn’t the kind of margin Calhoun had hoped for.

In fact, it was the kind of margin that shocked Colgate coach Emmett Davis after the game.

“It’s a pleasant surprise,” Davis said, “because I wouldn’t say we’re a great rebounding team.”

The problem with UConn’s rebounding? Toughness, the coach says.

“It’s getting pushed around by 6-4 kids, 6-2 kids, 6-1 kids _ and taking it,” Calhoun said. “And elbows to the face are not exactly what I want.”

Center Alex Oriakhi threw an elbow Monday night.

– Calhoun was almost at a loss for words. I say almost because that really never happens.

“This is not something I’ve seen here since I’ve been here _ these two games,” Calhoun said. “I’ve seen some awful basketball by us over the years, and some incredibly wonderful basketball by us. I haven’t seen this. This I haven’t seen. And I don’t expect to see it much longer.”

– Freshman F Jamal Coombs-McDaniel had a nice start. He scored 10 points in the first half thanks to a trio of 3-pointers. His game, like all the Huskies, wasn’t perfect of course.

“Jamal Coombs, if he ever could guard anybody, will be a very valuable guy off the bench for us it looks like,” Calhoun said. “He makes things happen. He doesn’t know a single play and can’t guard anybody, but he can make shots.”

– The freshmen guards, Darius Smith in particular, did not meet Calhoun’s standards obviously on Monday.

“Donnell (Beverly) is our backup point guard now without question,” Calhoun said. “At least he understands what we’re trying to do.”

– After game one Calhoun said (sarcastically but with a kernel of truth) “We don’t have a four-man,” in reference to PF Gavin Edwards.

Well, the coach at least acknowledged Edwards’ existence on this night.

“Our power forward had one rebound in the first half. One, in 15 minutes,” Calhoun said. “It’s a physiological impossibility but we were able to accomplish that.”

Stat-wise Edwards actually had a good game: 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting to go with three blocked shots.

- Neill

A few thoughts as we wait for Yale-Hofstra and _ eventually _ UConn and Colgate.

– Actually, Yale and Hofstra are already underway. They’re playing before a crowd that looks like a few close family and friends.

– Colgate coach Emmett Davis has some ties to UConn and the Big East _ sort of.

A native of Gloversville, N.Y., Davis played for coach Paul Evans at St. Lawrence University. Evans went on to coach the University of Pittsburgh and face off with the likes of UConn and Jim Calhoun.

– Colgate will play three Big East teams this year. The Raiders have games coming up at the ‘Cuse and at the RAC.

– Looking ahead (we’re allowed to do that, I believe) UConn and Hofstra have only met once in their history, an NCAA Tournament game at the Providence Civic Center on March 13, 1976.

Hofstra was up by 13 at the half on coach Dee Rowe’s Huskies but the Huskies stormed back to win 80-78.

Joey Whelton had 23 for UConn.

It was Hoftra’s first-ever appearance in the tourney and UConn’s first in nine years.

– UConn and Yale (if we look ahead in that direction) last met in this same event. Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon and company beat the Bulldogs 70-60 on Nov. 17, 2003.

Despite that scare (it wasn’t that scary, as I recall, though top-ranked UConn did trail 31-28 at the half) UConn has won 12 straight over Yale and 19 of the last 20.

- Neill

Busy day but wanted to share a few of UConn FB coach Randy Edsall’s comments from today’s Big East conference call.

– Will playing Notre Dame this week make a difference to UConn QB Zach Frazer, a former Irish QB?

“I don’t think so. I would hope not,” Edsall said. “I would hope all it means to him is that he’s got another opponent to go play.”

Wishful thinking, it seems, on the coach’s part but we’ll see.

– On Frazer’s development since transferring.

“Zach is a guy that is a tremendous competitor. He’s got a strong arm. He wasn’t as accurate a passer as he is today,” Edsall said. “Zach had to learn to play within himself and play within the scheme.

“As Zach has learned that and done that on the field, he’s proved he’s a very competent quarterback at this level.”

– On his performance against Cincinnati:

“I saw a pressence and a calmness in that game,” Edsall said. “That’s what we need to see all the time.”

– On what was a busy Sunday for UConn’s NFL products:

“I got home last night and had a chance to catch Donald (Brown) and Darius (Butler) going at each other,” Edsall said.

The coach admits he doesn’t get to watch a lot of NFL football live.

“Sunday was a typical Sunday for us so you really don’t get much time, except late at night, to catch some of that,” Edsall said. “But it’s nice that all those kids are out there playing. You see them and it makes you feel good for them.”

No comments from Edsall (he wasn’t asked…it’s not like he refused comment) on the pass interference call on Butler late in the game or the worst-decision-in-coaching history (for now) by Bill Belichik.

– On Notre Dame’s offensive weapons:

“Jimmy Clausen is probably as good a quarterback as there is in the country,” Edsall said. “Golden Tate is a guy that you better know where he is all the time. Because he’s a guy that can make plays.”

- Neill