The short version of UConn football coach Randy Edsall’s chat with the media Tuesday afternoon:
– UConn will honor 16 current players on Senior Day, as well as summer grad LB Matt Ashmead.
Among the 16 are four players who are leaving with eligibility remaining: OG Mathieu Olivier, LB Greg Robinson, WR Alex Molina and WR Kevin Poles.
Olivier will graduate and may continue his playing career at a Division I-AA or Division II school as a graduate student, the coach said.
– Olivier is listed as the starter at left guard, the spot he played last week in place of Erik Kuraczea.
“Matt will start,” Edsall said.
Kuraczea is battling a “lower leg” injury.
– Edsall is proud of all his seniors, but he singled out RB Andre Dixon.
“I am just so happy and thrilled for him,” Edsall said. “Where Andre came from to where he is today. This is why you coach. This is why you help young people.”
– Scott Lutrus, as expected, is listed as the starting middle linebacker.
Redshirt freshman Jory Johnson is the starting strongside backer.
– The weather forecast for Saturday calls for 30 degrees and a chance of flurries.
“That sounds good to me,” Edsall said.
Playing a team from Tampa is obviously a nice edge for the northern Huskies.
“But as I told our guys this morning, the weather isn’t going to win the game for us,” Edsall said.
– It looks like the PapaJohn’s or St. Pete bowl for the Huskies, but Edsall isn’t involved with the discussions yet.
“I’m not part of the bowl conversation in terms of who is looking at who,” Edsall said.
“I think any bowl is a good bowl to get to,” the coach added.
– The coaching staff gave the players most of Sunday off and will cut practice time slightly (5 minutes or so) this week in an effort to ease the emotional and physical strain they all face this time of year.
- Neill
