UConn sports

We’ve got one eye on the UConn football team but we’re in Gampel Pavilion for the first UConn-Harvard game since 1988.

It’s also Jim Calhoun-Tommy Amaker IX.

Charles Okwandu remains the Huskies’ starting center, in case you were wondering. Gavin Edwards, of course, will see the majority of the minutes.

We’ll give you a halftime update on the basketball team and any football bowl news as soon as we get it.

- Neill

After three straight painful losses it’s now three straight wins for the Huskies.

We’re about to leave Rentschler after UConn 29, South Florida 27. Before we do, however, here are few notes:

– South Florida scored with 40 seconds to go and looked as if it would spoil UConn’s regular season finale.

“We sure make it tough on ourselves,” wide receiver Marcus Easley said.

– UConn coach Randy Edsall said he never considered throwing the ball with 13 seconds to go (and a timeout) from the 26-yard line. Instead he called a run to put the ball in the middle of the field.

Dave Teggart had an earlier field goal blocked and the Huskies had troubles with snaps. And the sophomore had missed six of his last 10 field goal attempts.

“I have a tremendous amount of confidence in David. I just wish David had as much confidence in himself as I have in him,” Edsall said. “When he does the things he’s supposed to mechanically, he’s as good as there is in the country.”

– UConn quarterback Zach Frazer, who said he wanted to make snow angels so badly during his visit to Notre Dame Stadium as a high school players, did exactly that at Rentschler Field after leading the Huskies to a comeback.

– Edsall got bowled over by one of his players after the game, a clean hit that put the coach on his keester.

“Alex Folson will have some running to do after knocking me on my butt,” Edsall said. “I didn’t know who it was. Not that I played a lot in college but that’s the hardest hit I think I’ve taken playing this sport.”

The coach was not pleased, at first.

“I was p…I better not say that. I was upset when it happened but now I’m starting to get over it,” Edsall said.

– No preference from the coach on bowl destinations. It looks like Birmingham but there’s still an outside shot for St. Pete.

“Wherever it is, we’re thankful,” Edsall said.

– Edsall said he talked to Jasper Howard’s family Saturday afternoon.

– DE Trevardo Williams (head) and S Robert Vaughn (head) went down but Edsall thinks they’ll be fine by the time a bowl comes along.

- Neill

UConn 20, South Florida 14 as the fourth quarter starts but the Huskies are driving.

UConn pulled ahead 20-7 when Zach Frazer hit Isiah Moore on a third-and-goal from the 5.

It’s a field position game and UConn’s decision to punt on a fourth-and-1 from the 46 on its first drive of the half pays of eventually. The UConn defense made a nice stop, with LB Scott Lutrus’ sack helping on a three-and-out.

South Florida’s got a couple of big plays to answer quickly. Dontavia Bogan returned the kickoff 37 yards and B.J. Daniels hit Jesse Hester on a 36-yard pass (beating Dwayne Gratz and/or Aaron Bagsby). Daniels scored two plays later and it was 20-14.

– S Robert Vaughn left the game late in the first half and hasn’t returned yet. Aaron Bagsby has been playing in his spot.

- Neill

We’ve got a game. And the makings of a really good snowman.

An impressive drive just before the half has UConn in front 13-7. QB Zach Frazer connected with with Marcus Easley three times on a six-play drive, including the 21-yard TD with 35 seconds to go.

South Florida had pulled ahead on a 14-yard touchdown run by Mo Plancher (and a PAT, of course) with 2:33 left in the half. It capped a nice 80-yard drive that mixed run and pass pretty well.

USF’s Eric Schwartz missed a 46-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.

- Neill

Marcus Easley got the game out of the muck, catching a long pass from Zach Frazer after a nice play-action fake.

The 44-yard bomb set the Huskies up at the USF 12-yard line. Andre Dixon ran the ball around the right end and into the end zone on the next play to make it 6-0 Huskies.

An iffy snap by Derek Chard and an iffy hold by Desi Cullen made the point-after no good.

Both teams punted with their first possessions. USF actually put together a nice opening drive before a 20-yard loss on a sack pushed them back. UConn went three-and-out.

South Florida held the ball for 12:35 in the quarter…and didn’t come close to scoring

– Don’t adjust your TV if you see a No. 92 out there and can’t figure out who it is. Senior tackle Dan Ryan is sporting a new number (not his usual 73) to play some tight end as he has a bit in the past.

- Neill

Oh the weather outside is frightful…but the press box is so delightful.

OK, it’s only about 69.5 degrees in here. I could be a little warmer. But it’s quite a bit more comfy than the 29.5-or-so that is on the turf here at Rentschler Field.

It’s snowing and starting to accumulate. The fans are slowly (very slowly) making their way from the relative warmth of a grill to their metal seats.

– No lineup changes on the UConn side that we’re aware of yet.

For USF, C Sampson Genus, LB Kion Lewis and SS Jerrell Young are out.

They’re being replaced by C Kevin McCaskill, LB Sam Barrington, and S Jon Lejiste.

– RB Andre Dixon and DE Lindsey Witten have been invited to the East-West Shrine Game.

S Robert Vaughn and WR Marcus Easley have been invited to the Texas vs. the Nation contest.

The Shrine Game is Jan. 23 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

The Texas game is Feb. 6 at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.

– We’ll talk to you after the first quarter.

- Neill

A look back at Tuesday’s UConn-Boston University game:

UConn 92, Boston University 64

TURNING POINT _ Instead of just having a height, weight and strength advantage, UConn actually used its height, weight and strength advantage.

It’s perhaps a fine distinction, but one that has let to poor rebounding efforts from the Huskies against supposedly inferior competition. Against Boston University the Huskies had a 54-29 edge in rebounds, by far their best performance in that category all season.

“Even though we do out-size them a lot, we still have to go after every rebound,” said forward Gavin Edwards, one of three Huskies to grab nine boards Wednesday. “If we just let it go, they can obviously get rebounds too. We just have to go after it.”

BU was playing short-handed, but coach Patrick Chambers still acknowledged the Huskies’ abilities.

“UConn is a physical team and they wear you down,” said Chambers, a former Villanova assistant in his first season with the Terriers. “That’s what they did tonight.”

UNSUNG HERO _ OK, so Stanley Robinson’s praises have often been sung.

But perhaps we take for granted what the 6-foot-9 senior can do. His abilities are so impressive that even his own teammates are still awed.

“All the time. Every time he does something it amazes me,” point guard Kemba Walker said. “I’ve never really played with anybody likes Sticks, anyone who jumps as high as him.”

Sticks had 16 points Wednesday night, making seven field goals. Five of those were slam dunks and two of those alley-oops. And one of those alley-oops was the kind Robinson has become famous four _ the kind of high-flying play that only a handful of humans on the planet could duplicate.

BEST ‘X’ AND/OR ‘O’ _ It wasn’t an overly technical ploy but UConn coach Jim Calhoun wanted his team to use its advantages in athleticism throughout the game.

“Our theory was to put offensive and defensive pressure on them,” Calhoun said.

“I wanted to have us work on really wearing them down,” the coach continued. “When I looked up with about 12 minutes to go and we’re up by that time 25 … we had done our job. We had worn them out.”

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS _ There was buzz in the air at the XL Center Wednesday. Wait, no that was the sound of a cell phone set to vibrate by someone sitting in section 224.

OK, so it was another small (11,000-plus), relatively quiet crowd in Hartford.

But after Jerome Dyson went down for the second time with what at first appeared to be a serious injury, the crowd actually picked up a little steam and was a bit vocal in the second half.

Maybe it was the collective exhale the fans did (after the holding of their breath as Dyson tested his legs on the sidelines) when Dyson returned to the game. Maybe it was the season flashing before their eyes.

Maybe there will be some large, enthusiastic crowds after Christmas. Maybe after New Year’s. Or maybe after Valentine’s Day. We’ll see.

LOOKING AHEAD _ Harvard (6-1) is off to its best start in 25 years. Coach Tommy Amaker’s bunch has beaten the likes of William & Mary (at the buzzer), Boston University (at almost full strength) and Holy Cross (at the Hart Center).

BY THE NUMBERS

.938 _ Gavin Edwards’ free throw percentage after hitting 15-of-16 through the Huskies’ first five games.

.435 _ Gavin Edwards’ free throw percentage his freshman season at UConn when he made 10-of-23.

- Neill

A few notes from UConn football coach Randy Edsall’s chat with the media Thursday afternoon:

– LB Greg Lloyd had surgery to repair the torn ACL and MCL in his left knee Wednesday morning. Edsall said the surgery went “very, very well.”

“He’s up and moving,” Edsall said. “I saw him last (Wednesday) night and he’s in good spirits.”

Lloyd is expected to miss the rest of the season (obviously) and spring practice. He should be ready for the start of next season.

– No other injuries of note. Even OG Erik Kuraczea (lower leg) is “full go” according to Edsall. Mathieu Olivier will start at left guard again, however.

– No comment from the coach on rumors of his contact with Notre Dame or anywhere else.

A UConn spokesman asked reporters before the coach’s regularly scheduled Thursday conference call with reporters that no questions be asked about the subject, saying Edsall was “focused on South Florida.”

Some yahoo from Bridgeport via Enfield (a handsome fellow but one who could stand to lose some weight) asked anyway and the coach politely refused to comment.

– Your scout team players of the week: QB Michael Box (offense), LB Mark Hinkley (defense), WR Malik Generett (special teams).

It’s the fourth such honor this season for Hinkley and the fourth for Generett. CB Tevrin Brandon, DE Shamar Stephen and OT Steve Greene have each won three.

– The Huskies practiced outside on Wednesday in the relative cold. The unseasonably warm weather on Thursday, however, drove them inside for practice. Too muddy and wet on the grass practice fields, it seems.

- Neill