Back from UConn’s spring practice No. 6, which also coincided with the Huskies’ coaching clinic.
– UConn coach Randy Edsall has contacted his counterpart at Florida International University in an attempt to help the FIU football team deal with a tragedy similar to the one the Huskies suffered earlier this year.
FIU football player Kendall Berry was stabbed to death Thursday night on the school’s campus in a scene that seems eerily similar to the death of UConn’s Jasper Howard.
“I called Mario Cristobal yesterday (Friday) and he called me back last night,” Edsall said. “We spent time on the phone talking.”
Berry was stabbed outside the FIU recreation center on the school’s main campus Thursday night.
“We’re reaching out to them with support and understanding, just to let them know we’re thinking about them but also ‘We just went through it and we know how you feel,’ ” Edsall said.
Edsall said he also called JoAnglia Howard, Jasper’s mother, and she may now try and help Berry’s family and football family grieve if they want her advice.
– There were high school coaches from all over New England at the Shenkman Center Saturday for the clinic. Edsall said over 400 stopped by.
Coaches from dozens of high schools in Connecticut were in the house including, I believe, those from my hometown (Enfield High) and my adopted hometown (Bridgeport Central).
– OG Zach Hurd and DT Alex Polito got in a little shoving match during one drill Saturday. It was nothing too vicious, and nothing that hasn’t happened a time or two before.
“It’s Blue versus White,” Hurd explained later.
“We need that intensity out here,” Hurd continued. “Right now we are a team as a whole but when we come out here on this practice field for two-and-a-half hours it’s Blue versus White. And I don’t care about the White.”
– The Huskies spent much of Saturday’s practice in a controlled scrimmage with game officials on hand.
“There were a lot of reps out there today,” Edsall said. “The younger guys got quite a few.”
Because of all the reps, there might be some changes to the depth chart (which is fluid, anyway) over the weekend.
“Now we as coaches, for the rest of tonight (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday) we’ll be able to look at it and evaluate it. Then sit down and talk about it on Monday and probably juggle some things around and give some guys some opportunities to move up,” Edsall said.
– S Marcus Aiken (look for a story in Sunday’s Post on the St. Paul product) is officially a former wide receiver. He’s concentrating on earning a starting safety job next season.
“I think all the receiver stuff is pretty much out of my blood,” Aiken said. “I’m on the dark side now.”
Freshman Andrew Opoku spent most of Saturday with the first team defense though he and Aiken have seemingly split time there this spring.
– Some may have thought that one-time safety and current linebacker Kijuan Dabney may move back to safety because of the Huskies’ youth back there.
Not so, Edsall says.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so,” Edsall said. “I think we’ve got guys there. They’re just going to have to get reps.”
– RB Meme Wylie continues to perform rather well. He a few nice runs including a touchdown scamper of about 25 yards.
His play may come as a surprise to some, but not the Huskies themselves.
“I know what Meme can do. He’s been doing that since he got here,” Hurd said. “He’s a bigger back and he’s got that power. He’s a strong, strong kid. He runs right downhill and if you get in his way, you’re getting run over.”
Edsall wants more of that running over stuff, it seems.
“What Meme’s got to do is cut down on dancing,” Edsall said. “He’s got to be more of a power guy.”
– WR Dwayne Difton made a great catch while streaking down the sidelines on a pass from QB Johnny McEntee.
CB Gilbert Stlouis, who seemed to play about 100 snaps Saturday (He was with the first team for a while, the second team, the third team..), was in pretty good position on Difton’s long grab but couldn’t knock it away.
– LB Scott Lutrus ended the first drive of the full scrimmage with an interception (off a tip) of a Zach Frazer pass.
– CB Dwayne Gratz made a big hit by coming up to stop a screen play from developing on third down during the start of the scrimmage. He then followed that up on the very next snap by blocking PK Dave Teggart’s field goal attempt (though a bad snap slowed the whole thing down).
– Unlike some of the Huskies’ scrimmages, this one featured “live” quarterbacks. No red jerseys and two-hand touch.
“They’re in it, too,” Aiken said. “They’re playing at their own risk.”
It probably shows that Edsall and the staff aren’t too worried about QB Cody Endres’ surgically repaired shoulder.
– WR Gerrard Sheppard didn’t practice Saturday and LB Sio Moore was also on the sidelines again.
The reason?
Edsall pointed to his head when asked.
Lest we think that means concussion, the coach more likely was referring to his young men as knuckleheads (one of his favorite terms) and it’s probably an academic matter.
– New DB’s coach Darrell Perkins appears to be fitting in just fine.
“He’s teaching us some things and we’re showing him how we did stuff last year,” Aiken said. “It’s just a start but it definitely looks positive for the future.”
Perkins regularly pulls players aside immediately after a play for some 1-on-1 coaching.
“You want to know what you’re doing wrong so you can correct it,” Aiken said. “If he’s not saying anything to you, maybe he’s given up on you. You always want the constructive criticism and stuff like that.”
- Neill
