UConn sports

The UConn football team’s depth chart for Saturday’s game against Louisville (3:30 p.m., ESPNU) is out.

A few minor changes, and perhaps a sign that some of the injured Huskies could return.

– Adam Masters is back among the starters. He’s on the chart as the No. 1 right tackle.

Mike Ryan, who started the season at right tackle but moved to the left when Masters (and Jimmy Bennett) got hurt, will seemingly remain on the left side.

Masters (arm) is apparently ready to rejoin the lineup. Kevin Friend has played in his stead recently.

– D.J. Shoemate is the backup tailback on the two-deep behind Jordan Todman.

That likely means two things: 1) Robbie Frey (knee) probably won’t play this week; and 2) Shoemate has passed Martin Hyppolite.

– FB Anthony Sherman (leg), CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson (hand) and DE Jesse Joseph (leg) are all listed as starters. That doesn’t mean any or all of them WILL play this week, it just means they haven’t been ruled out completely yet.

– Yes, QB Mike Box remains No. 2 on the chart behind Cody Endres. Still no sign of Zach Frazer on the list.

– The only other changes are the removal of some “OR’s” on special teams. P Cole Wagner and K Dave Teggart are alone at the top of their positions. They had been listed as co-starters (both with P/K Chad Christen).

- Neill

Some news and notes from around the Big East following Monday’s conference call with the league’s coaches:

– Rutgers DT Eric LeGrand was on a lot of peoples’ minds today.

LeGrand was paralyzed from the neck down after making a hit Saturday against Army. He’s currently at the Hackensack Medical Center

“It has been a challenging couple of days here since the game,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said.

Schiano said he didn’t want to provide day-to-day updates but said LeGrand was “doing well” after having emergency spinal surgery.

“It’s going to be a long road and a long fight. But everyone here at Rutgers, on his team, his family, we believe he’s going to recover and walk out of there,” Schiano said.

A number of coaches have reached out to Schiano by phone, including UConn’s Randy Edsall and Pitt’s Dave Wannstedt.

“We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers of so many people,” Schiano said. “The league has been tremendous: coaches, athletic directors, trainers, players. From across the country, really, but our league has really been special and I want to thank everybody for that.”

Said Edsall: “We’re all in the same conference and we compete hard against each other but we all have a tremendous amount of respect for guys in this league. It’s like they’re our brothers.”

– No comments from Edsall on the team’s multiple injuries, as usual. But no one added to UConn’s out-for-the-season injury report, so that’s something of a positive.

CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson (hand), DE Jesse Joseph (leg), FB Anthony Sherman (leg), RB Robbie Frey (knee) are among the key Huskies who may or may not play this week against Louisville.

– Pitt DE Greg Romeus (back) continues to work his way back.

“He’s week-to-week and he is progressing at a very, very good pace,” Wannstedt said.

When Romeus returns to the field remains a question.

“We’re holding out hope every week,” Wannstedt said.

– Louisville leads the Big East in total offense (456.7 ypg) and rushing offense (219.5 ypg).

– South Florida has not scored an offensive touchdown in either of its last two games.

– Syracuse has lost eight straight games to West Virginia entering Saturday’s game.

– Cincinnati has won 13 straight league games heading into Friday’s game against USF, the third-best mark in conference history.

Virginia Tech won 14 straight from 1998-2000, while Miami won 27 in a row from 1999-2003.

– Despite his team’s off-week UConn RB Jordan Todman is still third in the nation in rushing (152.2 ypg).

Louisville’s Bilal Powell (149.7) is fourth.

“Todman’s a really good back, a very powerful back. He gets behind his pads and he’s able to run through people and he can make people miss,” Louisville coach Charlie Strong said.

Strong also had plenty of praise for his guy, who has broken off some long runs recently.

“Some of its individual effort. You look at the long run he had on Friday. He was able to run through, he ran through two tacklers. He has enough breakaway speed where he can out-run people,” Strong said.

- Neill

The Big East’s weekly award winners:

Offensive Player of the Week _ Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati. Binns caught passes for 175 yards with three touchdowns as the Bearcats rallied for a 35-27 win over Louisville and won the Keg of Nails.

Defensive Player of the Week _ Keith Tandy, CB, West Virginia. Tandy had a team-high 10 tackles to go with one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and an interception to lead West Virginia to a 20-6 win against USF. Tandy’s interception was his fourth in the last three games, helping the Mountaineers limit the Bulls to 209 yards of offense and no touchdowns.

Special Teams Player of the Week _ Dan Hutchins, P/K, Pittsburgh. Hutchins scored nine points and averaged 50.0 yards on five punts to help Pittsburgh to a 45-14 win at Syracuse. Hutchins leads the league in both punting (47.1 avg.) and kicker scoring (8.2 ppg).

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville — Rushed for a career-high 209 yards with two touchdowns on 24 carries in a 35-27 loss to Cincinnati. Registered his second straight 200-yard game.

Tino Sunseri, QB, Pittsburgh — Completed 17 of 24 passes for 266 yards and four touchdowns.

Chas Dodd, QB, Rutgers — Completed 18 of 30 passes for 251 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 23-20 overtime win against Army.

Antonio Lowery, LB, Rutgers — Had a career-high 19 tackles _ the most by a Big East player in a game this season _ with a fumble recovery and a tackle for loss.

Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia — Completed 24 of 31 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

- Neill

The UConn men’s basketball team held its first practice of the year Saturday morning, with head coach Jim Calhoun at the helm.

Calhoun was in Indianapolis with other UConn officials before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions until nearly 10 p.m. but managed to catch a late flight home.

– The Huskies started practice at 10:30 a.m. in Guyer Gym, moved to Gampel around 12:20 p.m. and finished up at 2 p.m.

Calhoun offered no comment on the proceedings in Indy the day before.

“I’m here to coach basketball and that’s what I’m doing right now,” Calhoun said. “And will continue to do that hopefully to get this team ready.”

The coach was as fiery as ever during the workout, which included perhaps more “teaching” than previous opening days because of the team’s youth.

Calhoun was asked if it was difficult to put the NCAA hearing aside and focus on basketball.

“I couldn’t wait to get to the gym. I’m in a place where I feel comfortable,” Calhoun said. “I don’t have to put anything aside.”

Calhoun said he arrived home (probably to his house) at 2:30 a.m. and was at Gampel Pavilion at 6:30 a.m.

“I’m just happy to be here coaching basketball,” Calhoun repeated.

– There were no great victories _ or set-backs, for that matter _ on the first day.

“George (Blaney) keeps preaching patience to me,” Calhoun said. “If George and I live another 10 years I think on that 10th year he’ll still be preaching patience to me. I just want it all at once, obviously. That’s kind of the way I’m built.”

Calhoun didn’t single anyone out as particularly good or particularly bad.

“I can’t say anybody shocked me one way or the other,” Calhoun said.

“I think we have pieces to work with that could be very interesting,” Calhoun added. “But I only saw such a small glimpse of them today.”

– He didn’t talk about the NCAA hearing but Calhoun wasn’t exactly in a bad mood. It didn’t take him long during his post-practice meeting with reporters to take a playful shot.

“I know you didn’t miss me last night,” Calhoun said of “First Night” Friday in Gampel Pavilion. “I have to tell you I can reciprocate that feeling.”

– Calhoun did mention, though not by name, Pat Sellers and Beau Archibald.

“I saw guys yesterday (Friday) who I miss,” Calhoun said.

The coach was especially pleased with his new coaching additions, Kevin Ollie and Glen Miller.

“The changes that have occurred _ how they occurred is not important _ I think both of the other guys have brought a different kind of perspective,” Calhoun said. “The enthusiasm of Kevin, you can’t duplicate that. And the mind of Glen, you can’t duplicate that either.”

– Ollie spent a portion of practice teaching the team UConn’s basic defense in a drill they call “Shell.”

“We’ve kind of put him in charge of that a little more,” Calhoun said. “Because he was such a great defender, and a defender at the highest level.”

– Free throws were a major issue Saturday. It took the team’s scholarship players seven tries to make 8-of-11 from the line to close practice.

They sprinted in between each session of misses. The drill took 21 minutes, when sometimes it takes about two.

– C Alex Oriakhi must wear a protective mask when he plays after breaking his nose on teammate Charles Okwandu’s head (going for a rebound in a pick-up game).

He’ll have to be in the mask for about a month.

“If I play good in it I might keep it like Rip did,” Oriakhi said.

– The old joke goes that the man who recruited you to come to UConn while sitting in your living room isn’t the same one who coaches you on the court at Gampel Pavilion.

The UConn freshmen understand that after Saturday.

“I’m happy the freshmen got to see the real him. No more Mr. Nice Guy,” Oriakhi said.

Freshman F Roscoe Smith gets it, though he never had Calhoun in his living room.

“I wasn’t in my living room, I was at Oak Hill,” Smith said. “He’s different. But that’s what I came here for. I like that. I love that. Different means better.”

“It’s kind of what I expected,” PG Kemba Walker said of the first day. “A lot of guys were the man on their high school team and did whatever they want, just like every other guy that comes to college, but it’s different from high school.”

The rookies obviously don’t know what to expect when practice begins. Oriakhi admits he was in the dark last year.

“I just didn’t know what to expect. I was so nervous,” Oriakhi said. “Then all of a sudden it was like we were on the track team. We were running, running, running.”

– It’s little things but the Huskies are trying to be more team-oriented in everything they do. That starts with immediately helping a team off the floor if he goes down.

“We’re trying to be a team as much as possible,” Walker said. “Last season it was kind of individuals instead of team. We’re trying to push the team concept, definitely.”

- Neill

For those scoring at home, the UConn basketball program’s hearing before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions has ended. It began at 8:30 a.m. and ended about 9:45 p.m.

We’ll see what kind of reaction we can get Saturday.

- Neill

UConn football coach Randy Edsall and some of his players spent a few minutes with reporters Wednesday afternoon.

The talk, at least from the coach, was surprisingly frank and honest. And he wasn’t even “scheduled” to meet with the media. But the impromptu chat in the coach’s office was somewhat enlightening.

A few notes:

– The coach said he talked with UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma recently and a thought entered his mind: perhaps some of his players are expecting success based on what previous UConn football teams have accomplished.

“I think some of these guys have a sense of entitlement,” Edsall said. “We’ve done some pretty good things here over the last few years. And maybe some of these guys haven’t paid enough of a price that the people in front of them did.”

– Edsall says he hasn’t heard any of the criticism that’s been leveled his way recently. That’s because he avoids it.

“I could care less what the outside world thinks. I really could. This is what I do for my job. Those people don’t do my job, those people don’t know my job,” Edsall said. “They’re fans and it’s great that they’re excited. They want us to win every game and that’s great. But you know what? I’m not going to sit and criticize anyone else because I don’t know what it entails. I’ll criticize myself more than anyone else will every criticize me.”

And the coach knows as well as anyone that a 3-3 record wasn’t exactly what anyone had in mind.

“We’re disappointed we’re 3-3, too,” Edsall said.

“Could we be better than 3-3? Yes we could be,” Edsall said. “But we’re not. You can’t say we ‘should be’ better than 3-3. It is what it is.”

– On defense the problem isn’t schemes or talent, the coach says.

“It’s mental mistakes. It’s not that they can’t do it physically, it’s the mental part,” Edsall said. “It’s the eye discipline.”

– RB Jordan Todman has a chance to rest his left elbow during the bye week. He says he’s doing extra rehab and work in the pool to help the injury.

“Bob (Howard) says it’s only a matter of time to get full strength and for things to heal up the right way,” Todman said of the team’s trainer.

It’s not like teams are going to forget that Todman is banged up, however.

“It’s football. I expect to get hit there,” Todman said. “It’s not like ‘Hey defense, please don’t touch me. My elbow is bothering me.’ They’re really not going to care.”

– The Huskies obviously miss WR Marcus Easley.

Edsall pointed out that his team has given up plenty but hasn’t made many big plays.

“We’re not getting the big plays we did a year ago,” Edsall said. “Right now we don’t have that.”

– Most of the UConn assistant coaches are on the road recruiting this week, at least Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Edsall, Joe Moorhead and Todd Orlando are still around and will run practice.

– Obviously the Huskies are trying to put the Rutgers game away. It’s probably harder than usual, though.

“We’re trying to move past the game and get ready for the next game but there was definitely a little bit of a disappointed mood,” WR Nick Williams said, “because we lost the second half, which is something we pride ourselves on. And we lost the fourth quarter, that’s something we pride ourselves on even more.”

“The mood is we’re kind of down,” Todman said. “Any time we lose it’s tough to swallow, especially the first Big East game when you work hard in practice and you think you did everything right.”

– FB Anthony Sherman has a leg injury. That’s one of the many UConn injuries, though Edsall admitted he doesn’t want to guess about the players’ statuses.

“I wouldn’t want to predict probable, doubtful, questionable,” Edsall said.

– The one-year anniversary of Jasper Howard’s death is approaching.

“I’m glad we have an off day,” Edsall said of Monday. “I’m glad we don’t have anything that day.”

It’s still something that the coach thinks about often. He has memorabilia (a portrait of Jazz hung in his office…a picture of his daughter, born in March, hung behind his desk…an Army jacket with Howard’s name on it that was given to him last year.) around but doesn’t really need it to recall the man or the incident.

“It’ll never go away for me,” Edsall said. “Because being there at the hospital and doing the things I did _ identifying the body, calling Jo-Anglia. That’s something that never leaves my mind.”

– UConn’s next game is a date at Louisville. DT Kendall Reyes was asked what he remembers about the team’s last trip to the Derby City.

“It was my birthday, they chopped me from behind and I got a high ankle sprain,” Reyes said. “That’s what I remember.”

Well, points for honesty anway.

- Neill

A few words from the UConn men’s basketball team following the Husky Run:

– Coach Jim Calhoun missed the race, the unofficial start to the season in Storrs. He was headed to Indianapolis for the school’s meeting with the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions.

He isn’t likely to make it back to campus for Friday night’s activities. He should be back on Saturday morning for the team’s first real practice.

– PG Kemba Walker took a moment before the race to stand on a wall and deliver a quick speech to the fans who were running with the Huskies. It wasn’t much, just a ‘thanks’ and ‘have fun’ kind of thing, but it was the first time any player has done that kind of thing.

“We’ve never had a guy do that,” associate head coach George Blaney said. “I like where we’re going from a leadership point of view.

“Because of Kemba and Donnell Beverly they’ve been a remarkably close group. They’ve done everything together.”

Walker didn’t see it as too much of a big deal.

“I’m trying to establish my leadership role with this team,” Walker said. “But just have fun today (Wednesday). That was the main thing about today, have fun and get a chance to bond with the fans.”

– A few words from Blaney on the team overall:

“The strength is going to be speed and quickness and length,” Blaney said. “We have good overall size and length. And the speed and quickness is outstanding.”

How many players will be in the rotation?

“It looks like everybody is good enough to play,” Blaney said. “So it seems like we’re going to play a lot of people.”

How about that plethora of young players?

“Inexperience never hurts you if you’re talented. And we have talent,” Blaney said.

– Beverly (hip) didn’t run Wednesday but is scrimmaging with his teammates full-time now.

– Niels Giffey’s parents Frank and Christina were on hand for the race. They’re visiting from Germany for a few weeks.

– C Alex Oriakhi has a broken nose, apparently the result of an elbow in practice. He’ll be wearing a mask for the next month or so.

- Neill