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Searching for a breakout player next year?

All signs point to Tyler Olander putting up solid numbers as the team’s best post player. Here’s a brief look at Olander’s career thus far:

Path to Storrs: Jim Calhoun used to drive to Bradley International Airport, board his chartered jet, which would barely clear Homer Babbidge Library and make an emergency landing on Route 195 in front of E.O. Smith High School.

Tyler Olander (AP)

No, but in all seriousness, Calhoun probably walked to E.O. Smith to watch Olander. The 6-foot-10 forward committed to UConn in March of his senior year. He turned down scholarship offers from Florida, Wake Forest, Virginia and Rhode Island.

Freshman year: Olander carved out a niche as the guy who starts, scores the first basket of the game, comes out after the first media timeout and never returns. He was also really, really hyped after the national title (see left).

Sophomore year: He ditched the floppy hair, added about 10 pounds of muscle and outworked Alex Oriakhi and Andre Drummond for playing time early on. Olander posted back-to-back double-doubles in late November and went for 12 points and six boards in 31 minutes versus Arkansas on Dec. 3.

He never hit double-figures again. Part of it had to do with the emergence of Drummond, who was rather passive until 2012 hit. Conversely, Olander became passive when the new year turned. It’s awfully hard to remain confident when you’re playing less than 10 minutes per game, and Olander’s mid-season regression was noticeable: A very consistent shooter from the midrange, he often passed up jumpshots that he’d routinely bury in practice.

Quotes: *Alex Oriakhi at Big East media day — “People don’t really know about Tyler Olander, and I feel that he’s going to have a big year for us because he can really shoot the ball.”

*Shabazz Napier after 15-point loss to Marquette — “For example, Tyler can be real good for this team. He can knock that mid-range shot down. I don’t think any other big can shoot like him. But he gets out there and plays timid. We try to tell him all the time, you do the things you do in practice and you’ll be a great player.”

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As we learned six days after the season ended, the transfer rumors surrounding former UConn center Alex Oriakhi turned out to be very true.

Tyler Olander (AP)

Once Oriakhi asked for his release, there was talk that Tyler Olander was next. After all, a potential change in scenery made perfect sense: Olander’s playing time — and confidence — dipped as the season wore on.

But then Andre Drummond declared for the NBA Draft. Then, Mike Bradley asked for his transfer and, in a surprise move, Roscoe Smith did the same.

Suddenly, Tyler Olander was alone in the UConn frontcourt. He’s now the only Husky big man with any notable experience (Enosch Wolf has played 13 games in his two-year career) and a sure-fire starter next season.

“It surprised me, and now I’m given a great opportunity because everybody at my position is gone,” Olander said. “I’m ready for it.”

Olander figures to be the pivot man in a lineup that could feature four perimeter players. In anticipation of his expanded role, the 6-foot-10 Olander has cranked up his offseason training: More shots on the court, more time on the treadmill and absolutely no fast food.

“I’m eating all natural stuff, cutting out a bunch of fats,” Olander said.

Olander readily admits that he wasn’t “mentally or physically prepared” for last season, which in part contributed to his rapid decline in production. He began the year as a starter — for the first two months or so, he was actually the team’s most consistent big man — but played no more than five minutes in six of UConn’s last seven games.

“I’m going to take this opportunity and run with it,” Olander said. “I had a real good start to the season, but I didn’t think mentally or physically, I was prepared for this long of a season…how rigorous the season is. It really does take a toll on your body.”

Olander, Shabazz Napier and Niels Giffey are the lone holdovers from the 2011 national championship squad. They’ll be counted on to provide leadership, something the Huskies clearly lacked this past season.

“We understand what it takes,” Olander said. “We’ve been at the highs, we’ve been at the lows. We’re going to push everybody real hard to get back up to the high.”