2008 Woodie Awards
Hi all,
Other responsibilities have kept me from blogging over the past few weeks, but I’m here to bring you some interesting tidbits from the last two practices of the spring season. Also, you’ll notice that I bucked the “Fourth and Goal” title and structure, mainly because it was not only lame, but it was also mega lame, and that’s a little too much lame for me and anyone else to handle.
Before I get down to business, I would like to take some time to point out the hilarity of the video message the athletics department forced Randy Edsall into doing. The clip begins with the camera zooming out from a view of a TV screen – which, if you pay attention to, shows a quarterback (I think it’s Cody Endres) sailing the ball way over a receiver’s head – and then you see Edsall lounging in chair, seemingly caught off guard.
The next 30 seconds is just a train wreck, with Edsall trying to seem endearing or your pal while reading off a poorly written script (at times he sounds like a robot). The only thing that would make this better would be if he stood up toward the end and began putting on a sweater and started to sing.
Won’t you be, my football coach?
The clip finishes off with a fade out done in what seems like Microsoft Powerpoint into a screen advertising Saturday’s game … AND TAG SALE. Really? A Tag Sale? What are they going to try and sell off, memorabilia from former UConn stars such as Tyler King and … uh … well, you get the idea.
If you haven’t seen it yet, do yourself a favor and go to the home page at UConnHuskies.com and click on link underneath the ad for the Blue-White game that reads “CLICK HERE FOR A MESSAGE FROM HEAD COACH RANDY EDSALL” (I would’ve linked it myself, but it only appears as a video file.)
Anyway, here’s some thoughts from practice in a new, bulleted form:
Tyler Lorenzen will sit out his second straight Blue-White game. Lorenzen tweaked his ankle rolling out of the pocket a week ago, and although he was doing some throw and dropping back yesterday, he didn’t participate in the full workouts. Zach Frazer will guide the Blue team (first team offense, second team defense) in his place, and Cody Endres the White team (second team offense, first team defense). Wide receiver Marcus Easley, who will be the No. 1 receiver with the trio of Ellis Gaulden, D.J. Hernandez and Brad Kanuch all out, took some throws with the QBs Saturday, and it looks like he will work as the emergency quarterback.
Talked to both Dan Davis and Danny Lansanah at practice (look for articles next week on all the Huskies who may be drafted) and ironically both said they have been worked out by the Colts. I suppose it makes sense, because Davis is an undersized defense linemen with some speed — the type of players Indianapolis seems to look for to put in the trenches — and Lansanah is very smart and a good leader on the field. Lansanah also noted that he went and visited with the Packers, and was kind of awe-struck when he saw Brett Favre’s locker.
The team received their Big East regular reason championship rings after practice Thursday. Didn’t see any of them, but I was told they look pretty snazzy.
University President Michael Hogan stopped by Thursday’s practice to speak to the team and wish them luck good luck on Saturday. Here’s the highlight of the Hulkster’s speech: “Next time you seem me there will be a lot of bling,” Hogan said (speaking on the championship ring he hopes to add to his collection this year) and while waiving his hand like any true g. Classic. I must say, I think Hogan’s been doing a good job in his first year as pres, and I find him to be really endearing. He does a good job of connecting with the students
The competition for the strong safety spot has been a fun one to watch over the spring, and at this point, it seems like the decision will come down to right before the first game. Kijuan Dabney held down the spot with the ones most of the spring, but Jonathan Jean-Louis has made a big push the last few weeks. If I was forced to make a prediction, I would say Dabney starts at the beginning of the season and Jean-Louis replaces him midway through the year. From what defensive back coach Scott Lakatos said the other day, both have similar skill sets, but Jean-Louis has the athleticism while Dabney has the experience, having suited up for every game last season. Once Jean-Louis gets up to speed, I would think his natural abilities will give him the edge – he just looks a step quicker
That’s it for now. Check back tomorrow for a live blog during the game, which starts at 12 p.m.
We are just one week away from UConn’s annual “Blue and White” spring game, and the way things are going, Randy Edsall probably wishes he could fast-forward through that game and avoid any more injuries. Here’s a rundown of what happened today:
1st down: Quarterback Tyler Lorenzen sat out of today’s scrimmage with an ankle injury that he suffered in Thursday’s practice. According to Randy Edsall, Lorenzen dropped back to pass, planted his foot, and rolled his right ankle. The injury, which may keep him out of the Spring game, is a result of Lorenzen “being a klutz and a non-athlete,” Edsall said. With Lorenzen out, Zach Frazer operated the first-team offense and Cody Endres ran the second team. Neither looked particularly sharp, espeically Frazer, who threw a point-blank interception to safety Robert Vaughn over the middle and then was picked off by Cody Brown on a screen pass. When asked about what areas of his mechanics Frazer needs to improve on, Edsall replied “I don’t think we have enough time go over that.”
2nd down: Kevin Poles had a big day, as he and Endres hooked up for two long touchdowns. Poles’ first touchdown came on a fade-route where he jumped over cornerback Harris Agbor, and the second came on a straight go-route. He got behind the defense, caught the ball in stride, and did not come close to being tackled on his way to the end-zone. Edsall said Poles “did better today,” but noted that he still has to become much more physical to make an impact in a real game. Kashif Moore also caught a long touchdown pass, and even recieved praise from his head coach after the practice. Edsall said Moore has really improved over the last couple of practice sessions.
3rd down: Senior defensive tackle Rob Lunn went down with what appeared to be an ankle injury when a player landed on his leg as he attempted to make a tackle on an Anthony Sherman run up the middle. Edsall said that if he went back to review the tape, he can almost guarantee that Lunn got hurt because he wasn’t going 100 percent until the whistle blew and got caught out of position. Lunn’s injury- coupled with the one suffered by Lorenzen- is part of a long-line of non-contact injuries the Huskies have endured throughout the spring. DJ Hernandez’s ankle sprain, Ellis Gaulden tendon tear in his foot, Trey Tonsing’s torn ACL, and Isaiah Moore’s pulled hamstring were not the result of big hits, but rather fluke movements or mental errors.
“The hardest hit we’ve had is Mike Cox’s sister jumping on him at home when he got hurt over the spring,” Edsall joked.
4th down: Andre Dixon was back in action for the second straight practice after suffering a minor shoulder injury, but he looked as though he never missed any time. Dixon’s hard work in the offseason in the weight room is begginning to pay big dividends. He flashed tremendous leg drive and he carried nearly the entire defense on one run and made a habit of gaining yards after contact. As good as Donald Brown has looked this spring, Dixon has stuck with him and still figures to get his share of carries when the fall rolls around.
Turnover on downs: Former UConn quarterback and current Detroit Lions back-up Dan Orvlosky was on hand for practice, along with Alfred Fincher, Orvlosky’s former teammate at UConn who recently signed a free-agent contract with the Lions. Fincher, who was drafted 82nd overall in 2005 by the New Orleans Saints, is the highest pick in UConn history. Tyvon Branch may have a chance to eclipse that mark in two weeks.
I’m a day late, but I didn’t forget my loyal readers. Practice yesterday went smoothly — no big breakthroughs to report – but it seemed like some of the answers many have been looking for regarding position battles are starting to materialize. Here are some of my thoughts from Thursday’s practice:
First Down: As a wrote in my notebook in today’s edition of the Daily Campus, Jasper Howard has really emerged in the spring and is primed to be a big contributor this season. Despite the much remembered muffed punt in the West Virginia game, he has already locked up the punt returner role and it looks like he will be at worst the nickelback in the fall – one that would make Chad Kroeger proud.
Speaking of the Nickelback crooner, has anyone seen him in his latest video with Santana? He was already a bit goofy for a rock star, but he had his coif straightened and trimmed so it now makes him look like Ellen DeGeneres
Creepy, huh?
Never been much of a fan of the Kroegs, but I’ll always remember him as one of the guys to demand tickets to last season’s Ohio State-Michigan football game, thinking they were popular enough to do so. Turns out, not so much. I guess that’s what you get for using a guitar legend to create a techno jam.
Anyway, Howard’s biggest weakness is obviously his size. He’s listed favorably at 5-foot-9, 162 pounds, but what he lacks there he certainly makes up for in athletic ability. A lot of schools took a look at the Miami, Fla., native coming out of high school, but shied away from him, most likely because of his diminutive stature. But there’s no question, this guy can move. He’s one of the fastest players on the team, and defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos said he has good instincts and feel for the game.
Lakatos said that the Huskies are going to be implementing different players in different schemes this year, so Howard could see the field more often this year, especially if another 20 receivers go down and Darius Butler has to spend more time on offense.
Even when Butler was on defense yesterday, it was Howard on the opposite side of the field, not McClain for most of the afternoon.
But don’t forget about some of the incoming freshmen. UConn signed four defensive backs – three if Jerome Junior moves to linebacker – and that could shakes things up a bit, especially if Dwayne Gratz lives up to his billing as a three-star prospect, according to Rivals.com.
2nd Down: Now that Mike Hicks has moved back to tackle, he and Dan Ryan will be battling throughout the final week of spring practices for the starting spot at right tackle.
As it stands right now, Ryan appears to have the inside edge. He played with the ones throughout Thursday’s scrimmage and had a solid day. Both tackles are massive, as each weigh over 300 pounds, but Ryan seems to be the better athlete and is more fluid in his motions.
3rd Down: Another position battle going on is at strong safety, where Kijuan Dabney currently holds the starting role next to veteran Robert Vaughn. But Dabney isn’t sitting pretty, as redshirt freshman Jonathan Jean-Louis is having a great spring and is pushing hard for his spot.
Lakatos said that both are very similar players, although Dabney is a bit bigger. But the difference between the two seems to simply be playing time. Dabney spent the entire season on the sideline as a backup while Jean-Louis was on the scout team. Unless Jean-Louis shines in the summer, it looks like that experience might give Dabney an edge.
4th Down: Andre Dixon returned to practice after missing four consecutive sessions and looked like his old self, cutting and bursting through holes for big gains … Jimmy Bennett, a three-star offensive line prospect who signed a letter of intent to play for the Huskies next season, drove up from his hometown of Alexandria, Va., and was on hand for practice … D.J. Hernandez ran routes with the wide receivers without pads despite still having an aircast on his left foot for a sprained ankle … Yet another wide receiver was relegated to the sidelines, as Kashif Moore was held out of practice for undisclosed reasons. His left knee was heavily wrapped.
11:20 p.m.
And it’s all over. Tennessee dominates, 64-48, in a game that never seemed all that close. The Lady Vols win their second consecutive title, their eighth overall, and re-cement their status as the best team in the history of the women’s game.
It was getting dicey for those two years or so, when Tennessee led UConn only 6-5 in titles.
But anyway, most of the crowd is happy, Pat Summitt is smiling and Candace Parker is relieved. The pressure on her shoulders is now over, she can rehab the shoulder a little bit, and prepare for life as a relatively-well-compensated member of the exclusive fraternity of professional basketball players.
And hey, maybe UConn deserves a little credit, too. Summitt just said (paraphrasing) in her press conference next door that she became more confident in her team’s chances after watching the Huskies press Stanford with great effectiveness on Sunday night.
The Vols lose their entire starting lineup, leaving about five scholarship players with college experience,so at least their reign of terror would appear to be over.
A meaningless, too-early top 5 for next year? How about:
UConn-Rutgers-Oklahoma-Stanford and Tennessee, just for the hell of it. And THAT is the most unqualified opinion statement you’ll read tonight.
So it looks like this is it. I didn’t imagine that my role on the UConn women beat would end quite like this, with Pat Summitt cutting down the net and the Huskies long-since departed for home. But so it is.
I’d like to thank everyone out there - a number I imagine is bordering on double-digits - for reading. It’s been a wild season, one left unfulfilled for UConn fans. More importantly, the Huskies have been on the long road back to national dominance since 2005. They’re one step closer, one year older to that goal than they were in October.
It’s a safe bet that the Huskies will be back here next year, when the Final Four moves to St. Louis.
In all probability, the blog will be there as well, even if I am not. So stay tuned here in the coming months for updates on the UConn women, as well as the rest of the UConn sporting world.
Good night and good season from Tampa, and once again thank you. It’s been good.
Now that we’ve instituted the new “fourth and goal” blog, I figured I’d take a crack at it. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Kevin Duffy, the second beat writer for the Football team this spring. Essentially, I am a lamer version of Justin Verrier, our sports editor and pioneer of the UConn football blog. I hope to overcome my lameness and fill all of you in on the happenings of spring practice all the way through April 19th’s Blue-White Spring Football game at The Rentch. So lets get started with yesterdays practice:
1st down: I’m going to be honest, I’m a big Meme Wylie fan (check out the feature story at Dailycampus.com next week), but Meme has taken a back seat to fellow redshirt freshman Robbie Frey (pronounced Fry, like in Ferris Bueller) in recent practices. The first time he broke off a long run I shrugged and thought it was luck. The second time he did it I attributed it to poor defense. Now, its pretty clear that Frey is just good– and that’s all there is to it. He’s got a gear that none of the running backs, Donald Brown and Andre Dixon included, could even dream about having. On his long touchdown sprint today, safeties Glen Mourning and Jameson Davis looked to have the angle to make the tackle, but Frey beat them down the sidelines, ran into the endzone, and started on his way back before Mourning and Davis could catch their breath.
2nd down: Darius Butler took all the snaps with the defense this practice after spending Saturday’s entire session at wide receiver. After practice, he said that the defense put in a bunch of new packages and blitzes that he needed to learn before he could work on his offensive skills, which, by the way, are extremely impressive. There’s no doubt Butler will be the team’s top playmaker in the fall if given the chance. His speed and run after the catch ability really separate him from anything the Huskies have to offer.
3rd down: Speaking of wide receiver, it was a rough day for redshirt freshman Kashif Moore. He beat Jasper Howard on a go-route but was unable to track down the ball, which was partially overthrown, and minutes later dropped a pass over the middle that caused Randy Edsall to nearly eat him alive. Edsall yelled “Catch the damn ball” for about a minute straight as Moore quietley retreated to the shadows with his good friend–not brother– Isaiah Moore. He did, however, make a difficult diving catch later in practice, as well as turn the corner on a reverse and gain roughly 40 yards on the trick play.
4th down: I know Justin pointed out Zach Frazer’s struggles in Saturday’s post, but I’d like to second that comment. Sometimes, he looks like he can be great. He’s 6-foot-5, got a nice, strong build, and a strong arm. But consistency is a major issue with Frazer. He makes more mistakes that Tyler Lorenzen and Cody Endres combined. I don’t know if anyone else noticed, but Frazer is from MECHANICSBURGH, Penn. That’s like saying Chris Douglas-Roberts is from Freethrowburgh, Tenn., or Ellis Gaulden is from Durabilityville, Fla. Well, you get the point.
Injury Report: Andre Dixon and Brad Kanuch continued to sit out of practice, but both looked as though they are ready to return soon. For Kanuch, the return cannot come soon enough. He participates in grueling conditioning drills with DJ Hernandez every practice, and doesn’t do so with much enthusiasm. Today, he was called over by DJ to start doing their traditional hand-walking drill, but this time do it across the 50 yard width of the field. Kanuch trotted over and simply muttered “This is going to suck.”
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