UConn Football Reaching To Push The Start Button

[bullwark]

July 3, 2005

By TERRY PRICE|Courant Staff Writer

Billy Cundiff has programmed the UConn playbook into his Madden video football game. It helps him learn the plays and he can make his own calls. _

Dennis Brown has calculated that if he memorizes five pages a day from the Huskies' thick playbook, he will have the offense down by the time he reports to Storrs next Sunday.

The assimilation of information by the incoming freshmen quarterbacks could have an immediate impact on the UConn football team. It would be unusual for a freshman quarterback to start, but for the first time in a long time, the job is wide open.

"I told them the best man will play," UConn coach Randy Edsall said. "We don't have a returning starter."

Because NFL-bound Dan Orlovsky played virtually every down of every game for the last 3 1/2 seasons, junior Matt Bonislawski has limited experience and redshirt freshman D.J. Hernandez is untested.

Although seniority will give them an edge over Cundiff and Brown when they report to camp Aug. 4, neither Bonislawski nor Hernandez had particularly strong springs. That leaves the door cracked for the freshmen.

Cundiff drove from Ohio to watch the spring game and assess the situation.

"After the game Coach Edsall took me aside and said, `As you can see, we don't have anything set. We need you to work hard and you'll get a fair shot to play.' It made me feel really good," Cundiff said.

Brown, from Miami, is also eager to get going.

"They haven't told me where I fit in," Brown said. "It's my job to show them where I can fit in. It seems like I can step in and do a little something."

With the NCAA allowing incoming freshmen to include summer school as part of their scholarships, the timing couldn't be better for UConn. The rule gives freshmen a better opportunity to make the adjustment to academics and get a head start on football.

During the summer, players can lift weights and participate in voluntary workout programs. The quarterbacks benefit the most because they have the heaviest workload in terms of becoming familiar with the playbook and developing a rapport with wide receivers and teammates in general.

"They have to get a grasp and an understanding of what we're doing offensively, what the terminology is," Edsall said. "They have to get a feel for what the concepts are all about. If they get that down and they understand the mental part of it a little bit, when they get on the field the speed of the game might not affect them as much. If they can get the fundamentals and techniques down, they should be able to execute anything we have in our offense."

Cundiff (6 feet 2, 195 pounds) and Brown (6-3, 185) both played in pro-style offenses in high school. Neither was highly recruited. Cundiff sustained a serious ankle injury in his senior season at Green High, near Akron. Brown didn't play much as a junior at Miami Central because of a hand injury.

In addition to a playbook, Cundiff and Brown received workout schedules and videotape of UConn's offense and opposing defenses. They've been studying and training since signing in early February.

Brown said he throws every day and lifts four times a week. He's been working on the drop back UConn quarterbacks must execute. The coaches asked him to add 10 pounds to his slender frame.

Brown has been diligently studying the 230-page playbook.

"It's not really that hard," he said. "I break it down into protections, pass reads, run plays and the concept of the offense and how to call it. I study at least five pages of each every day. If you calculate that, I'll be done with it by the time I leave [Florida on July 8]. I've got it all figured out."

Brown said he is picking up the offense quickly, especially considering he hasn't gotten any help from the coaches yet.

"I know the signals," Brown said. "I know how the groups go together. I know most of the passing plays. I have to get used to the running plays. I know most of the blocking.

"The concept of their offense is pretty hard to get, but dropping back and the physical thing is pretty easy. It's something I've been taught already. All I have to do is get used to the concept of the offense.

"Everything they do, I did in high school. We ran a pro-set offense in high school. We did a lot of motion. A lot of five-wide and four-wide splits. That's easy for me, the physical part."

Cundiff said plugging UConn's plays into his PlayStation has helped him absorb the offense.

"I get used to seeing them and playing with them [on the video game]," he said. "It's repetitive. It's like I'm practicing almost. I know what everyone does.

"I thought it was going to be really hard when I first saw [the playbook]. It's still pretty hard, but I'm getting the hang of it. Once we start practicing, I'll pick it up pretty easy. I like the offense. What I've seen of it, I like it a lot."

Cundiff said he throws three days a week and lifts four days.

The Huskies may opt to play more conservative on offense this season and concentrate on getting the ball to running backs Cornell Brockington and Terry Caulley.

Edsall generally adheres to the belief that the closer a freshman is to the ball the less likely he will play his first year. But he said freshmen come in and play quarterback at colleges every year. He didn't rule out the possibility of Cundiff or Brown being one of those quarterbacks.

"I don't think it's impossible," Edsall said. "There are exceptions to the rules. I think it's difficult, but I don't think it's impossible."

[dw4uconn]

DJ Hernandez is going to do just fine for the Huskies. Bones will likely start, but is not strong and will likely get knocked out in the first quarter of game one.  One of the Freshman will likely not redshirt, because Uconn will likely want to go with three QBs.  Don't know much about either other than big things are expected of Cundiff.  Uconn has done well finding the diamonds in the ruff and Cundiff is one of many Uconn recruits expected to play better than projected.

DW