UCONN HUSKIES FOOTBALL

[bullwark]

UConn football coach Randy Edsall refers to the team's playbook as the "Coaches' Bible," a point of reference whenever he wants to tweak, add or take away an important part of what the Huskies want to do.

It's that sacred.

"I'm not going to go into what's in it or anything like that," Edsall said. "And I don't know of any coach that would. But I will say this: we as coaches are teachers and no matter what's in it, it's our responsibility to teach it so that the players understand it."

Every aspect of offense, defense and special teams is in that book. The 2005 edition was scheduled to go to print last week and will be in the hands of the players when they report to camp Aug. 4.

Interestingly enough, it'll be out of their hands and returned to the coaches before the first game is played and they won't get them again until the spring. So they better learn fast.

One can sense the importance of these playbooks. Ah, the benefits of an opponent getting one of these babies, right?

"Well, not really," Edsall said. "If it does get in the wrong hands, they wouldn't understand it or know what's coming or when it's coming and you still have to execute it, but it's something you don't want to happen, no."

The Huskies had a recent scare. Former Courant all-state quarterback Mark Punzelt of Hand-Madison, who was a walk-on last season but has left the team, tried to sell his playbook on eBay.

Athletic communications assistant director Leigh Torbin said the school contacted Punzelt and he took it off the site. It had gotten a couple of bids, one for about $100.

Shortly after it appeared on eBay, Torbin said, he got a phone call from the Louisville sports information department saying the Cardinals had dealt with a similar situation in the past couple of years.

Torbin said to his knowledge, this was unprecedented at UConn.

Edsall said it has made him think about having the playbook copyrighted.

"When something like that happens ... yeah, I'm thinking about it," Edsall said. "I don't know what happened with the one that got on eBay, but we make sure we get them back from everybody.

"Now, we really do."

Players returning to the program know the gist of what's in the playbook. There have been a few adjustments to it since the Huskies' last game, a victory over Toledo in the Motor City Bowl.

The incoming freshmen get a jump on most of the information from their position coaches.

"If they understand that when they come in, then they're not going to have much of a problem with the whole thing," Edsall said. "Let's say at quarterback for example. He's going to know what to do offensively, but he's going to know what to expect on defense as well because if he understands what we do on offense then he's going to know what coverage the play is going to be successful against. But basically, if you understand the fundamentals and techniques that go along with playing your position, then you shouldn't have a problem picking up what's in there."

Edsall said that the way some high schools run their programs now, there isn't much difference between what they do and colleges do.

"But," Edsall said, "the terminology is the thing. There is no universal language, there's more of it in the NFL than in college in terms of what you do. But a lot of things the kids run in high school we do as well, they just call it something different."

Edsall said the playbook is adjusted regularly, after a game, after a practice, any time. The coaches discuss it and if it seems right, it's in. If not, it's trashed, as are plays that don't seem to be working.

[smazza]

i think this article is a goof

[bullwark]

i think this article is a goof

 How is the article a goof?

[dw4uconn]

I don't know about the article, but the guy Punzelt really did put the gamebook for sale on EBAY. The dummy didn't even try to disguise who he was as the Picture clearly showed his name on the book.  It was no gag. Just an embarassment to the program :

DW