UConn Football Notes-Preston Takes The Lead

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STORRS -- Tackle Grant Preston doesn't mind being referred to as the old man of the UConn offensive line. The title is as much a sign of respect as it is a fact of life.

Far and away the senior member of a unit that is quite young and inexperienced, Preston has enthusiastically embraced a role of leader and mentor.

"I like it," Preston said Saturday. "I think it's good for me. I had a lot of guys before me who were older than me who played for a long time and that was kind of their role. Now it's helping me bring it out."

Preston, 23, is a fifth-year senior heading into his fourth season as starter. After a season at right guard and two more at right tackle, he has been flopped to left tackle.

With the shifting of Craig Berry from right guard to right tackle, the Huskies will open the season Sept. 1 against Buffalo with someone new at every position on the offensive line. The Huskies will probably start with redshirt freshmen at center (Trey Tonsing) and guard (Immanuel Hutcherson), and a converted defensive tackle at left guard (Matt Applebaum).

Berry is a junior who has also responded to the call for responsibility. Where Preston is the teacher and sets an example for the newcomers, Berry has become the emotional leader. The departure of Ryan Krug, Brian Markowski and Billy Irwin, fixtures in the line for the last three seasons, has forced Berry and Preston to become more assertive.

"Craig has come back. I don't want to call it a renewed attitude, I see a guy who has come out of his shell," coach Randy Edsall said. "I see a totally different person. I like what I see out of him. Grant is the same way. Those kids have embraced the role they're going to have with the football team."

Berry, 6 feet 6, 330 pounds, is a much more confident player.

"I've learned from last year," he said. "I'm not going to be satisfied with the offensive line until we start putting every play together. That's a burden I want to put on my own shoulders. I want to push all the other guys and make them as good as they can be, even though they don't know it yet.

"Grant has taken on a bigger role because he's the lone senior," said Berry, who is from North Haledon, N.J. "He wants to show guys certain things on plays. I'm trying to push everyone and make it more up-tempo."

Preston (6-4, 309) has always been more cerebral and relied on technique and execution more than brute physical force.

"The younger guys look up to you," Preston said. "They're learning how to drill, how to practice, how to play. They have to learn, and me trying to show them is the best way they can learn."

Preston, from Mechanicsburg, Pa., said the offensive line is gradually coming together.

"It's going well, so far," Berry said. "Not great. There's a long way to go. We're not ready to play yet, but we're getting there. I'm excited to play with these guys. They're hard workers and fun to play with. I'll have to help them during the game. They're going to be a little nervous."

It is always imperative for an offensive line to play well if an offense is to be effective. But with an inexperienced quarterback - most likely junior Matt Bonislawski - and two solid running backs in Terry Caulley and Cornell Brockington, there is a greater sense of urgency for the line to perform well.

By the same token, Bonislawski might be a good fit because he can scramble a lot better than predecessor Dan Orlovsky, and Caulley is especially adept at making tacklers miss. That could buy the line time to get settled.

"Every year on every team around the country there is going to be one position that you're going to lose players," Preston said. "At another school it might be linebackers. We don't look at it like that. These are the guys we have to work with to get it done. We might not have the best depth right now. But everybody we've got is good and everybody we've got will work hard. If they keep plugging away the experience will come."

Surgery For Julius Williams

Sophomore reserve middle linebacker Julius Williams is scheduled for season-ending knee surgery this week. ... Sophomore free safety Ricky McCollum (shoulder) won't be ready for the first game. ... Senior wide receiver Jason Williams (ankle) was able to practice. Sophomore Nollis Dewar had a strong practice and should open as the fourth wide receiver, behind Williams, Brandon Young and Brandon McLean. ... Edsall has not named Bonislawski the starting quarterback or Caulley the starting running back, but that is where things are headed.