UConn prepares for South Florida

[Brad]

UConn prepares for South Florida

By JOE PEREZ

Norwich Bulletin

STORRS -- With the memory of last Saturday's debacle against Navy still fresh in the minds of the UConn football players, they began preparing to open Big East play against South Florida.

"It hurt me to my stomach," safety M.J. Estep said Tuesday from the team's training facility. "I just wanted to get down here Sunday and move on. It was tough."

The Huskies didn't have time to dwell. Coach Randy Edsall said he did not review the tapes of the team's defensive performance against Navy because UConn will not face another school that runs the option offense.

Edsall did, however, take exception to comments made after the game by one of the leaders of his defense. Junior linebacker Danny Lansanah said after Navy gained 605 yards, the Huskies' defense "gave up."

"He was dead wrong," Edsall said. "I don't think anybody gave up. ... To say that we quit or that we gave up, that's just not a very good statement by that individual."

The more pressing issue, thus, is of South Florida. The Bulls are coming off a heartbreaking 22-20 loss at home to Rutgers, which ended with the Bulls missing a potential game-tying two-point conversion.

Temperatures in Tampa are expected to be in the mid-to-upper 80s with nearly 80 percent humidity, conditions the Huskies are not used to. To help ready themselves for the playing conditions in Tampa, UConn is raising the thermostat inside the Mark R. Shenkman training facility to better replicate the temperature at Raymond James Stadium.

"(Tuesday) morning it was like 84 degrees in there," Edsall said. "We've got the heat cranked up. You can't reproduce the humidity up here, but we can have the heat."

Another concern for UConn will be Bulls quarterback Matt Grothe. The Redshirt freshman is the conference's fourth-leading rusher, right behind UConn's Terry Caulley, and is ninth in the nation in total offense. He will present a challenge for a defense that dropped from 10th in the nation to 61st after the loss to Navy.

"When you play a quarterback who's mobile, you have to be conscious of where he's at," defensive tackle Rhema Fuller said. "He does have escapability, so you have to be conscious of keeping your current pass rush lanes."

New London High School product Aaron Bryant has moved up the depth chart for the Huskies. Edsall said Bryant will be the team's fifth linebacker and a backup on special teams.

"There were some things he's been doing on special teams as the scout team that got us excited about him running down there and how he plays," Edsall said.

Bryant replaces freshman linebacker Scott Lutrus, who will be reshirted.

Reach Joe Perez at 425-4257 or jperez@norwichbulletin.com

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[amie_abull]

"(Tuesday) morning it was like 84 degrees in there," Edsall said. "We've got the heat cranked up. You can't reproduce the humidity up here, but we can have the heat."

Sounds like they are scared of the BULLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Hope Matt G. & the boys are ready to pound the Huskies!!!!!!!!

[lotsofbull99]

UCONN will destroy us, they will blitz Grothe to death. :'(

[BullDoug]

Temperatures in Tampa are expected to be in the mid-to-upper 80s with nearly 80 percent humidity, conditions the Huskies are not used to. To help ready themselves for the playing conditions in Tampa, UConn is raising the thermostat inside the Mark R. Shenkman training facility to better replicate the temperature at Raymond James Stadium.

As much as I hate day games, makes sense this week.  Even a 5-6pm start would be smart.

[SplitT]

Temperatures in Tampa are expected to be in the mid-to-upper 80s with nearly 80 percent humidity, conditions the Huskies are not used to. To help ready themselves for the playing conditions in Tampa, UConn is raising the thermostat inside the Mark R. Shenkman training facility to better replicate the temperature at Raymond James Stadium.

As much as I hate day games, makes sense this week.  Even a 5-6pm start would be smart.

Especially if you're looking to lower attendance.

[twillybull]

The option may rear its ugly head a few times for this game.  Hey if they couldn't stop it last week, why not try?  

[smazza]

uconn better sign 10 blue chippers if they even want to be in the game

[E.T.]

...

As much as I hate day games, makes sense this week.  Even a 5-6pm start would be smart.

True BULL fans will be there, not the turkeysoup eaters.

Go BULLS !!!

[kdawgy_orlando]

George Costanza knows:

http://www.johnspeedie.com/wavs/Seinfeld/khan.wav

Just like Captain Kirk knows

[bulls96go]

just win jim!