Edsall No Fair Weather Fan as UConn Prepares

[Brad]

Edsall No Fair Weather Fan As UConn Prepares For USF

October 4, 2006

By SHAWN COURCHESNE, Courant

Staff Writer  STORRS -- The heat will be on this week in Storrs, figuratively and literally, for the UConn football team.

Facing the Big East opener at South Florida, a game in which UConn's already slim bowl hopes likely hang in the balance, the pressure is on to leave Saturday's embarrassing 41-17 home loss to Navy as far behind as possible.

"It's not an easy thing to do," senior defensive end Rhema Fuller said. "We're getting into South Florida and preparing for South Florida and all we're seeing right now and thinking about is South Florida. We kind of had Saturday and Sunday and [Monday] to dwell on [the Navy game]. Now we're into South Florida. You kind of have to have amnesia and just forget about it."

The UConn defense surrendered 605 yards to Navy, including 464 rushing.

"[After it was over] it was kind of like it was a dream," Fuller said. "It was like, `Did this really just happen?' Of course it did. After it sunk it was just like `Wow.' I was just replaying everything in my mind. After I came to grips with it, it was like, `OK, now we have to move forward. What are we going to have to do to make sure this never happens again?'"

Coach Randy Edsall said he was pleased with the way the team handled practice the day after the bashing.

"You have to put the game from last week behind you and move forward," he said. "We've got a new challenge, a different challenge this week. You've go to have a short memory, and you've got to move on. You learn from your mistakes and you make the corrections, but you have to move forward."

But Edsall did emphasize that nobody on the team quit against Navy, despite a comment by linebacker Danny Lansanah following the game that the defense "gave up." Edsall said that after watching game film there was no evidence of any players giving up.

"He was dead wrong," Edsall said. "I heard about that. I saw one of [the players] said we gave up. I don't think anybody gave up. Nobody gave up. Nobody quit. Did we miss tackles at the end? Yes we did. Did maybe some guys not have the same intensity on play number 75 as they did on play number 71? Yeah. But to say people flat out gave up or flat out quit, that wasn't a very good statement. I think that was more frustration coming out of a young person's mouth."

Although nice weather is expected this week in Storrs, Edsall won't give his players the luxury of practicing outside in the cool fall temperatures. In preparation for the weather in Tampa, Edsall will have them indoors all week, with the heat cranked up in the Mark R. Shenkman Training Center. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s for kickoff Saturday in Tampa, but the humidity is expected to be near 80 percent. Edsall said they would have the heat turned up in the mid-80s on the indoor field.

"I think it will help out," Fuller said. "We're not too thrilled about it as far as the heat and the sweat and all that. But we know why coach is doing that and it is the right move."

Moore Will Play

Edsall said linebacker Donta Moore is a full go for South Florida despite a broken right arm sustained in the first half against Navy. Moore returned to the game in the second half. Edsall also said defensive end Jason Ward is ready to return from a broken bone in his right foot sustained early in camp. ... Edsall has moved freshman linebacker Scott Lutrus of Brookfield down to the scout team and promoted redshirt freshman Aaron Bryant of New London off the scout team. Lutrus was second on the depth chart behind Johnathon Smith for the opener against Rhode Island. "The only reason we did that is because we're going to redshirt Scott," Edsall said.

Contact Shawn Courchesne at scourchesne@courant.com.

Read Courchesne's blog at courant.com/uconnfootball.  

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[E.T.]

Ready to show them BULLS Football !

[smazza]

there backs are AGAINST THE WALL

the responded well last year

usf needs a complete game

[BullsWinBucsWin]

In preparation for the weather in Tampa, Edsall will have them indoors all week, with the heat cranked up in the Mark R. Shenkman Training Center. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s for kickoff Saturday in Tampa, but the humidity is expected to be near 80 percent. Edsall said they would have the heat turned up in the mid-80s on the indoor field.

Maybe I'm just a Florida boy, but does this seem strange to anyone else???

[amie_abull]

I think it's hilarious ;D  ;D  ;D  It probably does have some merit - but remember our favorite saying in the Sunshine State: "It's not the heat, it's the humidity!"  ;D  ;D  ;D  Bring it on, puppy dogs!!!

[WoolyBully]

In preparation for the weather in Tampa, Edsall will have them indoors all week, with the heat cranked up in the Mark R. Shenkman Training Center. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s for kickoff Saturday in Tampa, but the humidity is expected to be near 80 percent. Edsall said they would have the heat turned up in the mid-80s on the indoor field.

Maybe I'm just a Florida boy, but does this seem strange to anyone else???

That is a bit odd. I could see that if it were late in the season and they're up to the cup in snow and ice and then playing a game down south...but for this?

[Joe]

It does affect people that aren't used to it. I was in a baseball camp in high school in Orlando and I remember the kids from NY struggling (I mean STRUGGLING) for the 1st few days.

The humidity does many in.

[SplitT]

Playing the BE...USF needs to practice in a cold storage facility for the UL and WV games.  It was cold as a witches titty last year on those dates in Louisville and Morgantown.

[snarling Bull]

Sounds like a fineplace to practice  for UL and WVU ;D

[E.T.]

From AP

HOT TIME: Despite beautiful autumn weather in New England, Connecticut coach Randy Edsall has his Huskies practicing indoors all week.

UConn is using the climate control features in its new $48 million football complex to try and simulate the weather in Florida. The Huskies face South Florida on Saturday night in Tampa.

"We got the heat cranked up. We can't reproduce the humidity up here, but we can have the heat," Edsall said.

High temperatures in Connecticut were in the 70s this week, about what forecasters predict for Tampa on Saturday night.

"Here is Storrs it might be 77 degrees, but you've always got a breeze going," Edsall said.

Defensive captain Rhema Fuller said it feels more like 100 degrees inside the new Mark R. Shenkman Training Center.

"You're like, dang, I don't want to be in here. But it definitely will be beneficial," he said.