Tranghese: Sky’s the limit for Huskies football

[Apis Bull]

Tranghese: Sky’s the limit for Huskies football

By SEAN O’ROURKE , Journal Register News Service  08/17/2004

STORRS -- Big East Conference Commissioner Michael Tranghese was at the University of Connecticut Monday afternoon to deliver a message to the football team.

The Huskies are entering their first season as a member of the Big East and Tranghese wanted to let Randy Edsall’s team know that it has as good a chance as anybody in the league to be part of the Bowl Championship Series this season.

"All of you someday can be playing in the Rose Bowl or the Sugar Bowl or the Orange Bowl or the Fiesta Bowl," Tranghese said. "I’ve been privileged to go to all four places, and they’re a heck of a place to go, and you’re going to get there by working hard."

Tranghese then presented a Big East helmet and a BCS helmet to Edsall and UConn Athletic Director Jeff Hathaway before the Huskies started their late afternoon practice at Memorial Stadium. Edsall’s team practiced in the morning in their first two-a-day session of fall camp.

The departure of Miami and Virginia Tech allowed UConn to become a Big East member a year earlier than originally scheduled. Tranghese said Monday that it might have been a blessing in disguise for the league.

"If there was a benefit out of all the chaos a year ago, it was that we got to bring Connecticut into the football league a year earlier than intended," Tranghese said.

And just how long does Tranghese, who chaired the BCS committee in 2002, think it take UConn to reach a bowl game like the Rose or Orange?

"I think they have as good a chance down the road to get to a major bowl as anybody does," Tranghese said. "They just haven’t had a chance yet. They’re coming into the league at the right time. There’s no reason why Connecticut can’t be as successful as anybody else.

"The people they’ve played and the people they’ve beaten has happened sooner than I thought it would. I think Randy is ahead of schedule."

EXTRA POINTS

Sophomore tailback Cornell Brockington didn’t practice Monday after getting banged in the head during Sunday afternoon’s practice. Edsall expects Brockington to return today. ..Edsall hopes that freshman kicker Tony Ciaravino (strained quad) can return to practice by the end of the week. Edsall said Ciaravino will start kicking Nerf balls as soon as today to get his form back. ..Junior wide receiver Brandon Young had surgery to repair the torn ligament in his left foot late Monday afternoon at Windham Hospital and no report was available following practice. Young will miss the season. ..Redshirt freshman safety Donnell Ford left practice with a knee injury. ..Quarterback Dan Orlovsky hooked up with junior wide receiver Jason Williams on a perfectly timed 50-yard scoring pass late in practice. ..Mark Punzelt, a Hand-Madison product, saw some time at quarterback in Monday’s afternoon session. Punzelt is battling Jeff Fox for the starting long snapper slot, but he is also getting a look at third-string quarterback.

©The Middletown Press 2004  

Link: Tranghese: Sky’s the limit for Huskies football

[smazza]

they should be a  better team but Usf should be a power year after year

[ChiTownBull]

why does everyone expect UCONN to be so great?

[bulls96go]

$$$$$$$

and previous sucess in BBALL men and women

[ChiTownBull]

success in one sport does not automatically translate to a different sport.