EARLY BIRD 2008 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
RELEASED DECEMBER 2007
CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
OFFENSE - 10
------RETURNING STARTERS------
DEFENSE - 8
KEY LOSSES
OFFENSE: Larry Taylor-WR, Donald Thomas-OG
DEFENSE: Dan Davis-DT, Danny Lansanah-MLB, Tyvon Branch-CB
Running Back / Defensive End

This is a running football team with multiple rushers, including Lorenzen under center. Senior DEs Brown and Williams bring back a 15-sack total between them.

Quarterback / MLB

UConn isn't going to "wow" anyone throwing the ball, but to take the next step in 2008, Lorenzen needs to develop better throwing skills. The tackling and leadership of All-Big East performer Danny Lansanah from the middle of the defense will be surely missed.

TB Andre Dixon
 
DE Quentin Groves
 
* DEPTH CHARTS were only designed as a simplistic gauge for listing players that departed and players that received the most playing experience (consistent starters). NationalChamps.net recognizes the importance of missing personnel data not listed such as redshirts, transfers, injuries, incoming recruits, back ups and alternates. Their coverage will begin with our full 2008 Preseason Preview due out this coming spring.
 
CONNECTICUT 2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/
Key Players
OFFENSE
QB Tyler Lorenzen-Sr Dennis Brown-Jr
FB Anthony Davis-So Anthony Sherman-So
TB Andre Dixon-Jr Donald Brown-Jr
WR Terence Jeffers-Jr ..
WR Brad Kanuch-Jr ..
WR D.J. Hernandez-Sr ..
TE Steve Brouse-Sr Martin Bedard-Sr
OT William Beatty-Sr ..
OG Alex LaMagdelaine-Jr Lawrence Green-Jr
C Keith Gray-Sr ..
OG .. ..
OT Mike Hicks-Jr Dan Ryan-Jr
K Tony Ciaravino-Sr ..
 
CONNECTICUT 2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/
Key Players
DEFENSE
DE Julius Williams-Sr Mike Cox-So
DT Rob Lunn-Sr ..
DT Alex Polito-So ..
DE Cody Brown-Sr Lindsey Witten-Jr
SLB Scott Lutrus-So ..
MLB Aaron Bryant-Jr ..
WLB Lawrence Wilson-So ..
CB Darius Butler-Sr ..
CB Robert McClain-Jr ..
S Robert Vaughn-Jr ..
S Dahna Deleston-Sr ..
P Desi Cullen-Jr ..
QUICK ANALYSIS

Seeing a team like UConn starting out the season in a ranked position is likely to leave some people scratching their heads. Still, to make it to the Huskies final regular season game of ‘07 in Morgantown and play for the Big East championship has to sway some doubters. Sure, they lost by a good margin, and an argument can be made that UConn therefore isn’t worthy of a preseason top 25 ranking. ‘Flying under the radar’ has been the blueprint for building this program, and head coach Randy Edsall is not ashamed to follow it - play a lighter (non-conference) schedule, build some wins and confidence, and the next thing Husky fans know, their team is ranked. The reasons this team can be considered worthy have to do with the amount of experience (19 starters) coming back from a nine-win team. While senior QB Tyler Lorenzen isn't going to beat many teams throwing the rock, his feet combined with those of UConn’s talented RBs will. The passing game struggled at times but should be much improved with all of the experience returning at the receiver spots. The OL started out on the youthful side in ‘07, but after having a full season together, they, too, will be much improved. Defensively, the Huskies are not going to place many names on the All-American list, but count on pressure coming from the outside with senior DEs Williams and Brown bringing back 24.5 tackles-for-loss between them. UConn became the second-fastest team to ever make the polls (five years and ten weeks) after moving up from what was once called Division I-AA, trailing only Marshall (which took two years and four weeks) in that feat. After building the new stadium (where UConn went 7-0 this past fall) coach Edsall has ignited a winning pigskin spark across the Nutmeg State. Getting back into position to play for the conference title may be in "Storrs" for Connecticut fans if they can put forth the same consummate team effort.

 

CONNECTICUT
2008 SCHEDULE

8-30 HOFSTRA
9-6 at Temple
9-13 VIRGINIA
9-20 BAYLOR
10-4 at North Carolina
at Syracuse
at South Florida
at Louisville
CINCINNATI
WEST VIRGINIA
PITTSBURGH
at Rutgers