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EARLY
BIRD 2008 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
RELEASED DECEMBER 2007 |
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CONNECTICUT
HUSKIES |
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OFFENSE
- 10 |
------RETURNING
STARTERS------ |
DEFENSE
- 8 |
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KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Larry Taylor-WR, Donald Thomas-OG |
DEFENSE:
Dan
Davis-DT, Danny Lansanah-MLB, Tyvon Branch-CB |
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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. |
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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. |
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TB
Andre Dixon |
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DE
Quentin Groves |
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*
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. |
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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 |
.. |
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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 |
.. |
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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.
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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
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