2009 Connecticut Huskies football team
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Connecticut Huskies
football team represented the University of Connecticut
in the 2009 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference
. The team was coached by Randy Edsall
and played its home games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut
. The team finished with a record of 8–5, 3–4 in Big East
play and won the PapaJohns.com Bowl
20–7 against South Carolina
.
of the previous three years when Rob Ambrose
left the school to become the head coach
at Towson
. He will be replaced by Joe Moorhead, who was hired from Akron
, where he held the same position.
were selected in the 2009 NFL Draft
on April 25, 2009. Donald Brown
was selected at #27 by the Indianapolis Colts
, Darius Butler
was selected by the New England Patriots
at #41, Will Beatty and Cody Brown
were selected late in the 2nd round at #60 (Will Beatty, New York Giants) and #63 (Cody Brown, Arizona Cardinals).
After the Draft, four other Huskies signed free agent contracts with NFL Teams. Those Huskies include: Julius Williams
(Jacksonville Jaguars), Dahna Deleston (Chicago Bears), Tyler Lorenzen
(Jacksonville Jaguars), and Keith Gray (Carolina Panthers)
On May 2, 2009, Senior Martin Bédard
was taken in the second round of the CFL Canadian Football League
Draft by the Montreal Alouettes
.
announced that 21 student-athletes had signed a National Letter of Intent
to attend Connecticut. Three; Keensen Chambers, Jesse Joseph and Trevardo Williams; entered school in January to participate in spring practice.
.
The annual Blue-White Spring Game, which concludes spring practice, was held on April 18, 2009 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT. The game featured a modified scoring system, which would pit the offense directly against the defense. The offense prevailed, 83-57.
Doak Walker Award
:
Ted Hendricks Award
:
Lou Groza Award
:
Chuck Bednarik Award
:
UConn opened the scoring with a four yard touchdown pass from Zach Frazer to fullback
Anthony Davis in the first quarter. The score culminated a 91 yard drive which began following an Ohio turnover. The Bobcats found the scoreboard for the first time in the second quarter when quarterback
Boo Jackson found Taylor Price for a 43-yard touchdown. The Huskies, however, answered with a 35 yard touchdown pass from Frazer to Brad Kanuch on the subsequent drive. Lindsey Witten sacked new Ohio quarterback, Theo Scott in the endzone for a safety to provide the only scoring in the third quarter. A four yard touchdown run from Todman increased the Huskies lead to 23–7. The Bobcats attempted to make a fourth quarter comeback with a touchdown pass from Scott to Riley Dunlop, and a 50 yard field goal
from Matt Weller. However, the comeback was thwarted when the Huskies recovered an onside kick
with under three minutes in the game.
Andre Dixon
joined Todman by also rushing for 100 yards. It was the first time that two Huskies rushed for 100 yards in the same game since November 11, 2006, in a double overtime win against Pittsburgh
.
After the victory, game balls were awarded to Dixon (offense), Witten (defense) and Robbie Frey (special teams).
For his performance, Lindsey Witten
was awarded the Big East
Defensive Player of the Week. Jordan Todman was named to the weekly honor roll.
The game was the second and final in a two game series between the two schools. The first game of the series was played on September 21, 2002 at Memorial Stadium
in Storrs, Connecticut
. Connecticut is 2–0 all time against Ohio.
which resulted in a safety, the North Carolina Tar Heels escaped their first visit to Rentschler Field with a narrow 12–10 victory. Both teams were powered by stout defenses and provided rough going for both offenses.
The Huskies reached the scoreboard first when David Teggart kicked a 47-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Following Twyon Martin's first career interception
, the Huskies scored the game's first touchdown on a four yard run by Jordan Todman. However, North Carolina quickly responded in the fourth quarter with a 22-yard field goal, and, after a Huskies punt, followed with a two yard touchdown pass from T.J. Yates to Zack Pianalto, which tied the game at 10.
Facing a third and long from their own eight yard line, the Huskies' Dan Ryan was called for a holding penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety, and a two point Tar Heel lead. UConn's Alex Molina recovered the ensuing on-side kick, but the Huskies were unable to score.
The Huskies' Lindsey Witten recorded four sacks
, bringing his season total to seven through two games and placing him first in the FBS in that category. He was named to the Big East weekly honor roll for his performance.
Injuries played a large roll in the game for the Huskies. They played without starting linebacker
, Scott Lutrus, who was out with a shoulder injury. During the game, starting quarterback
, Zach Frazer, and starting tight end
, Ryan Griffin were both lost to injuries.
The game was the second and final in a two game series between the two schools. The first game of the series was played on October 4, 2008 at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
. Connecticut is 0–3 all time against North Carolina.
and Jordan Todman, and a stout defense. Dixon scored his first touchdown since 2007, and had his first multi touchdown game as he rushed for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns. The UConn defense was able to force three Bear turnovers, and held vaunted Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin
in check for most of the game.
For the second time in three games in 2009, the Huskies had two rushers eclipse the 100-yard mark, as Todman gained 103 yards.
UConn played the game without starting quarterback Zach Frazer, tight end Ryan Griffin and linebacker, Scott Lutrus missed his second consecutive game with a shoulder injury.
After the victory, game balls were awarded to Dixon, Lawrence Wilson, Desi Cullen and Jasper Howard. Dixon was also named to the Big East's weekly honor roll.
The game was the second and final in a two-game series between the two schools. The first game of the series was played on September 19, 2008 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut
. Connecticut is 2–0 all time against Baylor.
Three Huskies set career highs in the game - Redshirt sophomore quarterback Cody Endres (Washington, Pa.) set career-highs in completions and passing yards and threw the first two touchdowns of his career. Sophomore wide receiver Michael Smith (Houston, Texas), who set career standards with eight catches and 82 receiving yards. Sophomore running back Jordan Todman, who rushed for 70 yards on 15 carries and registered a career-best three rushing touchdowns.
For his performance, Lawrence Wilson was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. The Huskies improved to 3-1 on the season, while the Rams dropped to 1-2 with the loss.
.
Despite the loss, and largely due to his two interceptions and one touchdown, Robert Vaughn was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week. Connecticut dropped to 3–3 all time against Pittsburgh.
ran for 153 yards and three touchdowns and Connecticut beat Louisville for the Huskies first Big East win of the season. Another Husky who had a great game was junior cornerback Jasper Howard
, who had 11 tackles and recovered a fumble.
It would prove to be Howard's last game. He was stabbed to death at an official function in UConn's Student Union just after 12:30am the next morning.
With a season high 16 tackles, Lawrence Wilson was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week, the second consecutive recognition for a Husky. Andre Dixon was named to the weekly honor roll. Connecticut improved to 3–3 all-time against Louisville and 3–2 in Big East Conference contests against the Cardinals.
Robbie Frey was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll after the game.
With 162 rushing yards and four touchdowns, Jordan Todman was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. The Huskies dropped to 1–5 against the Bearcats.
Jordan Todman was named the Big East Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. Andre Dixon and Lawrence Wilson were also named to the Weekly Honor Roll. Connecticut is 1–0 against Notre Dame.
After the victory, Randy Edsall sent the game ball to the family of Jasper Howard.
With 17 tackles, Lawrence Wilson was named to the Big East's Weekly Honor Roll. Connecticut improved to 4–2 against the Orange.
After the victory, game balls were awarded to Zach Frazer (offense), Scott Lutrus (defense) and Dave Teggart (special teams). The three were also named to the Big East's weekly honor roll. Connecticut is 3–4 all time against South Florida.
rushed for 126 yards and one touchdown as the Huskies defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks in the fourth annual PapaJohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama
. It was the Huskies third bowl victory in four attempts, and their first ever win over an opponent from the Southeastern Conference
. The UConn defense came up strong by forcing two Gamecock turnovers, and holding the South Carolina offence to 205 yards.
Dixon, who was awarded the Fred Sington Most Valuable Player trophy, eclipsed 1000 rushing yards for the year during the game, joining Jordan Todman. The Huskies joined Georgia Tech
and Nevada
as the only Football Bowl Subdivision teams with two runners with at least 1000 rushing yards. It was also the first time that UConn accomplished the feat.
was killed after being stabbed during a fight on the university's campus.
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
football team represented the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
in the 2009 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
. The team was coached by Randy Edsall
Randy Edsall
Randy Douglas Edsall is an American college football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Maryland. Edsall was the head coach at the University of Connecticut from 1999 until the 2011 Fiesta Bowl, and oversaw the program's promotion from the NCAA Division I–AA level to...
and played its home games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. The team finished with a record of 8–5, 3–4 in Big East
2009 Big East Conference football season
The 2009 Big East football season was an NCAA football season that was played from September 5, 2009, to January 2, 2010. The Big East Conference consists of 8 football members: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse, and West Virginia...
play and won the PapaJohns.com Bowl
2010 PapaJohns.com Bowl
The 2010 PapaJohns.com Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Connecticut Huskies of the Big East Conference and the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference , on January 2, 2010 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama...
20–7 against South Carolina
2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team's head football coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his fifth season at USC. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in...
.
Coaching Changes
Connecticut lost its offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
of the previous three years when Rob Ambrose
Rob Ambrose
-References:...
left the school to become the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
at Towson
Towson Tigers
The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 20 Division I athletic teams The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson...
. He will be replaced by Joe Moorhead, who was hired from Akron
Akron Zips football
The University of Akron Zips are a college football program representing the University of Akron that competes in NCAA Division I FBS Mid-American Conference football...
, where he held the same position.
Key Losses
Four players on the 2008 Connecticut Huskies football team2008 Connecticut Huskies football team
The 2008 Connecticut Huskies football team represents the University of Connecticut in the 2008 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference...
were selected in the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
on April 25, 2009. Donald Brown
Donald Brown (American football)
Donald Eugene Brown II is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was the starting running back for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2006 to 2008.-High school career:Brown attended Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New...
was selected at #27 by the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, Darius Butler
Darius Butler
-New England Patriots:Butler was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On July 10, 2009, he signed a four-year contract with the Patriots that included a total of about $2.1 million in guaranteed money....
was selected by the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
at #41, Will Beatty and Cody Brown
Cody Brown
Cody Dion Brown is an American football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
were selected late in the 2nd round at #60 (Will Beatty, New York Giants) and #63 (Cody Brown, Arizona Cardinals).
After the Draft, four other Huskies signed free agent contracts with NFL Teams. Those Huskies include: Julius Williams
Julius Williams
Julius Williams is an Canadian football defensive end who is currently playing for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
(Jacksonville Jaguars), Dahna Deleston (Chicago Bears), Tyler Lorenzen
Tyler Lorenzen
Tyler John Lorenzen is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
(Jacksonville Jaguars), and Keith Gray (Carolina Panthers)
On May 2, 2009, Senior Martin Bédard
Martin Bédard
Martin Bédard is a professional Canadian football fullback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Alouettes in the second round of the 2009 CFL Draft. He played college football for the UConn Huskies.-External links:**...
was taken in the second round of the CFL Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
Draft by the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
.
Recruiting
On February 4, 2009, Randy EdsallRandy Edsall
Randy Douglas Edsall is an American college football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Maryland. Edsall was the head coach at the University of Connecticut from 1999 until the 2011 Fiesta Bowl, and oversaw the program's promotion from the NCAA Division I–AA level to...
announced that 21 student-athletes had signed a National Letter of Intent
National Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating NCAA colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association provides...
to attend Connecticut. Three; Keensen Chambers, Jesse Joseph and Trevardo Williams; entered school in January to participate in spring practice.
Spring Practice
Connecticut kicked off spring practice with the first of fifteen practices on March 17, 2009. Among the priorities set by the coaching staff are to have the team learn the newly installed up-tempo offensive game plan, determine how the running backs would replace Donald Brown, and take steps in determining who would replace Tyler Lorenzen as the starting quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
.
The annual Blue-White Spring Game, which concludes spring practice, was held on April 18, 2009 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT. The game featured a modified scoring system, which would pit the offense directly against the defense. The offense prevailed, 83-57.
Awards Watchlists
The players listed below have been named to the following preseason award watch lists.Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
:
- Andre DixonAndre DixonAndre Jamar Dixon is an American football running back who currently plays for the Sacramento Mountain Lions. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a first round draft pick in 2010. He played college football at Connecticut....
, Senior - Jordan Todman, Sophomore
Ted Hendricks Award
Ted Hendricks Award
The Ted Hendricks Award is given annually to college football's top defensive end. The award is named after Ted Hendricks, who is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is presented by his own 501 foundation, called the Ted Hendricks...
:
- Lindsey WittenLindsey WittenLindsey Rashaun Witten is an American football defensive end for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He was cut at the end of camp and signed by the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League...
, Senior
Lou Groza Award
Lou Groza Award
The Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is named after former Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns player Lou Groza.-Winners:...
:
- David Teggart, Sophomore
Chuck Bednarik Award
Chuck Bednarik Award
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive collegiate football player adjudged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States...
:
- Scott Lutrus, Junior
Schedule
Roster
| 2009 Connecticut Huskies roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Tailbacks
Fullbacks
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
 Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Lawrence Wilson Lawrence Jamel Wilson is an American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers. He finished his collegiate career second in tackles all-time for the Huskies. In both his junior and senior seasons, he led the Big East in tackles and was selected to the All-Big East First Team. He finished... , RS Jr  Greg Lloyd, Jr. Gregory Lenard Lloyd II is an American football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Eagles in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Connecticut.... , Jr Defensive Backs
|
Kickers
Classes Key: Fr – Freshman; first year player. So Sophomore Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a... – Sophomore; second year player. Jr Junior (education) "Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman... – Junior; third year player. Sr Senior (education) Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:... – Senior; fourth year player. Bold – Team captain Captain (sports) In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field... . RS Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility... – Previously used a redshirt Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility... . 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the... . Roster |
|||
Ohio
The Huskies were led by 157 yards rushing from Jordan Todman, as they defeated the Ohio Bobcats 23–16 in front of a record crowd at Peden Stadium. They were able to overcome four turnovers and a missed field goal with a solid running game and stout defense.UConn opened the scoring with a four yard touchdown pass from Zach Frazer to fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Anthony Davis in the first quarter. The score culminated a 91 yard drive which began following an Ohio turnover. The Bobcats found the scoreboard for the first time in the second quarter when quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Boo Jackson found Taylor Price for a 43-yard touchdown. The Huskies, however, answered with a 35 yard touchdown pass from Frazer to Brad Kanuch on the subsequent drive. Lindsey Witten sacked new Ohio quarterback, Theo Scott in the endzone for a safety to provide the only scoring in the third quarter. A four yard touchdown run from Todman increased the Huskies lead to 23–7. The Bobcats attempted to make a fourth quarter comeback with a touchdown pass from Scott to Riley Dunlop, and a 50 yard field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
from Matt Weller. However, the comeback was thwarted when the Huskies recovered an onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
with under three minutes in the game.
Andre Dixon
Andre Dixon
Andre Jamar Dixon is an American football running back who currently plays for the Sacramento Mountain Lions. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a first round draft pick in 2010. He played college football at Connecticut....
joined Todman by also rushing for 100 yards. It was the first time that two Huskies rushed for 100 yards in the same game since November 11, 2006, in a double overtime win against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
.
After the victory, game balls were awarded to Dixon (offense), Witten (defense) and Robbie Frey (special teams).
For his performance, Lindsey Witten
Lindsey Witten
Lindsey Rashaun Witten is an American football defensive end for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He was cut at the end of camp and signed by the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League...
was awarded the Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
Defensive Player of the Week. Jordan Todman was named to the weekly honor roll.
The game was the second and final in a two game series between the two schools. The first game of the series was played on September 21, 2002 at Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Storrs)
Memorial Stadium is a stadium in Storrs, Connecticut. It was primarily used for American football, and was the home field of the University of Connecticut football team between 1953 and 2002, before the opening of Rentschler Field. The stadium holds 16,200 people and was built in 1953. It was...
in Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs is a census-designated place and part of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut located in eastern Tolland County. The population was 10,996 at the 2000 census...
. Connecticut is 2–0 all time against Ohio.
North Carolina
Aided by a late holding penaltyPenalty (American football)
In American football and Canadian football, a penalty is a sanction called against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow or orange colored "penalty flag" onto the field toward or at the spot of a foul...
which resulted in a safety, the North Carolina Tar Heels escaped their first visit to Rentschler Field with a narrow 12–10 victory. Both teams were powered by stout defenses and provided rough going for both offenses.
The Huskies reached the scoreboard first when David Teggart kicked a 47-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Following Twyon Martin's first career interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
, the Huskies scored the game's first touchdown on a four yard run by Jordan Todman. However, North Carolina quickly responded in the fourth quarter with a 22-yard field goal, and, after a Huskies punt, followed with a two yard touchdown pass from T.J. Yates to Zack Pianalto, which tied the game at 10.
Facing a third and long from their own eight yard line, the Huskies' Dan Ryan was called for a holding penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety, and a two point Tar Heel lead. UConn's Alex Molina recovered the ensuing on-side kick, but the Huskies were unable to score.
The Huskies' Lindsey Witten recorded four sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, bringing his season total to seven through two games and placing him first in the FBS in that category. He was named to the Big East weekly honor roll for his performance.
Injuries played a large roll in the game for the Huskies. They played without starting linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, Scott Lutrus, who was out with a shoulder injury. During the game, starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Zach Frazer, and starting tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
, Ryan Griffin were both lost to injuries.
The game was the second and final in a two game series between the two schools. The first game of the series was played on October 4, 2008 at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
. Connecticut is 0–3 all time against North Carolina.
Baylor
The Huskies overcame multiple injuries to defeat the Baylor Bears 30–22. They were led by a strong rushing game, led by the tandem of Andre DixonAndre Dixon
Andre Jamar Dixon is an American football running back who currently plays for the Sacramento Mountain Lions. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a first round draft pick in 2010. He played college football at Connecticut....
and Jordan Todman, and a stout defense. Dixon scored his first touchdown since 2007, and had his first multi touchdown game as he rushed for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns. The UConn defense was able to force three Bear turnovers, and held vaunted Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin
Robert Griffin (American football)
Robert Lee Griffin III is the starting quarterback for the Baylor Bears college football team. As a true freshman, he earned Big 12 Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year honors.-Early life and high school career:...
in check for most of the game.
For the second time in three games in 2009, the Huskies had two rushers eclipse the 100-yard mark, as Todman gained 103 yards.
UConn played the game without starting quarterback Zach Frazer, tight end Ryan Griffin and linebacker, Scott Lutrus missed his second consecutive game with a shoulder injury.
After the victory, game balls were awarded to Dixon, Lawrence Wilson, Desi Cullen and Jasper Howard. Dixon was also named to the Big East's weekly honor roll.
The game was the second and final in a two-game series between the two schools. The first game of the series was played on September 19, 2008 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. Connecticut is 2–0 all time against Baylor.
Rhode Island
The Huskies overcame seven fumbles to beat Rhode Island 52-10 before a crowd of 38,620 at Rentschler Field. The game was the 1000th played in Connecticut football history, which dates back to 1896.Three Huskies set career highs in the game - Redshirt sophomore quarterback Cody Endres (Washington, Pa.) set career-highs in completions and passing yards and threw the first two touchdowns of his career. Sophomore wide receiver Michael Smith (Houston, Texas), who set career standards with eight catches and 82 receiving yards. Sophomore running back Jordan Todman, who rushed for 70 yards on 15 carries and registered a career-best three rushing touchdowns.
For his performance, Lawrence Wilson was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. The Huskies improved to 3-1 on the season, while the Rams dropped to 1-2 with the loss.
Pittsburgh
UConn took a 21-6 lead with 3:56 to go in the third quarter after Andre Dixon scored on a two-yard run that capped an eight play-61 yard drive. The Panthers then came right back to make it 21-13 as they had an eight-play 74-yard TD drive in the final moments of third quarter. Stull completed a 26-yard TD pass to Jonathan Baldwin for the score. Pittsburgh tied the game at 21-21 with 7:35 to go on a 27-yard TD pass by Stull to Dorin Dickerson. In the final seconds of the game, University of Pittsburgh kicker Dan Hutchins knocked in an 18-yard field goal to give the Panthers the 24-21 comeback lead and the victory in front of 44,893 at Heinz FieldHeinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
.
Despite the loss, and largely due to his two interceptions and one touchdown, Robert Vaughn was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week. Connecticut dropped to 3–3 all time against Pittsburgh.
Louisville
In the homecoming game the Huskies scored in every quarter to win the game 38-25. Senior running back Andre DixonAndre Dixon
Andre Jamar Dixon is an American football running back who currently plays for the Sacramento Mountain Lions. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a first round draft pick in 2010. He played college football at Connecticut....
ran for 153 yards and three touchdowns and Connecticut beat Louisville for the Huskies first Big East win of the season. Another Husky who had a great game was junior cornerback Jasper Howard
Jasper Howard
Jasper Tyrone Howard , was a cornerback for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2007 to 2009. He was fatally stabbed on October 18, 2009, hours after UConn's win over the Louisville Cardinals.- Early life :...
, who had 11 tackles and recovered a fumble.
It would prove to be Howard's last game. He was stabbed to death at an official function in UConn's Student Union just after 12:30am the next morning.
With a season high 16 tackles, Lawrence Wilson was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week, the second consecutive recognition for a Husky. Andre Dixon was named to the weekly honor roll. Connecticut improved to 3–3 all-time against Louisville and 3–2 in Big East Conference contests against the Cardinals.
West Virginia
The game had an emotional start as there was a moment of silence for Connecticut junior cornerback Jasper Howard. Following the moment of silence both teams had a pregame handshake at midfield. The Huskies had a sticker of Jasper's initials put on each of their helmets to honor him. West Virginia got off to a quick 7-0 lead as Tavon Austin returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown in the fastest score against the Huskies in the FBS era. UConn then scored the next 10 points of the game as Jordan Todman scored his seventh TD of the season on a five-yard run that wrapped up a nine-play, 67-yard drive with 5:46 left in the first quarter. UConn took a 17-14 lead into halftime. A 56-yard touchdown run by Noel Devine with 2:10 remaining in the game gave West Virginia a 28-24 lead and the victory over the University of Connecticut football team before a crowd of 58,106 at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.Rutgers
Just like in the previous game against West Virginia, UConn had the lead in the fourth quarter but with 22 seconds left in the game Tim Brown scored on an 81-yard pass from Tom Savage to give Rutgers a 28-24 victory. The loss drops the Huskies to 4-4 on the season, 1-3 in conference play. The Scarlet Knights improve to 6-2, 1-2 in league action.Robbie Frey was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll after the game.
Cincinnati
Both teams used their backup quarterbacks due to injuries to the starting quarterbacks. Zach Frazer for the Huskies and Zach Collaros for the Bearcats. The two teams traded touchdowns on their opening possessions as the Bearcats drove down the field 80 yards on eight plays to score on a one-yard run by Isaiah Pead less than three minutes into the game. The Huskies came right back and moved the ball 79 yards in 11 plays as Todman had his first score of the night on a six-yard run to tie the game at 7-7. Cincinnati scored the next 10 points on a 41-yard field goal by Jacob Roberts with 4:57 to go in the first quarter and a four-yard TD run by Collaros to complete a 10 play-87 yard drive 48 second into the second quarter. Cincy took a 30-10 score into the half. UConn scored two touchdowns coming out of the half to cut the Cincinnati lead down to eight. On a fourth and one with a little more than five minutes remaining in the game, Todman recorded his career best fourth touchdown run of the game to pull the Huskies within two points. Frazer dropped back to pass on the two-point conversion but was knocked down by Curtis Young as Cincy kept their lead heading into the final minutes of the fourth quarter. It looked like the Huskies had stopped Cincinnati on their final drive of the game when junior Lawrence Wilson (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) put pressure on the running game to force a fourth down. But the Bearcats went for it and Isaiah Pead broke free from the UConn defense to run in a 14-yard score putting Cincy back up by nine with just 1:52 remaining in the game. Easley brought the Huskies within three points with 13 seconds remaining in the game scoring his first touchdown of the night on a nine-yard pass from Frazer. Teggart tacked on the extra point to bring the Huskies within two. UConn's on side kick attempt was fielded by Charley Howard to seal the Cincinnati victory. UConn fell to 4-5 on the season and 1-4 in the BIG EAST while the fifth-ranked Bearcats improved to 9-0 and 5-0 in the BIG EAST.With 162 rushing yards and four touchdowns, Jordan Todman was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. The Huskies dropped to 1–5 against the Bearcats.
Notre Dame
Clausen got the Irish on the board first with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Tate with 10:59 to play in the opening quarter. The score would remain 7-0 until the 14:32 mark of the second quarter, when Clausen capped an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive with a one-yard scoring plunge to put Notre Dame on top, 14-0. The Huskies cut the deficit to 14-7 on their next possession, when Todman broke free for a 43-yard touchdown run. UConn made it a 14-10 game late in the second quarter on a 39-yard field goal by Dave Teggart. The Irish pushed their lead back to seven after David Ruffer kicked a 20-yard field goal at the 9:29 mark of the third quarter. But Todman returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to make it a 17-17 game. After the teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter, the UConn defense recovered a fumble at the Notre Dame 41 with 49 seconds to play. Teggart had a chance to give UConn the victory at the end of regulation, but his 37-yard field goal sailed wide left as time expired. Each team scored a touchdown in the first overtime and at the end of the OT the teams were tied and went to a second OT. The Irish were not able to move the chains to open the second overtime, and they had to settle for a Ruffer field goal. Andre Dixon scored on a four-yard touchdown run in the second overtime, as the Connecticut Huskies finally pulled out a close game and beat Notre Dame, 33-30 at Notre Dame Stadium.Jordan Todman was named the Big East Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. Andre Dixon and Lawrence Wilson were also named to the Weekly Honor Roll. Connecticut is 1–0 against Notre Dame.
After the victory, Randy Edsall sent the game ball to the family of Jasper Howard.
Syracuse
The Huskies became bowl eligible for the third consecutive season with a 56-31 win over Big East foe Syracuse. The Huskies scored on their first possession after holding Syracuse to a three-and-out on the game's opening possession and Orange punter Rob Long's punt got caught up in the brisk wind that plagued the entire contest and went just 13 yards. Eight plays later, Dixon scored from the four to put the Huskies in front and give them a lead they would never relinquish. After a Syracuse field goal, Mike Lang returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for the Huskies' third kickoff return for a touchdown of the season. Syracuse then scored a touchdown to make the score 14-10. Later in the second quarter, Twyon Martin recovered a Delone Carter fumble setting up the Huskies at the Syracuse 43. One play later, sophomore running back Jordan Todman rambled in from the 37 to put the Huskies ahead, 21-10. The run gave Todman exactly 1,000 rushing yards this season and the score was Todman's 15th touchdown on the season. The Huskies took a 28-17 lead into the locker room. The Huskies continued their offensive domination in the second half when they marched 80 yards in 15 plays that saw Frazer hit Easley with an 8-yard touchdown pass. Paulus hit Lavar Lobdell with a 12-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter, but Connecticut answered right back when Dixon scurried in from the 45 to give the Huskies a 42-24 lead. Carter capped an 84-yard drive with a 10-yard scoring run, but late in the game, with Huskies facing a fourth-and-11 from the Syracuse 28, Frazer connected again with Easley on a touchdown pass to put the Huskies back safely ahead, 49-31. Syracuse wide receiver Antwon Bailey caught a pass from Paulus and tried to lateral to Lemon, but the ball was fumbled and Connecticut's Dwayne Gratz scooped up the errant ball and took it to the end zone with the recovery.With 17 tackles, Lawrence Wilson was named to the Big East's Weekly Honor Roll. Connecticut improved to 4–2 against the Orange.
South Florida
South Florida came from warm and sunny Tampa, Florida to cold and snowy East Hartford, Connecticut, but that did not stop the Bulls as they marched down the snowy field and were up 27-26 with 40 seconds left to go in the game. After the Bulls failed to make the 2 point conversion the Huskies were still in the game. Quarterback Zach Frazer made completions to Ryan Griffin, Andre Dixon and Kashif Moore put the Huskies at the USF 26, and Dixon ran the ball to the middle of the field to set up kicker Dave Teggart's winning attempt. By then the snow slowed down and Teggart who missed a 46-yard field goal earlier in the game made a 42-yard field goal as time expired to give Connecticut a 29-27 football victory over South Florida before a crowd of 35,624 at Rentschler Field. The game was Senior Night for 16 Huskies who played their final game for Connecticut.After the victory, game balls were awarded to Zach Frazer (offense), Scott Lutrus (defense) and Dave Teggart (special teams). The three were also named to the Big East's weekly honor roll. Connecticut is 3–4 all time against South Florida.
South Carolina
Andre DixonAndre Dixon
Andre Jamar Dixon is an American football running back who currently plays for the Sacramento Mountain Lions. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a first round draft pick in 2010. He played college football at Connecticut....
rushed for 126 yards and one touchdown as the Huskies defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks in the fourth annual PapaJohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. It was the Huskies third bowl victory in four attempts, and their first ever win over an opponent from the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. The UConn defense came up strong by forcing two Gamecock turnovers, and holding the South Carolina offence to 205 yards.
Dixon, who was awarded the Fred Sington Most Valuable Player trophy, eclipsed 1000 rushing yards for the year during the game, joining Jordan Todman. The Huskies joined Georgia Tech
2009 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2009 Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2009–2010 Football Season. The team was coached by second year head coach Paul Johnson...
and Nevada
2009 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
The 2009 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolf Pack were led by head coach Chris Ault, entering his 25th overall season at Nevada, and 6th season since becoming the head coach for the third time in 2004....
as the only Football Bowl Subdivision teams with two runners with at least 1000 rushing yards. It was also the first time that UConn accomplished the feat.
October stabbing
On October 18, the morning after the Louisville game starting cornerback Jasper HowardJasper Howard
Jasper Tyrone Howard , was a cornerback for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2007 to 2009. He was fatally stabbed on October 18, 2009, hours after UConn's win over the Louisville Cardinals.- Early life :...
was killed after being stabbed during a fight on the university's campus.
See also
- Connecticut HuskiesConnecticut HuskiesThe Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
- Connecticut Huskies footballConnecticut Huskies footballThe Connecticut Huskies football team is a collegiate football team that competes in NCAA Division I-A and the Big East Conference. Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and...