John Silver on UConn football

Paul Pasqualoni hasn’t shied away from his philosophy on a running backs.  Running backs are meant to carry the ball, and the more the carries the better. Lyle McCombs, all 5-8, 170 pounds of him, was used like dump truck for the Huskies last season as the Staten Island native averaged 4.2 yards per carry and rushed for 1,151 yards and seven touchdowns.

McCombs was the workhorse back by necessity — no other viable options–  but with D.J. Shoemate returning from injury, speedster Joe Williams in the mix as a grey-shirt and Martin Hyppolite and Max DeLorenzo in the as power backs there is an opportunity for back by committee.

With more options, is McCombs going to see his load reduced? Not if he is producing.  Pasqualoni is adamant he likes to work one running back.

Durability is a big part of the equation for Pasqualoni. What good is an explosive playmaker on the bench?

“I don’t want a Jaguar. Jaguars are always in the shop and broken down,” Pasqualoni said of the famed British sports car. “I want a durable guy who when we put him in the game he stays in the game. I want them all to be able to play.”

It’s a colorful anecdote from Pasqualoni, who has some options in the backfield. The Huskies have churned out major running backs well before Pasqualoni got here, but the emphasis on the run remains. And, with it, the workhorse attitude. If running backs can’t be the workhorse, they can’t play for Pasqualoni.

Has Pasqualoni ever owned a Jaguar?

“No, but i’ve been around a ton of Jaguar running backs. It drives me crazy,” Pasqualoni said.

It’s a line that Pasqualioni has used repeatedly with his running backs and the sleight McCombs. McCombs was among the top five in the nations in carries and could well do so again this year. He’s not a Jaguar after his freshman season where he was at times the only running back to get a carry.

“(Pasqualoini) says  Jaguars always are in the shop,” McCombs, an All-Big East performer said Saturday. “He doesn’t want his running back sin the training room. He wants us to tough it out. I  don’t want to be out for the game and ruin the chemistry in the offense.”

That’s not to say there isn’t room for another back. Pasqualoini is trying to find ways to put the strength and speed on the field. Shoemate, at 220 pounds, looks stronger and bigger in spring than last year and could very well be a tough inside runner. Williams,  is a flat out burner and there is enough speed there that DeShon Foxx was moved to WR. It’s a position that finally has some depth to it, but the workhorse will be McCombs.

McCombs is going to asked to carry the load like a MAC truck, but all running backs want to flashy and McCombs has the perfect car for his style of running.

“Something low to the ground, like a corvette.”

Now, that’s a good a car.

* Pasqualoni talked about his thinking in allowing Tevrin Brandon to remain in the program despite a Feb. 18 arrest for assault. Brandon is due in Rockville Superior Court this week and was expelled from school by the university last Thursday. Pasqualoni had kept Brandon in the program and the junior corner from Bethlehem, Pa. participated in spring practice on Tuesday before leaving school

Pasqualoni on his reasoning:

“Is it a heavy price to pay? Yes. It’s a mistake and a heavy price to play. Personally, he’s never been on a list with anything. He’s never missed a class in a year to my knowledge. This one moment of bad judgement. I am going to help the kid. We left on great (terms)…when it happened we had a long conversation about how wrong it was.”

Pasqualoni said he wasn’t shocked by the disciplinary action and that certainly was a option that was known to Brandon in the program. Pasqualoni felt Brandon’s history afforded him a second chance.

“My policy is I was doing a lot of my own research into the thing. The whole big picture. If this was a guy on numerous lists (mandatory breakfast, tutors, study hall, behavior et5c.)…I have a lot of checks and balances and accounting. This is my accounting process. When I go back on something like this and he isn’t on one list for one thing in a year, I look deeper into it. I have a tendency to figure the whole thing out. A guy on the list 5 times and (arrest) happens (wipes hands) I am done. Something happens the first time? You try and be fair.”

Brandon’s absence departure does affect thee depth at corner in what’s an already thin position. The Huskies do have two of the better corners in the league starting however in rising seniors Dwayne Gratz and Blidi Wreh-Wilson.

* Practice was in pads for the first time, but it still wasn’t a full-on scrimmage, that will come next week according to Pasqualoni. There was no tackling today.

“We used today as third installation a day and the first day in pads getting acclimated,” Pasqualoini said. “We didn’t scrimmage. We played full speed full speed but no one the ground. You saw minimal guys leaving feet and on the ground. We got a lot done.”

* QBs? Casey Cochran is impressive with his accuracy and I like his arm, poise and command. He’s going to be a good player. The rest? Didn’t relly key in much on them though Chander Whitmer went hot and cold. He had some interceptions thrown, but also made several difficult pinpoint throws.  As far as the three amigos that return, Nebrich looked comfortable in the offense and McCummings remains the best physical specimen of the five. If only he could get that accuracy and fundamentals down, he could be a devastating quarterback.  McEntee has performed the same every single time I’ve seen him play. He remains the most consistent thrower.

*One play that made me go WOW was a pass to Mike Osiecki in the flat. Osiecki turned up field and just out ran the defense. I think everyone was shocked by his speed. He’s a former MLB playing Fb now, and I think he’s got the makings of more than a blocking back.

*The schedule is coming.  Temple is the holdup, likely trying to secure Lincoln Financial for the home games as they switch their schedule around.  It’s more a hassle for fans who want to plan, Pasqualini just knows they have UMass the Thursday before Labor Day.

OK, gotta pay the bills.

The first spring practice was in the books and after coach Paul Pasqualoni held his interviews with the media, and the other requested players did their media thing everyone started to head out.

I found myself looking around for a couple of players and coaches that I missed, naturally Casey Cochran was the first on my list. How could I not talk to Cochran? He was the topic dujour of the assembled horde.

I had never met Cochran before so I asked if he was still around. Sure enough, at the far end of the football field he was there doing wind sprints. Cochran would do a sprint and then some push-ups at the end. After his first practice he was still out there doing a workout? He didn’t seem to be trying to impress or anything. It’s just what he does.

He was kind of nice to talk to myself and Register reporter Chip Malafronte in between one of his intervals.

Cochran is a player that has a lot of hype in Connecticut. The two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year and the son of Jack Cochran, the controversial but incredibly brilliant former high school coach at Bloomfield, New Britain and New London. I covered Jack just a bit in New Britain when I was at The New Britain Herald. Casey has the same laser-like focus and drive, but as I found out talking to him, a much more relaxed less intense demeanor. That should serve him well as a quarterback.

Who knows what will become of Cochran at UConn. He is a true freshman weeks out of high school trying to learn a new system. He certainly can throw the ball, and he iis smart enough where grasping the offense won’t be a problem. He is on the small side and is a pocket passer, but he carried himself on Tuesday like he belonged. I am skeptical that Paul Pasqualoni and George DeLeone would start a true freshman at quarterback this year — there are other options, but if his work-ethic is any indication it would seem he has that intangible down.

Now, on to some early notes and observations.

* Yes, the quarterback position is all the rage. I like how Chandler Whitmer throws the ball. He is accurate, throws a tight spiral and is athletic. Be forewarned, he is on the small side at 6-1, 191 pounds. For comparision, I said last year how small Mike Nebrich looked, Nebrich looks huge at 6-1 208. The size is accurate on Whitmer, I stood next to him and he was a good 2 inches taller than me. I don’t think size is a detriment at this level and Whitmer looks like he can throw the football. We’ll see when pads come on.

Whitmer came to UConn after transferring from Illinois via Butler Community College. It was a system issue at Illinois as Nathan Scheelhaase won the job as the offense was geared around his running ability. That left Whitmer seeking a pro-style venue after a year at Butler and UConn was the perfect fit.

“Illinois was a great opportunity out of high school,” Whitmer said. “As we got going and Scheelhaase was the starter we tailored the offense to his strengths. I don’t have the same strengths they went with the pistol and the zone read. I want to run a pro style offense and run play action with deeper routes.”

Whitmer, origianlly from Georgia was at the UConn-Rutgers win and did watch the season finale at Cincinanti. He committed shortly thereafter.

* Mike Smith is back and wearing No. 6 in honor of his friend Japser Howard. Smith takes the jersey from Kashif Moore, who wore it last year.

“I feel it was right to wear it after Kash wore it last year,” Smith said. “I feel it is right for someone who knew Jazz to wear it while we were still here.”

Smith was academically ineligible last year and only attended one game, the Senior Day win over Rutgers to wish his friends Moore and Isaiah Moore off. Smith said going to games was too painful. He hated watching on TV.

* RB Joe Williams is fast. I don’t know what else to say, the kid can run. Also, D.J. Shoemate looks much bigger than I remember in the upper body and more nimble. He also has hair. Obviously, he was granted a medical redshirt. Running back depth? Is that possible? Guess so, Deshonn Foxx is now a wide receiver. McCombs/Shoemate/Hyppolite/Williams and Max DeLorenzo are the 5 RBs. Last season McCombs was a one man unit at times.

* T Jimmy Bennett was walking around months after another ACL injury. He is in the mix at tackle as the Huskies have to replace Mike Ryan. He isn’t back at practice yet but he could resume some light work this week. Penn State transfer Alex Mateas saw a lot of time at C. Lastly, Xavier Hemingway is 6-2, 262 poounds as a tackle. He had back surgery last fall and is still working his way back. He actually dropped some weight while recovering from back surgery. Paul Pasqualoni promised that he Hemingway would eventually be a 290 pound tackle. He looked like a TE today.

* Don Brown and George DeLeone weren’t happy cappers today. DeLeone excoriated the o-line several times. Brown? He was intense as the midseason. These guys don’t ease into spring practice.

That’s about it for today, got to pay the bills.

The school announced that S Jerome Junior was suspended from the team and is no enrolled in the school. Curious occurrences since the semester is half over, but Junior won’t be back for 2012.

University isn’t publicly commenting on the matters.

So where does that leave the secondary?

Surprisingly, despite the fact he was the fourth leading tackler and a 2 plus year starter, the Huskies have options. Ty-Meer Brown is returning at safety and he proved in his time as a redshirt freshman last year that he is more than capable of playing safety. Brown’s a playmaker and seems to be entrenched in the lineup.

Then, there is rising sophomore Byron Jones, who at times was terrific filling in at safety and also at corner in place of an injured Blidi Wreh-Wilson. I like Jones and Brown’s ability, athleticism and upside and if Jones stays at safety, they will be all right.

Junior was a physical safety and made plays, but, he never seemed to develop those safety instincts. He always seemed a half a second late, or took a poor angle on a tackle.

As a redshirt senior, he can’t be far from graduation. I would hope that he either has enough credits for a degree or plans on getting one soon. It would be shame to come this far and not get it.

Summing it up, it’s a loss for the Huskies but I don’t think it’s one that will incite any kind of panic.

Had a chance to sleep on the recruiting class and one thing that jumped out for the Huskies to me on signing day was the amount of linebackers Paul Pasqualoni brought in.

The Huskies brought in three highly-regarded linebackers in Omaine Stephens, Jason Sylva and Jonathan Hicks. That goes with last year’s highly regarded recruits of Morgan Vann and Jefferson Ashiru.

They also took a pair of players as fullbacks in Jazzmar Clax and Wyatt Vinci that also could play middle linebacker. When you add in rising sophomore Yawin Smallwood to the mix and Maryland transfer Ryan Donohue, the position looks to be loaded in future years. There is also LB Andrew Opoku, who is a terrific athlete and holdover Jory Johnson who only started every game.

Did I forget Sio Moore?

What the heck are you going to do with all these linebackers?

Considering the loss of Kendall Reyes and Twyon Martin, I am betting we see much more 3-4 this year and in the future. The Huskies did go 3-4 last year in spots and have a multiple look design up front, but with all these linebackers coming in, and a lack of depth at DT, I would think it’s going to be Shamar Stephen at the nose, flanked by Jesse Joseph and Trevardo Williams and then 4 fast and physical backers.

On another note, UConn went after prototype size. Five years ago Kendall Reyes came to UConn at 6-4 and 240 pounds and was a defensive end/tackle prospect. Reyes played LB in high school. He’s 300 pounds now, but I am not sure you can do that regularly with recruits.

Across the board the Huskies have guys who fit the prototype mold, especially defensively. For example, DT Mikal Myers is 300 pounds now, the linebackers in Sylva and Hicks are already 235-245 pounds and big, and not 210 pounds like Scott Lutrus and Lawrence Wilson  were coming in. The Huskies don’t have a single linebacker prospect coming in under 220 pounds. Add 10-15 pounds of muscle on a strength program in the coming year and you can project some pretty good size.

The linebackers are going to be heavier than defensive end Trevardo Williams. That’s a style change. The safety prospects are tall and athletic and I know Pasqualoni is very high on DE Elijah Norris, who at 6-4, 230 could be a terrific tight end if they wanted. Pasqualoni thinks he can be a major pass rushing playmaker.

I will get into the WR corps later, but the transfers all have more size. It’s not going to be a small unit anymore.

Lastly, Claxx had 176 tackles last year at Neptune High. I imagine the competition is pretty good at Neptune in New Hersey so that number stood out –  176 tackles? He’s going to get a look at FB, but a guy with that many tackles has to have an innate sense of where the ball is. Moving a LB to FB worked out well with Anthony Sherman and that’s probably the quickest way on the field for the Huskies.

Huskies went back to the NFL to get a coach.  Former Chicago Bears QB coach Shane Day takes over for Joe Moorhead.

I don’t have an opinion oh him, but it’s a nice resume for a young coach so far.  Here’s UConn’s release.

Conn Athletic Communications – January 24, 2012 – Shane Day

 

STORRS, Conn. (January 24, 2012) – Shane Day, who spent the past two years as the quarterbacks coach for the Chicago Bears, has been named to the same position at the University of Connecticut. Day is an 11-year veteran of the coaching profession – and has worked at all levels of football, including professional, high school and college.

 

As a member of the Bears’ staff, he helped led the team to the NFC North Division championship with a record of 11-5 and the team advanced to the NFC Championship game. He worked alongside offensive coordinator and former NFL head coach Mike Martz in Chicago.

 

Day joined the Chicago staff after spending the 2007-09 seasons as a quality control coach for the San Francisco 49ers under head coach as he worked with the offensive coaching staff in game planning and practice preparation. He worked with the quarterbacks in 2007, the running backs in 2008 and the offensive line 2009. He was part of the coaching staff for the 2008 Senior Bowl along with Martz.

 

Day was an offensive quality control coach for the University of Michigan in 2006 working with the quarterbacks. Among his duties in Ann Arbor were the evaluation of quarterback recruits and the development of the QBs already in the program. The Wolverines played in the 2007 Rose Bowl (a 32-18 loss to USC) while Day was part of the staff.

 

Day began his coaching career at Auburn (Wash.) Riverside High School, where he spent one season coaching the wide receivers (2001) and three overseeing the quarterbacks (2002-04), adding the duties of offensive coordinator during his final two years.

 

Day played collegiate football as a wide receiver at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., where he also lettered in baseball. He graduated from Kansas State in 1999 with a degree in English.

 

Day and his wife Christie are the parents of a newborn daughter, Vivienne.