All hands on deck for UConn's makeshift secondary

Byron Jones is the only member of the projected starting secondary to get on the field for every game this season.

Safety Ty-Meer Brown will miss his fourth straight game due to a shoulder/neck issue, cornerback Taylor Mack missed five games with a shoulder injury,  Andrew Adams suffered a shoulder injury during the preseason and missed the first four games of the season. Nickel corner David Stevenson is out for the season following knee surgery and Jhavon Williams the Temple game with a concussion and is not in uniform today.

What has happened is that it is opened up playing time for others. Obi Melifonwu came into preseason camp as a backup yet he enters the Rutgers game as the Huskies' third-leading tackler. Last week Tyree Clark stepped forward and had eight tackles in the win over Temple.

It hasn't always been pretty as there have been missed assignments and big plays allowed but with everybody back next year except for Mack, the experience gained this season could prove beneficial next season.

"Michigan was the first time stepping in and playing nickel and it was basically the same thing," Clark said. "I work really hard and I know when my name is going to be called, I am going to do my job. Football is very important. I want to make sure whenever my name is called I step up to it.

"We stay on top of each other make sure everybody gets the right reps, gets the right calls and makes sure everybody is playing together. Basically, if somebody goes down we know somebody is going to step up and play like they are supposed to."