DeLorenzo makes an impact

Without providing any specifics, UConn interim coach T.J. Weist vowed that there would be some changes on the offense.

It didn't take long in Weist's second game at the helm to see one difference in how he handled the personnel.

Max DeLorenzo averaged just under 4 1/2 carries in the first five games of the season. He almost topped that mark on the Huskies' second offensive drive as the redshirt sophomore from Berlin carried the ball four times in a span of six plays. DeLorenzo had 25 of his team-high 46 yards on that one drive. DeLorenzo later accounted for the Huskies' only offensive touchdown with a 12-yard scoring run in the third quarter which snapped a streak of scoreless second-half possessions at 20.

DeLorenzo had a couple runs when he simply lowered his shoulders and bulled his way for an additional yard or two which is something that has been missing from the UConn running game in the last couple of seasons.

"We watch on film and Coach says why don’t you stiff arm on here, make a move here and I am trying to mix the game up because Lyle is going to be doing that (outside running) so I try to give them a different look," DeLorenzo said.. Last week we ran the ball well but this week other than a couple of plays, we didn’t get the job done. It comes down to making plays."

DeLorenzo's touchdown was his first on offense although he did return a punt 9 yards for a score in the 2012 season opener against UMass.

"It felt good," DeLorenzo said. "I was confident through the whole game and I wish it had be at a better time, with a better scenario, that touchdown isn’t easy to look at because we lost."

DeLorenzo could play a larger role moving forward as Weist tries to find some answers on offense.

UConn tried to establish the run early especially in the second quarter when the Huskies ran the ball on 12 of 18 plays. But trailing 27-3 at halftime, it was harder to stick with the running game . DeLorenzo only carried the ball twice after halftime with one of them going for the TD.

He was frustrated with the performance of the offense against Cincinnati even if the Huskies managed more yards on Saturday than they did against Cincinnati in the 2012 season finale.

"The offense took a step back," Weist said.

"We still have the players, effort wasn’t an issue in this game. I think they were focused, I think they gave effort. On offense our guys were running, they were coming off the ball they never stopped trying but we just had some breakdowns. We are not ignorant enough to say we are going to do the exact same things because if it ain’t working, you’d better find something. You can only go so far and say we have to get better, sure we have to make some changes and mix things up and that is what we are doing whether it is personnel or scheme, we have to find a way to put our players in better positions and motivate them to make plays. We are constantly working on it and that is a sign of a good staff being able to adjust whether it is at halftime, in game or on Sundays and Mondays get ready for that next game because we have an even better opponent coming up."

DeLorenzo is confident that the Huskies have the pieces in place to be a productive offensive team.

"What we are doing it is not good (enough) right now," DeLorenzo said. "We have talent and we have talent to put points on the board. If we gave what we played with (the intensity) in the first half the way we played in the second half it is a different ball game.

We have too much character. We work too hard, we have too much talent on this team to be 0-6. We still have time but it is running out. We just have to put it together, one play here and we were on the 2 yard line and we had to settle for a field goal and we missed another field goal so we have to score, we can’t be putting pressure like that on our kicker and our defense."

One likely change on offense could come on the offensive line but not by choice. Starting right guard has a cardiac issue and Weist said information is still being gathered on the prognosis for Cruz and if he can return to the field.

"He has a cardiac issue that we are still dealing with," Weist said. "It wasn’t really an injury, it is a cardiac issue and we have to determine exactly what it is. He has to get some tests done and I can’t really say exactly what it is just yet because we are not sure and we have to work through some things."

Cruz didn't make the trip to Cincinnati and sophomore Tyler Samra got the start. As the same wore on, senior Tyler Bullock got worked into the rotation at right guard.

"Tyler (Samra) at times played well and at times he was average and made some mistakes, he made a mistake down on the goal line that cost us," Weist said. "Tyler (Bullock) came in and was a little rusty, played a little better in the run game they just did OK, we have to be better up front."

Weist wasn't happy with the play of freshman quarterback Tim Boyle who threw three interceptions and was sacked eight times. While the line struggled to contain Cincinnati's edge pass rushers, Boyle made things worse by stepping up into where the pressure was. He rarely faced pressure when he quarterbacked at Xavier so that is one area where he needs to get better.

"He has to make better decisions and not turn the ball over," Weist said. "We said we are going to be patient (with Boyle)  and we really have to look at it but he’s got a lot to learn. Last game we felt like we didn’t have as much to learn as this game because this game he had more pressure, he had three interceptions and he had some turnovers that cost us so he has to make a big step to get better this week. Our receivers played better. We got Shak (Phillips_ back, he came back and made some catches. He is not full speed yet but he will give us a weapon on the outside when he gets to be full speed because Geremy (Davis) is playing really good. We had some young receivers who came in, Noel Thomas and Dhameer Bradley came in and had a good game, (Deshon) Foxx stepped it up and played better even after the drop, made some good catches, some good plays after the catch for us. I think the tight ends played a little bit better overall. Our tailbacks, at times they were productive but we just have to get better on the line. Max stepped in as a tailback and made some good plays, Martin (Hyppolite) stepped in late and made some good plays and we feel good about that."

Weist suggested that he is considering a change in play calling duties. If he goes that way, quarterbacks coach Shane Day or running backs coach Kermit Buggs so we'll see what happens with that.

UConn players look back to 2010 game at Michigan

With UConn ready to host Michigan on Saturday night in what could be the most high-profile home game in program history, it seems like a perfect time to look back on UConn's 2010 game to Michigan.

Although he did not start in the game, senior defensive tackle and captain Shamar Stephen made one of his two tackles on UConn’s first defensive series.

“That was the first time I ever played in a game so it was definitely a great experience for me,” Stephen said. “I remember it was a pretty fast tempo, getting into it was a little different and as the game wore on, I adjusted and started making the plays.

“It was definitely nerve wracking at first but once you make that first hit, it all goes away and you are into the game. I was more focused on my assignments. I just didn’t want to mess up in my first game but it was pretty crazy.”

Stephen was one of six current Huskies to play in the 30-10 loss to Michigan in the 2010 season opener. Jesse Joseph started at defensive end and made four tackles, Cole Wagner had a 66-yard punt, Chad Christen averaged 65.3 yards on three kickoffs while Martin Hyppolite and Taylor Mack also played in the game.

Many of the current seniors were on the travel squad for UConn’s lone trip to Michigan Stadium.

“It was a fantastic experience,” UConn senior offensive tackle Kevin Friend said. “I was a redshirt freshman and I have never seen a stadium like that before and just to see it, looking up at it and seeing that it was full it was awesome. Just feeling what the team felt in the locker room and how everyone came together before the game and psyched everybody up. It was an awesome experience.”

Fellow senior offensive lineman Steve Greene also has mostly positive memories of the trip to Michigan.

“I remember it was a big place and we were in the game and we had a chance to win it too,” Greene said.
“It is one of the most famous arenas in college football so obviously it is a great experience.”

McCombs looks to rebound from 2012 season

With a new offensive coordinator and new running backs' coach it's really hard to predict how Lyle McCombs, the Huskies' leading rusher in the last two seasons, is going to be utilized this season but perhaps we will get a pretty good idea during tonight's season opener against Towson.

Head coach Paul Pasqualoni has mentioned his desire to have more than one tailback involved in the game plan so it will be interesting to see if Max DeLorenzo, Martin Hyppolite and freshman Josh Marriner get into the ball-carrying mix.

McCombs knows that despite rushing for more than 100 yards in two of the last three games during his sophomore season, the 2012 campaign was one he would like to forget. It sounds like that is exactly what he is claiming to be trying to do.

"I think the past is behind us and we are ready to move on and put up some numbers," McCombs said. "I am focusing on being a leader, being a spark to the offense and being the guy who is positive. When things aren’t going right to lead the troops and make sure we are still doing the job."

One area where McCombs could be used differently is in the passing game as there seems to be more of an emphasis on getting the ball to the running backs in the passing game.

"That would be nice but at the end of the day it is up to what Coach (Weist) wants to do," McCombs said. "If they need me to do it, I will do whatever they need me do."

Pasqualoni wants to see McCombs run with more discipline than he did a season ago.

"He is going to help himself a great deal by not trying to do too much and taking what he’s got, get back in the huddle and run the next play instead of trying to make big plays, just do your job and hit it up in there where it is supposed to go," Pasqualoni said. "The big ones will come, we don’t know when they will come but if you hit them up in there and play the right way they will come."

Hyppolite happy to be back on field

Martin Hyppolite knows his career and perhaps even his life could have come to an end in that late February car accident in Durham, N.H. as he was a passenger in a car involved in a fatal accident.

The UConn senior running back's hip was injured badly enough that he believed he would need surgery and when the doctors met with him in the days and weeks after the accident they braced him for the possibility that the hip injury could prevent his return to the football field.

A little more than five months later Hyppolite is not only back on the gridiron, he has arguably been the most impressive of the UConn running backs in the first five days of preseason practice.

"I was really worried because some doctors said you will be facing an uphill battle," Hyppolite said. "Another player I played with, he graduated when I was a freshman and it ended his career. They were saying that it was unlikely that you were going to play football. I knew that what was going to happen is God’s plan and I pray every night. I knew somehow I was going to heal better, I always heal well and I was going to be back on the field

"I got a second chance at life and it definitely makes me appreciate my family and my second family here a lot more. Being able to play football again, it is a blessing."

Hyppolite missed all of spring practice and shortly before the end of the spring semester he was told that his injured hip had healed well enough so that he would not need to undergo surgery.

"I went through a lot of pool treatment when I first started getting back but it wasn’t as bad as an ACL and every few weeks I had to meet with the doctor and surgeon," Hyppolite said. "Every time I met with them it was good news. At first he was saying that I definitely had to get surgery and then it was ‘you don’t have to get surgery.’ Now I am back out here and it feels good. "

Nearly all hands on deck for first practice

After a spring camp where a calculator was needed to keep track of how many players were unable to practice, preseason camp began with pretty much everybody able to go for UConn.

The only player on UConn's two-deep chart who did not practice was linebacker Graham Stewart who was the best man at his sister's wedding and wasn't at practice.

The most pleasant surprise might have been running back Martin Hyppolite who missed all of spring camp due to a hip injury suffered when he was a passenger in a car involved in a fatal accident. At AAC media day on Tuesday UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni wasn't sure how much Hyppolite would be able to go but Hyppolite showed the most burst of any of the running backs.

"I was worried about Martin today," Pasqualoni said. "I asked him towards the end and he said ‘Coach I am fine.’ Looking like he was cutting well so that was a huge plus for us."

Here is the two-deep chart
QB: Chandler Whitmer; Casey Cochran
TB: Lyle McCombs; Max DeLorenzo
FB: Jazzmar Clax; James Horan
WR: Shakim Phillips; Deshon Foxx
WR: Geremy Davis: Kamal Abrams
TE: Sean McQuillan; Spencer Parker
LT: Jimmy Bennett; Dalton Gifford
LG: Steve Greene; Zach Rugg
C: Tyler Bullock; Alex Mateas
RG: Gus Cruz; Tyler Samra
RT: Kevin Friend; Xavier Hemingway

DE: Jesse Joseph; B.J. McBride
DT: Shamar Stephen; Mikal Myers
DT: Julian Campenni; Angelo Pruitt
DE: Tim Willman; Reuben Frank
LB: Jefferson Ashiru; Graham Stewart
LB: Yawin Smallwood; Marquise Vann
LB: Ryan Donohue; Brandon Steg
CB: Taylor Mack; Jhavon Williams
CB: Byron Jones; David Stevenson/Ellis Marder
S: Ty-Meer Brown; Wilbert Lee
S: Andrew Adams; Obi Melifonwu

PK: Chad Christen; Bobby Puyol
P: Cole Wagner; Chad Christen
H: Cole Wagner
LS: Adam Mueller; Dominick Manco
KR: Shakim Phillips; Jhavon Williams
PR: Taylor Mack; Kamal Abrams

It's Spring Game day

Spring practice will come to an end this afternoon with the spring game. It's going to be interesting to see how the event gets run because on Tuesday head coach Paul Pasqualoni made it sound like the squad was going to be split in half and it will resemble the Blue-White Game of the past. A couple of days later a press release was sent out stating it was going to be more of a controlled scrimmage due to a lack of healthy bodies at certain positions.

Linebacker, defensive line and running back seem to be the positions hit the hardest by injuries.

Yawin Smallwood hasn't practiced all spring while Omaine Stephens and Jon Hicks are other linebackers out of action which leaves five linebackers able to go today. The good news is that the healthy linebackers seem to have made an impact this spring.


"Ryan Donohue is having a really good spring," Pasqualoni said after Tuesday's practice. "He is a leader capable of directing his teammates which is a big prerequisite of the linebacker position. He is doing a very good job and has a clear understanding of what the concepts are, what he is seeing and his instinctiveness and reactionary stuff is really good. Brandon Steg is having his best spring since I have been here so that is very encouraging. He has been on the scout team for my two years here, Graham Stewart is learning the position but you can see the explosiveness so he has the skill set, Jefferson Ashiru is playing more consistently, Marquise Vann is playing more confidently, more assuredly so I am encouraged with that group."

On the defensive line, probable fall starters Jesse Joseph and Shamar Stephen have spent more time riding the stationary bike while promising sophomore tailback Joe Williams suffered an ankle injury in a scrimmage a week ago that will keep him out of action today. Martin Hyppolite, a passenger in a car involved in a fatal accident in New Hampshire, is still recovering from those injuries and will also be sidelined.

"He is walking around," Pasqualoni said of Hyppolite. "(UConn trainer) Bob (Howard) said he has a ways to go to get it healed but there is no way of us knowing until we get to June or July. He is in all the meetings learning everything."

Pasqualoni said the returners will catch punts and kickoffs but there will be no returns in the game/scrimmage.

Here is how the UConn press release described what fans can expect today.


Saturday’s Blue vs. White Spring Game will not have a typical team vs. team format due to the fact that the Huskies have a limited amount of healthy players in certain position areas. The UConn offense will scrimmage against the UConn defense in various situations, including standard gameday, “back to the wall” starting at the one-yard line and having to move downfield and red zone.

Parking lots opened at 9 a.m. today with Rentschler Field gates set to open at 10:30 a.m. The game/scrimmage will begin at noon. WTIC-1080 will broadcast the game live and while SNY is expected to have a crew at the game, it will not be televising the game live as it did last year.

Pasqualoni pleased with first day of spring drills

UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni wasn't about to wait around any longer as he had the Huskies report bright and early for the first day of spring practice.

Players started rolling in between 5-5:30 this morning with practice getting rolling at 6 a.m. so not to impact with academic responsibilities.

We were only allowed to watch the first 30 minutes of the practice so there's not a heck of a lot to report.

One guy who caught my eye in the pass-catching drills was redshirt freshman receiver John Green and with Jimmy Bennett still working his way back following offseason shoulder surgery, Xavier Hemingway got first-team reps at left offensive tackle.

Defensive end Jesse Joseph and middle linebacker Yawin Smallwood were among the players limited to riding the stationary bike or getting on the cross trainer.


UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni said he liked what he saw on the first day.

"A lot of energy," Pasqualoni said. "I thought they did a good job on the first day of not flattening out. We made a few mistakes and this is the first day, there is a lot to improve on but I was very happy with the level of energy from everybody including the coaches. The coaches are running around after the kids and the kids are running around, it is the kind of environment you want."

With T.J. Weist the new offensive coordinator and Hank Hughes returning to the role of defensive coordinator, there are some new or somewhat new voices running the offense and defense.

"It is not all totally new, it is a lot of carry over with a lot of things that we are doing we have done here," Pasqualoni said. "We have two new coordinators, we are running our offense and we are running out defense but at the same time we have two new voices. I thought on both sides of the ball and we might as well include special teams because Kermit (Buggs) is new here too so the special teams aspect is new as well. With three new coordinators, (practice at) 6 a.m. in the morning I thought it was good."

There are plenty of holes to fill and a chance for young players to move into more prominent roles.

Leading the way of the positions of interest is cornerback. Starting safety Byron Jones was moved to corner to add some more size to that position.


"We needed some size there obviously. I wanted to get a 6-foot guy over there at one of those spots with the corner skill set," Pasqualoni said. "Byron does have some corner skills, we played him as a corner here two years ago but when Blidi (Wreh-Wilson) got hurt two years ago he did start and play the corner position so like a lot of guys on this team I know Byron Jones but I don’t know him well enough as a corner so that is what spring ball is all about. The same thing with Ellis Marder, we recruited him as a safety/corner combination and he has mono right now so he is very limited with what he is doing but I have to get to know him and see. They give you tall guys out there who match up on receivers."

Another player in the spotlight will be former Xavier High star Graham Stewart, who sat out last season after transferring from Florida who sat out last season due to NCAA regulations and wouldn't have been able to play regardless after injuring his shoulder in a freak weight-lifting mishap. Stewart figures to help fill the void left by the graduation of Sio Moore and Jory Johnson.

"I like his speed, his reactionary athleticism, his instinctive reactionary quickness today," Pasqualoni said. "There is no question that when we sees it he pulls the trigger, he is playing fast and hard so that was great to see but we have to see it over the long haul."

Pasqualoni was also happy with what he saw from starting quarterback Chandler Whitmer especially in the ball security department.


"What I was pleased with today was that we had a couple of turnovers but he didn’t turn it over so that is the other big issue going into spring is that we have to eliminate turnovers, we have to have good judgment with the ball and really take care of the ball," Pasqualoni said. "Coaches are really coaching the ball security thing. He handled things pretty well on the first day, he showed some good judgment and didn’t turn it over."

Casey Cochran did have two turnovers in a span of four plays but the former Masuk High star drew praise from Pasqualoni for being in much better shape than he was a year ago.

Pasqualoni said there is a comfort level with Whitmer returning as the starting quarterback.

"It is a big deal in the sense that Chandler was a first-year player last year," Pasqualoni said. "Obviously he has 12 tough games in him, he has been here now for a solid year and I think that showed with the way that he played. We are looking for Casey to be a little more comfortable as well. I think that part of it is good and I think it is a big deal for us."

Finally, senior running back Martin Hyppolite was at practice although he still needs crutches to get around after he injured his hip as he was the passenger in a vehicle involved in a recent car accident which resulted in the death of a New Hampshire judge.

"I had a long talk with him last night and he said he is feeling a lot better so he is rehab mode and it is going to be a while but he is getting everything mentally," Pasqualoni said. "When you are a running back and it is your hip it is tough because you are always cutting. It’s going to be at least until June until we can say ‘OK, he will be back on this date.’ We want to give it that amount of time."

UConn RB Hyppolite released from hospital

UConn senior running back Martin Hyppolite was released from Portsmouth (N.H.) Regional Hospital last night according to a spokesman at UConn.

Hyppolite was injured in a two-car accident which resulted in the death of a New Hampshire judge on Saturday. Hyppolite was a passenger in the car driven by Ryan Merchant.

Merchant's car collided nearly head on with one driven by Bruce Larson. The 74-year-old Larson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hyppolite returned home after being discharged from the hospital and he could be on campus in the next day or two.

Hyppolite saw time at both tailback and fullback during the 2012 season and he had 69 yards rushing with 50 coming on a touchdown run against Buffalo.

Report: UConn RB Hyppolite stable after car accident

UConn running back Martin Hyppolite was a passenger in a car involved in a fatal accident on Saturday in New Hampshire.

According to a story in the Manchester Union Leader, New Hampshire judge Bruce Larson of Durham, N.H. was driving west on Rt. 4 in a 2000 Buick around 9 a.m. on Saturday when 2004 Chrysler Sebring  driven by Ryan Merchant of Wakefield, Mass. collided nearly head on Larson's vehicle.

The 74-year-old Larson was pronounced dead at the scene. Merchant was listed in critical condition and according to the Union-Leader, Hyppolite was a passenger in Merchant's car and is in stable condition in Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

Hyppolite, a redshirt senior who saw time at both tailback and fullback as a junior, carried the ball 19 times for 69 yards during the 2012 with 50 of them coming on a touchdown run against Buffalo. He also had a 10-yard reception against North Carolina State.