inspired

Jasper Howard's death hit me very hard. For weeks, I was questioning God and his purposes. I don't really understand and I probably will never understand. I have seemed to have found closure. Maybe Jazz's death happened for a reason; all the bad things that have gone on with everyone has happened for a reason. This doesn't just involve Jazz, but everyone. Why does a 6 year old die of cancer? Why was Jazz murdered at 20 and taken from his family and Jamiya? We will never know, but despite all the bad I think so good will come from this. Evil prevailed in taking Jazz, but we as people are doing Heavenly Father good by responding the way we are. Everything bad happened for all the good that has came. An example was Sat. in South Bend. That was amazing.

When I was watching Jazz's funeral, I remeber thinking if I die right now what have I done? I thought that there was so much I missed out on or that I want to do. I let my fears stand in the way. I vowed to change that. I vowed not to let being shy control my life. I am doing better with that, Most of all Jazz inspired me to help others and give back. I love helping people; I always have. I never did much alone. When I saw that Jazz had saved so many lives; he was a mentor and was all about giving back. I really wanted to step that up. So I got involved with Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, I am baking cookies for Easter Seals, and signed up to play softball with Easter Seals children in the spring, I am gift wrapping for an animal shelter. Plus I have contacted several other things. If I can help one person or change one life in the littlest way, then I will be happy.

People like Jazz didn't have it all like I may have. People like him are what the world needs. They need more good hearted people who will fight for something good. We all take things for granted. Maybe we should try a little more not to. So people don't have the oppurtunity we do. Jazz fought to be where he was. That is all we can do. He helped me look at my life and want to change. You mope around and be sad always. You gotta live every day like its your last. They best thing I can say is live 365.

Jazz you inspired me to over come my fears and fight for what I want. You taught me not to take things for granted including every day I live. You inspired me to help others. Your death hit me hard, but I will be stronger because of it. Your parents will grow and your friends. Kashif will be okay. I know he will just from the letter he sent me. I know Nee Nee will be okay and she will make sure Miya knows you. All this is because of who you were. You left a legacy behind when God took you. Thank you for inspiring me and teaching me some life lessons that no one could, not even Elder Evans and Erguera.

good articles

UConn Wins for Jasper Howard, at Last
Posted Nov 23rd 2009 2:00PM by Brett McMurphy
Filed under: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse, West Virginia, Big East

FanHouse Big East writer Brett McMurphy looks back at the week that was in the Big East Rewind.

Two weeks ago, UConn coach Randy Edsall and senior running back Andre Dixon both said how much the Huskies' really needed a bye week after a third consecutive last-minute loss at Cincinnati.

If no other team needed a bye like UConn, no other team in the country needed a victory like UConn. And that's exactly what the Huskies' got. UConn went into South Bend, Ind., and defeated Notre Dame 33-30 in double overtime Saturday.

It was the first victory since the murder of UConn cornerback Jasper Howard. After the game, Edsall pointed skyward in honor of Howard, while the Huskies' players held aloft Howard's No. 6 jersey.

Did anyone else notice UConn's final score just happen to be 33 (3+3=6)?

UConn's victory highlighted last week's Big East action as the Big East's bests -- Cincinnati-Pittsburgh or Pittsburgh-Cincinnati, if you prefer -- were idle last week.

In the only other two games involving league teams, South Florida thumped Louisville to secure a bowl berth for a fifth consecutive season and Syracuse upset Rutgers to avoid a winless Big East debut season for Doug Marrone.

Some things we may have figured out in the past week

1. Don't believe the preseason magazines, at least concerning offensive lines

Rutgers offensive line was hailed as (pick one): the best offensive line in the history of the Big East or one of the nation's best offensive lines. Athlon's ranked Rutgers' o-line as the nation's eighth best, while literally every preseason magazine and dot-com preseason preview touted Rutgers as the league's best. Yet, the Scarlet Knights allowed nine sacks in Saturday's loss at Syracuse and have the league's second-worst offense.


The heavy hearts of the University of Connecticut got some much-needed relief Saturday afternoon as the Huskies were finally able to honor the memory of their fallen teammate Jasper “Jazz” Howard the way they wanted, with a victory.

The Huskies entered Saturday's game against Notre Dame on quite a down note. Since Howard’s tragic stabbing last month, they have endured a string of three heart breaking loses by a combined 10 points. After trailing the Irish 14-0 early and having two touchdowns called back on phantom holding calls late in the game, they were no doubt thinking they had heard this tune before.

The Huskies would rebound, and as Andre Dixon scampered into the endzone for the game-winning touchdown in the second overtime, a deep sigh of relief could clearly be felt.

UConn’s 33-30 double-overtime victory over Notre Dame was called the program’s “best win” by head coach Randy Edsall in a post game interview.

UConn’s success was due in large part to its dual threat ground attack, Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon combining for 231 yards and two scores. Todman also added another six points when he returned a kickoff 96 yards for a score in the third quarter.

Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen had stellar day throwing for 329 yards and hooking up with receivers Golden Tate and Michael Floyd for a touchdown each.

While the victory in South Bend alone was huge, the added significance of this being the first win since Howard’s death was clearly evident in Edsall’s comments.

“You’ve got to understand what this team has gone through. A couple of close games, and then you lose a teammate, you lose a brother, you lose a son, and you’re trying so hard to honor him by winning on the field. We hadn’t done that,” Edsall said.

The coach added that the game ball would be sent to Howard’s family in Miami.

Winning in college football is always something to be celebrated, but this victory was more. It was about the healing of a team, the honoring of a teammate, and the celebration of a beloved friend.

Quarterback Zach Frazer summed it up best saying, “We won this one for Jazz.”


Connecticut coach Randy Edsall joined the show after the Huskies beat Notre Dame 33-30 in double-overtime on Saturday.

Dan asked Edsall if he thought Saturday's win was an upset. "No I didn't and I don't think our kids did either," Edsall said.

Still Edsall appreciates the magnitude of the victory.

"There's no doubt it's the biggest win we've ever had," Edsall said. "To go out there and win against a school that has much history and tradition ... for us to be able to do that was very very significant for this university, this state and most importantly our football program."

Edsall said the win has even more meaning since it was their first victory since Jasper Howard's untimely death.

"There's been a big burden on our shoulders from the standpoint that we lost a teammate, we lost a brother, we lost a son, we lost a teammate in Jasper," Edsall said. "There was a little bit of a feeling that we let [Jasper] down. ... To get that win out there, it was like we finally did it."


UConn football fans were still buzzing Monday over the Huskies' dramatic win over Notre Dame. We asked the UConn fans who made the trip to tell us what they'll remember. Some comments have been shortened. To read more, go to courant.com/ndmemories.

"I'm a member of the UConn Marching Band, and the whole experience was so completely amazing. All the fans lining the street as we marched to the stadium, going through the tunnel, marching on the field in front of all those people was so unbelievable. The game, what more can be said, and celebrating on the field WITH the team, priceless!" — Connor

"My parents, daughter and I drove 10 hours from Delaware (my Dad and I are UConn alums) to attend this game. Incredible weather, incredible atmosphere, incredible outcome. If you had told me when I was a student that we would play Notre Dame in football, I would have laughed in your face. To think that we would actually win this game is even more incredible. Anything is possible for this program now! There was nothing like leaving the game and having several hundred UConn fans yelling UConn cheers on the concourse and buying up the last of the game day programs as souvenirs." — Elsa Rasero Batman

"I was on the Husky Express, car #4, and early in the ride everybody on this train was flat and still asleep. Then this young man who goes by the name of 'The Big Swede' starting chanting U-C-O-N-N, UCONN, UCONN, UCONN just like Big Red. This really got the entire train pumped up. President Hogan was even hanging out in this car for a while because the energy was sky-high. By the time the train pulled up to South Bend, The Big Swede had all the fans energized and ready to cheer on UCONN to a big win. If I were Randy Edsall, I would give a game ball to The Big Swede for injecting some life into the fans of UCONN Nation." — Bryan

"Myself and 6

buddies (18 kids under age 9 between us) drove from CT in an RV, knowing but not knowing what to expect. Toured campus Friday afternoon and went to pep rally Friday night. Was completely awestruck by how beautiful and inviting the campus was. ... This goes down as the greatest sporting event I've ever attended and can't wait for Michigan next year. We were so proud of how the Huskies overcame a bad start, bad calls, the overwhelming environment and finally got the right breaks to win the game they've been wanting since Jasper's death. After the game, we went by the player exit area and decided to hang around for a while. Watching the UConn players come out of the gate with tears in their eyes and giving hugs to their parents and others was something I'll never forget and will cherish forever. Thanks UConn and ND for an incredible experience." — bill

"There are so many things to remember about Saturday at the game. But one of the tops for me was seeing the Notre Dame Marching Band come through the tunnel and breaking out with the UConn fight song , AMAZING!" — Larry

"I first want to say how proud I was to part of the huskynation that traveled to South Bend, Indiana. Everyone who was in attendance should be applauded. The large contingent of Husky fans was impressive to say the least. When you get a chance to see a rebroadcast, it was impressive during the interview with Coach Edsall at the end of the game to here the chant U...C...O....N....N echoing at the hallowed home of Knute Rockne. If anyone in the future ever asks you what the experience is like, it's the greatest college experience, but the answer is words can't describe it. You have to witness it yourself. ... As I said in an earlier post about this being a moment frozen in time and everyone will say I WAS THERE WHEN ... Well, we now can finish that sentence. I WAS THERE WHEN UCONN BEAT NOTRE DAME." — Phil Packard

"It was a fabulous experience from start to finish. We drove out from Westchester County with all the stuff for our tailgate party. We passed other UCONN fans along the way — that was the start of the fun. Going down the ramp to the stadium was cool. We visited the Basilica and lit a candle at the Grotto, prayed for the team and Jazz in both places. The ND people could not have been nicer. They were friendly & helpful — wonderful hosts. Tailgating was great — glad you stopped by and enjoyed the food, DC! The game was so exciting. The UCONN fans were great — getting up on ND third downs to make some noise. The usual UCONN cheers ringing through our section. I hope the players heard us and that it spurred them on! Maybe the best, though, was after the game, walking down the ramp from the upper level, still cheering our UCONN Huskies — not wanting the fun to end! Heading back home, the glow was still there. Seeing CT cars on the way home, fans at rest stops — all smiling. An unforgettable experience all the way around." — Kate

"From my perspective, hearing U-C-O-N-N at the end of the game from the UConn section brought chills down my spine. It was so loud. Even a friend from home texted me saying he heard it on TV and couldn't believe how loud it was. Only he didn't know that was from the upper deck of the stadium! My friends and I sat around our seats for almost an hour after the game because we were cherishing the moment and kept asking ourselves, "Did this really just happen?" — Mike

number 1 lesson learned this week in college football

We learned there might be no better feel-good story in college football than Connecticut.
The Huskies have overcome everything -- and I mean everything -- so far this season, to put themselves in bowl contention. Five brutally tough losses (by 15 points), the death of Jasper Howard and a couple of horrible calls that cost them two touchdowns Saturday at Notre Dame. But UConn made enough clutch plays to add to Charlie Weis' misery with a riveting 33-30 overtime win.
It also gave us the best postgame interview ever, when coach Randy Edsall told NBC's Alex Flanagan, "So Angela, Henry and David, I hope you guys are watching 'coz we're bringin' the game ball home and sending it to you. Because I tell you what, that No. 6 is up there and Jazz, this one's for you, God Dangit!"

a great day to be a Husky

Today was sure a great day to be a Husky. Throughout this entire season, UConn has faced so much adversity. The loss of 2 close games, and then the loss of Jazz followed by the loss of 3 more games. I remember crying and crying after ever game the last month. I just kept thinking why? When will they get a break? Well, today they got that break. I have never been prouder. This team is incredible they have this resiliency, this heart of lions. I love this team. Tonight they faced ND. It was incredible. When I turned it on ND took a 14 pt lead. I was like oh boy not again. Here they came. At the end of the game, I just kept hoping. Then Andre Dixon has 2 TD called back. Then they miss a FG. I was just like Wow. So we go to OT. UConn scores, ND ties it. We go to the 2nd Ot. ND kicks a FG and then the Huskies get the TD. I jumped up screaming and the tears flew. I was so happy and so proud. They finally got that win for Jazz. A win they deserved 4 weeks ago. Jazz is gone, but he lives on. He is proud of this team I know it. I was happy for Kashif who held Jazz as he layed dying. Today was Kashif’s birthday. It was hard because he was really missing his brother. So it was a good win for him. The thing that tugged my heart strings the most was coach Edsall’s post game interview. He was so happy. He dedicated the game to Jazz and he said he was sending a ball to Jazz’s mom, step dad and family. He was crying the whole time. He is so nice and classy. He has been the rock of this team for the last month. Never has he shed tears in the public eye. He consoled Desi Cullen at the press conference the day after the death. He identified a body and called a family. He took care of his family and addressed the public. He consoled his 105 sons at a funeral for a fallen brother. He had to talk to them after 3 tough losses. Through it all he had to be strong, but tonight he let it all out. He didn’t have to search for the words. It was from his heart. He is a class act. I love him. I love this team. Never in a million years have I rooted for a team this way. Never have I been so emotionally attached, especially for a team not my Mountaineers. I am proud. I will be a Husky for life. Jazz taught me so much, he united a conference, he united 2 teams, he left new Huskies. Jazz left a legacy we will never forget. R. I. P. bro we love ya! That was for you Jazz. And a good one at that. Go HUSKIES!!!!

when will the pain stop

When Jasper Howard died so many people lost so much. They lost an incredible friend, son, brother, boyfriend, father, etc. The world lost an incredible person. I don’t care how the fight started. Jasper took a swing a Lomax defending himself and then was stabbed. No one deserves stabbed over a silly verbal altercation because a friend disrespected a girl. What is harder than that to take is that Jazz’s teammates keep fighting and nothing goes there way. They fight so hard and always come up short. This week off gives them time to be kids. The hardest thing of all is how JoAngela just can’t get a break. She is not only dealing with the heartbreaking loss of her son, but now she faces losing her house. Why? Why is the world being so cruel to such an incredible hard working woman? God took her son who was going to fix all her financial problems. Now she is stuck in the hood. Jasper’s daughter will never know her dad, but they just keep throwing more and more at these people. When will these people just get a break? Why is God throwing so much at them? I found some closure and understood that God needed Jasper. He thought Jazz did what he needed to do on Earth, but why does he keep punishing those 105 kids, the coaches, Jazz’s family, and his friends, and Nee Nee? It baffles me. It breaks my heart. All Jazz wanted was to take care of his family and now they face this. I wish I could help but I can’t. Maybe one day I can. Jazz meant the world to me. My love for him grows more and more every day. He was special. He inspires me. I just wish I could understand. I just wish my heart could heal.

articles about those great kids from UCONN

Here are some good articles I liked about those kids I adore from UCONN. They are hurting but giving the world their all. When will they get a break?

The kids are all right; it's the other stuff we're worried about
Vittorio Tafur
Monday, November 9, 2009


There is so much money flying around college football that sometimes we lose sight of what we're watching.

We talk about how another bad officiating call loomed large in the LSU-Alabama game, or how Iowa's and Penn State's losses cost the Big Ten a second team in the Bowl Championship Series, or how Charlie Weis' days in Notre Dame are about over. Money (SEC wants both Florida and Alabama to stay undefeated), money (a second berth in BCS is worth $4.5 million), money (Weis makes $4 million and just lost to Navy for the second time in three years).

The only ones not making money are the players (but please go ahead and pick up their jerseys at the campus store). And they're the ones who determine what happens each and every wacky Saturday: wild, unpredictable, still maturing 19- and 20-year-olds.

That should help explain the unexplainable, like Oregon dominating USC and then losing to Stanford on Saturday. Or Cincinnati losing a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback and actually improving. Then there's Terrelle Pryor, the Ohio State quarterback who struggled and had an ESPN commentator rip him for like five straight minutes on national television last month. Never mind that Pryor is a college sophomore ... and now looks poised to win the Big Ten.

Kids do the darnedest things.

The Ducks may have lost to Stanford, but just imagine the fun they had in the six days after their big win over the mighty Trojans. And isn't that what college is all about? Having fun? Since 2002, USC has lost 10 regular-season games. Only three times did the team that beat the Trojans win the next week. The phrase "Party like a rock star" should be changed to "Party like you just beat 'SC."

No. 5 Cincinnati's Tony Pike went down with a wrist injury, and for most schools, the drop to second-string is nauseating (just ask Iowa fans). But for three games and change, sophomore Zach Collaros has been the best quarterback in football. He has completed 76 percent of his passes for 1,229 yards and 10 touchdowns against one interception. Plus four rushing touchdowns.

Collaros' quarterback rating of 210.2 makes Boise State's Kellen Moore's 169.4 look mundane - and Moore leads the nation. Cincinnati's coach, Brian Kelly, said Collaros doesn't feel any pressure because ... he's a goofy kid.

"He's so wide-eyed and interactive in terms of his conversation all the time," Kelly said. "He's a really unique guy in that sense. He's looking at you and he's talking to you about things that are occurring, and it's a pretty special conversation that you have. So I knew none of that stuff was going to bother him."

Connecticut gave Cincinnati everything it wanted and more in a 47-45 Bearcats win. The Huskies have held together after the murder of defensive back Jasper Howard last month and came back from a 30-10 halftime deficit. They fell just short and have lost three straight since Howard's death and five games this season by a total of 15 points.

"This team showed grit, determination," UConn coach Randy Edsall said. "You can use any adjective you want but we just came up short. I'm running out of things to tell them after games like this."

Tell them it's college football. Brutal and brilliant. Tell them their fans and the sport's fans appreciate them. And to keep playing hard. That's all anyone can ask of these kids.



Edsall gives team some time off heading into bye week followed by visit to Notre Dame

Cincinnati - A long, emotional and frustrating Saturday night had actually turned into Sunday morning when coach Randy Edsall emerged from UConn's locker room just past midnight and tried to give his take on the Huskies' 47-45 loss to fourth-ranked Cincinnati.

"I told (the players) I'm running out of things to tell them after a game like this," Edsall said. "Again, we had some self-inflicted wounds and we've just got to do the little things correctly all the time, and if we do we'll get over this hump and we'll win a game like this."

Right now, that hump seems more like a mountain for the Huskies, who lost their third straight Big East game after a valiant comeback against the unbeaten Bearcats. UConn (4-5, 1-4) has lost five games by a mere 15 points.

"Give Cincinnati credit," Edsall said. "But if they're the No. 4 or 5 or 7 team in the country - we are who we are right now and I understand that - but we're not far off (from Cincinnati) and that's what I told our kids."

Then Edsall made a rare concession, his first since the tragic stabbing death of cornerback Jasper Howard on Oct. 18.

"We need the bye (week) very badly," he said. "We need these kids to get away from football. They've been through quite a bit and they just need to kind of be by themselves and do what they've got to do."

So Edsall gave his team Sunday, today and Tuesday off. The Huskies will also rest on Friday and Saturday before giving their full attention to a historic visit to Notre Dame on Nov. 21.

He did, however, reflect on the positives and negatives of Saturday's loss, when UConn nearly overcome a 20-point second-half deficit and put a scare into the unbeaten Bearcats.

The positives:

• The continued improved play of the offense, which scored 35 points in the second half and finished with 462 total yards - 261 passing and 201 rushing. Jordan Todman rushed for 162 yards and four touchdowns, quarterback Zach Frazer was 19-for-32 for 261 yards (and no interceptions), and Marcus Easley caught a touchdown pass for the fourth straight game and finished with 87 yards on six catches.

• The special teams performance of punter Desi Cullen and punt returner Robert McClain. Cullen averaged 44.2 yards on five punts while McClain's 87-yard touchdown return late in the third quarter gave UConn a huge momentum boost.

The negatives:

• Defense, defense and more defense. What was UConn's strength when the season began has now become a unit that has lost its way. Allowing the high-powered Bearcats' 711 total yards was bad enough, but it was the manner in which they let Cincinnati dictate the tempo that was alarming.

There were missed tackles galore, the secondary gave dangerous receivers Mardy Gilyard and Armon Binns way too much cushion at the line of scrimmage, and the Huskies put absolutely no pressure on quarterback Zach Collaros, who made UConn pay by completing 29 of 27 passes for 480 yards.

"The one thing we told the kids at halftime (when UConn trailed 30-10) and I told them the same thing before the game was to play loose and let it fly," Edsall said. "Don't worry about making a mistake. … You've got to come out and play this game with confidence and challenge people."

Edsall and his defensive staff will address some of those issues before heading to South Bend in two weeks, but he sees no reason to panic.

"We just got ourselves in a situation early that wasn't good," he said. "But I tell you, this team showed the grit, determination - you can use any adjective you want to describe these young men - but we just came up a little bit short. I was proud of the way we came back and had a chance at the end."

Bye week should provide relief for UConn football team
By Neill Ostrout
STAFF WRITER
Updated: 11/09/2009 03:31:39 AM EST



It's not often that a football coach says in the middle of a season that his team needs to "get away" from the game.

But after the tragic death of a teammate and three straight gut-wrenching, heart-stopping, energy draining losses, Randy Edsall admitted enough is enough. Following Saturday's 47-45 loss to Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium, Edsall said the team's bye this week was an absolute necessity.

"We need the bye very badly," Edsall said. "We need these kids to get away from football."

Sunday afternoon, after flying home to Connecticut and watching the film of Saturday's loss, Edsall hadn't changed his tune. The Huskies (4-5, 1-4) have to take a little time off.

"Physically it's always good but emotionally and from a mental standpoint -- it probably could have come sooner -- but it comes at a good point for us," Edsall said.

The break comes after UConn was nearly bowled over in the first half by an offensive barrage from the homestanding Bearcats.

Cincinnati gained a whopping 457 yards in the opening half and was still ahead by 20 points in the third quarter.

"We realized that every time they get the ball they're going to score, hit a field goal or something," UConn quarterback Zach Frazer said. "We just had to make our possessions count."

The Huskies eventually did that, as running back Jordan Todman, wide receiver Kashif Moore and punt returner Robert McClain produced long touchdowns and they Huskies came within
an eyelash of upsetting the fourth-ranked Bearcats.

"That shows the fight that we have at UConn, not giving up and not laying down," Todman said of the comeback.

"If you beat us you better come hard because we're coming with 150 percent every time."

But UConn's 150 percent, as it was against West Virginia, Rutgers and perhaps Pittsburgh and North Carolina, was not enough to earn a victory.

UConn's five losses have come by a total of 15 points.

"We didn't make plays when we had to," Edsall said. "We tip a ball up in the air and they catch it for a 50-some yard gain. Different things along those lines."

The biggest problem, obviously, was UConn's inability to stop a high-powered Cincinnati offense.

Cincinnati's 711 yards of total offense represented the second-best total in Big East history. Louisville gained 729 in a win over Middle Tennessee State in 2007.

And quarterback Zach Collaros -- the Bearcats' backup until starter Tony Pike's arm injury -- amassed a league-record 555 total yards in the win.

"Defensively, it wasn't a very good effort," Edsall said.

There will be a memorial service for Jasper Howard Thursday night at Jorgensen Auditorium.

The Huskies say they will never forget Howard or his impact, but they eventually have to move on.

They also hope to move on from this painful string of losses.

A key to helping on both fronts might be a rare fall weekend not dominated by thoughts of football.

EXTRA POINTS -- Safety Robert Vaughn (big toe), running back Andre Dixon (lower leg), center Moe Petrus (ankle), defensive end Trevardo Williams (ankle) and cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson (ankle) all sustained minor injuries in the loss Saturday. Edsall said he expects all of them to return to practice by Sunday and each is likely to play when the Huskies return to game action in two weeks against Notre Dame. ... The Huskies will not practice today or Tuesday as many of the coaches hit the road for some recruiting. The team will practice Wednesday and Thursday this week.


Daigneault: Better times ahead for UConn football


Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall saw his team surrender huge amounts of yards and points in a loss to Cincinnati Saturday. (AP)
Browse for Republican American Reprints

Randy Edsall sounded more bummed out Sunday than he had all season.

It's understandable given the nature of Saturday night's 47-45 defeat at Cincinnati piled on top of all the heartbreak the Huskies have suffered on and off the field of late. Still, it goes to show the difference between the people on the inside and the people on the outside.

For the most part, what transpired Saturday night seemed to those on the outside as some sort of progressive step. So what if the Huskies surrendered 711 offensive yards, the most in their FBS existence, to the Bearcats? The outsiders were buoyed by the fact that the defense got shredded with such ease yet the Huskies still made a game of it.

Despite everything that has happened this year -- five losses by 15 points make the Huskies possibly the best 4-5 team in the history of college football -- UConn is, if nothing else, fun to watch.

When is the last time we could truly say that? Sure, the success in recent years was fun because everybody likes to win, but really, how much fun was it to watch Donald Brown carry the ball 35 times every week? What Brown did last year was a singular accomplishment, but can anybody honestly say it was fun?

Enjoyable, yes, fun, not so much.

Edsall will gladly take the former over the latter.

“The game is really just all about blocking, tackling and running to the ball and protecting the ball,” Edsall said in a dreary monotone Sunday. “Those are the things we try to work on all the time. We have to get the guys to understand how important all that stuff is.”

Edsall didn't go as far as to say the Huskies don't understand that. Making that argument would be impossible after watching this group scratch and claw for everything week after week only to come up short. For a long time now, the Huskies have had every reason to lie down and go quietly.

They haven't and they probably won't. It hasn't equated to victories, though it has equated to tons of interest and just as much fun. Face it, right now the Huskies are a compelling story for so many reasons. Even two years ago, when UConn forged a tie for the Big East title, it wasn't nearly the story it is now.

“If you beat us, you better come hard because we're coming with 150 percent,” running back Jordan Todman said. “We're going to always attack and be aggressive. I'm a competitor so I want to win and I'm going to do everything I can all the time to try to win.”

Not that such a thing is foreign to any team, but it is what defines UConn this year. Try as you might, it is impossible to take your eyes off them. You're always waiting to see what will happen next, to see if the Huskies can finally clear that hump and turn the heartbreak into thrills.

There are three games left in which to do that. Maybe they will, maybe they won't. At this point, does it really matter? You know every week UConn will have a chance and watch to see how it turns out.

It is unlikely to turn out well this year, at least in immediate terms. Nobody wants to really talk about it, but what you are seeing this year is probably the foundation of what promises to be a special season in 2010.

If Saturday night's classic game proved anything it's that the Huskies are on the verge of something. The breakthrough is coming, but it's going to require a bit of patience.

“If that is the No. 4 team in the country,” Edsall said Saturday night, before Cincinnati fell to fifth in the Associated Press poll, “you are who you are, but we're not far off.”

Just far enough off this year to be a compelling team with nothing to show for it. Next year, all of that is likely to translate into something both insiders and outsiders will relish


Elsa/Getty Images This Connecticut football team is unlike any other in the history of its program. The grit and determination this team has showed week in and week out is a true testament to Randy Edsall and his entire coaching staff.

After yet another heartbreaking defeat to No. 5 Cincinnati last night by a final of 47-45, the Huskies wake up this morning with a record of 4-5, and slim chances of going bowling.

Arguably the Huskies could be 9-0, but in football it is all about finishing the game. A football team is as good as its record, but there is not a better 4-5 team in the country then the UConn Huskies.

That is nice praise and everything, but at the end of the day it is all about competing for the big east title, and going to a BCS championship. That is why Edsall came to UConn and has built Connecticut football into what it is today.

This season has been extremely tough on the UConn community. All five losses have been by a combined 15 points. Leading in the fourth quarter of four of the games, and then last night the Huskies never gave up with a two point conversion away from tying the game with five minutes left after being down 20 on two occasions.

More importantly, the Huskies have to deal with the loss of own of their teammates. The impact and playing ability of Jasper Howard is even more evidently missed now then ever before.

The Huskies have had to deal with the grief and emotional pain of that situation and at the same time have taken the field with nothing but strength and intensity to win. They have been right there time and time again, but when the clock his zero, the Huskies have ended up on the wrong side in the losers column.

They have dealt with numerous injuries time and time again. Whether it was Frazer going down first, then Endres last week. This team has remained constant and upbeat about the offense.

On Defense the linebacker depth has been hit hard at various times in the season. Also UConn's secondary has had to play a combination of freshman. This team has always been ready to play no matter the circumstances.

The Connecticut Huskies are that close to being a national program. Relatively there division one experience is still very young and it takes time to arrive on that stage. With that being said, the Connecticut Huskies head into a bye week with some much needed rest.

You better believe they will hit the practice field hard next week before they head to South Bend, Indiana to take on Notre Dame. Another chance for the Huskies to show what UConn football is all about on national television.

Yes, there have been many disappointments this season but in the end a lot of good will come out of every loss this football team has endured this season.

No matter how this season concludes, Randy Edsall is proud of the way his kids have played. Each and every fan should praise how the Connecticut football team has handled everything that has been thrown its way this season.

When the Connecticut Huskies reach that next level, the feeling will be that much more rewarding.


Andy Lyons/Getty Images Saturday night was supposed to be all about Cincy football, it was their coming out party and their chance to be labeled as one of the elite teams in college football, but there was something that none of the experts predicted, the Uconn offense played its best game of the season. The final score may have been 47-45 a cincy win but there is no way you can measure the amount of heart these uconn kids have down 30-10 at halftime it seemed this game was gonna be what Cincy was looking for a blowout on national television but something woke UCONN up and they battled all the way back to make it 40-38 until they gave up a 15 yard touchdown run on a 4th and 1. What everybody in the nation saw saturday night was a birth of a program growing and slowly becoming one of the best teams in the big east, they have been able to compete in every game this season. All the top 150 recruits saw last night that Uconn does have a solid football team that can be flashy at times and compete with anybody, and who knows this game could really pay off and Uconn could finally sign a recruit ranked in the top 150. But when you look at the overall shape of this UCONN program their future is just so bright, think back to when UCONN first joined the Division 1-A ranks and now see how far they've come now. Randy Edsall deserves great credit for where this program is today, yes they may be 4-5 this season but does anybody think we would have been able to even compete in the games we did this year a couple years ago or even last year. In the past we have never had the offense to keep up with an offense like Cincy and this year we finally have shown that we now have an offense and when we are clicking we are very deadly. With weapons like Jordan Todman, Marcus Easley, Andre Dixon, Zach Frazier and Cody Endres at QB Uconn could never had dreamed of having players of this capability. This year has shown how far the program has come, losing close games to teams Uconn could never compete with in the past, but lets talk about this season for the huskies for a second, they have three games left in the season they travel to Notre Dame after a bye, then they come home for two home games against Syracuse and South Florida. The question is can Uconn win two of these three games and become bowl eligible? I say yes, is winning at Notre Dame really that out of the question this season? The Irish struggle on defense and run an offense that the Uconn defense tends to perform pretty well against. If the Uconn offense performs like they did against Cincy they can easily win in Notre Dame, it will just come down to if the Uconn defense can just slow down the Irish offense enough to win the game. But, I will ask this question about the growth of this team through the years, two years ago would we even be discussing if Uconn could beat a storied and legendary program like Notre Dame in their own house?

hearts of gold.

The more and more I watch them Huskies play, the more I fall in love. I wasn't quite sure after last weeks loss what tha attitude of this team would be. I wasn't sure if they would keep on fighting or if they were emotionally done. They have to be worn out. They were going to Cincy to play probably the best team in the country with the best quarterback in the country. The other day I decided to sit down and right a letter to Randy Edsall. I poured my heart out. I thought maybe I could make them believe and let them know I was 110% behind this team. I did that and then my heart wanted to reach out to Kashif Moore. So I wrote him too. I spoke from the heart. I was hoping that maybe I could comfort him and make him feel better. Let him know that I am here. Well, yesterday I awoke to a letter from both. Kashif said that my letter helped him and he appriciated it. That it was by far the most inspiring. He just said the sweetest things. Knowing that I helped make him feel better, helped me. Plus he was supporting me to. My heart is pouring to this team, but I knew they could beat this Cincy team. That was the most incredible game I ever saw. The Huskies never gave up. They never quit fighting. They were down by 20 and came back. The cards just didn't fall there way. I will never understand this, but Cincy is an amazing team. Zach Collaros is an amazing athlete. That Huskie team has hearts of gold. It would have been so easy to give up, but they never did. They kept chipping away and making the plays. I wanted that team to win. They have endured so much this year. They really are a great team. I admire the heart, the fight, the will,a nd the love they have. Randy Edsall was so excited during there rally. He was just like this is unbelievable. That is what it was. For the UConn and Howard family, this was a bad year, but this is an unforgettable one. It breaks your heart and the tears flow just as they did for Kashif and many players. You cannot help but love this team. I think that they left big spots in many hearts. Maybe like that Mountaineer team from 2 years ago. This team is young and will be tough. I love them and respect them more everyday. This is my second favorite team. I hope they win out and get that win for Jazz. I know he is proud though. I am proud. Everyone is. This is an amazing team. The have been through the toughest battles, but yet still stand tall. Hang in there kids! We love you! I won't forget this season for so many reasons or this game. Go Huskies!

got this from the boards

this article from The Sporting News this week. Apologies if it was already posted, but as I was searching the Sporting News site for a story on The World Series, I found this front and center. If you don’t think our story of pain, heartbreak, and a quest for redemption is still extremely compelling on a national scale, just wait till Sat night on ABC. Perhaps the legacy for UConn coming out of the darkness (and in an odd sense, the silver lining in our cloud of misfortune) is the recognition, attention, sympathy and sheer interest in UConn Football, far beyond what it ever might have been, but for the tragedy, and how the team and its coaches have handled it.



UConn Football and Different Levels of Loss
If you didn't catch the ending of the Rutgers v. UConn game on Saturday – and most of you probably didn't see it live – it was, in a word, insane. The Huskies were down all game and fought back to take the lead with just under 40 seconds to go in their first home game since the murder of teammate Jasper Howard. It was an emotional scene to say the least.

Rutgers got the ball, now trailing, with just over half a minute remaining after having the game locked up just minutes earlier. In the hands of defeat for the Scarlet Knights, this happened:

(Video of Rutgers TD with excited call by Rutgers radio play by play announcer Chris Carlin)


Gut-wrenching. The University of Connecticut community did not deserve an ending like this on that day. The only solace, perhaps, in the moment was the fact that Tim Brown, the receiver who scored winning touchdown in what was likely his best game as a collegiate player – was best friends with Howard, growing up on the same street in Miami.

I had a chance to chat with Chris Carlin, who called the game for Rutgers (and whose voice is dubbed over the video above), about the ending, his call and the day at UConn:

DL: In your years in broadcasting, have you ever seen an ending like that, with a fourth-down run for one team to take the lead, and on the next play, a touchdown like Rutgers had to win the game, all within the last 40 seconds of play?

Carlin: In games that I've actually had a chance to do, no -- that was absolutely the most unbelievable ending I've ever been a part of.

DL: How much of your call is just sheer excitement at what you're watching -- team notwithstanding -- and how much of your call was, "holy cow this is happening to our team?" In other words, if you're doing a national game, do you get that excited, or did a little bit of Homer fly out during the call?

Carlin: I think the excitement would've been there if it were a national broadcast, but it would've been a different kind of excitement -- a little more subdued excitement, if that makes any sense. I called Tim Brown "Timmy" during the play -- wouldn't have done that if it were a national broadcast. As the Rutgers announcer, I've become attached to the program over the years, and especially the fans. When you see these guys week in and week out, you can't help it. Plus, I'm a Jersey guy, and I have always had a big sense of pride in the State University. New Jersey gets knocked around a lot, but Rutgers football has given us something to be proud of.

DL: Immediately after the touchdown, you and (color analyst) Ray Lucas made sure to comment that you "feel sick for the UConn fans" for what they've gone through the last few weeks dealing with the murder of one of their teammates and classmates. The roller coaster of emotions in the stadium in a five-minute span must have been incredible.

Carlin: As the last few minutes of the game unfolded, you just had the sense that some things were meant to be. The UConn football program, the university, for that matter the state of Connecticut, has handled the situation so incredibly well. There's so much to admire in the way they've weathered a terrible tragedy. If they had won the game, you couldn't have helped but to feel good for them, but as the game-winning TD happened, as exciting as it was, you still think about the people on the other side of it. They're great fans, good people, and didn't deserve to lose the game on that day.

DL: Jasper Howard was a teammate of the UConn players – part of their football family – but Timmy Brown, who had maybe the game of his life, grew up on the same street as Jazz. You did a good job of reminding listeners throughout the game. Of all guys to score that touchdown on a day like that, it seemed kind of fitting, no?

Carlin: Frankly, Timmy was the only player who could've scored that touchdown for it to be right. He was so close to Jazz -- Brendan Prunty wrote a great story in the Star Ledger about how he and Jazz grew up on NW 62nd Street in Miami, and Jazz wore "6" and Timmy wore "2" so they wouldn't forget where they came from. As he crossed the goal line, he put 6 fingers in the air. Timmy told Jazz's family that he'd dedicate not only Saturday but every game he plays to Jazz's memory. Timmy's such a great kid; he deserved the moment.

DL: Going back to the play, and the situation on the field ... isn't that what makes college football great? Even a game between two middle-of-the-pack teams in a middle-of-the-pack conference can give something you, as a broadcaster, and we as listeners, will never forget.

Carlin: In many ways, college football is a lot more compelling than the games played on Sunday. I love it, and moments like Saturday's are why I love doing what I get the privilege to do every week in the fall.






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inspired

Jasper Howard has really inspired me. Everyone knows that I am really shy. Because of that I have a hard time living life the way I want. Often I don't say what I want to say or do the things I want to do. Fearing change is another issue that holds me back. When Jazz died, everything hit me hard. I want to tell people that I love them and hug them. It felt so good to do. I couldn't imagine dying and them not knowing how I feel. Life is to short to not have fun and do the things you want. How can I stand in the corner when I want to dance? How can I miss out the joys of life? It is obvious people seem to like me. So why do I worry? He inspired me to come out of my shell. Saying I love you doesn't make me weak. It makes me strong. Jazz has also inspired me to become active in the community. I love to help others, but again the whole shyness held me back. Now, I am getting active in Make a Wish, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and mentoring. Jasper did a lot of mentoring. If I can do these in the honor of Jazz it makes me feel as if I can do something to make him proud. It makes me feel close to him. Like I am completing something I needed to do. It makes me feel close to him. If I can help one person, even just a little than I have suceeded. Jazz was the best. I miss him, but his death has brought so much to perspective. It has made me evaluate everything. He has really changed me. Jazz I love you. I will never forget you. I hope my words to Coach Edsall and Kashif can somewhat motivate them and comfort them. Their words have comforted me so I would love to do the favor. Jasper I miss you. Don't worry you are with God and everything will be okay here. We will all be okay. Go Huskies!!!!