Dowayne Davis recorded a career-high 15 tackles against UConn last year
Countdown to Kickoff: UConn Closes Out the 27th Season In the Dome
8/23/2006 8:58:01 AM | Football
GAME 11: vs. Connecticut
November 18, 2006
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
| ABOUT CONNECTICUT ... |
| Location: Storrs, Conn. |
| Enrollment: 28,083 |
| Nickname: Huskies |
| Colors: National Flag Blue & White |
| Conference: BIG EAST |
| Stadium (Capacity): Rentschler Field (40,000) |
| Athletics Director: Jeffrey A. Hathaway |
| Starters Returning/Lost: 18/6 |
| Lettermen Returning/Lost: 40/18 |
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Check It Out ... The Mascot
The Connecticut husky mascot is named Jonathan, after Jonathan Trumbull, who served as the Connecticut governor before and after the Revolutionary War. The current mascot is Jonathan XII, and all but the first dog had one brown eye and one blue eye.
Hall Buddies
Men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun was inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, along with SU coach Jim Boeheim.
NFL Huskies
Alfred Fincher, LB, New Orleans Saints
Tyler King, DE, Arizona Cardinals
Dan Orlovsky, QB, Detroit Lions |
While Syracuse and Connecticut are no strangers on the basketball court in the Dome, November 18 will be only the second time they have met on the gridiron in Syracuse. Since becoming BIG EAST football members in 2004, the Huskies have split a pair of games with the Orange. The rubber match will close out the 27th football season in the history of the Carrier Dome and will mark the final home game for 16 Orange seniors.
In 10 days, Syracuse will take the field. Visit suathletics.com regularly for 'Countdown to Kickoff' to get an inside look at the 2006 season as the excitement builds. Season and individual game tickets are available via the internet and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (1-888-DOMETIX). To purchase tickets via the internet, click here.
Studying Connecticut
Head Coach
Randy Edsall is entering his eighth year at Connecticut, where he has compiled a record of 37-43. Edsall was with the program during its change from Divisoin I-AA to I-A in 1999 and its inception into the BIG East in 2004. He led Connecticut to its first-ever bowl game win, a 39-10 triumph against Toledo in the 2004 Motor City Bowl. Before being appointed to his first head coaching position at Connecticut, Edsall served as a defensive coach for Georgia Tech and Boston College and in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He earned one letter as a quarterback for Syracuse in 1979 and served as an assistant coach for the Orange (1980-1990).
2005 Record
5-6 / 2-5 BIG EAST (6th Place)
2006 Huskies
OFFENSE
The Huskies head into training camp with a four-way competition at quarterback. Senior Matt Bonislawski and sophomores D.J. Hernandez and Dennis Brown all saw action in 2005. Bonislawski led the Huskies to a fast start in 2005 before breaking his clavicle against Syracuse. Hernandez stepped into the starting lineup against Cincinnati, only to suffer a broken wrist, forcing Brown to lose his redshirt status and become the signal-caller for the next two games. When the season ended, Bonislawski and Hernandez had each appeared in seven games, thrown six touchdown passes and amassed over 230 rushing yards apiece. Bonislawski threw for more yards (836), but Hernandez threw only one interception in 90 attempts. The decision on a starting quarterback won’t come until the Huskies’ season opener. Whoever the quarterback will be, he will have a prime target in senior tight end Dan Murray. An All-BIG EAST selection in 2005, Murray caught 25 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns. He has been named to the Mackey Award preseason watch list. Murray is the 
highlight of the pass catchers, as Connecticut’s wide receivers are mostly inexperienced. Senior Brandon Young caught 28 passes for a team-high 317 yards and two touchdowns in 2005. Senior Terry Caulley (right) and sophomore Lou Allen are the top options in the Connecticut backfield. Caulley led the Huskies with 659 yards and six touchdowns in 2005; as well as catching 27 passes for 176 yards. Allen gained 381 yards and scored three times at both running back and fullback.
highlight of the pass catchers, as Connecticut’s wide receivers are mostly inexperienced. Senior Brandon Young caught 28 passes for a team-high 317 yards and two touchdowns in 2005. Senior Terry Caulley (right) and sophomore Lou Allen are the top options in the Connecticut backfield. Caulley led the Huskies with 659 yards and six touchdowns in 2005; as well as catching 27 passes for 176 yards. Allen gained 381 yards and scored three times at both running back and fullback. DEFENSE
Connecticut returns seven starters on defense in 2006. The secondary has seven players on the depth chart with starting experience. Sophomore cornerback Darius Butler led the team with four interceptions in 2005. Three of those picks came against Army, including one he returned 86 yards for a touchdown. At the other corner is junior Tyvon Branch, who recorded 42 tackles and two interceptions a year ago. Junior safety Marvin Taylor was second on the team with 64 tackles. Junior Danny 
Lansanah (right) led the Huskies with 80 tackles last year and is the lone returning linebacker. Juniors Justin DeRubertis and Ryan Henegan will fill in the vacant slots at linebacker. On the defensive line, the Huskies have a pair of defensive ends who saw extensive action in 2005. Senior Jason Ward and junior Dan Davis combined for 49 tackles and four sacks.
Lansanah (right) led the Huskies with 80 tackles last year and is the lone returning linebacker. Juniors Justin DeRubertis and Ryan Henegan will fill in the vacant slots at linebacker. On the defensive line, the Huskies have a pair of defensive ends who saw extensive action in 2005. Senior Jason Ward and junior Dan Davis combined for 49 tackles and four sacks. 2005 Review
The Huskies started out fast in 2005, winning four of their first five games. Injuries at quarterback against Syracuse and Cincinnati left them with a true freshman under center and sent them into a four-game losing streak. They spilt the final two games of the season against South Florida and Louisville and fell one game shy of bowl contention. Defense was once again the team’s strong point, as Connecticut led the BIG EAST in total defense for the second-consecutive season, allowing 297 yards per game. That total was good enough to rank them seventh in the nation. The Huskies’ pass defense was even more formidable, ranking fourth in the country. The Connecticut offense was not as strong, however, ranking seventh in the BIG EAST and 94th in the nation.
2006 Schedule
| 8/31 | RHODE ISLAND |
| 9/16 | WAKE FOREST |
| 9/23 | at Indiana |
| 9/30 | NAVY |
| 10/7 | at South FLorida |
| 10/14 | ARMY |
| 10/20 | WEST VIRGINIA |
| 10/29 | at Rutgers |
| 11/11 | PITTSBURGH |
| 11/18 | at Syracuse |
| 11/25 | CINCINNATI |
| 12/2 | at Louisville |
Stanchion to Stanchion | Laila Phelia
Wednesday, March 04
Naithan George postgame at Louisville
Wednesday, March 04
Adrian Autry postgame at Louisville
Wednesday, March 04
Highlights | Syracuse vs. Louisville
Wednesday, March 04
