Will Cody Endres get his second start? Is Zach Frazer healthy enough to go? What about the water boy? ...
The newest turn in Concussion-gate '08 is an all-too familiar one.
On today's Big East conference call, UConn coach Randy Edsall said Zach Frazer and Saturday's starter Cody Endres will be listed as "Or" atop the depth chart. The two QBs held the same status for the backup role up leading up to Tyler Lorenzen's injury against Louisville.
Frazer played better in that week of practice, "winning" the backup role, and was thus entered into the game when Ty Ty went down.
Looks like injuries will again dictate who will win the "Or" battle. But who knows, really.
More Concussion-gate info, and a daily rant, after the jump.
Football
- While Donald Brown stiff-arms and bruises his way to national notoriety, Andre Dixon, the running back that actually had more yards then the current NCAA rushing leadera season ago, has been left on the shelf. The team talked all preseason about how great it was to have two of the Big East's best backs, but after Brown piled up the yards against Hofstra and carried the team to an overtime win over Temple, all with Dixon nursing an ankle injury, the dreadlocked runner has turned from feature back to part of a duo to caddy. Edsall insists he's healthy. So why is he not being used? There simply aren't enough carries, says the coach. The question has been asked to Edsall before, but he seems to be getting increasingly irritated with it. Per the Courant:
"I'm not trying to start anything here and have you guys write, 'Randy got upset because somebody asked him a question about Andre.' There's nothing. There's no disciplinary action. There's nothing. [...] Please. If there was something wrong with Andre I would tell you."
Not to point out the pink elephant, but sounds like Randy got upset because somebody asked a question about Andre.
Two more points to make on the matter in my Rant of the Day:
1.) Wouldn't it be great if Edsall always referred to himself in the third person? Think about it. "Randy thinks the play-calling is fine." "Randy feels we're doing the best we can with our options." "Randy likes him the ladies."
And 2.) Is it me, or has Randy (which is what I'll be calling him from now on) been getting more upset with the media this season than usual? I wasn't on the beat last year, but I think with the increased interest in the team there has been increased interest in the media for certain things -- including the who, what, where and how about players' statuses -- he never had to deal with in eight of his 10 seasons. Think anyone cared if Shaun Feldsein would show up for UConn's showdown with Lehigh?
I understand coaches and reporters clash all the time. Just seems to me that Randy isn't liking the increased prodding and poking so much. If he continues to go down that path, I'm sure there's a job waiting for him where he doesn't have to deal with it as much.
Now back to your regularly scheduled links.
- Concussion-gate '08: Day 9 --Word from yesterday's conference call is Frazer practiced Sunday, but his status is still uncertain for Saturday's matchup with West Virginia. A quote on the matter from Desmond Connor's blog: "I don't know," Edsall said. "I'm not in a position to make that determination right now." Shocking.
- Dave Teggart was named Big East Special Teams Player of the Week after nailing 4 of 4 field goals, including a 47-yarder into the wind, in his first start in place of Tony Ciaravino.
- Within this notebook, it seems like despite his increased playing time and six-tackle performance, Aaron Bagsby still has a ways to go before taking over the starter's role from stone-footed Dahna Deleston.
- Zac Boyer gives a rundown of the Mountaineers.
Women's Basketball
- A strong veteran core is what will carry the team to another Final Four, but even without you know who, this year's crop of freshman has a chance to be good -- next year. Geno quote from the story: "Generally, freshmen don't test my patience. They don't drive me crazy until they are sophomores."