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TheRoundUp 8/10: First football practice edition

 

Note: Although there are about 67 papers that cover UConn sports, I'll usually refrain from linking to more than two or three, depending on the day, to avoid redundancy.

College football, UConn begins practice - Courant.com
UConn's safeties are so bad. (How bad are they?) They're so bad that Randy Edsall has now assumed control of coaching the position. Oh, and in case you forgot, Darnell Perkins is in his first season as secondary coach. ... Yeesh.

The New Haven Register Blogs: Ramblings from The Runway: It's football season...practice one in review
Within this blog post on practice No. 1, Chip Malafronte notes that QB Leon Kinnard spent the entire day at wide receiver. He also points out that, including Kinnard, there are seven QBs likely to take snaps in practice. However, McEntee, McCummings and walk-on Blaine Driscoll are all longshots to ever see the field; Mike Box is still an urban legend; and Kinnard is not a typical quarterback -- he'll likely never be the No. 1 guy taking the snaps. He's better suited, as of now, to be a change of pace, perhaps as a weapon in the Wildcat (which I guess is just a cooler QB draw at that point).

Edsall is new safety net- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut
Another story on Edsall coaching safeties, although this one points out that receiver MIke Lang, he of SEC-type speed, is now in the defensive secondary. It also seems that Dwayne Gratz and Blidi Wreh-Wilson are the starters at the corners heading into the season. Although young, both have huge potential. There will be issues, I'm sure, but I have confidence they'll be able to get the job done. The safeties, however ... ugh. 

Football practice Day 1 - UConn sports - Connecticut News
Neil Ostrout of the CT Post says that Lang is, in fact, the starter opposite Junior right now in the defensive backfield. Ostrout also points out that young-gun o-linemen Erik Kuraczea and Jimmy Bennett are not with the first team as of now; Matt Oliver was with the starting squad at guard, while Adam Masters has the tackle spot after an impressive spring practice. Things can (and likely will) change, though, especially at tackle -- Bennett missed the spring with a knee injury and is too damn good to overlook (he probably would've started last year if not for the troublesome knee.

Desmond Conner With D.J. Shoemate -- Courant.com
New Husky tailback D.J. Shoemate on his path to UConn, first day at practice.

UConn enters season with great expectations - NCAA - SI.com
This AP story from CT writer Pat Eaton-Robb notes that UConn has put a Michigan helmet up in the locker room to "remind us of what we are working for," said Jordan Todman.

And the Big East's hot team is ... - Big East Blog - ESPN
This is why UConn's hot, says Brian Bennett.

Big East power rankings - Big East Blog - ESPN
Although the Huskies -- or any Big East team, for that matter -- didn't make ESPN.com's college football power rankings, Bennett has UConn No. 4 in the conference version.

Twitter / Adam Zagoria:

Duke`s Kyle Singler, FSU`s Chris Singleton and UConn`s Kemba Walker all playing well 4 college kids.

LB Lutrus letting freedom ring- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut
Lutrus is ready for his final year, says Dave Solomon. Not sure about you, but I don't think I'll ever make it through another Lutrus story without being bored out of my mind.

Spurrier channels anger into South Carolina season - NCAA - SI.com
Spurrier still chafing from UConn loss.

WRGC.COM | Sports
Former UConn QB Casey Turner has quit the football team at Western Carolina and his playing days are likely over, says his former coach.

UC quarterback Zach Collaros diary | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com
Cincinnati QB Zach Collaros is doing a daily dairy from training camp with the Cincinnati Enquirer. A lot of mindless coach speak, but there is an occasional nugget or two, like:

Coach (Butch) Jones likes to use the word juice and I thought we had a lot of that today.

OK then.