The UConn Blog - UConn Football National Signing Day 2015: Time to #ChangetheBrandEscalators are for cowards.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49593/uconn-fav.png2015-02-04T18:16:26-05:00http://www.theuconnblog.com/rss/stream/77397182015-02-04T18:16:26-05:002015-02-04T18:16:26-05:00Big leg kicker Michael Tarbutt officially a Husky!
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<p>The decorated prospect from Canisius High in Buffalo, NY made it official today. Not surprisingly, Bob Diaco said he has the best chance of seeing action on the field as a freshman.</p> <p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1423089311391_2598">Michael Tarbutt, a 6-foot-0 kicker from Buffalo, New York comes to UConn with a slew of awards in his trophy case. He is a 2nd team USA TODAY All-American, 1st team All-New York. His team went 12-0 his senior season, capturing a state championship and Tarbutt actually earned offensive MVP honors in the game.</p>
<p>UConn's newest specialist has got a leg. He hit a 60-yard field goal in the New York state championship game, breaking the school record which he previously held of 52 yards. It was the second longest field goal in New York state history.</p>
<p>Tarbutt kicked in a total of 11 field goals his senior season, which was a Western New York (WNY) record, and the fifth most in state history. You can see the video of the 60-yarder <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" target="_blank" href="http://www.mobypicture.com/user/lohudinsider/view/17629024">here</a>.</p>
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https://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/2/4/7981697/connecticut-uconn-huskies-recruiting-kicker-michael-tarbutt-canisus-buffaloAman KidwaiDaniel Connolly2015-02-04T14:54:25-05:002015-02-04T14:54:25-05:00New York WR Hergy Mayala is officially a Husky!
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<p>Coming to us from Trinity-Pawling via Canada, Hergy Mayala officially signed his letter of intent to play at UConn.</p> <p> <span><b></b></span></p>
<p>Hergy Mayala is another good route runner in this class of wide receivers. He isn't super fast but he has enough speed to get past corners. He has really good ball-concentration and is really good at catching jump balls. I definitely see him making an impact in his freshman year. The only knock I would give him is that he can probably come off the line better against press coverage.</p>
<p>In my opinion, the current crop of receivers at UConn will definitely have to play well in the spring and summer to keep receivers Beals and Mayala from getting much playing time. Mayala is rated as a <a target="_blank" href="http://247sports.com/Player/Hergy-Mayala-34017">3-star prospect by 247Sports</a> and held offers from Buffalo and Rutgers before <a target="_blank" href="http://www.theuconnblog.com/2014/10/22/7036617/uconn-football-recruiting-ath-hergy-mayala-verbally-commits-to-uconn">committing to UConn in October</a>.</p>
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<p><span><b>1.What position(s) did you play in high school and what are you planning on playing at UConn?</b></span></p>
<p><span>I played wide receiver, safety and cornerback in high school, but at UConn I'll be playing receiver.</span></p>
<p> <span><b>2. What made you choose UConn over the other options you had?</b></span></p>
<p><span>Just the opportunity of being part of something great, the team is starting on new foundations, and I feel like I could help.</span></p>
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<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span><b>3. Favorite workout pump-up song right now?</b></span></p>
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<p><span>I'll say between "Blessings" by Big Sean, Drake and Kanye or "Monster" by Meek Mill</span></p>
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<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span><b>4. What are your goals for yourself and the team during your time at UConn?</b></span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span>I want to leave as the best player that every played at UConn, break records, and as a team win and be bowl eligible every year.</span></p>
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<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span><b>5. What are you most excited for this coming fall?</b></span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span>I'm most excited about playing football and bonding with the team.</span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><b>6. What do you want UConn fans to know about you? </b></p>
<p><span>I'm a quiet person on the field. I don't talk or anything and just like every other kid I love kicks. </span><span>I want to personally thank everyone that believed in me, God for this chance, and the UConn football staff for having trust in me.</span></p>
https://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/2/4/7978563/wr-hergy-mayala-wants-to-be-best-ever-at-uconnRondale.Williams2015-02-04T14:45:06-05:002015-02-04T14:45:06-05:00DC LB Will Richardson is officially a UConn Husky!
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<p>The linebacker from our nation's capital has officially signed his letter of intent with UConn.</p> <p> <span><b></b></span></p>
<p>It was hard to find any good film on William Richardson playing linebacker, so I can't really assess his skill set. However, he played TE in high school too, so I suspect he's pretty athletic.</p>
<p>Richardson is rated as a 2-star prospect by Rivals and a <a href="http://247sports.com/Player/William-Richardson-36757" target="_blank">3-star prospect by the 247Sports composite</a> score. At <a href="http://www.theuconnblog.com/2014/7/8/5881347/de-will-richardson-commits-to-uconn-huskies-football-recruiting" target="_blank">the time of his commitment</a>, he had no other offers, but there was interest from many FBS programs in the area including East Carolina, North Carolina and Clemson.</p>
<p>Will Richardson was the first recruit outside of the northeast to commit to UConn. Kevin Murphy from Pennsylvania does sort of count, but DC is truly Mid-Atlantic and outside of our normal region.</p>
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<p><span><b>1. What position(s) did you play in high school and what are you planning on playing at UConn?</b></span></p>
<p><span>In high school I played TE, DE, and LB. I will be playing linebacker at UConn.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span><b>2. What made you choose UConn over the other options you had?</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span>I chose UConn because I feel like they wanted me, they recruited me the hardest.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span></span><span>3. Favorite workout pump-up song right now?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span>No favorite Songs. I like to make noise when I workout, like a monster!</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span><b>4. What are your goals for yourself and the team during your time at UConn?</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span>My goal is to </span><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChangeTheBrand?src=hash" data-query-source="hashtag_click" class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" dir="ltr" style="color: #2b7bb9; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap; background: #e1e8ed;"><span>#</span><span>ChangeTheBrand</span></a><span> of UConn football. ESPN will have a lot to say about the freshman at UConn.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span><b>5. What are you most excited for this coming fall?</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span>Getting in a college weight room, where I have a lot of access.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b>6. Is there anybody you want to thank? What do you want UConn fans to know about you?</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span>I want to thank the coaching staff for the opportunity. Now it's time to get to busy.</span></p>
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https://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/2/4/7978861/lb-willam-richardson-signs-his-loi-with-uconnRondale.Williams2015-02-04T13:41:22-05:002015-02-04T13:41:22-05:00Florida WR Frank Battle is officially a Husky!
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<p>UConn adds a 6-foot-6 wide receiver from Miami.</p> <p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;">Battle, the two-star recruit from the talented <a href="http://miamiherald.typepad.com/hssports/2013/06/miami-dade-class-of-2015-pre-summer-top-50.html" target="_blank">Miami-Dade area</a> is a little under the radar though because his high school, Belen Jesuit, runs a wing-T offense and does not pass very much. Battle had an offer from Syracuse, which was reportedly taken off the table, as well as Buffalo and Ohio. Battle is an outstanding student (4.2 GPA!) and when asked about Bob Diaco, Stuart called the staff "excellent" and "They are definitely going to turn things around there."</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;">Fans should be very excited about Frank Battle because he has off the charts athletic ability at 6-foot-6. Like a good amount of other UConn recruits, he is a two-sport athlete (on the basketball team). He seems like a player you can throw the ball up to and he will go get it with his size. Once he puts on some more weight, he will certainly be a player to watch in a Husky uniform.</p>
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<p style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;">GO HUSKIES!!!</p>
https://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/2/4/7977141/welcome-to-storrs-frank-battleMark CoreyMatthewGionfriddo2015-02-04T13:18:21-05:002015-02-04T13:18:21-05:00Massachussetts WR Aaron McClean is a UConn Husky!
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<p>Like many of our recruits, McLean is very tall. #scouting</p> <p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal">Coming into UConn, Aaron McClean has all the physical attributes to be a great receiver. He is 6-foot-6 and runs a 4.6 40-yard dash, which is scary to try and defend. However, when you watch him on film it seems he hasn't ran a lot of different routes and he is going to really have to learn the entire route tree in college. In high school, it seems his team called plays to throw the ball up to team, the same way the Vikings did when they had Randy Moss.</p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal">So, it seems McClean really is a player who is going to need some time to develop. But if he soaks up what he is taught in practice, this guy can be scary good.</p>
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<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span><b>1.What position(s) did you play in high school and what are you planning on playing at UConn?</b></span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span> I played Safety, WR, and Tight end. At UConn I plan on playing WR.</span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"> <span><b>2. What made you choose UConn over the other options you had?</b></span></p>
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<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span>I chose UConn over my other options because It has always been my dream school, and I felt it was the perfect balance between academics and athletics. I also liked the UConn coaching staff a lot.</span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"> <span><b>3. Favorite workout pump-up song right now?</b></span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span>I would have to say Trap Queen right now. </span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span><b>4. What are your goals for yourself and the team during your time at UConn?</b></span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span> My goals for myself are to develop my body and my skills so i can reach my full potential and be an impact player as soon as possible. Most importantly, I want to do whatever I can to help the team win. I also promised my mom I would get a college degree so leaving with that is defiantly a goal of mine.</span></p>
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<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span><b>5. What are you most excited for this coming fall?</b></span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span>I'm most excited to shock the world. Nobody is going to be expecting what UConn football is going to bring next year. Myself and all of the guys in my class have a goal of doing whatever we can to help turn UConn football around and that's what we plan to do.</span></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><b>6. What motivates you? What do you think you're adding to UConn?</b></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="MsoNormal"><span>I have been waiting for this opportunity my whole life. I've worked for the football piece, but I also have really worked in the classroom, and I feel that my dedication in both the classroom and on the field reflects what kind of person I am. I used to not really care much for school when I was younger, but right around when I entered high school I decided to change myself and really strive to be successful in the classroom. This change I made really speaks to my competitive nature. I am a very competitive person and all aspects of life including the classroom. I hate being anything but first, and that's the mindset I'm coming to UConn with and I feel that UConn football in general is going to have this mindset in the years to come.</span></p>
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https://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/2/4/7978337/aaron-mcclean-is-officially-a-part-of-the-uconn-familyRondale.Williams2015-02-04T13:04:52-05:002015-02-04T13:04:52-05:00NJ WR Tyraiq Beals is a UConn Husky!
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<p>The explosive receiver made his commitment to UConn official today.</p> <p> <span><b></b></span></p>
<p>Tyraiq Beals is an extremely exciting player to watch! I really can't wait to see him play at UConn. He's fast, can jump, and has really good ball-concentration skills. His route running is also superb, but he could get better at the small nuances of the position. Maybe he can add a wiggle move to his slant routes and put on some weigh, but that can be said about all players coming from high school to college. Other than that his route running is great and he runs after the catch really well.</p>
<p>Beals is a 3-star recruit according to Rivals, and had interest from Rutgers, Temple and UVA but no offers at the time of his verbal commitment.</p>
<p>Mark my words, Beals will get a lot of playing time his freshman year at UConn. Check out our Q&A with the man himself after watching his highlight reel!</p>
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<p><span><b>1.What position(s) did you play in high school and what are you planning on playing at UConn?</b></span></p>
<p><span>I played wide receiver and cornerback in HS and I'm planning on playing WR at UConn.</span></p>
<p> <span><b>2. What made you choose UConn over the other options you had?</b></span></p>
<p><span> I chose UConn because I never meet a coaching staff as great as theirs. </span></p>
<p> <span><b>3. Favorite workout pump-up song right now?</b></span></p>
<p><span>I don't have a certain favorite workout pump up song. I'll listen to anything that sounds good while I'm working out.</span></p>
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<span><b>4. What are your goals for yourself and the team during your time at UConn?</b></span>
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<span>My goals are to become a big part of this team for my teammates, coaches, and the fans of UConn football. As a team, I plan for u</span><span>s to play in multiple bowl games because of how focused we are. </span>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span><b>5. Who do you model your game after? Did you play any other sports in high school?</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span>I'm a Cowboys fan and I model myself after multiple receivers. Mostly ones who have great route running skills, and outside of football I run track.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">So I'm active all seasons and I take competition very seriously. I'd also like to thank the UConn coaches for seeing my potential.</p>
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https://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/2/4/7978073/wr-tyraiq-beals-sees-multiple-bowl-games-for-uconnRondale.Williams2015-02-04T11:48:40-05:002015-02-04T11:48:40-05:00New Jersey DL David Ryslik signs with UConn!
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<p>The 3-star recruit is bringing size, skill, and plenty of enthusiasm to the UConn defensive line.</p> <p>David Ryslik, the <a target="_blank" href="http://247sports.com/Player/David-Ryslik-31215">3-star defensive tackle from Hightstown, NJ</a> is a great get for the Huskies. The 6-foot-4 295lb. man-beast chose UConn over Cincinnati, Duke, Syracuse and Temple, among others. Although his <a target="_blank" href="http://football.adimeback.com/david-rysliks-complicated-journey-to-uconn/">most recent visit to Storrs didn't go as planned</a>, the 30<sup>th</sup> ranked prospect in New Jersey committed to the Huskies on February 2<sup>nd</sup>.</p>
<p>Watching his highlights, Ryslik's most apparent trait right off the bat is his size. He is a commanding presence on the field and his frame suggests that he has plenty of room to grow. One of the things that make Ryslik a special prospect is how strong he is at the point of attack. He gets off the line quickly which allows him to get into the backfield.</p>
<p>Ryslik was kind enough to answer some questions for us, and man, he got me excited for the season. His enthusiasm seems is contagious:</p>
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<p><b>What position(s) did you play in high school and where are you planning on playing at UConn?</b></p>
<p>DT in high school and DE at UConn.</p>
<p><b>What made you choose UConn over the other options you had?</b></p>
<p>The campus was insane, the football facilities were even better, and I felt the instant connection with the players and the coaches. It was like they became instant family.</p>
<p><b>Favorite workout pump-up song right now?</b></p>
<p>She All About Her SHMoney</p>
<p>Rowdy Revel ft. Bobby Shmurda</p>
<p>Faneto - Chief Keef</p>
<p>Flick of Dat Wrist - Chedda</p>
<p><b>What are your goals for yourself and the team during your time at UConn?</b></p>
<p>I want to grow physically and mentally, win as many games as possible, win the AAC, make it to a bowl game, and get this national championship!</p>
<p><b>What are you most excited for this coming fall?</b></p>
<p>I just want to get to Storrs and get to work with my new family. I'm ready for GAMEDAY, ready for campus life, and ready for college.</p>
<p><b>What do you feel is the most important thing that you're bringing to the team?</b></p>
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<p>I'm going to come in and work my tail off, and in the process push my teammates to push just as hard. UConn fans look out, a new wave of commits is coming in to join the tidal wave and we're taking over!</p>
https://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/2/4/7975449/uconn-football-recruiting-new-jersey-dl-david-ryslik-is-a-uconn-huskyMark Corey2015-02-04T11:21:16-05:002015-02-04T11:21:16-05:00CB Aaron Garland makes it official with UConn
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<p>Cornerback Aaron Garland is member of UConn's 2015 football recruiting from Oak Park, Illinois. Here is our Q & A with him. <strong></strong></p> <p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Overall, Aaron Garland has good athletic ability and is a player I could see making some exciting plays at UConn. I could see the UConn coaches using him on special teams a lot early on because he has the speed to return and he isn't scared to hit. He has what scouts would call a "heavy shoulder", meaning that when he hits, he hits hard. At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, he has decent size to cover some of the bigger receivers and enough weight to be effective against the run.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Garland is rated as a 3-star prospect by both Rivals and 247Sports and held offers from seven MAC schools including regional powerhouse Northern Illinois. He also had an offer from Nevada and interest from the Big Ten. He hails from Fenwick High in Oak Park, Illinois.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">The only downside I see in Garland's game is that he could use better technique when back pedaling. There were many times on film, where he stood up too tall in his back pedal, got turned all the way around, and couldn't recover in time to make a play on the ball. I'm sure the coaches will work on that and he'll be successful.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span><b>1.What position(s) did you play in high school and what are you planning on playing at UConn?</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span> I played corner in high school, with a bit of safety. I'm excited to play corner at UConn!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span><b>2. What made you choose UConn over the other options you had?</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span>I chose Uconn due to the great coaching staff and the culture they are developing. Also, I loved campus and could see myself exceeding academically.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span><b>3. Favorite workout pump-up song right now?</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span>My favorite workout song is "40 mil" by Tyga.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span><b>4. What are your goals for yourself and the team during your time at UConn?</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span> My goal is to become the best football player possible and a champion. My team goals are to win championships.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span><b>5. What are you most excited for this coming fall?</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span>This fall im excited to see the hard work from the offseason pay off. I'm also excited to play at The Rent with the fans screaming!!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b>6. What are some interesting things about yourself that you would like UConn fans to know?</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span>I love to play poker and I was class president at my high school. </span><span>I'm from a suburb in Illinois called Oak Park, right next to the city of Chicago. I also come from a big family of 10 so I am a family man. I'll also do w</span><span>hatever it takes to win.</span></p>
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https://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/2/4/7977287/cornerback-aaron-garland-makes-it-official-with-uconnRondale.Williams