UConn Huskies football

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UConn Huskies football
2024 UConn Huskies football team
First season1896
Athletic directorDavid Benedict
Head coachJim L. Mora
2nd season, 9–16 (.360)
StadiumPratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field
(capacity: 40,000 (Expandable to 42,704))
Year built2003
Field surfaceGrass
LocationEast Hartford, Connecticut
NCAA divisionDivision I
ConferenceIndependent
Past conferencesALNESC (1897–1922)
New England (1923–1946)
Yankee (1947–1996)
Atlantic 10 (1997–1999)
Independent (2000–2003)
Big East (2004–2012)
The American (2013–2019)
All-time record518–600–38 (.465)
Bowl record3–4 (.429)
Conference titles26
RivalriesUMass (rivalry)
Rhode Island (rivalry)
Syracuse (rivalry)
Consensus All-Americans3
ColorsNational flag blue and white[1]
   
Fight songUConn Husky
MascotJonathan
Marching bandThe Pride of Connecticut
OutfitterNike
WebsiteUConnHuskies.com

The UConn Huskies football team is a college football team that represents the University of Connecticut in the sport of American football. The team competes in NCAA Division I FBS as an independent. Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and became a full-fledged Division I-A team in 2002. From 2000 to 2003, the team played as an independent. The school's football team then joined the conference of its other sport teams, the Big East (later named the American Athletic Conference (AAC) in 2013), taking effect in 2004, through 2019. In 2019, the UConn football team left the American to again play as an independent, as the school's current primary conference, the current Big East, does not sponsor the sport. The Huskies currently are coached by Jim Mora.[2]

History[edit]

Early years[edit]

The University of Connecticut began playing football in 1896 when the school was known as Storrs Agricultural College, and the team was known as the "Aggies." It teamed up with the University of Massachusetts Amherst and University of Rhode Island to form the Athletic League of New England State Colleges for the purpose of scheduling football matchups between the schools. The first year was spent playing against local high schools and YMCA clubs. The following year provided their first competition against future rivals Rhode Island, an opponent that would be played over 100 times, and Massachusetts. Other early rivals included the Ivy League and the "Little Ivies", particularly Yale University starting in 1948, who have played the Huskies for 50 years.

Tragedy struck the team on September 27, 1919, when Gardner Dow died from injuries related to a flying tackle that he delivered in a game against New Hampshire.[3][4] The college would honor Dow by naming the athletic fields after him. These fields would become the home for most of the school's athletic teams for the next three decades.

The football team plays on Gardner Dow Athletic Fields in 1920.

In 1924, the Aggies celebrated their first undefeated season when they finished with six wins, no losses and two ties. The defense was the strength of the team, as they allowed a meager thirteen points to be scored against them over the entire season, including a total of three points over the final seven games.[5] The team was proclaimed by The New York Times to be among the best in the country, and was led by the school's first All-America candidate in captain, Martin "Red" O'Neill.[6]

The UConn Club memorializes O'Neill with a yearly award given to a former student-athlete who has had a successful professional career.

Red O'Neill went on to become one of Connecticut's first players to play in the NFL. He played for the Hartford Blues in 1926, their only year in the NFL.[7] Another player is Art "Pop" Williams, winning a championship with the Providence Steam Roller in 1928 and also has the record for the most rushing career touchdowns in Providence's franchise history.[8] The Steam Roller are New England's first NFL champion.

The renamed Huskies went on to become long-time members of the Yankee Conference, winning 15 conference championships.

In 2012, Bill Belichick stated in an interview on WEEI that in 1983 he applied for the Huskies' head coaching position but was eventually turned down in favor of an internal hire, Tom Jackson.

Transition to Division I-A[edit]

Connecticut hired Lew Perkins as its athletic director in 1990. One of Perkins' first projects was to gather facts for a possible upgrade of the football program to Division I-A.[9] Perkins feared that if the university didn't upgrade the football program, that it ran the risk of falling behind other institutions that fielded both football and basketball teams at the highest level. However, UConn was in the middle of a budget deficit and many faculty feared that an upgrade of the football program would result in a loosening of academic standards.[9]

First Randy Edsall era (1999-2010)[edit]

Randy Edsall was named the 27th head football coach at the University of Connecticut on December 21, 1998, and led the Huskies from Division I-AA into Division I-A. UConn officially began the upgrade process in January 1999 by applying to join the Big East football conference.[10] They would receive a special waiver from the NCAA in order to play in Memorial Stadium while Rentschler Field was under construction.[11] UConn would become the first school to ever move from the FCS to the Bowl Championship Series as a member of the Big East after 3 years as an independent. The Huskies would spend the 2000 and 2001 as a transitional Division I-A program as they built their scholarship base to the maximum of 85. They recorded their first win over a Division I-A opponent on September 18, 1999, when they defeated Buffalo, 23-0. They would finish the 1999 season with a final record of 4-7, and the following 2000 season at 3-8. [12]

The 2001 season brought their first win over a BCS rival with a victory over Rutgers on September 29, by a score of 20–19. The growing pains continued, as they finished the season at 2–9.

The breakthrough came during the Huskies' first year as a full-fledged member of Division I-A in 2002. Led by sophomore quarterback Dan Orlovsky, they showed vast improvement over the previous two seasons, despite starting the season losing six of the first eight games. They closed Memorial Stadium in fashion by routing the last two opponents, Florida Atlantic and Kent State, by a combined score of 124–35. The 63 points scored against Kent State in the Memorial Stadium finale, was the most the Huskies ever scored in the 50 years of playing in the stadium. They concluded a successful season by defeating Navy, 38–0, and Iowa State, 37–20. The victory over Iowa State was the Huskies' first win over a bowl-bound team.

Connecticut was originally scheduled to join the Big East as a football member in 2005. However, following the departure of Miami, Virginia Tech, the Huskies' entrance into the Big East was expedited by one year. Boston College would leave the Big East at the conclusion of the 2004 season.[13]

The success continued in 2003, when Connecticut began play in Rentschler Field. They would finish the season with an overall record of 9–3. They opened the season with their first victory vs. a Big Ten team (34–10 over Indiana) and the final game of the season provided their first victory over an ACC opponent, when they defeated Wake Forest, 51–17. It was only the third time that a non-conference team had scored over 50 points in an ACC stadium. Despite the stellar record, the Huskies were not invited to play in a bowl game, largely due to their lack of conference affiliation.

The Huskies played their first Big East conference game on September 17, 2004, when they dropped a 27–7 decision at Boston College. Their first Big East conference win came only 13 days later, when they defeated Pittsburgh 29–17. They completed their first season in the conference in 5th place with a record of 3–3. That year's overall record of 8–4 was enough to garner an invitation to the 2004 Motor City Bowl, the first bowl invitation in the school's history. The attendance of 52,552 was, at the time, a record crowd for the Bowl.

The Huskies were hit hard by graduation and injuries in the 2005 and 2006 seasons. The program opened one of the best and newest college football facilities in 2006 with the completion of the $57.9 million (165,000 sq. ft.) Burton Family Football Complex & Mark R. Shenkman Training Center.[14]

The 2007 season saw a quick turnaround with the Huskies' first ever Big East Conference football title, which they shared with West Virginia. For the first time UConn beat a ranked opponent at home, defeating South Florida 22–15. UConn participated in the Meineke Car Care Bowl losing to Wake Forest 24–10.

That was followed up with consecutive 8–5 seasons in 2008 and 2009 with wins in both of their bowl games (over Buffalo and the SEC's South Carolina).

The team was hit hard in 2009 by the on-campus murder of junior cornerback Jasper Howard who was stabbed by a non-student outside a dance following their homecoming game win over Louisville. UConn struggled following his death, dropping their next three games and falling to 1–4 in-conference, but got a major win to break the streak at Notre Dame, a victory quoted by Coach Randy Edsall as being the program's "Best Win".[15] The game ball from that victory was sent to Howard's mother in Miami, one of many tributes throughout the year for the fallen player. The team honored Howard prior to every game through the 2010 season, which would have been his senior year.

The 2010 season brought a 2nd Big East Championship in 4 years and a trip to the 2011 Fiesta Bowl. After a loss in the Fiesta Bowl, to Oklahoma, Edsall did not fly home with or tell his players that he was leaving the UConn football program. He instead took a separate flight to Maryland to become their new head coach. It had also been noted in the media that Edsall's relationship with then-athletic director Jeff Hathaway had been strained for several years.

Paul Pasqualoni era (2011-2013)[edit]

Two weeks after Edsall left for Maryland and after nearly seven years away from college football, Connecticut native Paul Pasqualoni was hired away as defensive coordinator from the Dallas Cowboys to lead the UConn football program, by the soon to be dismissed AD Hathaway.

The Big East's name changed in 2013 to the American Athletic Conference as a result of the non-FBS split that took place as part of the conference's three-way realignment between 2010 and 2013. Three members moved to the ACC as full members, Notre Dame went the ACC as a partial, Rutgers to the Big Ten and West Virginia to the Big 12. With the seven non-FBS basketball schools buying the Big East conference name for their own newly formed conference. Two teams departing to the ACC, Syracuse and Pittsburgh left the Big East with losing records against the Huskies in football.[citation needed]

Following two seasons of mediocrity and a struggling offense, Pasqualoni was forced to replace his lifelong colleague George DeLeone as the offensive coordinator, just as he did prior to them both being fired at Syracuse. Pasqualoni named T. J. Weist as his OC for 2013. But Pasqualoni and Deleone (now his OL coach) were both fired after starting 0–4 with UConn's first loss as full D-I member to an FCS team, Towson 33–18 and following a humiliating defeat to Buffalo (41–12), which UConn had never lost to (8–0) as an FBS team. Weist was named the interim head coach and finished the season strong on a 3-game winning streak after starting out 0–5 and totally revamping the offense free of Pasqualoni's control.

UConn lining up against Iowa State in 2011

Bob Diaco era (2014-2016)[edit]

Though Weist was considered for the head coaching job, UConn AD Warde Manuel announced Notre Dame defensive coordinator and Broyles Award winner Bob Diaco as the new UConn head coach for the 2014 season. After a complete tear down of the program in 2014, which would lead to Diaco finishing the year with only around 60 scholarship players available and needing to use a dozen true freshman, the team finished 2–10.

The 2015 season resulted in a revitalization for the program as they finished 6–6 and became bowl eligible for the first time since the 2010 season.

On December 26, 2016, UConn announced Diaco, who posted his 3rd straight losing year with a 3–9 record would be fired effective January 2, 2017. By not making the move immediately, the school saved $1.6 million in buyout expenses.[16] He was replaced by former coach Edsall, making his return to the program after six years.[17]

Second Randy Edsall era (2017-2021)[edit]

Following a 3–9 third season with the Huskies, Diaco was terminated at the end of the 2016 season.[18] His replacement, Randy Edsall, returning to the program after six years, would not find similar success in his second go-around. In 2019, after several years of losing records with a $41 million sports created deficit, UConn made the choice to leave the AAC and rejoin the current edition of the Big East.[citation needed] This is seemingly a basketball move because the Big East does not have football.[citation needed] The path will be to play as an independent.[citation needed]

The UConn football team left The American and became independent in August 2020 as a result of UConn's other sports rejoining the Big East, which does not sponsor football.[19] UConn cancelled their 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their first season competing independently was in 2021. After three straight losing campaigns and a season cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Edsall elected to retire after a 0–2 start in 2021.[20]

Jim Mora era (2022-present)[edit]

To replace Edsall, UConn hired Jim L. Mora. In his first season with the team, Mora would lead the Huskies to a surprising 6–6 regular season record, highlighted by an upset victory over then-No. 19 Liberty. Bowl-eligible for the first time since 2015, UConn was selected to play in the 2022 Myrtle Beach Bowl against Marshall, in a rematch of their last bowl game.[21]

Academics[edit]

In 2010, Connecticut had 16 players named to the Big East All-Academic Football Team,[22] an honor which requires a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least a 3.0 in a minimum of two semesters. And several times UConn was ranked as one of the top bowl teams in the country per the annual Graduation Gap Bowl report.[23][24] In 2015, the team was honored by AF Coaches Assoc. for academic achievement and the 990 single year APR score in 2014–15 under head coach Diaco was also the highest in school history.

Conference affiliations[edit]

Postseason appearances[edit]

Division I-AA playoffs[edit]

Season Coach Playoff Opponent Result
1998 Skip Holtz First Round
Quarterfinals
Hampton
Georgia Southern
W 42–34
L 52–30

Bowl games[edit]

Connecticut has participated in seven bowl games, with the Huskies garnering a record of 3–4.[25]

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
2004 Randy Edsall Motor City Bowl Toledo W 39–10
2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl Wake Forest L 10–24
2008 International Bowl Buffalo W 38–20
2009 PapaJohns.com Bowl South Carolina W 20–7
2010 Fiesta Bowl Oklahoma L 20–48
2015 Bob Diaco St. Petersburg Bowl Marshall L 10–16
2022 Jim L. Mora Myrtle Beach Bowl Marshall L 14–28

Championships[edit]

Conference championships[edit]

Connecticut has won 26 conference championships, 17 shared and 9 outright.[citation needed]

Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record
1901 T. D. Knowles Athletic League of New England State Colleges 8–2 1–0
1924 Sumner Dole New England Conference 6–0–2 3–0
1926 7–1 2–1
1928 4–1–3 1–0–2
1936 J. Orlean Christian 7–2 2–0
1937 6–2–1 1–0
1942 6–2 2–0
1945 7–1 2–0
1946 4–3–1 2–0–1
1949 Yankee Conference 4–4–1 2–0–1
1952 Robert Ingalls 5–3 2–1
1956 6–2–1 3–0–1
1957 5–4–1 3–0–1
1958 7–3 4–0
1959 6–3 4–0
1960 5–4 3–1
1968 John Toner 4–6 4–1
1970 4–4–2 4–0–1
1971 Robert Casciola 5–3–1 4–1–1
1973 Larry Naviaux 8–2–1 5–0–1
1982 Walt Nadzak 5–6 3–2
1983 Tom Jackson 5–6 4–1
1986 8–3 5–2
1989 8–3 6–2
2007 Randy Edsall Big East 9–4 5–2
2010 8–5 5–2

† Co-champions

Division championships[edit]

The Huskies have won one division title, which they shared with UMass.

Season Coach Division Overall record Conference record
1998 Skip Holtz Atlantic 10 New England 10–3 6–2

† Co-champions

Head coaches[edit]

Rivalries[edit]

Massachusetts[edit]

The Yankee Conference rivalry dates back to 1897. The rivalry became dormant in 1999 as UConn moved up to the FBS and UMass remained at the FCS level. The rivalry would be revived in UMass's FBS debut, a 37–0 win for the Huskies. Since 2018 each school has won two of the four contests. They are set to play again at a neutral site in 2023.

Rhode Island[edit]

The football rivalry dates back to 1897 and was centered around the Ramnapping Trophy after UConn students stole the URI mascot in 1934. The teams played nearly every year until the end of the Yankee Conference. Once UConn moved up to the FBS, the teams seldom play as Rhode Island remains an FCS program. Since 2000, there have been only 3 meetings; a UConn (52–7) win in 2006, a UConn (52–10) win in 2009, and a back-and-forth 56–49 UConn victory in 2018.

UCF[edit]

One other rivalry, known as the "Civil Conflict," unofficially exists between UCF and UConn. However, UCF did not acknowledge the rivalry, and has publicly dismissed it until 2021, when UCF trolled UConn by posting the Trophy on Twitter. UConn responded back by trolling their National Championship claim and Trophy.

Facilities[edit]

Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field[edit]

Press box at Rentschler Field in 2008
Rentschler Field in 2017

In 1997, the Big East Conference gave the University of Connecticut and Villanova University a December 31 deadline to decide if they were going to upgrade their respective football programs and join the Big East football conference.[26] Villanova, a private institution, declined the invitation. However, in October 1997, the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees overwhelmingly endorsed, by a vote of sixteen to one, the football team's plan to upgrade the program to Division I-A status.[27] Part of the plan would be to build a new stadium, as the current stadium, Memorial Stadium, fell well below the minimum occupancy level of 30,000, as set by the NCAA. Originally, the new stadium was to be built on campus.

UConn would be granted an attendance waiver by the NCAA in order to play its home games at Memorial Stadium in Storrs during the 2000–2002 seasons.

However, the enthusiasm toward the new stadium quickly faded as the estimated expenses rose, the idea of an on-campus stadium was tabled, and the upgrade of the program was put on hold by the Connecticut state legislature.[28] A year later, the stadium issue was rehashed during an attempt to bring the New England Patriots to Hartford, Connecticut. A proposed 70,000 seat, open-air stadium in downtown Hartford would also serve as the home of the Huskies football team.[29] The plans for this stadium also fell through and the Patriots announced that they would remain in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Eventually, a new site emerged across the Connecticut River in East Hartford, when Pratt & Whitney donated land on the old Rentschler Airfield to the state for purposes of building an off-campus football stadium which is 20 miles away from the main campus.

The Huskies play their home football games at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut, an off-campus facility located 20 miles (32 km) to the west of the main campus and only 3 miles east of the new Downtown Hartford-Uconn campus. The inaugural game took place on August 30, 2003, when Connecticut defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 34–10. Since the opening, Connecticut has enjoyed a decided home field advantage, posting a 50–30 record when playing at Rentschler. In 2007, the Huskies completed their home season winning each of their seven home games, becoming only the second Big East team to compile a 7–0 home record. The stadium played to an average of 97% near capacity crowds for eight years (2003–2010), prior to Paul Pasqualoni's arrival and during the Big East.

Burton Family Football Complex[edit]

The Huskies on-campus home is at the Burton Family Football Complex on Stadium Road in Storrs, Connecticut. It contains the coaches offices, team meeting rooms, video facilities, dining hall and student-athlete lounge. Construction began in the fall of 2004 and it officially opened in July 2006. The building is named after Robert Burton, who in 2002 made a donation of $2.5 million to the University of Connecticut. The original location of the building was to be where Memorial Stadium stands.[30] However, it was later decided to construct the building across the street.

Mark R. Shenkman Training Center[edit]

Alongside the Burton Family Football Complex is the 85,000-square-foot (7,900 m2) Mark R. Shenkman Training Center. The indoor training center includes a full-length football field and an 18,000-square-foot (1,700 m2) strength and conditioning center.[31] The training center was made possible by a $2.5 million gift from Connecticut businessman and UConn alum, Mark Shenkman.[32] Construction of the Mark R. Shenkman Training Center and the Burton Family Football Complex were handled in tandem by HOK Sport + Venue + Event and JCJ Architecture. Upon completion in the summer of 2006, both buildings were granted a LEED silver designation. They are the first buildings on the University of Connecticut campus, and the first football facilities in the nation to be certified as a "green building."[33]

Records[edit]

Record vs. Big East teams[edit]

Official record against all former Big East teams (2004–12):[34][page needed]

Opponent Won Lost Percentage All Time Streak First Last
Boston College 0 1 .000 1–13–2 Lost 1 1908 2023
Cincinnati 2 6 .250 3–13 Lost 3 2001 2019
Louisville 4 4 .500 4–6 Lost 1 2000 2013
Pittsburgh 5 4 .556 5–4 Won 1 2004 2012
Rutgers 3 6 .333 11–22 Won 1 1940 2013
South Florida 5 3 .625 5–13 Lost 9 2000 2023
Syracuse 6 3 .667 6–6 Lost 4 2004 2022
Temple 1 1 .500 6–14 Lost 2 1963 2019
West Virginia 1 7 .125 1–7 Lost 1 2004 2011
Totals 27 35 .435

Record vs. AAC teams[edit]

Official record against all AAC opponents (2013–2019):[34][page needed]

Teams no longer in The American are in italics.

Opponent Won Lost Percentage All Time Streak First Last
Cincinnati 1 6 .143 3–13 Lost 3 2001 2019
East Carolina 1 5 .167 1–5 Lost 4 2014 2019
Houston 1 2 .333 1–3 Lost 3 2015 2021
Louisville 0 1 .000 4–6 Lost 1 2000 2013
Memphis 1 3 .250 1–3 Lost 3 2013 2018
Navy 0 3 .000 1–9 Lost 4 1975 2019
Rutgers 1 0 1.000 11–22 Won 1 1940 2013
SMU 0 4 .000 0–5 Lost 5 1989 2018
South Florida 0 7 .000 5–13 Lost 9 2000 2023
Temple 2 5 .286 6–14 Lost 2 1963 2019
Tulane 1 3 .250 1–3 Lost 2 2014 2019
Tulsa 1 1 .500 1–1 Lost 1 2017 2018
UCF 2 5 .286 2–6 Lost 5 2013 2021
Totals 11 45 .196

Notable alumni and personnel[edit]

Current NFL players[edit]

[35]

Player Position Team First Year Draft Round
Andrew Adams S Tennessee Titans 2016 Undrafted
Tyler Davis TE Green Bay Packers 2020 6
Folorunso Fatukasi DT Jacksonville Jaguars 2018 6
Ryan Griffin TE Chicago Bears 2013 6
Travis Jones DT Baltimore Ravens 2022 3
Matt Peart OT New York Giants 2020 3
Ryan Van Demark OT Buffalo Bills 2022 Undrafted
Nick Williams WR 2013 Undrafted

Current XFL players[edit]

Player Position Team
Jamar Summers CB New York Guardians

Former NFL players[edit]

[36][37]

Player Position 1st Year Draft Round Teams
Deon Anderson FB 2007 Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins
Glen Antrum[38] WR 1989 New England Patriots
William Beatty OT 2009 2 New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles
Tyvon Branch S 2008 4 Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Arizona Cardinals
Donald Brown RB 2009 1 Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, and New England Patriots
Cody Brown LB 2009 Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets
Darius Butler CB 2009 2
Marcus Easley WR 2010 4 Buffalo Bills
Alfred Fincher LB 2005 3 New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins
Art "Pop" Williams[39] RB 1928 Providence Steam Roller
Bill Cooke DE 1975 Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and Seattle Seahawks
Vince Clements RB 1972 4 New York Giants
Dwayne Gratz CB 2013 3 Philadelphia Eagles
James "Ching" Hammill[40] QB 1925 Providence Steam Roller
Bob Leahy QB 1971 Pittsburgh Steelers
Booth Lusteg K 1966 Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers
Brian Herosian DB 1973 Baltimore Colts
Brian Kozlowski TE 1993 New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins
Andreas Knappe OT 2017 Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, and Denver Broncos
Dan Orlovsky QB 2005 5 Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams
Eric Naposki LB 1988 New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts
Greg Lloyd, Jr. LB 2011 Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills
Red O'Neil[41] C 1926 Hartford Blues
John Contoulis[42] DT 1963 4 New York Giants
Mark Didio WR 1992 Pittsburgh Steelers
Matt Lawrence RB 2008 Baltimore Ravens
Nick Giaquinto RB 1980 Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins
Scott Lutrus LB 2011 Indianapolis Colts
Tyler Lorenzen TE 2009 New Orleans Saints
Vic Radzievitch [43] back 1926 Hartford Blues
Kendall Reyes DE 2012 2 San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, and New York Jets
Pete Rostosky T 1984 Pittsburgh Steelers
Michael Smith WR 2013 Houston Texans
Anthony Sherman FB 2011 5 Arizona Cardinals, and Kansas City Chiefs
Donald Thomas G 2008 6 Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts
Jordan Todman RB 2011 6 San Diego Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Houston Texans
Eric Torkelson RB 1974 11 Green Bay Packers
Darrell Wilson DB 1981 New England Patriots
Lawrence Wilson LB 2011 6

Former personnel[edit]

Individual accomplishments[edit]

Brian Kozlowski Award[edit]

The Brian Kozlowski Award was first awarded in 1998. It honors the former UConn Husky and former New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, & Washington Redskins tight end, Brian Kozlowski, who through hard work, effort and dedication has been able to have a lengthy NFL career.[44]: 86 

Year Recipients
2001 Jamie Lenkaitis
2002 Wes Timko
2003 Sean Mulcahy
2004 Ryan Krug
2005 Taurien Sowell
2006 Matt Applebaum, Matt Nuzie
2007 Larry Taylor
2008 Julius Williams
2009 Robert McClain
2010 Anthony Sherman
2011 Twyon Martin
2012 Dwayne Gratz
2013 Jesse Joseph
2014 Graham Stewart
2015 Luke Carrezola
2016 Luke Carrezola
2018 Aaron McLean

Individual conference awards[edit]

Players[edit]

Coaches[edit]

Future opponents[edit]

Announced schedules as of October 16, 2023.[45]

Week 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033
Week 0
Week 1 at Maryland Central Connecticut (FCS) Lafayette (FCS) Temple at South Florida at Duke
Week 2 Merrimack at Syracuse Maryland Ole Miss
Week 3 at Duke at Delaware at North Carolina North Carolina at Wake Forest Wyoming
Week 4 Florida Atlantic Ball State Indiana Old Dominion Buffalo at Buffalo
Week 5 Buffalo at Buffalo Syracuse at FIU at Temple Duke
Week 6 Temple FIU at Temple Rice
Week 7 at Rice at UMass at Army
Week 8 Wake Forest at Ohio State UMass Army
Week 9 Rice at Old Dominion at Pittsburgh
Week 10 Georgia State UAB at Duke Syracuse Pittsburgh
Week 11 at UAB Duke James Madison at Liberty Army
Week 12 at Florida Atlantic at Ole Miss
Week 13 at Syracuse at Wyoming Delaware Army
Week 14 at UMass UMass Date TBA: San Jose State Date TBA: at Purdue

References[edit]

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  3. ^ "Tackle Plunge at Durham, N H, Fatal". The Boston Globe. September 28, 1919. p. 19. Retrieved February 18, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
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  13. ^ "UConn to join Big East early; no other schools 'til 2005–06". SI.com. July 10, 2003. Retrieved April 17, 2009.
  14. ^ [1]|Burton – Shenkman Center
  15. ^ "Connecticut vs. Notre Dame recap". Sports Illustrated. November 21, 2009. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  16. ^ "Bob Diaco out as UConn head coach on Jan. 2 so Huskies can save $1.6 million". SB Nation. December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  17. ^ Anthony, Mike (December 28, 2016). "Randy Edsall Back At UConn: Coach Says He Should Have Done Things Differently When He Left". The Hartford Courant. Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
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  20. ^ "UConn says football coach Randy Edsall to step down immediately, instead of at season's end". espn.com. ESPN Enterprises, Inc. September 6, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  21. ^ "UConn football's amazing turnaround culminates in Myrtle Beach Bowl appearance against Marshall". Boston Globe. Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC. September 4, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  22. ^ "Sixteen Huskies Named To BIG EAST All-Academic Football Team". University of Connecticut. February 2, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  23. ^ [2]|Graduation Gap Bowl
  24. ^ [3]|In the college game, the goals that matter
  25. ^ "Connecticut Huskies Bowls". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
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