For nearly a month, UConn coach Randy Edsall knew what he would do -- he just started to wonder when he would get the opportunity.That chance finally came Saturday when the Huskies defeated Notre Dame, 33-30, in double overtime. After three excruciating losses, the Huskies finally had a victory for murdered teammate Jasper Howard.
"We've been working very, very hard to get a win for Jazz and his family after his death," Edsall said. "Each week that went by, it seemed like there was a little more burden to get that done. But when we got that taken care of at Notre Dame, I didn't tell the team what I was doing, but I knew what I was going to do once we got that victory."
After the game, Edsall said he talked to Howard's family. Edsall said he will send them the game ball.
The Huskies (5-5) continue to be one of the nation's most resilient teams.
"Jazz made the comment after the Louisville game [the last one he played before his death], he echoed that saying we have in our facility: 'you have to play every play like it's the last play,' " Edsall said. "They understood, but they took it more to heart after the tragic death of Jazz. It just resonated more with our young people and carried an even stronger message to them."
The victory against Notre Dame also helped the Huskies' bowl hopes and restored confidence to the team, Edsall said.
"This should help our confidence," Edsall said. "You keep getting into the games and lose those close ones, and to get one, I think, will boost everybody's morale and confidence up."
Pike Returns to Starting Lineup
Cincinnati QB Tony Pike is slated to start Friday against Illinois, his first start since Oct. 15 at South Florida.
Since injuring his left forearm at USF, Pike missed the Bearcats' next three games before playing against West Virginia on Nov. 13. Pike attempted only four passes, throwing two short TD passes.
"He's got 'escapability' so he's going to get out on the perimeter and he's going to throw and get hit," Kelly said. "I'm sure he'll have some moments on Friday where he goes, 'Oh, OK, here it comes,' and he's got to take care of himself."
Pike will have the luxury of returning to the starting lineup against a team that ranks 89th out of 120 FBS teams in total defense and 90th in passing defense.
Breakfast with the Big East
Friday's Rutgers at Louisville game will feature an 11AM kickoff. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said on Thanksgiving Day in 2004, Rutgers played UConn with a 10AM kickoff.
He joked that Friday's game "is actually a little late."
Schiano was not laughing, though, about the Scarlet Knights' performance in Saturday's 34-13 loss at Syracuse. Schiano said his club was overconfident against Syracuse.
"I think so, I'd be naïve if I think it didn't have a factor," Schiano said. "It's a shame. That lesson, we should know by now. I think it was a perfect storm in a bad way for us."
That perfect storm was a combination of earning its first Top 25 ranking in two years after a 31-0 victory against South Florida and then playing the Orange, who Rutgers had beaten four consecutive times by at least 18 points. Instead, Syracuse posted its largest margin in Big East play in five seasons.
Odds Are Irish Eyes locked on Kelly
Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly and Florida's Urban Meyer are listed as the favorites to replace Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, according to sports-odds.com. Both coaches are listed as 3-to-2 favorites even though Meyer said Monday "I'm going to coach at Florida as long as they'll have me. So I want to make that clear."
Kelly has not made any such statement about staying at Cincinnati. He has said he will not discuss Notre Dame rumors and only comment about Cincinnati's football program.
Besides Kelly and Meyer, the next likely candidates are Stanford's Jim Harbaugh (3-to-1), Oregon's Chip Kelly (5-to-1), Iowa's Kirk Ferentz (10-to-1), Oklahoma's Bob Stoops (20-to-1) and former Tampa Bay Bucs coach Jon Gruden (30-to-1), according to the website.
Around the League
UConn has the Big East's best football graduation rate and the worst basketball graduation rate. Here are the graduation rates released by the NCAA for the football and men's basketball players who entered NCAA Division I schools from 1999-2002 and went on to graduate within six years. Football: UConn 82 percent, Rutgers 81, Syracuse 77, Cincinnati 75, Pittsburgh 68, West Virginia 61, USF 60, Louisville 59. Men's basketball: Marquette and Notre Dame 100 percent, Villanova 92, Georgetown 82, Providence 77, Pittsburgh 75, Rutgers 70, St. John's 60, Syracuse 55, Cincinnati and Seton Hall 53, DePaul 46, USF 44 and West Virginia 44, Louisville 38, UConn 27. ... Louisville RB Victor Anderson, last year's Big East Freshman of the Year after rushing for 1,047 yards, will undergo shoulder surgery ending his sophomore season. Anderson played in eight games and finished with 473 yards. ... Pitt announced its future non-conference schedules through 2013. Among the highlights: 2010 -- at Utah, home vs. Miami; 2011 -- at Iowa, home vs. Utah; 2012 -- home vs. Virginia Tech; 2013 -- at Virginia Tech plus annual games with Notre Dame.
Contact FanHouse reporter Brett McMurphy at brettmcmurphy@gmail.com
