UConn Huskies football

College football team

UConn Huskies football

| | 2024 UConn Huskies football team

|

First season| 1896; 129 years ago
Athletic director| David Benedict
Head coach| Jim L. Mora
3rd season, 17–20 (.459)
Stadium| Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field
(capacity: 40,000 {expandable to 42,704})
Year built| 2003
Field surface| Grass
Location| East Hartford, Connecticut
NCAA division| Division I FBS
Conference| Independent
Past conferences| ALNESC (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 record| 518-600-38 (.465)
Bowl record| 4-4 (.500)
Conference titles| 26
Rivalries| UMass (rivalry)
Rhode Island (rivalry)
Syracuse (rivalry)
Consensus All-Americans| 3
Colors| National flag blue and white[1]

Fight song| UConn Husky
Mascot| Jonathan
Marching band| The Pride of Connecticut
Outfitter| Nike
Website| UConnHuskies.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 are currently coached by Jim Mora.[2]

## History

[edit]

See also: List of UConn Huskies football seasons

### 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 Massachusetts Agricultural College and the  Rhode Island College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts 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 did not 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 three 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 second Big East Championship in four 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 that 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.[16] 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 was seemingly a basketball move because the Big East does not have football.[citation needed] The path would 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.[18] 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.[19]

### 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.[20] In the 2024 season, UConn had an 8-4 record, their first winning season since 2010. They were invited to compete in the Fenway Bowl against North Carolina.[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]

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* Athletic League of New England State Colleges (1897–1922)[citation needed]
* New England Conference (1923–1946)
* Yankee Conference (1947–1996)
* Atlantic 10 Conference (1997–1999)
* NCAA Division I FBS independent (2000–2003)
* Big East Conference (2004–2012)
* American Athletic Conference (2013–2019)
* NCAA Division I FBS independent (2020–present)

## Postseason appearances

[edit]

### Division I-AA playoffs

[edit]

Season  | Coach  | Playoff  | Opponent  | Result

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|
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1998 | Skip Holtz | First round
Quarterfinals | Hampton
Georgia Southern | W 42–34
L 52–30

### Bowl games

[edit]

Main article: List of UConn Huskies bowl games

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

Season  | Coach  | Bowl  | Opponent  | Result

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|
|
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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
2024 | Fenway Bowl | North Carolina | W 27–14

## 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

|
|
|
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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

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|
|
|

1998 † | Skip Holtz | Atlantic 10 New England | 10–3 | 6–2

† Co-champions

## Head coaches

[edit]

Main article: List of UConn Huskies head football coaches

## Rivalries

[edit]

### Massachusetts

[edit]

Main article: UConn–UMass rivalry § Football

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.

### Rhode Island

[edit]

Main article: Connecticut–Rhode Island football rivalry

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 three 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.

### Syracuse

[edit]

Main article: Syracuse–UConn rivalry § Football

Better known for their men's basketball rivalry, the football rivalry between UConn and Syracuse dates back to 2004 and has been played 12 times.[26][27] The teams were members of the old Big East until Syracuse left in 2012 to join the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in all sports.[28][29] Since becoming a non-conference matchup, the game has been played intermittently with the next meeting coming in 2024.[30]

## Facilities

[edit]

### Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field

[edit]

Press box at Rentschler Field in 2008 Rentschler Field in 2017

Main article: Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field

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.[31] 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.[32] 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.[33] 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.[34] 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 68–59 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.[35] 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.[36] The training center was made possible by a $2.5 million gift from Connecticut businessman and UConn alum Mark Shenkman.[37] Construction of the Mark R. Shenkman Training Center and the Burton Family Football Complex were handled in tandem by HOK Sport (now Populous) 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."[38]

## Records

[edit]

### Record vs. Big East teams

[edit]

Official record against all former Big East teams (2004–12):[39]

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 | 6–7 | Lost 5 | 2004 | 2024
Temple | 1 | 1 | .500 | 7–14 | Won 1 | 1963 | 2024
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):[39][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 | 7–14 | Won 1 | 1963 | 2024
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]

See also: List of UConn Huskies in the NFL draft

### Current NFL players

[edit]

[40]

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 | Houston Texans | 2018 | 6
Ryan Griffin | TE | Chicago Bears | 2013 | 6
Travis Jones | DT | Baltimore Ravens | 2022 | 3
Matt Peart | OT | Denver Broncos | 2020 | 3
Ryan Van Demark | OT | Buffalo Bills | 2022 | Undrafted

### Current UFL players

[edit]

Player  | Position  | Team

|
|

Jamar Summers | CB | Arlington Renegades

### Former NFL players

[edit]

[41][42]

Player  | Position  | 1st year  | Draft round  | Teams

|
|
|
|

Deon Anderson | FB | 2007 |  | Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins
Glen Antrum[43] | 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[44] | 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[45] | 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[46] | C | 1926 |  | Hartford Blues
John Contoulis[47] | 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 [48] | 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]

* Robert Casciola – head coach; vice president and chief operating officer of the New Jersey Nets between 1987 and 1991
* Rick Forzano – head coach; head coach for the Detroit Lions between 1974 and 1976
* Leo Hafford – head coach; pitched for the 1906 Cincinnati Reds
* Lou Holtz – Hall of Fame coach; assistant coach; national champion as head coach at Notre Dame in 1988
* Skip Holtz – head coach and also former head coach at the University of South Florida; current head coach, Birmingham Stallions
* D. Robert Ingalls – head coach; center for the 1942 Green Bay Packers
* Paul Pasqualoni – head coach and also former head coach at Syracuse University; winningest coach in Big East history
* Sam Rutigliano – assistant coach; head coach for the Cleveland Browns between 1978 and 1984
* Edwin O. Smith – head coach; member of the Connecticut House of Representatives between 1933 and 1960
* John Toner – head coach; president of the NCAA between 1983 and 1985
* Arthur Valpey – head coach; assistant coach for the 1947 national champions, the Michigan Wolverines

## 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, and Washington Redskins tight end, Brian Kozlowski, who through hard work, effort and dedication has been able to have a lengthy NFL career.[49]: 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 awards

[edit]

#### Coaches

[edit]

* Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Head Coach of the Year

Randy Edsall (2010)
Jim L. Mora (2024)

* Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Assistant Coach of the Year

Hank Hughes (2009)

### Individual conference awards

[edit]

#### Players

[edit]

* Big East Offensive Player of the Year

Donald Brown (2008)
Jordan Todman (2010)

|

#### Coaches

[edit]

* Big East Coach of the Year

Randy Edsall (2010)

* FBS Independent/PAC12 Coach of the Year

Jim L. Mora (2024)

## Future opponents

[edit]

Announced schedules as of August 26, 2024.[50]

* UConn competes as an FBS Independent.

Week  | 2025  | 2026  | 2027  | 2028  | 2029  | 2030  | 2031  | 2032  | 2033

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "University of Connecticut Brand Colors" (PDF). Brand.UConn.edu. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
2. ^ "UConn hires former UCLA coach Jim Mora to lead football program". ESPN.com. November 11, 2021.
3. ^ "Tackle Plunge at Durham, N H, Fatal". The Boston Globe. September 28, 1919. p. 19. Retrieved February 18, 2020 - via newspapers.com.
4. ^ Roy, Mark (September 27, 2004). "Football Player Gardner Dow Remembered, 85 Years Later". University of Connecticut Advance. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2009 - via Wayback Machine.
5. ^ Roy, Mark (December 12, 2004). "1924 A Memorable Year For Connecticut Football Team". UConn Advance. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
6. ^ Enright, Mike; Muncy, Kyle; Clendenen, Alissa; Press, Randy; Torbin, Leigh; Dunstan, LuAnn; Altieri, Kristen; Devine, Betsy, eds. (2008). 2008 Connecticut Huskies Football Media Guide (PDF). Storrs, Connecticut: UConn Division of Athletics. p. 137\. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
7. ^ "Red O'Neill". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
8. ^ "Providence Steam Roller All Time Leaders". Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
9. ^ a b Cavanaugh, Jack (October 30, 1994). "Should UConn Football Go Big Time?". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
10. ^ "PLUS: COLLEGE FOOTBALL – CONNECTICUT; Huskies Apply To the Big East". The New York Times. January 14, 1999. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
11. ^ Garber, Greg (December 14, 2001). "UConn knows what all the hoopla is about". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
12. ^ "1999 Football Schedule". uconnhuskies.com. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
13. ^ "UConn to join Big East early; no other schools 'til 2005–06". SI.com. July 10, 2003. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved April 17, 2009.
14. ^ "Burton Family Football Complex & Training Center, University of Connecticut". Retrieved July 13, 2024.
15. ^ "Connecticut vs. Notre Dame recap". Sports Illustrated. November 21, 2009. Archived from the original on November 24, 2009. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
16. ^ a b Johnson, Richard (December 26, 2016). "Bob Diaco out as UConn head coach on Jan. 2 so Huskies can save $1.6 million". SB Nation. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
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.
18. ^ Putterman, Alex (August 28, 2019). "A program in transition: As Huskies kick off season, independent future slowly snaps into focus". Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
19. ^ "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.
20. ^ "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.
21. ^ Doyle, Paul (December 8, 2024). "UConn football team will face North Carolina in Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28 at home of Boston Red Sox". CT Insider. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
22. ^ "Sixteen Huskies Named To BIG EAST All-Academic Football Team". University of Connecticut. February 2, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
23. ^ "Graduation Gap Bowl 2010". Retrieved July 13, 2024.
24. ^ "In the college game, the goals that matter". Archived from the original on September 11, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
25. ^ "Connecticut Huskies Bowls". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
26. ^ "Syracuse University Athletics Football History vs University of Connecticut". Syracuse University Athletics.
27. ^ "Football History vs Syracuse University". University of Connecticut Athletics.
28. ^ "ACC adds Pittsburgh, Syracuse from Big East". The Florida Times-Union.
29. ^ "Syracuse Joins the ACC". Syracuse University Athletics.
30. ^ Mink, Nate (February 7, 2020). "Syracuse football schedules UConn in 4-game series". syracuse.
31. ^ Cavanaugh, Jack (October 26, 1997). "Will Huskies Embrace Big Time Football?". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
32. ^ "Governor and trustees endorse football upgrade to Division I-A". University of Connecticut Advance. October 20, 1997.
33. ^ Rabinovitz, Jonathan (November 19, 1997). "UConn Sees Support Faltering For a New Football Stadium". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
34. ^ Dicker, Ron (October 2, 1998). "COLLEGE: FOOTBALL – NOTEBOOK". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
35. ^ Roy, Mark (May 13, 2002). "Burton Makes a Gift of $2.5 Million for Football Complex". University of Connecticut Advance. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
36. ^ "Mark R. Shenkman Training Center". UConn Athletics. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
37. ^ "Gift From Alumnus Will Fund Indoor Training Center". University of Connecticut Advance. August 30, 2004. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
38. ^ Grava, Karen (September 17, 2007). "University's new football facilities earn silver rating for environmental measures". University of Connecticut Advance.
39. ^ a b "UCONN History" (PDF). p. 11\. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 15, 2018.
40. ^ "UConn Players Currently in the NFL". Archived from the original on November 26, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
41. ^ "All-Time UConn Players in the NFL". Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
42. ^ "All-Time UConn Players in the NFL listed in 2006 media guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
43. ^ "Glen Antrum". Archived from the original on October 17, 2012.
44. ^ "Pop Williams". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
45. ^ "Ching Hammill". Archived from the original on May 31, 2012.
46. ^ "Red O'Neil". NFL.com.
47. ^ "John Contoulis". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
48. ^ "Vic Radzievitch". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
49. ^ "2018 Media Guide" (PDF). uconnhuskies.com. UConn Athletics. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
50. ^ "UConn Huskies Future Football Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved February 7, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Connecticut Huskies football.

* Official website

* v
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UConn Huskies football

Venues|

* Gardner Dow Athletic Fields (1896–1952)
* Memorial Stadium (1953–2002)
* Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field (2003–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Rhode Island
* Syracuse
* UMass

Culture & lore|

* Civil Conflict
* Gambling Scandal
* Jonathan the Husky
* University of Connecticut Marching Band

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1896
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* ~~2020~~
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* v
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University of Connecticut

Main campus located in: Storrs
Satellite campuses located in: Hartford, Stamford, Waterbury, and Groton

Academics|

| Schools|

* School of Business
* Neag School of Education
* School of Dental Medicine
* School of Engineering
* School of Law
* School of Medicine

|

Research|

* Babbidge Library
* Dodd Center for Human Rights
* General Electric EdgeLab
* Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station

Culture|

* Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry
* Benton Museum of Art
* Connecticut State Museum of Natural History
* Donnelly Sports Museum
* Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
* Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art

Journals|

* Connecticut Law Review
* Long River Review
* Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States

Athletics|

| Sports|

* UConn Huskies
* Men's basketball
* Women's basketball
* Football
* Baseball
* Men's ice hockey
* Women's ice hockey
* Men's soccer
* Women's soccer
* Field hockey
* Softball

|

Spirit|

* Huskies (Jonathan the Husky)
* Huskies of Honor

Rivalries|

* Georgetown
* Notre Dame
* Rhode Island
* Rutgers
* UConn
* Tennessee
* UMass

Facilities|

* Gampel Pavilion
* XL Center
* Rentschler Field
* Elliot Ballpark
* Hawley Armory
* Christian Field
* Freitas Ice Forum
* Memorial Stadium
* Morrone Stadium
* Connecticut Softball Stadium
* Sherman Sports Complex

UConn Health|

* John Dempsey Hospital, Farmington, Connecticut
* School of Medicine
* School of Dental Medicine

Miscellaneous|

* Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights
* The Daily Campus
* WHUS FM 91.7
* University of Connecticut Historic District
* HuskyGo and Windham Region Transit District

* Founded: 1881

* v
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* e

NCAA Division I FBS independents

Current teams|

* Notre Dame Fighting Irish
* UConn Huskies
* UMass Minutemen (joining MAC in 2025)

Former teams|

* List of former NCAA Division I-A/FBS Independent teams

Seasons|

* Standings
* 1962–1972
* 1973–present

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