UConn adds five more players to complete 2020 football recruiting class

Storrs — UConn coach Randy Edsall's epic recruiting trip started on a Sunday night.

By the time he returned home to Connecticut Friday, he had covered more ground than UPS during the Christmas season, driving and flying up and down the East Coast.

Edsall started off by flying to Baltimore, then he went to Atlanta, Moultrie (Ga.), Roanoke, Ala., back to Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, eastern Pennsylvania (where he visited Mountaintop) and Scranton before driving back to Connecticut.

And he visited five schools in Connecticut on Friday.

"I think I logged more miles in one week driving than I had in about three years," he said. "It's a grind but the enjoyable part is being able to sit down with the families and going into areas . ... That's the life of a football coach during recruiting. That's what you have to do."

It was worth every mile, every minute stuck in traffic, every flight delay and every meal on the go, as Edsall checked off every item on his recruiting shopping list for the late signing period.

With the addition of five newcomers, his entire recruiting class stands at 25 players.

"It's good to add these five to the 20 that we had already signed in December," Edsall said. "We really fulfilled all the needs that we were looking for in terms of when I put together the list and what we were shooting for. We really hit the target for what we wanted."

The newest Huskies include linebacker Tui Faumina-Brown (Monroeville, Pa.), running back Devontae Houston (Roanoka, Ala.), offensive lineman Remon Young (Moultrie, Ga.) and defensive backs Durante Jones (Atlanta) and Tre Wortham (Stockton, Calif.), a junior college player.

There was no drama during the recruiting process. All five players committed during their recruiting visits a couple weekends ago.

Edsall stayed away from recruiting players in the transfer portal, preferring to go the high school and junior college route.

"Guys going into the portal, to me, they've got issues," Edsall said. "That's why they're going into the portal . ... Sometimes these guys from the portal think they're enabled and entitled to something. Maybe it didn't work, you didn't stay there and finish."

Edsall's comments prompted a

response on Twitter from some of the 20-plus Huskies who transferred out of the program after last season, including Donovan Williams and Mason Donaldson.

Williams tweeted: "Never in my life have I approached this game with a sense of entitlement. Earned every second on that field and every ounce of respect from teammates and coaches. Look in the mirror."

Donaldson wrote: "For the last few weeks of the season I volunteered to play scout team DB. I knew I'd never see the field but it would help my team win. My guys were fighting an uphill battle since day one. I'm appalled with the "leadership" of the program. We just wanted to win."

Overall, the incoming recruiting class includes 14 players on offense and 11 on defense. The list breaks down like this: four defensive backs, five defensive linemen, two linebackers, three running backs, two wide receivers, six offensive linemen, two tight ends and a quarterback.

"With this group of 25, there's no doubt that we've upgraded ourselves significantly," Edsall said.

The recruits all share something in common that appealed to Edsall besides talent.

"A lot of these guys were leaders but they were also guys that had to overcome some adversity, maybe," Edsall said. "They weren't enabled and entitled guys. They're guys that work . ... They're my kind of guys.

“They have the work ethic, the character. They know how to persevere."

The Huskies stand at 79 scholarships right now. Edsall will look to some walk-ons, hoping to bring a couple more offensive linemen, a receiver, linebacker, defensive back and punter.

"From a roster management standpoint, we're going to continue to work on that," Edsall said. "I feel good about where we are but feel really good about all these guys." g.keefe@theday.com