Freshmen on offensive line continue to improve

STORRS — The mere thought of being called a grizzled veteran on UConn’s offensive line most certainly struck Cam DeGeorge as funny.

The redshirt freshman considers himself many things but an experienced college lineman is not among them. After redshirting a season ago, DeGeorge made the move from tackle to become a starter at guard. DeGeorge, along with senior guard Trey Rutherford and sophomore tackle Matt Peart, are the Huskies’ only offensive players to start in every game this season heading into Saturday’s home game against Tulsa (noon, ESPNU).

The first meeting between UConn and Tulsa is expected to feature an all-freshman right side of the offensive line for the fourth straight game as true freshman Ryan Van Demark became a starter against SMU. Van Demark joined East Carolina center John Spellacy and Tulane guard Corey Dublin as the only true freshman offensive line starters among the 12 American Athletic Conference teams this season. A start Saturday would give Van Demark the most by a true freshman offensive lineman since UConn began playing at the Football Bowl Subdivision level in 2002, topping Ryan Crozier’s three starts in 2014. Still, even with Van Demark playing alongside him, DeGeorge isn’t ready to classify himself as a veteran.

“I wouldn’t say a veteran,” DeGeorge said. “I only have a couple games more experience than him.”

How rare is it to have freshmen starting next to each other on the offensive line? Among AAC teams, East Carolina did it once and Temple twice this season. Before that, it had never happened at UConn during the FBS era. In a perfect world, UConn coach Randy Edsall wouldn’t have done it this year, either.

“That’s what we have to do because they’re the best guys,” Edsall said. “It’s good for them, all this work and repetition is only to make both of those guys better. Give them a lot of credit; it’s hard enough to play offensive line at this level, but to do it as a true freshman and even to do it as a redshirt freshman can be difficult. I think those kids are very even-

keeled, they’re workers, they want to do well and they don’t get flustered.”

There hasn’t been an abundance of pre-snap penalties or obvious blown assignments even with opposing teams coming after the two freshmen.

“I think that they realize that and they’re getting a lot better,” UConn senior quarterback Bryant Shirreffs said. “They’re really talented and they’re fortunate because they’re going to get a lot of attention from the defense and that’s going to make them a lot better. I believe in them, I trust them and it’s a pleasure to play with them. They’re really athletic and they’re sponges right now learning as much as they can; it means a lot to them. They’re out there trying as hard as they can and that’s great to see.”

UConn was able to run the ball effectively earlier in the season, ripping off nine runs of at least 10 yards against Holy Cross, Virginia and East Carolina. There hasn’t been as much consistency in the run game in the last three contests. Eliminate Arkeel Newsome’s 64-yard run and the Huskies averaged 3.1 yards per carry against Memphis. The number drops to 2.7 yards in the Temple game if Shirreffs’ 49-yard scamper is taken out of the equation.

“We want to have a good running game but have a good passing game as well, trying to attack them every game and keep on pushing,” DeGeorge said.

If there is a silver lining, it is that Tulsa ranks last among 130 FBS teams giving up 319 rushing yards per game. Only UCLA gives up more yards per carry than the 6.3 allowed by the Hurricane. Tulsa’s defense is coming off its best game of the season, holding Houston to 146 rushing yards after giving up a combined 1,247 yards on the ground in its previous three games, including a staggering 488 yards and eight touchdown runs in a loss to Tulane.

“I have tremendous respect for them. Put on the Houston film and watch them fly around,” Edsall said. “I think they’ve played 21 freshmen so they have a lot of young guys playing, so sometimes those stats you have to take with a grain of salt. You look at them and everything else, you have to put together a game plan that’s conducive to what your guys do well and take advantage of maybe what they don’t do well.”

Speaking of freshmen, UConn’s first-year running backs Nate Hopkins and Kevin Mensah could regain some of their swagger against Tulsa, with 106 yards and 2.9 yards per carry between them in the last three games after lighting it up earlier in the season. Newsome has returned to being an every-down back and is 96 yards shy of becoming the ninth UConn player with 2,000 rushing yards. He needs 6 yards from scrimmage to move past Lyle McCombs and into fifth place in UConn history in that category. With 38 more all-purpose yards, the former Ansonia High star would take over sole possession of second place in that department.