Beals, Dixon vying for a starting spot

STORRS — Even before the UConn football team held its first preseason practice it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that Hergy Mayala, the Huskies leader in catches and receiving yards, and spring football star Kyle Buss would hold down two of the starting wide receiver positions.

The other spot, however, has created one of the most intriguing battles during camp. Senior Tyraiq Beals and sophomore Keyion Dixon, each had at least 30 receptions during the 2017 season, have split time with the starters at almost every practice.

Beals, who caught six touchdown passes in a game as a senior in high school, has no qualms about venturing into the tough areas to secure drivesustaining catches. Dixon is more of a big-play threat and has certainly been used on deep routes during camp.

“It is not really a cutthroat battle but we know who ever is in there is going to have to do the job,” Dixon said. “We have been feeding off of each other and helping each other out.”

Beals had 16 catches in his first six games while getting on the field as a true freshman during the 2015

season. He is quick to credit veteran teammates like Brian Lemelle and Noel Thomas for helping his make the adjustment from productive high school pass catcher to becoming a reliable college receiver.

“Lemelle when I came in, I was playing behind him and he ended up getting hurt and I ended up playing,” Beals said. “It was a learning experience, he showed me the way. He would teach me things, even Noel would come and teach me things because they knew I was a younger guy and as I developed, it was a mentality to always be ready to play.”

Now he is trying to pass his knowledge onto the younger receivers on the

UConn team.

“We have never fought in that way,” Beals said. “Of course we are competing for a spot all the time but we respect each other.”

UConn coach Randy Edsall has mentioned more than once about how much more mature Dixon is now than he was during the 2017 season.

“Sitting down, reflecting on life and realizing you can't be a kid forever so you have to grow up,” Dixon said. “This season I really set the bar high so I know what to expect from myself. I definitely started to take the mental aspect of the game seriously and (have) less jokes, focus on what I really need to do to be the best athlete I can be.”

More true freshmen are earning snaps with the starters on both sides of the ball. On Monday cornerback

Keyshawn Paul was with the No. 1 defense all practice long while offensive guard Christian Haynes split time with Brian Cespedes as the starting right guard. Edsall said that by the end of the day on Thursday he should have solidified the first and second team units and then will turn the attention to the Aug. 30 opener against defending American Athletic Conference champion UCF.

EDSALL MUM ON MARYLAND SITUATION

When Edsall was fired as Maryland’s head football coach, former Michigan defensive coordinator DJ Durkin was hired as Maryland’s coach. After freshman offensive lineman Jordan McNair died two days after collapsing at a late May workout, ESPN

began to look into the way Durkin ran his program. Durkin was among those suspended by the university after ESPN’s story broke.

Edsall didn’t want to comment on the Maryland situation other than to offer his condolences to the family of McNair, who first was recruited by Maryland when Edsall was still calling the shots with the Terrapins.

“I knew the young man (who died) Jordan McNair, I offered him (a scholarship),” Edsall said. “I feel very sad for him and his family. That’s the only thing I have to say. I feel very sad for the family and just hope that they can get through this most difficult time.”

Dixon