The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
UConn coach continues to start freshmen on the field this season
Brown expected to be 11th frosh to start for Huskies this season
PHILADELPHIA — Throwing untested players onto the field is not a new phenomenon for UConn football coach Randy Edsall.
From 2006-09, a total of 27 freshmen started on either offense or defense for Edsall's Huskies including 10 who would eventually play in the NFL. However, Edsall has never called on as many first-year players during his time at UConn as he is this season.
With Brayden Brown slated to start when UConn looks to end a program record eightgame conference losing streak today at Temple (noon, ESPNews), he will become the 11th true or redshirt freshman to be either an offensive or defensive starter this season. Since making the move to the Football Bowl Subdivision level, the previous high for freshmen starters came in 2009 when nine of them earned starting nods.
Linebacker Isaiah Graham-Mobley is the only Temple freshman to earn a start on either offense or defense. Taking it a step further, UConn has 10 of 29 freshmen offensive or defensive starters among the 12 American Athletic Conference teams.
"The only way to find that out is to be out there on the field, playing in the game and doing all of those things," Edsall said. "You give young people an opportunity and you see what they do with it."
Offensive guard Cam DeGeorge and safety Tyler Coyle were the only freshmen to start in the first two games of the season, but with each passing week more freshmen have found their roles increasing. The Huskies have had five, six and seven freshmen starters in the last three games. Receivers Keyion Dixon, Mason Donaldson and Quayvon Skanes, have started two games. Ryan Van Demark, the first true freshman to start at offensive tackle since the Huskies became an FBS program, is slated to make his third straight start. In the five-man secondary, Brown will be the fifth freshman to start.
"You have to remember it is the same game," said Brown, who moved into the starting role following a hand injury suffered by senior Brice McAllister. "You get up here and you are a little bit intimidated but we've been practicing hard and I think we are prepared and we are getting better.
"I think the biggest thing from high school to college is the speed of the game, seeing formations and reading your keys. Brice helped me all summer making sure I was with the playbook with him every night after we got done practices. Seeing Omar (Fortt) getting in there and having some success, it tells me that I can possibly get in there and contribute to the team and I can make an impact."
Fortt and Ian Swenson broke into the starting lineup as true freshmen so when Brown goes out there for UConn's first defensive snap, he will be the fourth UConn player this season to go straight from high school to earning a starting spot on either offense or defense.
Not all the first-year players making an impact are doing so as starters.
Kevin Mensah is UConn's second-leading rusher, Darrian Beavers is second on the team with two sacks while Eddie Hahn is one of eight UConn freshmen to have tackles this season.
"When somebody goes down, you saw it with Mason Donaldson, you have to be ready to play as good as the guy who went down or even better," Hahn said. "It is a little bit on yourself, the coaches trust you being in there so if you have their trust and your teammates’ trust, it allows you
to go out and play like you are capable of playing."
Hahn, a redshirt freshman who has moved from safety to linebacker, didn't need long to be impressed by the physical attributes of Brown and Beavers, a pair of true freshmen.
“When Brayden came into camp, I was amazed at how fast he can get to the football," Hahn said. "He has a great football IQ, he makes plays. He is a great kid, very humble, quiet. It is kind of cool to see that from a freshman in how he handles situations. He plays on special teams all year and he has done a phenomenal job, he is one of our main coverage guys on kickoffs, he is helping us out big time.
“When I saw him (Beavers) at the rec center do a 360 windmill (dunk), I got taken aback by it. I said this kid is athletic and he is an unbelievable player, then you see him on the football field and the way he just blitzes off the edge, stuff he does in space is just phenomenal. He is another guy who will be a great football player.”