The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Young UConn will be tested early and often
Huskies’ inexperienced secondary draws two of nation’s most productive QBs to open the season
STORRS — As the players headed in the direction of their respective position coaches on the first day of preseason camp, there wasn’t any question about which position on the UConn football roster was the most inexperienced. One glance in the direction of defensive backs coach Curome Cox told the story rather quickly.
Tahj Herring-Wilson, a sophomore with a grand total of two career starts, and junior walk-on Kyle Williams are the grizzled veterans among the eight cornerbacks who went through drills with the demanding Cox looking on. With exactly 19 collegiate tackles between them, it might be a stretch referring to them as veterans. They were joined by a pair of redshirt freshmen and four brand new cover guys.
Former Choate star Jeremy Lucien was the first defensive back mentioned when Marshe’ Terry, the defensive team captain for the season opener, was asked at AAC media day for his scouting report on the new members of the secondary. Shamel Lazarus, an early enrollee who took part in spring drills, opened camp as a starting cornerback. Ryan Carroll got some time with the starters and then it was Keyshawn Paul working with the starters along with Herring-Wilson for the latter portions of camp.
When UConn plays host to No. 21 UCF in the season opener on Thursday (7 p.m., ESPNU), Paul is slated to be the first true freshman cornerback to start in the opening game while Carroll and Lazarus also figure to see some time against a UCF team that finished second nationally
in yards per offensive player and fifth in total offense.
UCF’s leading receiver Tre’Quan Smith passed up his final season of eligibility to turn pro as did star tight end Jordan Akins. While the duo combined for 1,686 yards on 91 receptions during the 2017 season, the Knights aren’t exactly lacking for playmakers with the return of Dredrick Snelson, Gabriel Davis, Otis Anderson, Marlon Williams and Cam Stewart serving
as prime receiving options for Heisman Trophy candidate McKenzie Milton.
With the Huskies opening against the high-flying UCF offense and then going on the road to face Boise State and prolific senior quarterback Brett Rypien, who enters the season with more passing yards than any other Football Bowl Subdivision player, it would be a daunting task for a team full of veteran cornerbacks. But for one where three of the top four CBs are several months removed from playing their final high school game, it
truly will be a baptism under fire.
“I want to see them challenge people and not be scared, not play off and be scared to get run by, just challenge everything that is thrown at them,” UConn defensive coordinator Bill Crocker said.
“How are you ever going to know how they are going to react in a game? We will know when you guys do, but you see things in practice that are good that we have to continue to improve on, but it is a whole different ball game when the lights are on than it will be in practice. That is why we try to make practice so much harder than hopefully the game environment. We try to make it faster and a little bit longer, running to the football longer than they probably would in a game and try to strain them mentally and physically as much as we can.”
UConn knew Jamar Summers and Tre Bell, who combined to start 18 games last season, would be graduating. Brayden Brown and Jordan Swann, who started four games each as true freshmen, have also moved on, resulting in plenty of opportunities for the newcomers to carve out key roles.
“If they weren’t good they wouldn’t be here, that is what I believe,” HerringWilson said. “It takes time to get used to what we do. I think the most important thing for the young guys to do is to just run and give great effort.”
The good news is that UConn coach Randy Edsall has proven that he knows how to find under-theradar defensive back recruits. Six of his players during his first stint were drafted by NFL teams, and all six not only made NFL rosters but have combined to start 363 regular-season games. Dwayne Gratz was a three-star recruit, but Tyvon Branch, Darius Butler, Robert McClain, Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Byron Jones were two-star prospects coming out of high school, just like the current group of corners. It could also help that seven of the 12 teams on UConn’s schedule lost their top receiver and in some cases, the top two targets from 2017.
“We always want to try to find the fastest guy we could, but you need some length because a lot of teams in this league are going to try to isolate some guys 1-on-1 and there are some really good receivers in this league. So anytime you can get some guys with length, it only benefits you down the road,” Crocker said.
Paul knows something about facing high-quality competition during his time at Jackson High School in Miami.
Jackson played five Florida state playoff teams during Paul’s senior season including 6A champion Northwestern and 5A champ American Heritage, a team coached by threetime NFL Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Surtain. The teams that Jackson High School played in 2017 featured six players signed by SEC teams, eight signed ACC signees and five more who headed to the Big 10.
“Coach Cox is doing a good job teaching everyone techniques and fundamentals,” said UConn sophomore safety Omar Fortt, who started four games as a true freshman. “They are coming out here and playing their hardest. We have a lot of good freshmen, good athletes who are willing to play, willing to adapt to the system and buy in, and that’s basically what is important.”