The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Reliable seniors McLean, Pindell prepared for their swan songs
STORRS — The converted receiver who grew up 40 miles outside of Boston and the speedy dual-threat quarterback whose hometown is a 30-minute drive to Baltimore will lead the UConn football with the quiet relentlessness that has become their trademark in their final collegiate game.
Neither Aaron McLean nor David Pindell are known for fiery speeches and have always been players who speak more with their play on the field than with their words. The soft-spoken teammates have been a pair of productive playmakers in an otherwise dreadful season that will come to an end when the UConn football team hosts Temple on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ESPNU).
McLean, who moved to tight end for his final season, already is tied for ninth in UConn history for catches by a tight end in a season with his 32 grabs. If he snares two catches against the Owls, he will have the most receptions by a UConn tight end since Tommy Collins finished with 39 back in 2002. He is also just 36 yards shy of 1,000 in his career. McLean also balanced his time on the football field and in the classroom well enough to be a decorated student-athlete who was accepted in UConn’s school of business.
McLean has simple goals heading into his final game at UConn.
“Pretty much just finish strong. We all know we didn’t have the season we wanted to but this being the last game I want to finish out strong,” McLean said.
UConn’s youth has been well documented, but McLean arrived with fellow receivers Tyraiq Beals and Hergy Mayala back in 2015 providing experience and a sense of reliability.
Together they have more than 3,000 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns while catching passes from eight different quarterbacks and working with three different offensive coordinators.
“When you take into account all the stuff we have been through, us fighting through and trying to stick through it, we stayed with UConn and didn’t give up on the program,” McLean said. “That is something I can look back on and be proud of. We’ve had signature wins like my freshman year against Houston. That was cool and one of the best experiences I’ve had, people storming the field and making a bowl game.”
Pindell arrived at UConn after two seasons at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa.
Pindell has already set UConn’s single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback as he is at 1,115 heading into Saturday. He needs 12 yards to join Dan Orlovsky as the only UConn players with at least 3,000 yards of total offense in a season. With 105 yards he breaks Pete Petrillo’s UConn record for career rushing yards by a quarterback. He figures to finish in the top 10 in the season and career record books at UConn in passing efficiency.
Pindell’s impressive senior season has been obscured by UConn’s inability to win. The only victory of the season came against Rhode Island, a Football Championship Series program.
“I feel like I have improved my game as a quarterback,” Pindell said. “I took a big jump coming in as a junior and getting right into playing quarterback. This year you can definitely see the difference, I learned how to play the position better. We are a much better offense than we were last year. The record isn’t what I wanted it to be, but you look at the numbers we put up, we really did things offensively throughout the year.”
When asked how he would like to be remembered, Pindell did not rattle off any of his individual accomplishments.
“I just want them to remember me as a nice guy, quiet dude who is laid back and a good guy, a good teammate to everybody,” Pindell said.
On more than one occasion Pindell has fought through painful lower-body injuries that would sideline a lesser competitor. Pindell was clearly far less than 100 percent in last week’s loss to East Carolina but not once did he look to the sideline and ask out of the game.
Ask any of his teammates about him and not a negative word will be uttered about him as a teammate or as a player.
While it is possible true freshman Steve Krajewski could see his first action of the season, Pindell is in position to become the first UConn quarterback to start every game in a season since Chandler Whitmer in 2012.