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JT Sneaks · 08-30-2005, 12:04 PM

Buffalo vs. Uconn

Uconn

SERIES NOTES
BULLS ON PARADE
In terms of recent history, Buffalo is by far the most familiar face on UConn’s 2005 schedule. The Huskies and Bulls have met 15 times previously and on Thursday night will face each other for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons, the lone exception being 1998. UConn leads the series 11-4 on the heels of a 29-0 win last Nov. 20 at Rentschler Field. The Huskies have won seven of the last eight meetings, with the exception of a 37-20 Bull win in Storrs in 2001. Buffalo is the only team to play UConn in each of the Huskies’ first four Division I-A seasons. UConn’s first four I-A slates include three contests each with Army, Boston College, Georgia Tech and Rutgers.

MAC-NIFICENT
Buffalo is UConn’s only opponent from the Mid-American Conference for the 2005 season. UConn has become quite familiar with the MAC, having faced four of its members in both the 2002 and 2003 seasons and two more last fall, going a combined 9-1 in those contests. The lone loss came to Ball State, 24-21 in overtime, on Sept. 28, 2002 at Memorial Stadium in Storrs. UConn’s last meeting with a MAC school was historic for the school as the Huskies topped league champion Toledo, 39-10, on Dec. 27 in the Motor City Bowl.

START ME UP
September 1 equals the third-earliest starting date in UConn football’s 107-year history. UConn also started its 2001 season on Sept. 1, falling to No. 9 Virginia Tech, 52-10, in Blacksburg. UConn’s earliest opener came on Aug. 30, 2003 when the Huskies inaugurated Rentschler Field with a 34-10 win over Indiana. UConn opened its 2002 season on Aug. 31, dropping a 24-16 decision at Boston College.

LET’S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER
UConn will be playing its third ever game under the lights at Rentschler Field. The Huskies are 1-1 in their previous forays into the East Hartford night. UConn’s debut was auspicious as on Sept. 30, 2004 the Huskies defeated eventual BIG EAST champion Pittsburgh, 29-17, before a national television audience on ESPN2. Two weeks later, the team was not as fortunate, falling to No. 17 West Virginia, 31-19, on Oct. 13 live on ESPN.

RUBY THURSDAY
Playing on a weekday is nothing new to the Huskies, In 2004, UConn had a game on every day of the week except for Sunday and Tuesday, playing five non-Saturday games in all. The Buffalo game marks the first of three weeknight contests this fall for UConn, joining games against Syracuse (Fri., Oct. 7) and West Virginia (Wed., Nov. 2). UConn was 3-2 on weekdays in 2004, including its Motor City Bowl win over Toledo on Monday, Dec. 27. Prior to last year, UConn had not played a mid-week game since 1982. The Huskies last played on a Thursday on Nov. 25, 2004 topping Rutgers, 41-35, on Thanksgiving morning in New Jersey.

SYMPATHY FOR THE SCHEDULE BECAUSE TIME IS ON MY SIDE
Allowing a young team to benefit from three bye weeks, UConn will play the longest regular-season schedule in the nation this year, covering the full 94-day regular season playing period permitted by the NCAA. September 1 is the first permissible playing date for Division I-A football, while UConn is also scheduled to play on the last permissible regular season date when the Huskies welcome Louisville to Rentschler Field on Dec. 3. UConn is the only team in the nation to have a regularly scheduled game on both the first and last days of the season. However, Houston, Marshall, South Carolina, Tulsa, UCF, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest can potentially match UConn’s 94-day regular season. All open their 2005 seasons on Sept. 1 and would also play on Dec. 3 should they advance to their respective conference’s championship games.

LET’S GET IT STARTED
UConn is 45-58-2 in season openers dating back to 1896. The Huskies are 2-0 in season openers at Rentschler Field after defeating Murray State, 52-14, last Sept. 4 and Indiana, 34-10, on Aug. 30, 2003. The wins snapped a four-game opening day losing streak that had stood since a 1998 win at Colgate...They are also UConn’s first two season opening wins under Randy Edsall and the only two times that UConn had opened at home under his watch. UConn’s last home season-opener before 2003 was in 1997, a 38-26 win over Northeastern at venerable Memorial Stadium...UConn is 17-6 when opening its season at home since 1947...This will mark the first time the Huskies have opened at home in three consecutive seasons since the team played eight straight season openers at Memorial Stadium from 1985-92...UConn last won three consecutive season openers when it ran off a string of four straight from 1995-98...UConn last won three consecutive season openers at home when the team ran off a string of five straight from 1985-89.

HUSKIES DOMINATING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL
Over the past 28 games, UConn has outgained its opponent 24 times. The first exception came when UConn was outgained by Rutgers 455-321 on Nov. 8, 2003 in its home finale, a game the Huskies won 38-31. The other three were on Sept. 17, 2004 at Boston College when the Eagles held a 334-291 edge, on Oct. 13, 2004 when West Virginia held a 462-365 advantage and on Nov. 13, 2004 when Georgia Tech outgained UConn 410-225. The Rutgers contest marked the first time since losing at Vanderbilt on Oct. 26, 2002 that UConn had been outgained. Over this 28 game span, UConn has averaged 454.6 yards per game of total offense and 321.7 yards per game of total defense. In its last 17 games, UConn has eclipsed 500 yards of total offense seven times.

CONN-TROLLING THE FLOW OF THE GAME
A telling sign of UConn’s strong performance on both sides of the ball during its brief tenure as a Division I-A program has been its ability to both record and prevent long drives. Since the start of the 2002 season, UConn’s offense has strung together 31 scoring drives of at least 80 yards while the Husky defense has surrendered just 15 such marches. UConn also holds a 7-2 advantage over its opponents in the number of 90-yard and over drives since becoming a I-A program.

FEWER FRESH FACES
With the development of the Husky program the past few seasons, UConn has been able to redshirt more players and rely less on true freshmen to make an immediate impact just months removed from high school. Only three true freshmen (FB Anthony Barksdale, DE Cody Brown and CB Courtney Robinson) appear on UConn’s Buffalo week depth chart and all three are slated to play reserve roles. Eight true freshmen appeared for UConn a year ago while six true freshmen played for the Huskies in 2003.

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
UConn has an aggregate total of just 18 varsity letters earned by its current offensive players, tying for the second fewest of any team in the nation. Navy returns just a combined total of 17 offensive letters while UConn’s 18 equals Louisiana-Lafayette. Although inexperienced, UConn’s current two-deep is loaded with some of the most talented players to ever come into the Husky program as the program’s recruiting has improved dramatically with the ever-improving stature of the team and UConn’s facilities. Proof positive that a low number of returnees can still be reason for optimism is the team in fourth place directly behind UConn and ULL...near-unanimous preseason No. 1 Southern California.

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL
A year ago, UConn was benefitting from an offensive line that combined to start an incredible 174 career games and powered the Huskies to the BIG EAST’s top spot in both scoring and total offense. In 2005, seven of the 10 student-athletes on UConn’s two-deep have never played a single down on the Huskies’ offensive line. Grant Preston (35 career starts) and Craig Berry (12 career starts) are the two veteran members of the line corps and have shifted roles to anchor the group from the tackle sports. Those two will be asked to help bring the unit along, in addition to position coaches Norries Wilson (centers and guards) and Dave McMichael (tackles). Randy Edsall has taken non-line duties off of the plates of both assistants so that they can focus more on the daily development of the linemen. Reports out of both spring practice and fall camp were that the group was progressing quickly, but practice experience is no substitute for game experience, something the group sorely lacks. Against Buffalo, UConn will start redshirt freshmen making their UConn debuts at both center (Trey Tonsing) and right guard (Immanuel Hutcherson). The starting left guard will be junior Matt Applebaum, a converted defensive lineman who has played sparingly in eight career games, all of them on defense. Of the five backups, three are redshirt freshmen and only sophomore left guard Brian Kersmanc (three games played) has ever seen action for the blue and white.

BROCKING THE HISTORY BOOK
Cornell Brockington, who led the BIG EAST with 1,218 rushing yards in 2004, has an opportunity to make conference history this year. No player has ever led the BIG EAST in rushing twice. Further, should Terry Caulley, or another Husky, emerge as the team’s top threat at tailback, they would also have a chance to make history on behalf of UConn. No single school has ever produced the BIG EAST’s leading rusher in consecutive seasons.

TOTAL RE-CAULL
UConn will welcome the return of junior tailback Terry Caulley in 2005. With his knee not yet 100-percent recovered from a serious injury suffered on September 27, 2003 at Virginia Tech, head coach Randy Edsall decided prior to the start of fall 2004 drills to air on the side of caution and redshirt Caulley for the season.

ROLL THE BONES
Junior Matt Bonislawski has earned the starting nod at quarterback as the season opens. Used as a backup the past two years, throwing seven career passes, the majority of Bonislawski’s previous playing time has come as the holder for Matt Nuzie’s kicks. Bonislawski’s experience with UConn’s system from his practice time over the years was a major factor in him holding off a charge from redshirt freshman D.J. Hernandez during their competition for the starting spot this past spring and fall preseason. It will mark the first time that a UConn quarterback has made a starting debut since Dan Orlovsky was pressed into action against Eastern Michigan on Oct. 6, 2001 after Keron Henry suffered an injury the previous week at Rutgers. Orlovsky’s numbers were average but effective that day as he completed 14-of-32 passes for 180 yards with one touchdown and one interception in UConn’s 19-0 win. Orlovsky has started each of UConn’s last 41 games, including every contest of the Division I-A era.

DEFENSE NOTES
DESPITE LOSSES, DEFENSIVE LINE LOOKED FINE
A year ago the defensive line was one of UConn’s biggest areas of concern as the Huskies had to replace three great senior starters from a solid 2003 unit, including one of the program’s best-ever ends in Uyi Osunde. A year later, it is the most experienced area of the defense and a formidable unit at that. Five different active Huskies have started a game on the defensive line, with four of those (Rhema Fuller, Shawn Mayne, Deon McPhee and Jason Ward) starting at least half of the games last fall as the Huskies marched to a berth on the Motor City Bowl. All but one face on the current two-deep (true freshman Cody Brown) has UConn playing experience, the lone defensive position group that can make that claim. In all, 10 active Huskies have played at least one game for UConn on the defensive line, 11 if you include Matt Applebaum who has since been moved to the offensive line.

SOLID BACKING
Just as talented understudies stepped in to fill big shoes on the defensive line a year ago, similar results will be expected for UConn’s linebackers in 2005. The unit must replace two of the top five tacklers in UConn history in departing seniors Alfred Fincher and Maurice Lloyd. The central figure of the group in 2005 will be senior co-captain James Hargrave who boasts 208 career stops, 29.5 of them for a loss, from his familiar strongside “Husky” linebacker post. Senior Taurien Sowell and sophomore Danny Lansanah hold down the other two starting roles as the curtain rises on the 2005 season. Sowell is a fifth-year senior with 32 career games played to his credit, but most of the time was spent on special teams. Lansanah saw action in 11 games last year and made 23 tackles. Backing up the trio are sophomore Ryan Henegan (eight career tackles), sophomore Justin DeRubertis and redshirt freshman Jonathon Smith.

SECONDARY HAS PLENTY OF SECONDARY OPTIONS
The UConn defensive backfield is spilling over the brim with comparable talent, giving the Huskies numerous options at this position and ensuring that competition will reign throughout the season as players vie for playing time. Juniors M.J. Estep and Ernest Cole are the most experienced members of a group that has steadily improved during UConn’s time at the Division I-A level due to better recruiting of athleticism. Redshirt freshmen Darius Butler and Dahna Deleston are also starters heading into the Buffalo game. Junior Allan Barnes and sophomore Tyvon Branch have both started games games in the past for UConn but will start the season as reserves.

BUFFALO DOESN’T SHUFFLE OFF TO ANYWHERE
UConn’s defense was dominant against Buffalo on Nov. 20, 2004 in the team’s home finale. Needing a win to gain bowl eligibility, the Huskies responded by holding the Bulls to 96 yards of total offense on only 49 snaps. In the game, Buffalo had five first downs, four completions on 21 attempts and punted eight times, seven of them being on three-and-outs. It is one of only seven times a Division I-A team has been held to under 100 yards of total offense over the past two seasons combined.

In Command And Demand

As UConn's Starting QB, It's A Different Story For Bonislawski
August 30, 2005
By TERRY PRICE, Courant Staff Writer STORRS -- Matt Bonislawski is off to a good start. He read the media blitz correctly for the first time Monday.

In days gone by, Bonislawski would notice a crowd around UConn quarterback Dan Orlovsky and think it was merely reporters looking for a good local angle on a story.

It didn't take Bonislawski long to figure out it wasn't the person as much as the position. And now he's in it.

"I wasn't really expecting this," Bonislawski said outside the Huskies' locker room. "I'm a little shocked, but I can get used to it. I'm not really worried about it."

Bonislawski will make his first start for UConn Thursday night when the Huskies open the season against Buffalo at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

A junior from Natrona Heights, Pa., Bonislawski seems relatively unfazed in accepting the reins of an offense that averaged 429.8 yards and 30.3 points a game last season.

Bonislawski, 6 feet 4, 222 pounds, had no doubt he was the man for the job. He sees it as an obligation.

"The very first day I knew if I didn't get the job, I don't think the team would be as good," he said. "I had to be the best I could be for the offense to be the best."

Bonislawski had size, experience, arm strength and knowledge of the offense over redshirt freshman D.J. Hernandez, who will begin the season as the backup.

Bonislawski will come under intense scrutiny on a team that, in general, has the onus of trying to come close to the lofty standards established by the Huskies the past two seasons (combined record of 17-7, including a victory in the school's first appearance in a bowl game).

Bonislawski played sparingly behind Orlovsky for two seasons, attempting seven passes and completing four. His main contribution was as holder for kicker Matt Nuzie.

Bonislawski missed the spring game with a hip flexor injury, but in the 2003 spring game he showed an ability to gain significant yards on the ground. His running ability is still his strong point. How well he operates in the pocket and how effective he'll be throwing the ball remain to be seen.

"I think he's a cool customer," coach Randy Edsall said. "I would expect him to go out and play a good game for us."

08-30-2005, 12:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
JT Sneaks Assistant Coach Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 211	Buffalo vs. Uconn Uconn SERIES NOTES BULLS ON PARADE In terms of recent history, Buffalo is by far the most familiar face on UConn’s 2005 schedule. The Huskies and Bulls have met 15 times previously and on Thursday night will face each other for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons, the lone exception being 1998. UConn leads the series 11-4 on the heels of a 29-0 win last Nov. 20 at Rentschler Field. The Huskies have won seven of the last eight meetings, with the exception of a 37-20 Bull win in Storrs in 2001. Buffalo is the only team to play UConn in each of the Huskies’ first four Division I-A seasons. UConn’s first four I-A slates include three contests each with Army, Boston College, Georgia Tech and Rutgers. MAC-NIFICENT Buffalo is UConn’s only opponent from the Mid-American Conference for the 2005 season. UConn has become quite familiar with the MAC, having faced four of its members in both the 2002 and 2003 seasons and two more last fall, going a combined 9-1 in those contests. The lone loss came to Ball State, 24-21 in overtime, on Sept. 28, 2002 at Memorial Stadium in Storrs. UConn’s last meeting with a MAC school was historic for the school as the Huskies topped league champion Toledo, 39-10, on Dec. 27 in the Motor City Bowl. START ME UP September 1 equals the third-earliest starting date in UConn football’s 107-year history. UConn also started its 2001 season on Sept. 1, falling to No. 9 Virginia Tech, 52-10, in Blacksburg. UConn’s earliest opener came on Aug. 30, 2003 when the Huskies inaugurated Rentschler Field with a 34-10 win over Indiana. UConn opened its 2002 season on Aug. 31, dropping a 24-16 decision at Boston College. LET’S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER UConn will be playing its third ever game under the lights at Rentschler Field. The Huskies are 1-1 in their previous forays into the East Hartford night. UConn’s debut was auspicious as on Sept. 30, 2004 the Huskies defeated eventual BIG EAST champion Pittsburgh, 29-17, before a national television audience on ESPN2. Two weeks later, the team was not as fortunate, falling to No. 17 West Virginia, 31-19, on Oct. 13 live on ESPN. RUBY THURSDAY Playing on a weekday is nothing new to the Huskies, In 2004, UConn had a game on every day of the week except for Sunday and Tuesday, playing five non-Saturday games in all. The Buffalo game marks the first of three weeknight contests this fall for UConn, joining games against Syracuse (Fri., Oct. 7) and West Virginia (Wed., Nov. 2). UConn was 3-2 on weekdays in 2004, including its Motor City Bowl win over Toledo on Monday, Dec. 27. Prior to last year, UConn had not played a mid-week game since 1982. The Huskies last played on a Thursday on Nov. 25, 2004 topping Rutgers, 41-35, on Thanksgiving morning in New Jersey. SYMPATHY FOR THE SCHEDULE BECAUSE TIME IS ON MY SIDE Allowing a young team to benefit from three bye weeks, UConn will play the longest regular-season schedule in the nation this year, covering the full 94-day regular season playing period permitted by the NCAA. September 1 is the first permissible playing date for Division I-A football, while UConn is also scheduled to play on the last permissible regular season date when the Huskies welcome Louisville to Rentschler Field on Dec. 3. UConn is the only team in the nation to have a regularly scheduled game on both the first and last days of the season. However, Houston, Marshall, South Carolina, Tulsa, UCF, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest can potentially match UConn’s 94-day regular season. All open their 2005 seasons on Sept. 1 and would also play on Dec. 3 should they advance to their respective conference’s championship games. LET’S GET IT STARTED UConn is 45-58-2 in season openers dating back to 1896. The Huskies are 2-0 in season openers at Rentschler Field after defeating Murray State, 52-14, last Sept. 4 and Indiana, 34-10, on Aug. 30, 2003. The wins snapped a four-game opening day losing streak that had stood since a 1998 win at Colgate...They are also UConn’s first two season opening wins under Randy Edsall and the only two times that UConn had opened at home under his watch. UConn’s last home season-opener before 2003 was in 1997, a 38-26 win over Northeastern at venerable Memorial Stadium...UConn is 17-6 when opening its season at home since 1947...This will mark the first time the Huskies have opened at home in three consecutive seasons since the team played eight straight season openers at Memorial Stadium from 1985-92...UConn last won three consecutive season openers when it ran off a string of four straight from 1995-98...UConn last won three consecutive season openers at home when the team ran off a string of five straight from 1985-89. HUSKIES DOMINATING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL Over the past 28 games, UConn has outgained its opponent 24 times. The first exception came when UConn was outgained by Rutgers 455-321 on Nov. 8, 2003 in its home finale, a game the Huskies won 38-31. The other three were on Sept. 17, 2004 at Boston College when the Eagles held a 334-291 edge, on Oct. 13, 2004 when West Virginia held a 462-365 advantage and on Nov. 13, 2004 when Georgia Tech outgained UConn 410-225. The Rutgers contest marked the first time since losing at Vanderbilt on Oct. 26, 2002 that UConn had been outgained. Over this 28 game span, UConn has averaged 454.6 yards per game of total offense and 321.7 yards per game of total defense. In its last 17 games, UConn has eclipsed 500 yards of total offense seven times. CONN-TROLLING THE FLOW OF THE GAME A telling sign of UConn’s strong performance on both sides of the ball during its brief tenure as a Division I-A program has been its ability to both record and prevent long drives. Since the start of the 2002 season, UConn’s offense has strung together 31 scoring drives of at least 80 yards while the Husky defense has surrendered just 15 such marches. UConn also holds a 7-2 advantage over its opponents in the number of 90-yard and over drives since becoming a I-A program. FEWER FRESH FACES With the development of the Husky program the past few seasons, UConn has been able to redshirt more players and rely less on true freshmen to make an immediate impact just months removed from high school. Only three true freshmen (FB Anthony Barksdale, DE Cody Brown and CB Courtney Robinson) appear on UConn’s Buffalo week depth chart and all three are slated to play reserve roles. Eight true freshmen appeared for UConn a year ago while six true freshmen played for the Huskies in 2003. THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT UConn has an aggregate total of just 18 varsity letters earned by its current offensive players, tying for the second fewest of any team in the nation. Navy returns just a combined total of 17 offensive letters while UConn’s 18 equals Louisiana-Lafayette. Although inexperienced, UConn’s current two-deep is loaded with some of the most talented players to ever come into the Husky program as the program’s recruiting has improved dramatically with the ever-improving stature of the team and UConn’s facilities. Proof positive that a low number of returnees can still be reason for optimism is the team in fourth place directly behind UConn and ULL...near-unanimous preseason No. 1 Southern California. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL A year ago, UConn was benefitting from an offensive line that combined to start an incredible 174 career games and powered the Huskies to the BIG EAST’s top spot in both scoring and total offense. In 2005, seven of the 10 student-athletes on UConn’s two-deep have never played a single down on the Huskies’ offensive line. Grant Preston (35 career starts) and Craig Berry (12 career starts) are the two veteran members of the line corps and have shifted roles to anchor the group from the tackle sports. Those two will be asked to help bring the unit along, in addition to position coaches Norries Wilson (centers and guards) and Dave McMichael (tackles). Randy Edsall has taken non-line duties off of the plates of both assistants so that they can focus more on the daily development of the linemen. Reports out of both spring practice and fall camp were that the group was progressing quickly, but practice experience is no substitute for game experience, something the group sorely lacks. Against Buffalo, UConn will start redshirt freshmen making their UConn debuts at both center (Trey Tonsing) and right guard (Immanuel Hutcherson). The starting left guard will be junior Matt Applebaum, a converted defensive lineman who has played sparingly in eight career games, all of them on defense. Of the five backups, three are redshirt freshmen and only sophomore left guard Brian Kersmanc (three games played) has ever seen action for the blue and white. BROCKING THE HISTORY BOOK Cornell Brockington, who led the BIG EAST with 1,218 rushing yards in 2004, has an opportunity to make conference history this year. No player has ever led the BIG EAST in rushing twice. Further, should Terry Caulley, or another Husky, emerge as the team’s top threat at tailback, they would also have a chance to make history on behalf of UConn. No single school has ever produced the BIG EAST’s leading rusher in consecutive seasons. TOTAL RE-CAULL UConn will welcome the return of junior tailback Terry Caulley in 2005. With his knee not yet 100-percent recovered from a serious injury suffered on September 27, 2003 at Virginia Tech, head coach Randy Edsall decided prior to the start of fall 2004 drills to air on the side of caution and redshirt Caulley for the season. ROLL THE BONES Junior Matt Bonislawski has earned the starting nod at quarterback as the season opens. Used as a backup the past two years, throwing seven career passes, the majority of Bonislawski’s previous playing time has come as the holder for Matt Nuzie’s kicks. Bonislawski’s experience with UConn’s system from his practice time over the years was a major factor in him holding off a charge from redshirt freshman D.J. Hernandez during their competition for the starting spot this past spring and fall preseason. It will mark the first time that a UConn quarterback has made a starting debut since Dan Orlovsky was pressed into action against Eastern Michigan on Oct. 6, 2001 after Keron Henry suffered an injury the previous week at Rutgers. Orlovsky’s numbers were average but effective that day as he completed 14-of-32 passes for 180 yards with one touchdown and one interception in UConn’s 19-0 win. Orlovsky has started each of UConn’s last 41 games, including every contest of the Division I-A era. DEFENSE NOTES DESPITE LOSSES, DEFENSIVE LINE LOOKED FINE A year ago the defensive line was one of UConn’s biggest areas of concern as the Huskies had to replace three great senior starters from a solid 2003 unit, including one of the program’s best-ever ends in Uyi Osunde. A year later, it is the most experienced area of the defense and a formidable unit at that. Five different active Huskies have started a game on the defensive line, with four of those (Rhema Fuller, Shawn Mayne, Deon McPhee and Jason Ward) starting at least half of the games last fall as the Huskies marched to a berth on the Motor City Bowl. All but one face on the current two-deep (true freshman Cody Brown) has UConn playing experience, the lone defensive position group that can make that claim. In all, 10 active Huskies have played at least one game for UConn on the defensive line, 11 if you include Matt Applebaum who has since been moved to the offensive line. SOLID BACKING Just as talented understudies stepped in to fill big shoes on the defensive line a year ago, similar results will be expected for UConn’s linebackers in 2005. The unit must replace two of the top five tacklers in UConn history in departing seniors Alfred Fincher and Maurice Lloyd. The central figure of the group in 2005 will be senior co-captain James Hargrave who boasts 208 career stops, 29.5 of them for a loss, from his familiar strongside “Husky” linebacker post. Senior Taurien Sowell and sophomore Danny Lansanah hold down the other two starting roles as the curtain rises on the 2005 season. Sowell is a fifth-year senior with 32 career games played to his credit, but most of the time was spent on special teams. Lansanah saw action in 11 games last year and made 23 tackles. Backing up the trio are sophomore Ryan Henegan (eight career tackles), sophomore Justin DeRubertis and redshirt freshman Jonathon Smith. SECONDARY HAS PLENTY OF SECONDARY OPTIONS The UConn defensive backfield is spilling over the brim with comparable talent, giving the Huskies numerous options at this position and ensuring that competition will reign throughout the season as players vie for playing time. Juniors M.J. Estep and Ernest Cole are the most experienced members of a group that has steadily improved during UConn’s time at the Division I-A level due to better recruiting of athleticism. Redshirt freshmen Darius Butler and Dahna Deleston are also starters heading into the Buffalo game. Junior Allan Barnes and sophomore Tyvon Branch have both started games games in the past for UConn but will start the season as reserves. BUFFALO DOESN’T SHUFFLE OFF TO ANYWHERE UConn’s defense was dominant against Buffalo on Nov. 20, 2004 in the team’s home finale. Needing a win to gain bowl eligibility, the Huskies responded by holding the Bulls to 96 yards of total offense on only 49 snaps. In the game, Buffalo had five first downs, four completions on 21 attempts and punted eight times, seven of them being on three-and-outs. It is one of only seven times a Division I-A team has been held to under 100 yards of total offense over the past two seasons combined. In Command And Demand As UConn's Starting QB, It's A Different Story For Bonislawski August 30, 2005 By TERRY PRICE, Courant Staff Writer STORRS -- Matt Bonislawski is off to a good start. He read the media blitz correctly for the first time Monday. In days gone by, Bonislawski would notice a crowd around UConn quarterback Dan Orlovsky and think it was merely reporters looking for a good local angle on a story. It didn't take Bonislawski long to figure out it wasn't the person as much as the position. And now he's in it. "I wasn't really expecting this," Bonislawski said outside the Huskies' locker room. "I'm a little shocked, but I can get used to it. I'm not really worried about it." Bonislawski will make his first start for UConn Thursday night when the Huskies open the season against Buffalo at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. A junior from Natrona Heights, Pa., Bonislawski seems relatively unfazed in accepting the reins of an offense that averaged 429.8 yards and 30.3 points a game last season. Bonislawski, 6 feet 4, 222 pounds, had no doubt he was the man for the job. He sees it as an obligation. "The very first day I knew if I didn't get the job, I don't think the team would be as good," he said. "I had to be the best I could be for the offense to be the best." Bonislawski had size, experience, arm strength and knowledge of the offense over redshirt freshman D.J. Hernandez, who will begin the season as the backup. Bonislawski will come under intense scrutiny on a team that, in general, has the onus of trying to come close to the lofty standards established by the Huskies the past two seasons (combined record of 17-7, including a victory in the school's first appearance in a bowl game). Bonislawski played sparingly behind Orlovsky for two seasons, attempting seven passes and completing four. His main contribution was as holder for kicker Matt Nuzie. Bonislawski missed the spring game with a hip flexor injury, but in the 2003 spring game he showed an ability to gain significant yards on the ground. His running ability is still his strong point. How well he operates in the pocket and how effective he'll be throwing the ball remain to be seen. "I think he's a cool customer," coach Randy Edsall said. "I would expect him to go out and play a good game for us."