Lawrence Wilson’s 45 yard interception return for a touchdown with 2:45 remaining in the game helped the UConn Huskies to a 26-21 Big East win over the Louisville Cardinals at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in Louisville. The win for the Huskies was their first Big East win of the season and pushes their record to 5-0 for the second straight season.
Obviously the big news of the night was the loss of UConn quarterback Tyler Lorenzen to a broken right foot in the 2nd quarter. I’m not sure how Lorenzen got hurt but all of the sudden I looked up and Zach Frazer was in at quarterback.
Frazer looked lost right out of the gate but UConn head coach Randy Edsall had all the confidence in the world in Frazer. As he started to get comfortable with the offense, he started to make some plays leading UConn on two scoring drives, one in the 3rd qtr and one in the 4th qtr. Of course it didn’t hurt that he had Donald Brown to hand the ball off to. Frazer finished up 8-of-15 for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Brown had an easy time of things in the first half as he rushed for 124 of his 190 yards. He did have a fumble in the game that was on a poor pitch from Frazer. Just like the Huskies had trouble tackling the Cardinals two running backs, the Cardinals had a tough time bringing down Brown.
The UConn defense looked porous at times tonight but they held strong at the end when it matters. They gave up 508 total yards (261 rushing, 247 passing) and I’m sure Randy Edsall will be none too pleased about that. They made the big plays when they needed to, Wilson’s INT return, Robert Vaughn’s game saving tackle and Lutrus’ tipped pass on 4th down in the 4th quarter.
He will be pleased though with the outcome of the game as the Huskies overcame adversity in getting back into the game. After the Huskies got out to a 10-0 lead behind a Brown touchdown and a Tony Ciaravino field goal, the Cardinals rallied for 21 straight points. The Huskies finally did answer and scored the final 16 points of the game.
This was a big win for the Huskies as it was just their 3rd Big East road win since they joined the Big East. It showed they can rally from a deficit on the road even with their backup QB. As Edsall said at the end of the game, they won this one on pure guts. The stats show you they really had no business winning this game but in the end the W goes to the Huskies.
Scoring:
| UConn Huskies | 3 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 26 |
| Louisville Cardinals | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
1st quarter
CON – Tony Ciaravino 47-yard field goal – UConn 3 Louisville 0
2nd quarter
Donald Brown had 190 yards and a touchdown for the Huskies.
CON – Donald Brown 1-yard run (Ciaravino PAT) – UConn 10 Louisville 0
LOU – Victor Anderson 2-yard run (Tim Dougherty PAT) – UConn 10 Louisville 7
LOU – Hunter Cantwell 20-yard pass to Anderson (Dougherty PAT) – Louisville 14 UConn 10
3rd quarter
LOU – Bilal Powell 5-yard run (Daugherty PAT) – Louisville 21 UConn 10
CON – Zach Frazer 13-yard pass to Darius Butler (Ciaravino PAT) – Louisville 21 UConn 17
4th quarter
CON – Ciaravino 29-yard field goal – Louisville 21 UConn 20
CON – Wilson 45-yard interception return (2-pt try failed) UConn 26 Louisville 21
Offensive Player of the Game:
Donald Brown rushed for 192 yards and 1 touchdown. He also caught 1 pass for 6 yards.
Defensive Player of the Game:
I’m going with co-players of the game. Jasper Howard had 9 tackles, forced a fumble and had 2 pass breakups. Cody Brown had 6 tackles, including a sack and also forced a fumble.
Turning Point(s) of the Game:
1. When Tyler Lorenzen came out of the game, UConn seemed out of sync offensively and it seemed to affect the defense as well as Louisville scored 21 unanswered points.
2. After Robert Vaughn made a touchdown saving tackle on Bilal Powell’s 50 yard run. The Huskies held the Cardinals without any points and came down to score a field goal.
3. Lawrence Wilson’s 45 yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Huskies the lead for good.
Offensive Notes:
1st qtr – 3rd & 1 CON 47 – Donald Brown rushes for 23 yards and a first down
2nd & 10 LOU 30 – Brown stopped for no gain.
4th & 10 LOU 30 – Tony Ciaravino hits a 47-yard field goal.
UConn scoring drive – 7 plays 32 yards, TOP – 3:20
2nd & 7 CON 20 – Brown rushes for 8 yards and a first down
1st & 10 CON 28 – Lorenzen sacked for 14 yard loss and called for intentional grounding
2nd & 24 CON 14 – Lorenzen hits D.J. Hernandez for 29 yards and a 1st down
1st & 10 CON 43- Lorenzen sacked for 14 yard loss and fumbles the ball. Fumble is recovered by Moe Petrus
3rd & 24 CON 29 – Lorenzen sacked for 5 yard loss
2nd qtr – 1st & 10 CON 29 – Lorenzen rushes for 11 yards and a first down
1st & 10 CON 40 – Brown rushes for 8 yards
2nd & 2 CON 48 – Brown rushes for 3 yards and a first down
2nd & 8 LOU 47 – Brown rushes 14 yards and a first down
Donald Brown stiff arms a defender.
1st & 10 LOU 33 – Brown rushes for 30 yards and a first down
1st & 10 LOU 3 – Brown rushes for 2 yards
2nd & 10 LOU 1 – Brown rushes for touchdown
UConn scoring drive – 8 plays 71 yards, TOP – 3:50
1st & 10 CON 31 – Brown rushes for 26 yards
1st & 10 LOU 43 – Zach Frazer throws incomplete pass
3rd & 5 LOU 38 – Frazer called for delay of game
3rd & 10 LOU 43 – Andre Dixon stopped for 2 yard loss
3rd qtr – 1st & 10 CON 24 – Frazer mishandles snap and sacked for 8 yard loss
2nd & 18 CON 16 – Frazer loses 1 yard on a run
3rd & 18 CON 15 – Frazer throws incomplete pass into the ground
1st & 10 CON 38 – Brown fumbles pitch from Frazer. Ball is recovered by Louisville at CON 30
3rd & 3 CON 35 – Frazer throws incomplete pass. Louisville called for roughing the passer
1st & 10 CON 50 – Brown rushes for 19 yards and a first down
2nd & 10 LOU 31 – Brown rushes for 5 yards
3rd & 5 LOU 26 – Frazer hits Jordan Todman for a 9 yard game and a first down
1st & 10 LOU 17 – Brown rushes for 4 yards
2nd & 6 LOU 13 – Brown stopped for no gain
3rd & 6 LOU 13 – Frazer hits Darius Butler for 13 yard touchdown
UConn scoring drive – 9 plays, 72 yards – TOP: 4:10
1st & 10 CON 30 – Brown rushes for 6 yards
3rd & 6 CON 36 – Frazer hits Butler for 17 yard gain and a first down. Call went to replay and the call was upheld.
1st & 10 LOU 47 – Brown rushes for 2 yards
2nd & 10 LOU 45 – Brown rushes for 3 yards
4th qtr – 3rd & 5 LOU 42 Frazer hits Martin Bedard for 1 yard gain
1st & 10 CON 20 – Brown rushes for 9 yards
2nd & 10 CON 29 – Brown rushes for a yard and a first down
2nd & 8 CON 33 – Frazer hits Bedard for 20 yards and a first down
2nd & 9 LOU 47 – Frazer hits Michael Smith for 14 yards and a first down
2nd & 7 LOU 29 – Frazer hits Butler for 10 yard gain and a first down. Butler hurt on the play.
2nd & 10 LOU 19 – Frazer hits Brown for 6 yard gain
3rd & 4 LOU 13 – Brown rushes for 6 yards and a first down
1st & goal LOU 7 – Brown stopped for no gain
2nd & goal LOU 7 – Frazer’s pass knocked away in end zone
3rd & goal LOU 7 – UConn called for illegal subsitution, breaking huddle with 12 players.
3rd & goal LOU 12 – Frazer overthrows Hernandez in end zone
4th & goal LOU 12 – Ciaravino hits 29-yard field goal
UConn scoring drive – 15 plays, 68 yards – TOP: 6:28
UConn goes for 2 after Wilson interception TD return. Frazer’s pass falls short to Brown in end zone
1st & 10 CON 29 – Brown stopped for 6 yard loss
2nd & 16 CON 23 – Brown stopped for 1 yard loss
3rd & 17 CON 22 – Brown rushes for 10 yards
Defensive Notes:
1st qtr – 1st & 10 LOU 50 – Julius Williams stop Brock Bolen for a 1 yard loss
2nd & 11 LOU 49 – Jasper Howard forces a fumble on Doug Beaumont at CON 20, Lawrence Wilson recovers and returns it 18 yards
2nd & 4 LOU 44 – Greg Lloyd stops Victor Anderson on 3 yard gain
3rd & 1 LOU 47 – Williams stops Anderson for a 1 yard loss
2nd & 3 CON 30 – Bilal Powell stopped for no gain. Lousiville called for clipping
2nd qtr – 2nd & 21 CON 45 – Cody Brown sacks Hunter Cantwell and forces fumble recovered by Louisville for 9 yard loss
4th & 10 CON 34 – UConn called for offsides
4th & 10 CON 29 – Lindsey Witten forces incomplete pass to turn ball over
1st & 10 CON 15 – Bolen stopped by Robert Vaughn for a 3 yard gain
1st & goal CON 2 – Anderson rushes 2 yards for touchdown
Lousiville scoring drive – 7 plays 80 yards, TOP – 3:20
1st & 10 LOU 26 – Bolen stopped for no gain by Wilson and Greg Lloyd
1st & 10 LOU 49 – Cantwell completes 24 yard pass to Trent Guy – replay confirms call on field that he had 1 foot in bounds
2nd & 7 CON 24 – Louisville called for illegal formation
2nd & 12 CON 29 – Anderson busts one for 19 yards
1st & goal CON 10 – Lousiville called for holding on running play
1st & goal CON 20 – Cantwell hits Anderson for a 20 yard touchdown pass. Plenty of missed tackles by the defense
Louisville scoring drive – 11 plays 88 yards – TOP: 3:27
Doug Beaumont has 106 yards receiving for the Louisville Cardinals.
3rd qtr -Louisville scoring drive – 7 plays 55 yards – TOP: 3:17
1st & 10 CON 30 – Dahna Deleston stops Bolen for 1-yard gain.
3rd & 6 CON 26- Lloyd tips Cantwell pass as Brown pops him. Cantwell leaves with knee injury
4th & 6 CON 26 – Scott Lutrus stops Anderson for 1 yard loss to give UConn back the ball
1st & 10 LOU 20 – Kendall Reyes stops Anderson for no gain. Reyes is called for 15-yard face mask penalty
2nd & 1 LOU 44 – Louisville called for a false start
3rd & 3 LOU 42 – Lutrus blitzes and forces Tyler Wolfe into an incomplete pass
4th qtr – 1st & 10 LOU 2 – Lloyd stops Powell for 1 yard gain
2nd & 9 LOU 3 – Powell breaks one for 52 yards with touchdown-saving tackle by Robert Vaughn
1st & 10 CON 45 – Cantwell’s pass almost intercepted by Vaughn
3rd & 1 CON 36 – Louisville called for false start
3rd & 6 CON 41 – Cantwell’s pass broken up by Howard
3rd & 7 LOU 40 – Cantwell’s pass intercepted by Wilson who returns it for a UConn touchdown
2nd & 7 CON 29 – Cantwell’s pass knocked away by Howard. Louisville called for illegal formation. UConn declines penalty.
3rd & 7 CON 29 – Cantwell’s pass goes through arms of receiver
4th & 7 CON 29 – Lutrus tips Cantwell’s pass to force turnover on downs
1st & 10 LOU 27 – Cantwell’s pass knocked down by Witten.
Donald Brown cheers on Robert Vaughn after his interception sealed the win for the UConn Huskies over Louisville.
2nd & 10 LOU 27 – Cantwell’s pass intercepted by Vaughn.
Special Teams Notes:
Desi Cullen puts opening kickoff through uprights.
Tony Ciaravino hits season-long field goal of 47-yards.
Cullen’s second kickoff of game goes out of end zone
Cullen’s first punt of the night goes for 51 yards with no return
2nd qtr – Cullen 38 yard punt to LOU 7, returned 5 yards
3rd qtr – Cullen 52 yard punt to LOU 33, returned 12 yards
Darius Butler returns kickoff 24 yards.
4th qtr – Cullen’s 39 yard punt downed by Terry Baltimore at LOU 2 yard line
Cullen’s 40 yard punt puts Louisville at their 27-yard line with 21 seconds left.
Injuries:
Tyler Lorenzen walks off the field after injuring his right foot.
2nd qtr – UConn QB Tyler Lorenzen suffered a right foot injury and will not return. Randy Edsall said at halftime that Lorenzen has suffered a broken right foot. He could be lost for the season.
3rd qtr – UConn TE Steve Brouse had an inflatable cast put on his right leg. He has a broken right fibula. He is out for the game and quite possibly the season.
Louisville QB Hunter Cantwell left with a left ankle injury. He returned in the 4th qtr.
UConn DE Lindsey Witten suffered an unknown injury. He did return to the game.
Louisville CB Chaz Thompson suffered an unknown injury. His return is unknown.
4th qtr – UConn CB Darius Butler took a knee to the low back. He walked off the field under his own power. He did return to the game a few plays later.
UConn DT Kendell Reyes suffered an unknown right leg injury. He was helped off the field by the UConn medical staff.
Louisville DE Maurice Mitchell suffered an unknown leg injury and was helped off the field by the Louisville medical staff.
Louisville DE Greg Scruggs suffers a right ankle injury. He was helped off the field by the Louisville medical staff.
Officials:
Referee: Dennis Hennigan Umpire: Paul King Linesman: Steve Matarante Field Judge: Tony Tarantini Side Judge: Howard Curry Back Judge: Gary Dancewicz
Game Notes:
UConn Huskies @ Louisville Cardinals 9.26.08 boxscore
Ted Washington had his numbered retired by the Cardinals. He played for the San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns. He won a Super Bowl Bowl ring with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
There was 12 NFL scouts here from 11 teams including 2 from the Minnesota Vikings.The others were the Bengals, Broncos, Chiefs, Browns, Falcons, Titans, Raiders, Packers, Rams and Seahawks.
Tyler Lorenzen was sacked 3 times in the game. He had been only sacked twice in the previous 4 games.
Donald Brown now has 906 yards rushing on the season to go along with 11 touchdowns. It was his 5th straight game with at least 100 yards rushing in a game. He has also hit 100 yards in the first half of every game this season. He had 33 rushing attempts in the game and had a 5.8 ypc (yards per carry).
Donald Brown’s 1-yard TD run increased his career total to 26 which moves him into a tie for third best among UConn’s career leaders with Taber Small (1999-01).
The Huskies were outgained 508-279.
UConn was 5-of-12 on third down while Louisville was 6-of-13.
UConn kicker Tony Ciaravino’s 47-yard field goal in the first quarter marked a season-long and his best since booting a 50-yarder against Temple on Sept. 15, 2007.
UConn quarterback Zach Frazer completed his first collegiate pass on a 9-yard reception by Jordan Todman in the third quarter. It was also Todman’s first career reception.
Zach Frazer tossed his first career TD pass on a 13-yard completion to Darius Butler in the third quarter. The play also marked Butler’s first receiving TD of his career.
UConn extends its winning streak on the month of September to nine straight games.
UConn improves to 3-2 all-time in Big East Conference openers.
Big East Games and Results:
9/27 – Pittsburgh @ Syracuse, 12 PM
Morgan State @ Rutgers, 3:30 PM
Marshall @ West Virginia, 3:30 PM
Cincinnati @ Akron, 3:30 PM
(13) South Florida @ N.C. State, 7:30 PM
Things to Work On:
Obviously they will need to get Zach Frazer more acclimated with the offense as he seems to be quarterback for the next few weeks at least.
Get healthy. Lots of injuries for the Huskies this week with the biggest one coming to Lorenzen.
Defensively they need to work on the run defense. They gave up 261 yards rushing.
They also need to work on their pass defense as Hunter Cantwell burned them for 247 yards.
Up Next:
The UConn Huskies will travel to Chapel Hill, NC to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels next Saturday, October 4th. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 PM. The game will be broadcast on either ESPN2 or ESPNU.
