UConn Huskies head football coach Bob Diaco held his weekly pregame press conference on Tuesday afternoon in anticipation of Saturday game against the Memphis Tigers and talked about a myriad of things.

Diaco started things off by congratulating the 2014 UConn Huskies field hockey team on their second straight NCAA Field Hockey Championship. He said it’s a lesson of depth and strength.

He went on to congratulate Cincinnati for the job they did. He stated they blocked well, tackled, ran to the ball and catch the ball. He said they played fundamental football.

He said 34 of Cincinnati’s 41 points came on scoring drives of less than 60 yards.

He said they are excited to be playing a meaningful game on Saturday with the Memphis Tigers playing for first place. He said it would be a great challenge.

He was asked about Tim Boyle and what he saw and stated that he liked the sights and sounds from bowl. He sounded like an owner, not a hired worker. He said he had good mechanics, there were no formation issues and only one offensive penalty.

He said as the game went on Boyle got better mechanically. He said Boyle’s best football is in front of him.

He stated the offensive call patterns have been to help the offensive line growth. We haven’t seen as many strikes down field because of this. Tim and Chandler Whitmer didn’t throw any INTs due to the system and call patterns.

He said Andreas Knappe and Richard Levy look nothing like they did earlier in the season. He said Boyle can stretch the field vertically.

He stated this was not the offensive system he wants to run. It’s more out of necessity. He wants it to be heavy run, motion, swing passes to running backs, etc.

He talked about how Ryan Crozier has done a good job and looks like a good guy. He still needs to develop skill and strength but you can only do one of those at a time.

While the defense did give up 41 points, he wasn’t displeased with their performance. He said he may have overcoached them on Cincinnati’s screen game.

He talked about the tough time Justin Wain had punting the ball early on. He’s still learning new fundamentals. They got him fundamentally back on track. He’s been very coachable and his brothers on the sidelines helped him get back on track as well.

He said Memphis is a completely different team than last year. They are in year three. He said the AAC is planning on having the trophy there. He said that all the Memphis players love each other, play together, believe in the systems and play as one.

He wants the team to go on the road and play well as they’ve been inconsistent there. It’s about learning lessons.

He said he’s much better as a head coach than he was when he took over. Still has very far to go.

He said he’d think he’d like to play for himself.

He said it was great to hear Boyle step up with his postgame comments after Saturday’s loss. It’s an incredible feeling.

He stated Boyle could start but it was only Tuesday and too early tell (note: during Boyle’s interview after Diaco spoke, Boyle did say he was the starting QB).

He said they’ll go into spring camp with every position open for battle. He said Boyle will have the leg up but will have competition from incoming freshman Tyler Davis and redshirt sophomore Bryant Shirreffs. He said Shirreffs is good with his feet and reminds him of BYU QB Taysom Hill.

He said that Jefferson Ashiru decided he didn’t want to be on the team anymore. He said he wishes him well with whatever he does.

He said he wants to see effort in all three phases of the game, passion and smart football over the final two weeks. Higher level execution in all three phases.

He stated that Memphis QB Paxton Lynch is a great QB, he’s fun to watch. Lynch shows he clearly in charge. He said he can throw on the move, run the ball. He said they like to run the option with him at times. He said their running back is a make you miss guy. He said their offensive line is solid.

Diaco loves the structure of the Memphis D. He said they have a great fit and integrity in the front.

He said they have a kickoff specialist who has at least 40 touchbacks.

He talked about Tyler Davis some more in that he turned his high school program around. He was part of a locker room of something exciting that was going on. He’s a big guy who can run.

He said the greatest disappointment right now is that he and the team feel bad about the record for UConn Country, the former players and alumni.

We’ll be back throughout the week with videos leading up to the game on Saturday.

From UConn and the WBCA:

ATLANTA – The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) today announced the 2014-15 “Wade Watch” list of candidates for the prestigious award. Two University of Connecticut women’s basketball standouts, Breanna Stewart (Syracuse, N.Y.) and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) were named to the list.

Now in its 38th year, The Wade Trophy is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade. During her six seasons as head coach, Wade won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen and recorded a career record of 157-23.

Regarded as “The Heisman of Women’s Basketball,” The Wade Trophy is presented annually to the WBCA NCAA Division I Player of the Year by SHAPE America – the Society of Health and Physical Educators and the WBCA. The 25-member list is made up of top NCAA Division I student-athletes who best embody the spirit of Lily Margaret Wade according to the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

Stewart, who is scoring at a 21.0 points per game clip this season, averaged 19.4 points and 2.8 blocks per game in 2013-14. She recorded double-digit points in 38 of UConn’s 40 games on her way to being selected as the 2013-14 National Player of the Year by the Associated Press, the Atlanta Tip-Off Club (Naismith Trophy), the United States Basketball Writers Association and the Honda Sports Award.

Mosqueda-Lewis is competing in her final season in a UConn uniform after helping the Huskies capture their second consecutive national title in 2013-14. Limited by injury, the forward earned 26 starts and notched 19 double-figure scoring games. She posted the program’s third-ever triple-double in the Huskies’ NCAA Second Round victory over Saint Joseph’s on March 25. The three-point sharpshooter saved her best for the postseason, earning a spot on the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team after posting 14.7 points and shooting 47.4 from beyond the arc. In addition, Mosqueda-Lewis was tabbed as the Lincoln Regional Most Outstanding Player after averaging 17.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 51.0 percent in the Huskies first four NCAA Tournament victories.

On Monday, both players were named to the Wooden Award Preseason Top-30 List.

Here is the list of candidates for the 2015 Wade Trophy in alphabetical order:

photo credit: ian bethune

Newly acquired Red Sox Pablo Sandoval poses with a Panda Bear after a press conference to announce the third baseman to Fenway Park on Tuesday, November 25, 2014.

As we learned on Monday, the Boston Red Sox and Pablo Sandoval have agreed to a five-year deal.

The deal is worth $95 million over the five years with a club option for a sixth year.

Here’s the release from the Red Sox:

The Boston Red Sox today agreed with two-time All-Star Pablo Sandoval on a five-year contract through the 2019 season with a club option for 2020. To make room on the 40-man roster, first baseman/catcher Ryan Lavarnway was designated for assignment. Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.

Sandoval, 28, played his first seven years in the major leagues with the San Francisco Giants, winning World Series championships in all three trips to the postseason: 2010, 2012, and 2014.

Last season, the switch-hitter batted .279 with 26 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs, and 73 RBI in a career-high 157 regular season games and 153 starts. He was the ninth-hardest National Leaguer to strike out (7.5 plate appearances per strikeout). Over his last 126 games beginning on May 7, Sandoval had the NL’s fifth-most hits (145) and eighth-best batting average (.306).

Sandoval, who will wear No. 48, helped the Giants to the 2014 World Series title, batting .366 with seven doubles, five RBI, and five walks in 17 postseason games. His 26 hits set the all-time record for a single postseason.

The native of Carabobo, Venezuela has reached base safely in 36 of his 39 career postseason games for a .344 batting average (53-for-154), best in major league history among those with at least 150 postseason plate appearances.

Only David Ortiz (.455) has a higher World Series batting average than Sandoval (.426) among those with at least 50 plate appearances in the Fall Classic. Sandoval was named MVP of the 2012 World Series, in which he hit .500 (8-for-16) in the Giants’ four-game sweep of the Tigers.

Originally signed by the Giants as an international free agent in 2003, he made his big league debut with 41 games in 2008. Beginning with his first full big league season in 2009, when he ranked second in the National League with a .330 average, Sandoval leads all NL switch-hitters with 896 hits and 303 extra-base hits. He was named an All-Star in back-to-back seasons in 2011 and 2012.

In his career, Sandoval owns a .304/.357/.493 batting line against right-handed pitchers, including a .317 average against righties in 2014 that ranked fourth among National Leaguers.

Sandoval is one of six players in major league history with a three-homer game in both the regular season (September 4, 2013 at San Diego) and the postseason (Game 1 of the 2012 World Series against Detroit). On September 15, 2011, he hit for the cycle at Colorado.

This past season, he placed third among NL third basemen with a .971 fielding percentage and posted a career-long 73-game errorless streak from May 25-August 22.

Sandoval’s lifetime .960 fielding percentage at third base ranks third among active major league third basemen with least 750 games at the position. He has also played first base (63 games, 55 starts) and catcher (14 games, 12 starts) in his big league career.

Sandoval hit .308 with two doubles, a home run, and four RBI in three games for Venezuela during the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

Lavarnway, 27, split 2014 between Triple-A Pawtucket and Boston, his fourth consecutive season appearing in the majors. The right-handed batter appeared in nine games over two big league stints for the Red Sox this year, going 0-for-10. In 62 regular season games for the PawSox, he hit .283 (62-for-219) with 10 doubles, three homers, and 20 RBI. Lavarnway missed over two months of the year on the major league disabled list with a left hamate fracture. Signed as a sixth-round selection in the 2008 June Draft, he has hit .201 (56-for-279) with 17 doubles, five home runs, and 34 home runs in 97 major league games beginning in 2011.

photo credit: matt stone – boston herald

Newly acquired Red Sox Pablo Sandova poses with a Panda Bear after a press conference to announce the third baseman to Fenway Park on Tuesday, November 25, 2014.

Prior to Tuesday’s press conference for Saturday’s game in Memphis against the Memphis Tigers, UConn Huskies head coach Bob Diaco released his depth chart for the game and there is one change to it from last week’s depth chart against Cincinnati.

With Jefferson Ashiru leaving the team, Junior Joseph is now listed as the starter at one of the linebacker spots. Joseph had been starting the past few games and it’s possible the lack of playing time was the reason for Ashiru leaving.

Offense

LT: 71 Richard Levy (RSo., 6-6, 305)
74 Paul Nwokeji (RJr., 6-6, 287)

LG: 65 Gus Cruz (RSr., 6-4, 296)
77 Trey Rutherford (Fr., 6-5, 289)

C: 73 Alex Mateas (RSr., 6-4, 309)
70 Kyle Bockeloh (RSo., 6-3, 284)

RG: 60 Tyler Samra (Jr., 6-2, 288)
63 Ryan Crozier (Fr., 6-4, 297)

RT: 53 Andreas Knappe (RSo., 6-8, 300)
62 Thomas Hopkins (RFr., 6-6, 298)

TE: 49 Sean McQuillan (RJr., 6-3, 239)
80 Tommy Myers (RFr., 6-5, 238)

WR: 85 Geremy Davis (RSr., 6-3, 216)
8 Thomas Lucas (RFr., 6-2, 198) OR
5 Noel Thomas (So., 6-1, 187)

QB: 10 Chandler Whitmer (RSr., 6-0, 192)
14 Tim Boyle (So., 6-3, 216)

FB: 34 Jazzmar Clax (RFr., 5-11, 241)
36 Matt Walsh (So., 6-1, 227)

TB: 22 Arkeel Newsome (Fr., 5-7, 180) OR
3 Ron Johnson (Fr., 6-0, 217)
44 Max DeLorenzo (RJr., 5-11, 210) OR
26 Joshua Marriner (RFr., 5-9, 193)

WR: 4 Deshon Foxx (Sr., 5-10, 172)
1 Dhameer Bradley (So., 5-9, 166)

Defense

DE: 95 Kenton Adeyemi (RJr., 6-4, 268)
57 Cole Ormsby (RFr., 6-3, 248)

NG: 90 Julian Campenni (RJr., 6-0, 299)
92 Mikal Myers (RSo., 6-1, 312)

DT: 97 B.J. McBryde (RSr., 6-5, 304) OR
93 Folorunso Fatukasi (RFr., 6-4, 307)

DE: 47 Reuben Frank (RSr., 6-4, 246)
10 Cameron Stapleton (RFr., 6-4, 226)

LB: 46 Marquise Vann (RJr., 6-0, 226)
55 Jon Hicks (RSo., 6-2, 236)

LB: 39 Junior Joseph (RFr., 6-1, 242)
55 Jon Hicks (RSo., 6-2, 236)

LB: 2 Graham Stewart (RJr., 6-1, 227)
59 Vontae Diggs (Fr., 6-4, 207)

CB: 21 Jamar Summers (Fr., 6-0, 180)
7 John Green (RSo., 5-10, 179) OR
11 Javon Hadley (So., 5-10, 164)

S: 22 Andrew Adams (RJr., 6-0, 197)
28 Jordan Floyd (RSo., 6-0, 206)

S: 20 Obi Melifonwu (RSo., 6-3, 210)
23 Junior Lee (RJr., 6-0, 214)

CB: 6 Jhavon Williams (RSo., 5-10, 190)
33 Brice McAllister (Fr., 5-11, 191)

Special Teams

K: 17 Bobby Puyol (RSo., 5-10, 174)
94 Chase Briley (Fr., 5-11, 165)

P: 42 Justin Wain (RSo., 6-3, 204)
94 Chase Briley (Fr., 5-11, 165)

HL: 82 Blake Feagles (RFr., 5-10, 205)
42 Justin Wain (RSo., 6-3, 204)

KR: 22 Arkeel Newsome (Fr., 5-7, 180)
26 Joshua Marriner (RFr., 5-9, 193)

PR: 4 Deshon Foxx (Sr., 5-10, 172)
18 Brian Lemelle (So., 5-10, 165)

LS: 66 Dominick Manco (RJr., 6-0, 213)
67 Adam Mueller (RSr., 6-1, 212)

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a DAILY basis.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

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UConn Football links

UConn/SMU Kickoff Time Set For December 6 [sox & dawgs]

Closer look at UConn’s attrition [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn in the NFL Week 12 report [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn Building A Championship Foundation [uconn huskies]

Cincy’s Jake Golic (West Hartford) Making An Impression [hartford courant]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Breanna Stewart Named The American’s Player of the Week [sox & dawgs]

Three Huskies Named to Wooden Award Preseason Top-30 List [sox & dawgs]

Notebook: Stewart a perfect 10 [sox & dawgs]

Williams Looking To Prove She Deserves To Play [rich elliott – ct post]

UConn’s Nurse toughness comes from brother [jim fuller – new haven register]

5 UConn Women’s Lessons Learned: Earlier Loss Was A Gain [hartford courant]

After Disappointing Stanford Game, Nurse Steps Up For UConn [hartford courant]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

UConn Men Heading Back To Maui in 2016 [sox & dawgs]

UConn’s Ryan Boatright, Daniel Hamilton Nab American Honors [sox & dawgs]

Vacation slide show: A look back at UConn’s 3 games in Puerto Rico [ct post]

5 UConn Men’s Lessons Learned: Huskies Vulnerable To The Press [hartford courant]

Ollie Says Huskies Must Learn From Mistakes In Puerto Rico [hartford courant]

Other UConn related links

M. Ice Hockey. UConn’s Spencer Naas Earns Hockey East Weekly Award [sox & dawgs]

W. Lacrosse. UConn Takes Part In Goal Line Project At East Hartford Middle School [uconn huskies]

From UConn & Los Angeles Athletic Club:

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Three University of Connecticut women’s basketball team standouts, Breanna Stewart, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Moriah Jefferson, have each earned a spot on the Wooden Award Preseason Top-30 List as announced by the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Monday. The list is chosen by a preseason poll of national college women’s basketball media members.

Stewart, who is scoring at a 21.0 points per game clip this season, averaged 19.4 points and 2.8 blocks per game in 2013-14. She recorded double-digit points in 38 of UConn’s 40 games on her way to being selected as the 2013-14 National Player of the Year by the Associated Press, the Atlanta Tip-Off Club (Naismith Trophy), the United States Basketball Writers Association and the Honda Sports Award.

Mosqueda-Lewis is competing in her final season in a UConn uniform after helping the Huskies capture their second consecutive national title in 2013-14. Limited by injury, the forward earned 26 starts and notched 19 double-figure scoring games. She posted the program’s third-ever triple-double in the Huskies’ NCAA Second Round victory over Saint Joseph’s on March 25. The three-point sharpshooter saved her best for the postseason, earning a spot on the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team after posting 14.7 points and shooting 47.4 from beyond the arc. In addition, Mosqueda-Lewis was tabbed as the Lincoln Regional Most Outstanding Player after averaging 17.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 51.0 percent in the Huskies first four NCAA Tournament victories.

Jefferson enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, starting all 40 games and averaging 10.0 points per contest. The Texas native led The American in assists per game (4.9) and shooting percentage (57.5) en route to an all-conference First Team selection. She dished out 25 assists compared to only seven turnovers during the Huskies’ six-game run through the NCAA Tournament. Her 195 total assists marked the fifth-highest single-season total for a Husky player.

Players not chosen to the preseason team are eligible for both the midseason team and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 20 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The Wooden Award All American Team, consisting of the nation’s top five players, will be announced the week of the Final Four.

Jillian Alleyne (Oregon)
Rachel Banham (Minnesota)
Brittany Boyd (California)
Crystal Bradford (Central Michigan)
Lexie Brown (Maryland)
Nina Davis (Baylor)
Kaela Davis (Georgia Tech)
Nneka Enemkpali (Texas)
Bashaara Graves (Tennessee)
Allisha Gray (North Carolina)
Rashanda Gray (California)
Dearica Hamby (Wake Forest)
Sara Hammond (Louisville)
Isabelle Harrison (Tennessee)
Bria Holmes (West Virginia)
Brittany Hrynko (DePaul)
Moriah Jefferson (UConn)
Samantha Logic (Iowa)
Jewell Loyd (Notre Dame)
Tiffany Mitchell (South Carolina)
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (UConn)
Amber Orrange (Stanford)
Kelsey Plum (Washington)
Aerial Powers (Michigan State)
Breanna Stewart (UConn)
Rachel Theriot (Nebraska)
Courtney Walker (Texas A&M)
Aleighsa Welch (South Carolina)
Courtney Williams (South Florida)
Elizabeth Williams (Duke)

CBS Sports and the American Athletic Conference have announced the game time for the game between the SMU Mustangs and UConn Huskies at Rentschler Field on Saturday, December 6.

The game will kickoff at 12 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on the CBS Sports Network.