Here’s the release from UConn Athletic Communications Department on how Anthony Sherman, Greg Lloyd and Scott Lutrus performed in Saturday’s 86th Annual East-West Shrine Game at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Former University of Connecticut linebacker Greg Lloyd (Clermont, Fla.) led the East team in tackles with five as his East tam posted a 25-8 win the 2011 East-West Shrine Game at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Also playing on defense for the East was linebacker Scott Lutrus (Brookfield, Conn.), who had one tackle.

Fullback Anthony Sherman (North Attleboro, Mass.) had two carries for a yard of rushing.

Linebacker Lawrence Wilson (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and offensive guard Zach Hurd (Waterford, Conn.) will play in next week’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Here’s what Scouts, Inc. (ESPN Insider link) had to say about Lloyd during the game:

Greg Lloyd (ESPN Insider link) has three tackles early, all on inside runs between the tackles. We felt he played high this week and his strength is between the tackles on inside runs where he can use his size, power at the point of attack and natural instincts. It showed on those plays

I thought Sherman played really well. He made some good blocks including a key one on Syracuse RB Delone Carter’s touchdown run. Hopefully, he can put together a great NFL Combine and maybe sneak into the latter rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft. If not, he’s certain to get a chance on a free agent contract.

I will do my best to keep y’all updated on how Hurd and Wilson are doing during the week of practices for the Senior Bowl. But if you’re interested in watching the Senior Bowl practices, the NFL Network will be broadcasting them live.

Here’s the NFL Network schedule for the Senior Bowl practices:

• Monday, Jan. 24 – 3:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 25 – 11:00 a.m. (North), 5:00 p.m. (South)
• Wednesday, Jan. 26 – 11:00 a.m. (North), 5:00 p.m. (South)
• Thursday, Jan. 27 – 11:00 a.m. (North), 5:00 p.m. (South)

The Senior Bowl will be carried live on the NFL Network on Saturday, January 29 at 4 p.m. The pregame show will begin at 3:30 p.m.

2011 East-West Shrine Game box score

The Tennessee Volunteers had beaten two Big East brethren of the UConn Huskies in the Villanova Wildcats and Pittsburgh Panthers already this season. But on Saturday afternoon, a total team effort helped the Huskies avoid becoming another victim of the Volunteers.

Jeremy Lamb and Kemba Walker led the Huskies with 16 points each to help the No. 8/8 Huskies to a 72-61 win over the Volunteers before a sold-out crowd and nationally-televised audience on CBS at the XL Center in Hartford, CT.

The win pushes the Huskies record to 16-2 and they finish non-conference play at 12-0. Bruce Pearl’s Volunteers fall to 12-7.

Walker also led the Huskies with seven assists and added three rebounds. Alex Oriakhi had his seventh double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Roscoe Smith also had 12 points, coming on 4-of-5 shooting from three-point land, four rebounds, two steals and three blocked shots.

Melvin Goins paced Tennessee with 15 points to along with six rebounds and five assists. Scotty Hopson added 13 points while Tobias Harris had 10. Brian Williams led the Volunteers with seven rebounds and had four points.

Tennessee spent a good portion of the first half with the lead but eventually UConn would come back and take it from them.

After the visitors went up 4-2, a Smith three-pointer gave the Huskies the lead but the Volunteers responded with an 8-0 run to take a seven-point lead. UConn responded with a 6-0 run to cut it back to one before another run by Tennessee, this one at 7-0, gave them their largest lead of the game at eight points.

The Huskies then used a 13-3 run to get back into the game and tie it up at 24 with 3:32 to go on an Oriakhi tip in. The two teams exchanged the lead six times over the final 3:32 with UConn taking the lead for good on a Walker buzzer-beater three-pointer to give them a 32-31 lead at the half.

UConn came out strong in the second half scoring the first five points forcing Pearl to call a 30 second timeout to get things back in order. The TO worked as the Vols scored the next five points to put the deficit back at what it was at half time.

Tennessee would tie the game up at 39-all and again at 41-all and they would keep it close for the next eight minutes. With UConn clinging to a one-point lead at 52-51 with 8:35 to go, they reeled off a 7-0 run to take control of the game. The Volunteers would get no closer than five points the rest of the way with UConn’s lead getting as high as 12.

It’s another quality non-conference win for the Huskies given that the Vols had beaten Pitt, ‘Nova and Memphis who were all ranked at the time. But the story to me is the continued development of Lamb and Smith.

Ever since his brief benching a few games ago, Lamb has stepped it up on both ends of the floor. He works hard on defense and is moving more effectively in UConn’s offense setting himself up for some easy shots.

Smith has turned into UConn’s defensive stopper and unless the other team’s leading scorer is a guard, you can bet Smith will be doing his best to shut them down. Plus it doesn’t hurt when he can step out and drain a few threes. With those two stepping their games up and continued great play from Oriakhi, these young Huskies could be turning this season into something special.

UConn now will play their final 12 games of the season in the Big East Conference. The first of the final 12 will come on Tuesday night when the Huskies head to the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI to take on the Marquette Golden Eagles. Game time is scheduled for 9 p.m. and the game will be televised locally here in CT on SNY.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Notes and musings:

Tennessee Volunteers @ UConn Huskies 1.22.11 box score

Here are quotes from UConn head coach Jim Calhoun, Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb, Alex Oriakhu, Charles Okwandu and Roscoe Smith.

The starters for the Huskies were Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb, Roscoe Smith, Tyler Olander and Alex Oriakhi.

This was the first time this season that Walker didn’t lead the team in scoring by himself.

Walker has now scored 450 points in the first 18 games. Only Wes Bialosuknia and Donyell Marshall have had more at UConn at the same point.

Charles Okwandu and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel both had good games off the bench with six points each.

Bruce Pearl had watched his team’s last four games at home due to his eight game suspension during SEC games. He’ll now be back home for the next four as well.

His teams were 6-1 against the Big East before Saturday’s game. The lone loss was against the Louisville Wildcats in 2008 NCAA Tournament.

UConn finishes its non-conference schedule 12-0, the 4th time in the last 15 seasons they’ve finished with an unbeaten non-conference record. In two of the three previous instances — the 1998-99 season and 2008-09 season — they went to the Final Four (won championship in 1998-99). The other instance — 2005-06 season — they lost in the Elite 8.

UConn shot 48.2% (27-56) from the floor while the Vols shot 42.9% (24-56).

The Huskies had 15 assists on their 27 made baskets.

UConn was 9-of-19 (47.4%) from three-point land. The Vols were 6-of-20 (30%).

The nine threes by the Huskies was their most since hitting nine against FDU back in early December.

UConn was 9-of-13 (69.2%) from the charity stripe. Normally I wouldn’t complain but two of those misses came late in the game and that just can’t happen.

The Huskies won the battle on the boards 39-31 however the Vols owned the scoring in the paint at 28-22.

Tennessee outscored UConn on the fast break 13-12 but the Huskies had a 14-11 advantage on second chance points.

The Huskies had 24 points off of 12 Vols turnovers. Tennessee had 14 points off of 12 UConn turnovers.

Photo credit: AP Photo, AP Photo

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 some of the other sports. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below.

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

It’s a busy Saturday if you’re a fan of the UConn Huskies men’s and women’s basketball team fan as both teams are in action today as well as three football players.

First up is the UConn men’s basketball team as they’ll host the Tennessee Volunteers in a non-conference matchup at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. The game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. and it will be nationally-televised on CBS. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the WTIC/UConn Radio Network.

Right after the UConn men’s game is over, be sure to switch over to the NFL Network if you get it to watch Anthony Sherman, Greg Lloyd Jr. and Scott Lutrus play in the East-West Shrine Game at 4 p.m.

The UConn women round out the busy day as they’ll host the Pittsburgh Panthers in a Big East matchup at Gampel Pavilion. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. and will televised locally here in Connecticut on CPTV. It is also available on Hoop Streams for a fee. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the WTIC/UConn Radio Network.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Preparing for Tennessee [Gavin Keefe – The Day]

This And That From UConn Practice [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Roscoe Smith Gears Up For A Day Of Defense Vs. Tennessee [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

UConn Adjusting To Wear And Tear Of Season [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Calhoun: Tennessee “As talented as anybody we’ve played” [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Tennessee’s Family Connections [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Mike also answered a boatload of questions in his mailbag including one from me about the assistant coaches pay [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Take me to another place… [Neill Ostrout – CT Post]

Know Your Enemy: Tennessee [UConn Huskies Basketball]

UConn’s Smith’s new nickname: Defensive coordinator [CT Post]

No. 8 UConn, Calhoun Not Taking Tennessee Lightly [Hartford Courant]

Big Matchup: Bruce Pearl And Jim Calhoun [Hartford Courant]

Bruce Pearl takes break from suspension as Tennessee faces Huskies [New Haven Register]

UConn freshman loves crucial role [Norwich Bulletin]

Vols provide break from Big East [The Day]

UConn men face risky out-of-league game [The Republican-American]

Wait is over for Walker’s star turn [FOXSports.com]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

My thoughts on Walker’s departure [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Some Possible Insight Into Samarie Walker’s Decision [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Samarie Walker Heading To Kentucky [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Samarie Walker To Kentucky? Wildcats, Geno Have No Comment [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Samarie Walker’s AAU Coach Says Her Decision To Leave Is Not UConn’s Fault [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Hartley Recovering Nicely; Faris’ Run Is Over [Rich Elliott – CT Post]

Huskies Ready To Move Forward Without Walker [Rich Elliott – CT Post]

Moore Expected To See More Time At Center [Riich Elliott – CT Post]

The Kara Lawson Show With Guest Star Renee Montgomery [YouTube]

UConn women down to 6-7 players in rotation [CT Post]

Geno Auriemma Says UConn Will Be Fine With Seven [Hartford Courant]

Maya Moore ready to be center of attention [New Haven Register]

Depleted Huskies’ ambitions unchanged [The Republican-American]

Walker’s happiness is what matters [Mechelle Voepel – ESPN.com]

No. 2 Connecticut pressure-packed game for Panthers [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

UConn Football links

Big East’s offseason to-do list [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

Big UConn Recruits Visiting This Weekend [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

Greg Lloyd Jr. Back Home For Shrine Game [Hartford Courant]

Other UConn related links

Baseball. Tickets Available For BIG EAST/Big Ten Baseball Challenge [UConnHuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Register For Men’s Hockey Alumni Event At Rentschler Field [UConnHuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Huskies Fall Short Against Air Force, 2-1 [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Lacrosse. Sparks, Gunning and Mucci Named 2011 Lacrosse Captains [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Ice Hockey. Huskies Power Past Maine, 3-0 [UConnHuskies.com]

Earlier in the week, I wrote up a post about members of the UConn Huskies football team playing in the East-West Shrine Game on Saturday afternoon at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL. Had I looked at the rosters a few days ago, I would have seen that Zach Hurd and Lawrence Wilson were no longer on it.

And the following release from UConn explains why they aren’t.

MOBILE, Ala. – University of Connecticut senior linebacker Lawrence Wilson (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and senior offensive guard Zach Hurd (Waterford, Conn.) will play in the 2011 Senior Bowl, which will take place on Saturday, Jan. 29 at Mobile’s Ladd-Pebbles Stadium. The game will be televised live on the NFL Network and kickoff is at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Wilson will be celebrating a homecoming in Mobile as the Tuscaloosa native returns to his home state after a standout career at UConn. The linebacker was a first team All-BIG EAST selection this season after leading the conference in tackles with 123. He also added 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks for the Huskies this year.

Among his many highlights in 2010 was a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown against South Florida. Wilson started 50 games for the Huskies the past four years and leaves the school ranked second all-time in tackles (449). He had five career interceptions and returned three of those for touchdowns.

Hurd, who originally was scheduled to play in the East-West Shrine Game, blocked for four 1,000 yard rushers in his career and started all 13 games for the Huskies in 2010. He started all 39 games over the past three years for UConn and appeared in a school-record 52 games during his career.

Three other Huskies will take part in the 86th East-West Shrine Game. The game will be held this Saturday at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., kicking off at 4 p.m. EST and will be televised by the NFL Network. The three Huskies are defensive end Greg Lloyd (Clermont, Fla.), linebacker Scott Lutrus (Brookfield, Conn.) and fullback Anthony Sherman (North Attleboro, Mass.).

Lloyd was a Second Team All-BIG EAST pick during 2009 and battled injuries late in his career. Lutrus was a Second Team All-BIG EAST pick in his sophomore year of 2008 and started a total of 41 games over four years. Sherman played in 51 games as a fullback over his Husky career and again played a critical blocking role for the UConn tailback position.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Earlier in the week while he was at the East-Shrine Game practices, Hurd had been playin center. Now he along with Wilson will have a chance to prove themselves against some of the nation’s top seniors.

Here is one of Todd McShay’s of Scouts, Inc (ESPN Insider link). top performers for the practice that was held on Thursday.

East: Connecticut FB Anthony Sherman (ESPN Insider link)

He’s undersized (5-11, 240 pounds) and fullbacks border on extinct in the NFL, but I was impressed with Sherman. He’s competed all week. He’s tough and has some power at the point of attack. He also has good hands. He caught the ball smoothly and got up the field. It’s a pretty good fullback class and right now he’s No. 6 in the class. He’s a longshot to get drafted yet he’s done nothing but help himself this week.

After you’re done watching the UConn men’s basketball team take on the Tennessee Volunteers (2 p.m.), switch your cable or satellite box over to the NFL Network at 4 p.m. and support your UConn boys.

According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Boston Red Sox explored the possibility of trading their closer Jonathan Papelbon if they could have signed former free agent closer Rafael Soriano.

The Red Sox showed interest in Soriano, and appeared willing to do a one-year deal for him to be their closer. Had that happened, Boston would have found a new home for Papelbon, probably Oakland or the White Sox.

The Red Sox were unable to trade Papelbon because teams saw a high number like this on the horizon.

The high number Heyman is talking about is the $12 million contract that Papelbon got in an arbitration deal with the Red Sox. Soriano ended up signing a three-year, $35 million contract with the New York Yankees.

It’s definitely looking more and more like this will be Papelbon’s final season in Boston. With Daniel Bard waiting in the wings and Bobby Jenks signed for two years, the Red Sox can let him go.

But as Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal points out, the Red Sox could end up losing Papelbon without getting anything in return for him.

According to the rules, the Red Sox have to offer Papelbon salary arbitration to collect draft picks. After having earned $12 million in 2011, Papelbon would be in line to ask for a salary around $14 or $15 million — which would be the second-highest salary for any relief pitcher in history, trailing only the otherworldly Mariano Rivera.

If the relief-pitching market remains as depressed next winter as it is now — Jenks signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Red Sox despite an impressive career track record — Papelbon might well accept arbitration and return to Boston, a jolt to a payroll that will start absorbing the Adrian Gonzalez contract extension that same year.

But losing Papelbon wouldn’t guarantee compensation picks. The Red Sox would have to take a pretty big financial gamble — a $14-$15 million gamble — to get those picks.

Although there is no official Gonzalez contract extension, we all know that it’s coming sometime after opening day this year. My guess would be right around the first homestand for the Red Sox which begins on April 8th against the Yankees.

It makes you wonder if the Red Sox will explore trading Papelbon around the trading deadline to get something in return. Otherwise, they’ll have to roll the dice and hope for the best when the time comes next year.

Photo credit: AP Photo

It’s official. George DeLeone has been named the new offensive coordinator for the UConn Huskies football team. Here’s the release from UConn:

STORRS, Conn. – George DeLeone, a 1970 University of Connecticut graduate and a veteran coach of 40 football seasons, has been named the offensive coordinator on the UConn staff under new head coach Paul Pasqualoni.

The New Haven, Conn., native has coached in 12 bowl games, including the Fiesta, Gator and Orange Bowl. He returns to the college ranks after serving as the tight ends coach for the Miami Dolphins since 2008 as he helped lead the team to the AFC East championship in 2008.

DeLeone and Pasqualoni have a long coaching history together as they have been on the same staff, both professionally and collegiately, for 25 years. DeLeone was part of Pasqualoni’s staff for 13 of the 14 years that Pasqualoni was the head coach at Syracuse (1991-2004). The only year that DeLeone was not on that staff was in 1997 when he was the offensive line coach for the San Diego Chargers.

DeLeone and Pasqualoni were both assistant coaches at Syracuse from 1987-90 and were together at Southern Connecticut from 1976-79 as DeLeone was the head coach and Pasqualoni was an assistant. They were on the same staff of the Dolphins in 2008-09.

“It is a tremendous honor to return to UConn,” says DeLeone. “It is my school and I am excited to continue the development of the success that the program has enjoyed in recent years. It is also special to be working again with Coach Pasqualoni. He is a man of great values and standards. He treats student-athletes in a positive manner in terms of how that should compete and work. He wants student-athletes to get values out of football that they will have for the rest of their lives. I am in sync with him in what we believe in. We have had some good runs together and I hope to have that same type of success with him here at Connecticut.”

Prior to joining the Dolphins, DeLeone was the offensive coordinator at Temple (2006-07) and the run game coordinator/offensive line coach in 2005.

“George is going to be an outstanding addition to our football coaching staff here at Connecticut,” says Pasqualoni. “He brings an outstanding background and a high level of experience in Division I and professional football. George is one of the most highly respected coaches in the country on all levels of football. As we build our staff here, I think it is important to have people who have ties to the area and the University which George certainly has.”

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

He originally joined the Syracuse staff in 1985 and was the offensive line coach for two seasons before becoming the offensive coordinator in 1987. Following his year with the Chargers, he returned to SU seven more seasons as the defensive coordinator in 1998 and the offensive coordinator from 1999-2004.

During his career at Syracuse, the Orange played in 12 bowl games, posting an 8-3-1 record. While working with the offensive line at SU, five of his players were drafted by the NFL and as offensive coordinator, five players were named first team All-American. Syracuse won three BIG EAST Championships during DeLeone’s tenure there – 1996, 1998 and 2004.

He served as the offensive coordinator at Holy Cross in 1984 and was on the Rutgers staff from 1980-83, serving in a number of roles, including defensive coordinator from 1981-82.

DeLeone began his coaching career at Southern Connecticut as an assistant coach in 1970 and was the head coach of the Owls from 1970-75.

DeLeone graduated from UConn in 1970 with a degree in physical education and earned a master’s degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut in 1971. He is a graduate of Fairfield Prep (Conn.) High School. Born on May 9, 1948, he is the father of two sons – Andy and Mark.

YEAR-BY-YEAR WITH George DeLeone

Year School/Team Position

• 1970 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach Eastern Football Conference Champions
• 1971 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
• 1972 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
• 1973 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
• 1974 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
• 1975 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
• 1976 Southern Connecticut Head Coach
• 1977 Southern Connecticut Head Coach
• 1978 Southern Connecticut Head Coach
• 1979 Southern Connecticut Head Coach
• 1980 Rutgers Defensive Line Coach
• 1981 Rutgers Defensive Coordinator/LBs
• 1982 Rutgers Defensive Coordinator/LBs
• 1983 Rutgers Offensive Line/Special Teams Coach
• 1984 Holy Cross Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line
• 1985 Syracuse Offensive Line Coach Cherry Bowl
• 1986 Syracuse Offensive Line Coach
• 1987 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Sugar Bowl (Tie)
• 1988 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Hall of Fame Bowl Champions
• 1989 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Peach Bowl Champions
• 1990 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Aloha Bowl Champions
• 1991 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Hall of Fame Bowl Champions
• 1992 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Fiesta Bowl Champions
• 1993 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line
• 1994 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line
• 1995 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Gator Bowl Champions
• 1996 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Liberty Bowl Champions
• 1997 San Diego Chargers Offensive Line Coach
• 1998 Syracuse Defensive Coordinator/LBs Orange Bowl
• 1999 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Music City Bowl Champions
• 2000 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/QBs
• 2001 Syracuse Asst. Head Coach/OC/Off. Line Insight Bowl Champions
• 2002 Syracuse Asst. Head Coach/OC/Off. Line
• 2003 Syracuse Asst. Head Coach/OC/Off. Line
• 2004 Syracuse Asst. Head Coach/OC/Off. Line Champs Sports Bowl
• 2005 Mississippi Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator
• 2006 Temple Offensive Coordinator/QBs
• 2007 Temple Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line
• 2008 Miami Dolphins Tight Ends Coach AFC East Champions
• 2009 Miami Dolphins Tight Ends Coach
• 2010 Miami Dolphins Tight Ends Coach

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 some of the other sports. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below.

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

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Football links

Looking at Big East attendance in 2010 [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

Best Big East games of 2010: Nos. 3 and 2 [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

Best Big East games of 2010: No. 1 [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

Seven Big East players in Senior Bowl [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

Reyes Returning To UConn For Senior Season [Hartford Courant]

UConn’s Enrollment Standards A Convenient Excuse For Edsall [Hartford Courant]

George DeLeone To Be UConn’s Offensive Coordinator [Hartford Courant]

Getting To The Source Of The Pasqualoni Hire [Hartford Courant]

Former East Ridge and UConn linebacker Greg Lloyd prepares for East-West Shrine Game [Orlando Sentinel]

FIU looks to hire UConn’s Orlando as defensive coordinator [Miami Herald]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Reaction to Samarie Walker’s departure [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Geno Auriemma And Samarie Walker Speak [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Geno Auriemma, Maya Moore, Stef Dolson And Bria Hartley On The Departure Of Samarie [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Geno Auriemma Doesn’t Seem Particularly Worried About Things [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Candace Parker Would Send Her Daughter To UConn [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Auriemma could never quite tell where Walker stood [Vickie Fulkerson – The Day]

UConn women defection list [CT Post]

Samarie Walker Leaves UConn [Hartford Courant]

Samarie Walker to transfer [Hartford Courant]

Walker quits team, plans to transfer [The Day]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Kemba and Jimmer [David Borges – New Haven Register]

Bruce Pearl Returns To Bench Saturday Vs. UConn [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Tennesse Coach Bruce Pearl On His Team [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Jim Calhoun On Kemba Walker’s Scoring Ability [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Jim Calhoun On Big East Conference Call [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

The Jeremy Lamb-Richard Hamilton Comparison [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

UConn’s 15-2 Start … A Surprise? [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Jim Calhoun On Tennessee [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Tennessee’s Key Players — Hopson And Harris [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Bruce Pearl’s Thoughts On UConn [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Tennessee, with its head coach, heading to Hartford [Neill Ostrout – CT Post]

Is he the best…around? [Neill Ostrout – CT Post]

Big East Controlling Men’s Basketball [Hartford Courant]

Pearl Making Brief Return Against UConn [Hartford Courant]

Vols’ Pearl will be on sideline in Hartford [Hartford Courant]

It takes a very special kind of student-athlete to play for UConn Huskies women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma.

For one, you have to put up with him (I don’t mean this in a bad way at all). Secondly, when you play at UConn, you are under the microscope every day. Some can handle that, some can’t. And it’s not too often that someone leaves the UConn women’s program but unfortunately that’s happening right now.

After not practicing for two days, Auriemma gathered his troops together and informed them that freshman Samarie Walker has decided to leave the UConn women’s basketball family. She has decided to transfer. Should she transfer and want to play basketball at the Division I level, she will have to sit out a year.

Here’s the release from the UConn:

STORRS, Conn. – Freshman forward Samarie Walker has informed head women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma of her intention to transfer from the University of Connecticut.

The coaching staff has known for quite some time that Samarie is struggling with her commitment level to basketball,” Auriemma said. “We have attempted to work with her and help her through this. I wish Samarie all the best in her future endeavors.”

I want to thank Coach Auriemma for the opportunity to be here but right now I can’t give the team the energy and commitment that it needs to be successful. I need to go and figure out what my future holds,” Walker said. “I have struggled with this for some time and remaining here would not be fair to my teammates or the coaching staff.”

Walker played in seventeen games for UConn and saw one starting assignment. She averaged 6.2 points and 5.8 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game.

Photo credit: Richard Messina – Hartford Courant

According to all of the UConn Huskies football beat writers here in the state of Connecticut, new head coach Paul Pasqualoni has decided to bring in an old friend of his, George DeLeone, to take over as offensive coordinator. What remains to be seen is where former offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead ends up.

All of them report that Moorhead is a finalist for the head coaching gig at Indiana (PA) University, Division II school or could retain his title of quarterbacks coach at UConn.

DeLeone, a UConn graduate, has been the tight ends coach for the Miami Dolphins the past three seasons. Before he joined the Dolphins, he was the offensive coordinator in 2006 and 2007 for the Temple Owls. In 2005, he was the run game coordinator/offensive line coach for the Ole Miss Rebels.

He has also coached with Pasqualoni at Southern Connecticut State University and at Syracuse. He had two stints at Syracuse, the first from 1985-1996, and the second from 1998-2004. In his 19 years at Syracuse, he was offensive line coach (1985-86, 2000-04), offensive coordinator (1987-96), defensive coordinator (1998) and quarterbacks coach (1999). He also held the title of associate head coach from 1998-2004.

DeLeone also coached at Rutgers from 1980 to 1983 as defensive line coach (1980), defensive coordinator (1981-82) and offensive line/special teams coach (1983).

Also, Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant is reporting that inside linebackers coach and defensive coordinator Todd Orlando will be named the new defensive coordinator at Florida International University.

Orlando was one Randy Edsall’s original hires at UConn. He had coached the inside linebackers since 1999 and became the defensive coordinator in 2005.

HARTFORD, Conn. (January 20, 2010) – University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball Head Coach Geno Auriemma is rarely at a loss for words, which is one reason why his coach’s interview programs can be so fascinating. UConn’s Hall of Fame coach can be even more witty, engaging and free-wheeling when he steps in front of an audience.

All the more reason why The Geno Auriemma Show: Special Edition – a rare on-location interview program taped in front of a packed audience of fans – should prove to be an entertaining hour of television for any Husky devotee. The special premieres on Saturday, February 12 at 1 p.m. on Connecticut Public Television (CPTV), with an encore broadcast on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. Taped at the Rocky Hill Marriott in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, Auriemma, along with Associate Head Coach Chris Dailey and Assistant Coaches Shea Ralph and Marisa Moseley, answer questions about the team and its challenges and triumphs from members of the audience. Meghan Culmo, CPTV’s UConn Women’s Basketball sports analyst and former UConn basketball player, hosts the show.

The Geno Auriemma Show: Special Edition event and broadcast are sponsored by J.H. Cohn LLP of Glastonbury, Connecticut and the 2010-2011 season of The Geno Auriemma Show is sponsored by Highland Park Market.

Viewers will get an inside look at the team as Geno and his staff discuss their record-breaking 90-game winning streak, their disappointing loss against Stanford, their upcoming games in the regular season as well as how they plan to prepare for Big East and NCAA Tournament play in the coming weeks.

CPTV is the TV broadcast home of UConn Women’s Basketball and has been broadcasting the team’s games since 1994. With some of the consistently highest ratings and strongest membership levels of any program on public television over the past 15 years, UConn Women’s Basketball on CPTV is considered to be one of the most successful local franchises in public television history.