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.

The Bob Diaco era gets started in full swing tonight as the UConn Huskies football team will host the BYU Cougars at Rentschler Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:02 p.m.

If you missed our BYU vs UConn preview, be sure to check that out. We’ll also have a few more posts about the football program coming up in a bit.

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

UConn Football links

Video: Sights and Sounds From UConn Football Pep Rally – 8/28/14 [sox & dawgs]

Video: UConn Football Pep Rally – 8/28/14 [sox & dawgs]

Video: The Blitz Episode 1 – BYU [sox & dawgs]

Game preview, pick: BYU at UConn [ed daigneault – republican-american]

UConn alumni report: Todman, Lansanah shine as cuts loom [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn’s football predictions: How will they finish? [lee lewis – republican-american]

UConn’s Diaco sends message to team: Give me emotion [ct post]

After All The Buildup, Diaco Has UConn Ready For BYU [hartford courant]

UConn Huskies Football preview [hartford courant]

UConn football’s Bob Diaco era begins Friday vs. BYU [new haven register]

UConn begins Diaco era tonight [the day]

BYU starting cornerbacks Jordan Johnson, Robertson Daniel don’t make trip to UConn [deseret news]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Former UConn star on WNBA All-Rookie team [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Ray Allen Gets Huskies Started; First Night Oct. 17 … A few  UConn Notes [dom amore – hartford courant]

Breaking down UConn’s 2014-15 schedule [david borges – new haven register]

Other UConn related links

W. Volleyball. UConn Set To Open 2014 Season On Friday [uconn huskies]

W. Soccer. UConn Set For Trips To No. 8 Penn State And Syracuse [uconn huskies]

W. Cross Country. Women’s Cross Country Opens 2014 Campaign On Friday Night [uconn huskies]

M. Ice Hockey. Huskies Add Former NHL Goaltender Andrew Raycroft to Coaching Staff [uconn huskies]

Makeover of a Mascot [uconn advance]

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.

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

UConn Football links

Paw Prints – BYU Cougars (0-0) @ UConn Huskies (0-0) Preview [sox & dawgs]

UConn Football Wednesday Update [sox & dawgs]

UConn TE Sean McQuillan Emerging As A Leader [sox & dawgs]

UConn Fans Can Take To Twitter To Help School Win $150,000 In Scholarships [desmond conner – hartford courant]

Global Spectrum Adds New Grub Items At Rentschler Field [desmond conner – hartford courant]

One last night to shine for some UConn products [jim fuller – new haven register]

Huskies 48 hours away from BYU [john silver – sny uconn]

College football simulator predicts a fifth-place AAC finish for UConn in 2014 [the uconn blog]

GameDay Live On UConnHuskies.com For Football Season [uconn huskies]

As UConn’s opener nears, Diaco pumped for restoration project [ct post]

Bronco Mendenhall Faces Unique Challenges As BYU Coach [hartford courant]

UConn Will Have Tough Task In Containing BYU QB Taysom Hill [hartford courant]

UConn Football Season Opener: A Husky Scavenger Hunt [hartford courant]

Weist Resides In Michigan, But UConn Will Live In His Heart [hartford courant]

Cochran, DeLorenzo among UConn’s home-grown Huskies [new haven register]

Will BYU cornerback Jordan Johnson play vs. UConn? Friends in Boston hope so [deseret news]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Boatright, Hamilton settling in [neill ostrout – journal inquirer]

Other UConn related links

M. Soccer. No. 8 UConn Opens Regular Season Friday Against No. 17 Coastal Carolina [uconn huskies]

UConn Huskies TE Sean McQuillan runs after making a catch against the South Florida Bulls on October 11, 2013 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT.

Let’s take a look at the UConn Huskies tight ends for a moment. We have the following players at the position:

• Sean McQuillan – redshirt junior
• Nicholas Lensander – redshirt sophomore
• Tommy Myers – redshirt freshman
• Sheridan Lawley – freshman
• Steve Hashemi – freshman
• Alec Bloom – freshman

Now let’s take a look at how many games they’ve played.

I’ll make it simple.

McQuillan is the only one who has any college game experience. In his two seasons, he’s played 12 games (three in 2012 and nine in 2013).

So it’s safe to say despite holding down the starting tight end spot for only one season that the Glastonbury, CT native is the elder statesman of the group. By default, that should make him the leader of the group.

McQuillan didn’t have to step up and lead but he has and embraced it. And according to his head coach, Bob Diaco, it’s come naturally.

“If he doesn’t like what he sees out there, he’s got more a visceral response to it where he’s not looking around thinking ‘I should be leading right now.'” said Diaco. “This is more reactionary. It’s getting more engrained in him to lead and communicate.”

“I’m just trying to be a leader and do the right things each and every day.” McQuillan said. “Be someone that the younger guys in the group, and even the team can look up to.”

“They want to follow and do the things that I’m doing. I want to be a leader.”

Not only does McQuillan want to be a leader for the guys at his position but he wants to show the entire team he can be one as well.

“Coach always talks about third down,’ said McQuillan. “I want to be a guy that we can look to in those situations.”

“I’m a lot more confident, I feel good. If i can be a leader for this team that’s all I’m trying to do.”

When asked, he was quick to offer up advice for his fellow young tight ends who should see action in Friday night’s game versus BYU.

He may not be a captain this year but it wouldn’t surprise me if he is one in 2015.

But for now, let’s keep the focus on 2014 and seeing what McQuillan and the rest of his young guns at tight end can do.

photo credit: ian bethune – sox & dawgs

UConn Huskies football coach Bob Diaco just held a quick conference call with the local media and talked about a few things in regards to Friday night’s game against BYU.

As of right now, Diaco said there are no changes to the depth chart or participation plan for the game.

He was asked about the kick return game and said that Deshon Foxx and Joshua Marriner will be the primary guys back there. He also stated that freshman RB and Ansonia, CT native Arkeel Newsome will get a chance as well.

Diaco said that he plans to get true freshman OL Trey Rutherford and Ryan Crozier some snaps during the game. They are the backups to LG Gus Cruz and RG Tyler Samra respectively. Diaco feels this is the best way for them to get better by seeing game action.

He said he wasn’t worried about who BYU is playing, he can only be concerned for his team. They need to continue to work on the things that prevent losing so that they can get better.

In the past, the Huskies have stayed near Rentschler Field on the day before the game. Under Diaco, the team will stay on campus at the Nathan Hale Inn the night before. And on that same night, they will be holding a pep rally on Fairfield Way (across from the Husky Dog statue at Gampel Pavilion).

The first pep rally is tomorrow night beginning at 6:30 p.m. The team and Diaco will walk from The Burton Family Football Complex to the pep rally location and arrive there at approximately 7:00 p.m.

Also tonight on WTIC 1080-AM and WAVZ 1300 AM (New Haven) will be the first UConn Football Coach’s Radio Show at 6 p.m. with the voice of the Huskies Joe D’Ambrosio and head coach Bob Diaco.

This week:

The UConn Huskies will kick off their 2014 season on Friday night when they’ll host the BYU Cougars at 7:00 p.m. at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT.

The Line:

According to DocsSports.com odds, BYU is favored by 16.5 points and the over/under is 50.5 points

Tickets:

According to UConn Huskies ticket office, there are still tickets available to Friday night’s game.

Getting To The Game:

Here is link for the weather report. Here is all the parking info you will need for the game, this link includes directions to Rentschler Field. Here is a Rentschler Field seating chart and here is some general information for Rentschler Field.

The parking lots will open up 4 hours before kickoff. Here is a list of the tailgating rules at the Rent.

There is a new route for the Husky Walk as the team arrives for games at Rentschler Field this year and fans get a chance to greet the team as they get off their buses and make their way to the stadium. The Husky walk, which takes place approximately, two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff, will now start in the Gray Parking Lots and the team will makes its way to the large tunnel near Gate B.

The UConn team will now do its pregame warmup in front of the UConn student section on the South End of the stadium – a change from previous seasons. The Huskies will enter the stadium for pregame warmups on the concourse of Rentschler Field and go through the student section.

Once again, FanFest takes place starting four hours before kickoff up until 30 minutes before the game between Gates A and B outside the stadium gates. The offerings change each game, but activities typically include inflatable games for children, live bands, promotional vehicles and UConn student-athletes from various teams signing autographs.

The UConn women’s basketball team will be signing autographs at FanFest before the football game on Friday vs. BYU. FanFest is located between Gates A and B: 5:30-6:30

The break between the third and fourth quarter will feature “Coach D’s Playlist” as fans during the game will get to select a song to play based on a list they saw earlier in the game.

Once again this season at the end of home games, the UConn team will sing the “UConn Husky” fight song in front of the student section at Rentschler Field.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Television:

Friday night’s game will be televised nationally by ESPN with Dave Fleming on play-by-play, Danny Kanell on color and Allison Williams as the sideline reporter.

Radio:

The UConn IMG Sports Network is the home of Husky football on the radio. WTIC NewsTalk 1080 in Hartford serves as the flagship station and is the state’s only 50,000 watt signal and can be heard in 23 states and parts of Canada.

Veteran UConn announcers Joe D’Ambrosio (play-by-play) and Wayne Norman (color commentary) return to call the action with Kevin Nathan on the sidelines.

For Friday’s opener vs. BYU, WTIC will begin their broadcast day on-site at 3:00 p.m. with Ray Dunaway hosting an afternoon version of “Breakfast at the Rent”. The UConn Tailgate Show then is on from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with Bob Joyce and Nathan and the network pregame show starts at 5:30 with the game broadcast at 7:00 p.m.

The BYU game will also be available on Sirius Radio Channel 91 and XM Channel 91.

Here is a full list of stations on the UConn IMG Radio Network.

BYU Cougars Radio:

The exclusive radio home of BYU football and flagship of the Cougar Sports Network is KSL Newsradio in Salt Lake City. The “Voice of the Cougars” is Greg Wrubell, now in his 13th season as play-by-play commentator. A BYU alum, Wrubell is in his 22st year on the broadcast crew, having served as the sideline reporter before stepping into the booth.

Wrubell’s on-air partner and game analyst is ex-Cougar quarterback Marc Lyons, who begins his 33nd season on the BYU Football broadcasts. Former Cougar defensive back and 2009 team captain Scott Johnson begins his second year reporting from the sidelines, while Andrew Adams returns for his fourth season as game-day host in the “Cougar Scoreboard Studio.”

KSL’s BYU Football broadcasts are heard via satellite on BYU Radio (SiriusXM 143) and over network affiliates in Utah, Idaho and Nevada. Coverage is also available online at ksl.com, which streams BYU Football games to a world-wide audience.

Last Week:

This is the opening game for both teams. UConn went 3-9 last season while BYU went 8-5 and advanced to the Kraft Hunger Bowl in San Francisco.

History:

Friday’s game will be the first-ever meeting between UConn and BYU in the sport of football. UConn will travel to BYU next season on October 31, 2015.

Connections:

UConn does not have any Utah natives on its roster nor does BYU have any Connecticut natives.

UConn Notes:

Here is the video from UConn head coach Bob Diaco’s press conference. Here is a transcript of some his remarks from the press conference.

UConn head coach Bob Diaco will be making his UConn and collegiate head coaching debut on Friday night vs. BYU. Diaco served on the Notre Dame coaching staff as the defensive coordinator for the past four years and the assistant head coach for the past two. He was the 2012 winner of the Frank Broyles Award, given to the top assistant college football coach in the country and was the first Irish assistant to receive the prestigious award.

Here is UConn’s roster and 2014 schedule.

Here is UConn’s depth chart for the game.

The captains of the 2014 UConn Huskies football team are Geremy Davis, Byron Jones, Alex Mateas and Marquise Vann.

Despite UConn having virtually an entire new staff this year, seven of the Huskies’ full-time coaches have previously worked games at Rentschler Field. Head coach Bob Diaco, defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter and assistant coach Wayne Lineburg were on the Virginia staff for a 45-10 Husky win on Sept. 13, 2008; Assistant head coach Don Patterson was on the Buffalo staff for a 24-17 UConn win on Sept. 29, 2012; Offensive coordinator Mike Cummings was on the Western Michigan staff for a 41-27 UConn win on Nov. 1, 2003; Assistant coach Kevin Wolthausen was on the Louisville staff for a 30-20 UConn loss on Dec. 3, 2005. UConn assistant coach Mike Foley is the lone holdover on the staff and is entering his ninth season.

UConn is 9-3 in season openers since making the jump to then-Division I-A in 2002. UConn has won nine of its 11 season openers at Rentschler Field (2003-Indiana, 2004-Murray State, 2005-Buffalo, 2006-Rhode Island, 2008-Hofstra, 2010-Texas Southern, 2011-Fordham, 2012-UMass) and also downed Duke, 45-14, in Durham, to open the 2007 season and Ohio University, 23-16 in Athens, to open 2009. UConn’s four FBS era opening day losses were a 24-16 defeat at Boston College on Aug. 31, 2002 in UConn’s first game as an official member of the FBS, a 30-10 loss to Michigan on Sept. 4, 2010 and the 33-18 Towson loss last season.

Connecticut boasts a 45-26 record against non-conference opponents in the regular season since making the move to the FBS in 2002. The Huskies have won 20 of their last 32 regular season non-league games overall. UConn has posted the following records in non-conference regular season games: 6-6 (2002), 9-3 (2003), 4-1 (2004), 3-1 (2005), 3-2 (2006), 4-1 (2007), 4-1 (2008), 4-1 (2009), 3-2 (2010), 2-3 (2011), 3-2 (2012) and 0-4 (2013).

UConn has an all-time record of 48-23 at Rentschler Field and a 25-10 mark in non-conference games.

The Huskies were picked to finish 9th in the American in 2014.

Preseason Award Watch Lists:

Geremy Davis

• Biletnikoff Award Watch List

Casey Cochran

•  Allstate AFCA Good Works Team

Notes from this week’s opponent BYU:

Here are some quotes from BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s pregame press conference.

Bronco Mendenhall is entering his tenth season in charge of the BYU program and has led the Cougars to bowl games in each of his seasons in Provo. Last season, BYU went 8-5 and played in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against Washington. Mendenhall led the Cougars to a 10-3 record in 2011, including a win over Tulsa in the Armed Force Bowl and a final national ranking of 25th in country by the Associated Press. Prior to become head coach at BYU, he was the defensive coordinator for the Cougars from 2003-04 and also had coaching stints at Oregon State (1989-90 and 1995-96), Snow College in Ephraim, Utah (1991-92), Northern Arizona (1993-94), Louisiana Tech (1997) and New Mexico (1998-2002), where he served as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. He was a defensive back at Oregon State and is a 1988 Oregon State graduate.

Here is BYU’s 2014 roster and schedule.

Here is BYU’s depth chart for the game.

The 12-game independent slate for BYU features teams from 10 states and seven conferences, including the American Athletic, Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Pac-12, Conference USA, Mountain West and Mid-Eastern Athletic.

Selected by their peers, quarterback Taysom Hill, running back Paul Lasike, safety Craig Bills and defensive
lineman Remington Peck have been named team captains for the 2014 season.

The BYU football team will participate in hour-long devotionals prior or team service activities the night before each game this season. The team will conduct devotionals before eight games. These devotionals are referred to as “firesides” and are intended to help players, coaches and those who attend strengthen or gain a knowledge of our purpose here on earth. Firesides typically include a musical number from members of the team and talks from selected players, along with coach Bronco Mendenhall.

The Connecticut fireside will be held Thursday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. EDT at Hartford Stake Center, 1000 Mountain Rd, Bloomfield, Conn.

BYU RB Jamaal Williams and WR Devon Blackmon are suspended for the game due to violations of BYU’s Honor Code.

Preseason Award Watch Lists:

Taysom Hill

• HeismanPundit.com watch list
• Sporting News Top 25
• TD Club Players to Watch
• NFL.com Heisman candidate
• Maxwell Award watch list
• CFPA QB Trophy watch list
• Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
• Davey O’Brien Award watch list
• Walter Camp Award watch list
• Manning Award watch list

Alani Fua

• CFPA LB Trophy watch list
• Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list
• Rotary Lombardi Award watch list
• Butkus Award watch list

Jamaal Williams

• Maxwell Award watch list
• CFPA RB Trophy watch list
• Doak Walker Award watch list

Devin Mahina

• John Mackey Award watch list

Michael Yeck

• Outland Trophy watch list

Bronson Kaufusi

• Rotary Lombardi watch list

Remington Peck

• Rotary Lombardi watch list

Ross Apo

• Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List

Wednesday UConn Football Links:

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

UConn Football Coverage on Sox & Dawgs [sox & dawgs]

UConn OL Gus Cruz Happy To Be Back On The Football Field [sox & dawgs]

UConn Football Radio Show Debuts On Wednesday [sox & dawgs]

UConn Football Pep Rally On Thursday Night [sox & dawgs]

Video: UConn Football Coach Bob Diaco & WR Geremy Davis on Davis Being Named Captain [sox & dawgs]

Video: UConn Football Coach Bob Diaco & Byron Jones on Jones Being Named Captain [sox & dawgs]

Video: UConn Football Coach Bob Diaco & Marquise Vann on Vann Being Named Captain [sox & dawgs]

Video: UConn Football Coach Bob Diaco & Alex Mateas On Mateas Being Named Captain [sox & dawgs]

Breaking down Huskies: Position-by-position [ed daigneault – republican-american]

Former UConn WR cut by Steelers [jim fuller – new haven register]

Former FSU QB dishes on UConn [jim fuller – new haven register]

Former UConn LB Moore back at practice [jim fuller – new haven register]

Trouble at corner brewing? [john silver – sny uconn]

Diaco on pace of play, BYU [john silver – sny uconn]

UConn football preview [ct post]

ESPN Analyst Anxious To See UConn Football Under Bob Diaco [hartford courant]

UConn Football Situation Suits Diaco Just Fine [hartford courant]

Cougars, UConn kindred spirits in new landscape [salt lake city tribune]

BYU traveling to UConn two days before kickoff [salt lake city tribune]

Traveling long distances ‘a necessity’ for BYU football program [deseret news]

Next Week:

UConn will host the Stony Brook Seawolves on Saturday, September 6 at 12 p.m. at Rentschler Field.

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.

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

UConn Football links

Today’s UConn football links can be found in the Wednesday links section of the BYU vs UConn preview.

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Callan Praises Boykin, Collier and Samuelson [rich elliott – ct post]

New name emerging on UConn’s recruiting wish list [jim fuller – new haven register]

Geno Auriemma: Breanna Stewart Able To Compete With World’s Best [hartford courant]

CBS Launches ‘We Need to Talk’ featuring Swin Cash! [swincash.com]

Other UConn related links

Field Hockey. UConn Ranked No. 3 in 2014 Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll [uconn huskies]

M. Tennis. UConn Men’s Tennis Announces Fall 2014 Slate [uconn huskies]

W. Tennis. UConn Women’s Tennis Fall Schedule Released [uconn huskies]