Connecticut
Connecticut

Connecticut Team Report

Updated: April 25, 2012 09:41 EST

The Huskies got some promising answers to some of its big questions this spring, a good omen heading into the summer. But there's still going to be a lot of eyes on the team when everyone comes back in August.

First, the good news. Chandler Whitmer gave the approximately 5,500 fans at the Connecticut Spring Game an unfamiliar sight: solid quarterback play. He threw for 187 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and showed the passing ability that has eluded the team since ... well, since approximately forever.

Paul Pasqualoni explicitly did not anoint him as the starter, so the competition will continue. Mike Nebrich also had his moments, and Johnny McEntee won't give up the starting job without a fight. But he definitely goes into the summer as the favorite.

Moreover, the Huskies should be poised to use the deep ball as part of the passing game this far. With Mike Smith back after missing 2011, and transfers Shakim Phillips and Bryce McNeal arriving, this looks like an offense that might not need to run Lyle McCombs into exhaustion as much as it did a year ago.

In addition, the defense had an excellent spring by all accounts, and should be poised to do better in Don Brown's second season as the defensive coordinator. Blidi Wreh-Wilson is back to lead the secondary, and Ryan Wirth played well enough that there's hope that the defensive line losses won't be as impactful as feared.

Of course, those losses are considerable. The defensive line is replacing Kendall Reyes and Twyon Martin, and guys like Wirth and Shamar Stephen are going to have to produce in the fall to fill those shoes. The offensive line was also a mess, and is counting on Adam Masters to get healthy again and Jimmy Bennett to finally enjoy something resembling a healthy season.

And on special teams, there's still the question of who's going to take the place of Dave Teggart as placekicker. The Huskies all-time leading scorer was replaced by Chad Christen this spring, though top kicking recruit Bobby Puyol will try to claim the job when he arrives over the summer.

Connecticut doesn't leave the spring as a Big East favorite. But the program is ahead of the chaos that it dealt with a year ago when Randy Edsall's sudden departure led to the coaching change, and gave the fans reason to hope that the team could surprise in 2012.

--Fellow transfers Chandler Whitmer and Shakim Phillips were roommates this spring, and the chemistry between them showed on the football field. The juco transfer Whitmer has been throwing to ex-Boston College receiver Phillips in the mornings, and teamed up in the spring game on several occasions. Look for them to repeat that process this fall.

--Wide reciver Mike Smith is back after a season-long stint on the sidelines for academic reasons in 2011, and opened a lot of eyes as a playmaker this spring. One interesting wrinkle is that the staff used him under center in the wildcat formation. If that gets polished a bit before September, it could make things very uncomfortable for defensive coordinators.

SPRING MOVERS:

QB Chandler Whitmer -- Whitmer's a newcomer to the team, but he's got the inside track on the starting job following a strong performance this spring. The junior college transfer was the standout among the competition, going 18-27 for 187 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the spring game.

DT Ryan Wirth -- Wirth did his part to make the Huskies fans more secure about the team's defensive line losses. One of the spring stars capped off a strong session with an impressive spring game, recording 4 1/2 sacks and a safety in the spring game.

FB Mike Osiecki -- Osiecki made the move from linebacker, and showed good hands as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. Now, the key is to get his blocking up to Big East standards. If he can manage that, the Huskies may have just found themselves another intriguing offensive player heading into the fall.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I just try to get the ball to the playmakers. When they're open, getting it to them accurately and letting them do what they do." -- Connecticut quarterback Chandler Whitmer told The Connecticut Post after the spring game.

2012 OUTLOOK: Last year, the Huskies talked with confidence about not losing momentum following its Big East title despite the coaching change, and praised the looser ship that Paul Pasqualoni ran. That didn't lead to success on the field, as the breaks that went UConn's way in 2010 turned against them in 2011. But the Huskies enter 2012 more optimistic, thanks to the return of Lyle McCombs in the backfield, a healthy Blidi Wreh-Wilson in the secondary, and a host of talented options at quarterback. A Big East title would be a stretch, but it would be a disappointment if this Huskies squad didn't hang around the race for most of the season and finish with a bowl bid.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The big question entering the spring was the quarterback, but the main issue now may be the line. That's both good and bad. The Huskies exited April with some confident that one of its signal-callers would be ready to make plays this fall, as both Chandler Whitmer and Mike Nebrich played well, starter Johnny McEntee is back, and Casey Cochran is still in the mix as well. Moreover, the wide receiving corps looks much better than it did a year ago, and Lyle McCombs is back to carry the rushing load.

But the line? Ugh. The Huskies coaching staff is hoping that things look better in the fall when everyone is healthy, because even in practice it had a tough time keeping the defense away from the quarterback.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Don Brown's defenses usually improve after the first season, and this unit showed signs that it was ready to take a big leap forward after its solid spring. Blidi Wreh-Wilson is healthy, and Ryan Wirth and David Stephenson both emerged from the shadows with big spring games. The linebacking corps should again be one of the tops in the league, and could wreak havoc if everyone stays healthy.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Chad Christen took the early lead in the battle to replace Dave Teggart as the starting kicker, but top recruit Bobby Puyol is expected to challenge for that role in the fall. Nick Williams should be one of the best kick returners in the league, with the speed to take any kickoff to the house.

TOP NEWCOMERS:

CB David Stevenson -- The freshman Stevenson was working with the second-team defense this spring and was one of the stars of the spring game. It would be a major upset if he wasn't on the two-deep in September.

QB Chandler Whitmer -- Paul Pasqualoni didn't name him the starter, but the quarterbacking job looks like the junior college transfer's to lose. After originally signing at Illinois, he's coming off a season in which he threw for 3,022 yards and 25 touchdowns at Butler CC. One thing to watch is his tendency to throw the ball into traffic, which was also a problem at the juco level. He threw for 187 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game, but also had one interception and a couple of other throws that could have been picked off.

QB Casey Cochran -- In contrast to Whitmer, Cochran did not have a great spring game, going 4-for-15 for 46 yards and an interception. Still, the early enrollee impressed early at spring practice with his accuracy. He's a two-time Connecticut Player of the Year and the first big-time quarterback recruit in ages for a program that has tended to treat that position as an afterthought in recruiting.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Senior RB D.J. Shoemate's UConn career is over. The USC transfer missed most of last season with an injured shoulder, and it required an additional surgery in April that will keep the senior on the sidelines.

--WR Bryce McNeal is expected to join the team over the summer. The transfer from Clemson will be eligible immediately and gives the team a big-play threat that it lacked a year ago.

--OL Adam Masters missed the spring with an injury, but the Huskies are counting on the senior to be ready to start again this fall.

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