The University of Connecticut Huskies are synonymous with college athletics with the majority of that attention going to their college basketball teams. Both the men’s and women’s teams won the national championship this season and each arguably had the best player in the nation on their roster. The accomplishments of the UConn women are well documented and this season, all-world player Diana Taurasi graduated and joined the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. The men also took home the national title this year behind guard Ben Gordon and player of the year Emeka Okefor. Starting in 2004, the football team will move to the Big East Conference and should start getting the recognition they deserve after dominating lower ranks in recent years.

The Huskies are led by QB Dan Orlovsky, a player that many scouts believe could be a real player on the next level. Over the past two seasons, Orlovsky has thrown for 52 touchdowns and 25 interceptions while throwing for just under 6,000 yards. Last year, Orlovsky was 279-475 thru the air with 33 TDs, almost 3,500 yards, and seven games with at least 299 passing yards, all of which were school records. He would like to follow up the team’s offensive performance from 2003 with a #1 team offense ranking in 2004. Shaun Feldeisen was the top receiver last year and Keron Henry will need to step in as the top target for Orlovsky if the team will succeed in 2004. Last season, Henry finished with 39 catches for 662 yards and four touchdowns. Cornell Brockington and Chris Bellamy filled in for injured Terry Caulley last season and each played well. Sophomore Matt Lawrence was the most improved player in the spring workouts and should compete along side Bellamy and Brockington for carries in 2004. Caulley could be back as early as September but could also redshirt due to the depth at the running back position this year. On defense, LB Maurice Lloyd, DE Tyler King, and CB Justin Perkins should all be top players for the Huskies this season. Lloyd is one of three returning starting linebackers for the Huskies and led the team last season with 121 tackles, including 14.5 for loss. King finished last season with nine sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss on the defensive line. Perkins will be a senior this season, and as a junior, he intercepted six passes and broke up 15 others.

September 17th will be a big day for the University of Connecticut. They’ll host Boston College on a Friday night that will mark their first conference game in the Big East. The game will also be the first nationally televised game for the Huskies and could be a stepping stone for them to compete in the league this season. The Big East lost Miami to the ACC last year and will welcome Louisville, South Florida, and Cincinnati to the conference in 2005, so the Huskies will have one year to really stand out before the difficulty rises again.

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