We have a football team too... Guru's UConn Huskies (NCAA 14)

[thesportsguru11]

If I could point you back to the first page, 8th post I've gotten half of my UConn Hall Of Fame into the opening 9 background posts.

Basically, I've collected pictures of 3 of the top UConn players, regardless of position, rating or impact player status, from each game of the past 9 years or so (NCAA 06-14), and I will "induct" 3 deserving players from each season of the 'chise into the Hall of Fame (I will allow a voting type thing when we get that far).

I currently have posted the PS2 section of the Hall of Fame (NCAA 06-10). The PS3 section (NCAA 11-14) will go up tomorrow evening.

If you could check that out and look back for the PS3 section tomorrow, that'd be much appreciated. THANKS!

[thesportsguru11]

Davis, Foxx to lead UConn receivers in 2014

Geremy Davis

Receiver could be an interesting spot for our Huskies this year. Geremy Davis returns for his final year, and as a Biletnikoff Award contender he is one of the best in the nation. Whoever becomes the starting QB should be thankful that Davis and fellow senior stud Deshon Foxx return.

Davis accounted for 1085 yards last year while playing with 3 QB's, and is closing in on some career receiving records. Foxx had 43 catches for 543 yards and a pair of scores and were the top 2 receivers last year.

From there, though, the lineup gets murky. Kamal Abrams is the elder of the remaining receivers, and should see time somewhere. Sophomore Noel Thomas and 2nd year freshman Thomas Lucas are unproven. Dhameer Bradley and Brian Lemelle, despite playing a bit last year, may be back on the bench.

For the unit to be successful, a slot man needs to emerge, whether it be Abrams, Thomas or Lucas. Shakim Phillips was the man there last year, but his transfer to Boston College hurt the Huskies in that capacity. We know defenses will be trying to shut down Davis and Foxx all season, so any of the three could have solid campaigns.

Tight end spot was underutilized last year following the graduation of Ryan Griffin in 2012.

Sean McQuillan, who doesn't really excel at any one thing, will start for the second year with freshmen Tommy Myers and Quinn Thompson will back him up. Both are, like McQuillan, balanced tight ends. True freshmen Alec Bloom and Steve Hashemi will be redshirted.

[thesportsguru11]

Two more Huskies call it quits over injury concerns

If losing starting QB Casey Cochran to injury concerns was bad enough, UConn saw 2 more players retire today over injury concerns.

Angelo Pruitt, a senior defensive end expected to start again this season, called it quits after discovering a leg injury that stemmed from a genetic issue.

The other player, senior offensive lineman Bryan Paull, reportedly had an upper body injury and had not been seen at camp yet this season.

Pruitt and Paull become the 2nd and 3rd players to retire due to injury this season, following Cochran earlier in camp.

With Pruitt out, it is reported that junior Kenton Adeyemi will start at the vacated end slot.

[Coach P]

Love the way you've set this up so far.. I'll definitely be following. Good luck!

[thesportsguru11]

Quote: Originally Posted by Coach P

Love the way you've set this up so far.. I'll definitely be following. Good luck!

Thank you sir!

Want to get one more defensive preview post up, then an NCAA preview, UConn preview, then some games!

[thesportsguru11]

With Smallwood gone, Jones becomes defensive leader

Byron Jones

Yawin Smallwood had a great run at UConn. He racked up a team high 118 tackles last season, and had 4 sacks while acting clearly as the team's leader.

But Smallwood declared for the NFL and was taken in the 7th round this spring.

With Smallwood gone, who steps up and fills the leadership void?

The answer is clearly Byron Jones. The senior corner is back after bursting onto the scene in 2013, recording 60 tackles and 3 INT's, tied for the team high. And with Bob Diaco being a defensive minded coach, he could only get better in 2014. Safety Obi Melifonwu, who had a sensational freshman campaign and is a freak athlete, returns and could blossom into a star this year. Andrew Adams is also back.

Filling Smallwood's spot will likely be Graham Stewart, a one-time Florida Gator who has 2 years of eligibility. Stewart was Smallwood's understudy last year, and had 14 tackles last year in limited action.

He will join Jefferson Ashiru and two other new linebackers, likely Marquise Vann and/or Cameron Stapleton/Jon Hicks, the latter two young linebackers (redshirt freshman, sophomore, respectively.) Stewart will have to step up in run defense and show he can cover tight ends.

With Angelo Pruitt retired, B.J. McBryde becomes the leader of the line. He'll have to be, because versatile Reuben Frank has rotated between DL and linebacker and will try to settle into an end spot in 2014, and Kenton Adeyemi has never started a game and will likely jump into Pruitt's role.

But amid all the uncertainty, Jones is the clear leader.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob Diaco

We need Byron to mentor and guide our younger players this year. We have some talent, they just aren't mature enough yet. Even if he can't keep his stats up from last year, as long as our younger guys are playing well, he'll be doing his job.

[RoundingThird]

Byron Jones was the best defensive player all year on the team until he got hurt after making a INT in the end zone in the East Carolina game. He was out for the year after that. He'll most certainly get drafted though. We have more defensive guys in the NFL than offensive, that's for sure.

[thesportsguru11]

Huge thank you to LopaKa for a lot of the inspiration for the format of this post..
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Florida State had a dream season in 2013. Behind Heisman winning redshirt freshman QB Jameis Winston, the Seminoles’ powerful offense ran through most of their opponents on the season, and led a legendary game-winning drive in the BCS National Championship Game to top cinderella Auburn. With Winston and several key defensive players returning, FSU enters 2014 #1 and favorites to repeat in the inaugural year of the College Football Playoff. However, there are many challengers to the Seminoles. Alabama enters at #2 and are always tough, Auburn, Oregon, and Michigan State are all back, and Oklahoma, fresh off a big win in the Sugar Bowl over ‘Bama, have a shot at more glory in 2014. But to achieve glory in 2014, you have to go through FSU.

2014 NCAA Preseason 1st Team All-Americans
Pos	Player Name	Ht	Wt	Year
QB	Jameis Winston, Florida State			So.
HB	Todd Gurley, Georgia			Jr.
HB	Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin			Jr.
WR	Nelson Agholor, USC			Jr.
WR	Amari Cooper, Alabama			Jr.
TE	Nick O'Leary, Florida State			Sr.
OL	Cameron Erving, Florida State			Sr.
OL	Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M			Sr.
OL	A.J. Cann , South Carolina			Sr.
OL	Tre' Jackson, Florida State			Sr.
C	Hronnis Grasu, Oregon			Sr.
DL	Leonard Williams, USC			Jr.
DL	Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State			Jr.
DL	Michael Bennett, Ohio State			Sr.
DL	Vic Beasley, Clemson			Sr.
LB	Denzel Perryman, Miami (FL)			Sr.
LB	Myles Jack, UCLA			So.
LB	A.J. Johnson, Tennessee			Sr.
CB	Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon			Sr.
CB	Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida			So.
S	Landon Collins, Alabama			Jr.
S	Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss			Sr.
K	Roberto Aguayo , Florida State			So.
P	Drew Kaser, Texas A&M			Jr.
AP	Ty Montgomery, Stanford			Sr.