Connecticut
Huskies
Preview 2009 - Defense
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2009 CFN Connecticut Preview
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2009 UConn Offense
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2009 UConn Defense |
2009 UConn Depth
Chart
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2008 UConn Preview
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2007 UConn Preview
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2006 UConn Preview
What you
need to know:
If you only look at high school rankings,
it defies all logic that Connecticut is perennially one of the
nation’s stingiest defenses. The Huskies neither bend nor break
most weekends, relying on a slew of disciplined, athletic
players, who get better the longer they remain in Storrs. Credit
Todd Orlando, the architect of this unit, for doing more with
less than just about any defensive coordinator in America. The
Huskies will face challenges this fall related to the loss of
five starters, specifically all-stars and first-day draft
choices Cody Brown and Darius Butler. If you’re thinking the
bottom is about to fall out, think again. There’s enough talent
for the program to endure, even if it can’t match last year’s
numbers. Scott Lutrus
and the linebackers are fantastic, the secondary will be just
fine, and DE Lindsey Witten should blossom now that he’s finally
getting a starting gig.
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Returning
Leaders
Tackles: Scott Lutrus,
106
Sacks:
Lindsey Witten, 5
Interceptions: Jasper Howard, 4
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Star of the defense:
Junior LB Scott Lutrus
Player that has to step up and become a
star: Senior CB Robert McClain
Unsung star on the rise:
Sophomore DT Twyon Martin
Best pro prospect:
Lutrus
Top three all-star candidates:
1) Lutrus, 2) Senior FS Robert Vaughn, 3) Senior DE Lindsey
Witten
Strength of the defense:
Overall athleticism, pass defense, the linebackers, creating
turnovers, red zone D
Weakness of the defense:
Options at defensive end, size, proven depth
Defensive Line
Projected Starters:
It’s a good thing the Huskies have depth at defensive end
because it’s going to be tested this fall. The departures of
Cody Brown and Julius Williams are stiff blows to the entire
defensive unit. After mostly playing a secondary role throughout
his tenure, 6-4, 248-pound senior
Lindsey Witten is ready for his first full-time gig. Despite
starting just eight career games, he’s compiled 16.5 tackles for
loss, 10.5 sacks, and seven pass breakups, finishing third on
the team in sacks a year ago. A good athlete coming around the
corner, he moves with the ease of an outside linebacker.
Serving as Witten’s bookend will be 6-2, 228-pound junior
Marcus Campbell, an infrequently used reserve in his first two
years. Purely a speed rusher, who could get exposed on running
plays, he chipped in 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a
couple of sacks last season.
At defensive tackle, 6-2, 272-pound sophomore
Kendall Reyes returns intent to build upon last year’s outstanding
debut. A reserve when 2008 began, he crept up the depth chart,
eventually starting four games and making 20 tackles, three
tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. A three-tech tackle, he has the
speed and agility to beat his man and create problems in the
backfield.
Rounding out the defensive front will be tackle
Twyon Martin, who’s made in the same mold as Reyes. While only 6-1
and 272 pounds, he, too, has the explosive burst and quick feet
to frustrate opposing linemen. In a foundation-building first
season, he earned eight starts, collecting 22 tackles, 3.5
tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.
Projected Top Reserves: The third man in the tackle
rotation will be 6-5, 272-pound junior
Alex Polito, a
part-time starter a year ago, who’s having a hard time
leapfrogging Reyes or Martin. He had a quiet season in 2008,
making just 13 stops, and still tends to play a little high. If
he can add more muscle to that long frame, he’d have a better
base as a run-stopper.
The veteran off the bench at defensive end will be 6-2,
245-pound junior Mike Cox,
who sat out all of last season following knee surgery. When last
seen in 2007, he was flashing potential as an edge rusher,
making 21 tackles and a pair of tackles for loss, while
appearing in all 13 games.
Watch Out For…
true freshman Jesse
Joseph. He already has a spring session in the rear view
mirror and is already steadily climbing up the depth chart.
Within shouting distance of the No. 2 spot behind Campbell, he
showed good explosion for a 6-4, 238-pounder.
Strength:
Athleticism. Inside and out, the Huskies are going to feature
one of the quickest and most disruptive defensive lines in the
Big East. You’ve come to expect pressure from this program’s
defensive ends, but it’s at tackle, where these guys will be
tough to handle. Reyes and Martin have excellent get-off for big
men and a valuable year of experience behind them.
Weakness:
Girth. Where’s the two-gap tackle, who can control spaces and
eat up blockers? With a line that averages just 6-3 and 255
pounds, the Huskies will struggle to hold the line of scrimmage
against big, physical offensive lines that commit to running
directly at them.
Outlook: Much
like the offensive line, which is also without its two best
players, it’ll take a while before this unit finds solid
footing. Yes, there’s plenty of potential, especially with the
young tackles, but Brown and Williams had 27.5 tackles for loss
and 17 sacks in 2008, a level of production that’ll be
impossible to replace.
Rating: 7
Linebackers
Projected Starters:
In two seasons, junior
Scott Lutrus has proven to be one of the league’s most
versatile and talented defenders. A Freshman All-America as a
middle linebacker, he moved to strongside in 2008 and promptly
made All-Big East second team, racking up 106 tackles, nine
tackles for loss, and five pass breakups. He’s got sharp
instincts, but that’s not code for limited athleticism. On the
contrary, he’s got good speed and the pass coverage skills of a
safety. He also calls plays for the defense, always knows down
and distance, and is a self-described student of the game.
Flanking Lutrus at weakside for a third straight season is 6-1,
226-pound junior Lawrence
Wilson, another top-flight athlete roaming around the Husky
D. A year after debuting with 113 tackles and 8.5 tackles for
loss, he rung up another 73, six behind the line, and three
interceptions. A speedy playmaker, with outstanding range, he
reads and reacts like a skill position player.
Back in the middle is 6-1, 241-pound junior
Greg Lloyd, who started nine of the first 11 games before missing
two games for personal reasons. The biggest of the linebackers,
he moves and does a good job of sifting through traffic to make
plays. In his first full season of action, he hung up 56
tackles, seven tackles for loss, and a sack.
Projected Top Reserves:
The most experienced member of the B team will be 6-1, 242-pound
junior Greg Robinson,
a veteran of 15 contests and Lloyd’s backup on the inside. While
he only played in six games and had four tackles, he has the
size and lateral quickness to slide into the lineup if an
emergency arises.
Although it might take a couple of years before he cracks this
lineup, 6-1, 221-pound redshirt freshman
Sio Moore is the
unquestioned future star at this position. An explosive athlete
in every sense of the term, he’s the prototype at the position
for the Huskies. After making 16 tackles in the spring game, the
staff might be forced to increase his reps in the fall.
Watch Out For…
the picks to continue. Yeah, this is a collection of
linebackers, but they’ve got the coverage and ball skills of
most safeties. That’s a good thing, particularly in a league
that likes to use the tight end and rarely ventures beyond the
intermediate routes.
Strength: Range. All of the linebackers, including the
backups, move extremely well from sideline-to-sideline and have
the hips to avoid getting burned in pass defense. Lutrus,
Wilson, and Lloyd have outstanding
speed, which makes them
dangerous on the blitz, and the green light to attack from all
points on the field.
Weakness: Size.
Yes, it’s by design that is still a smallish bunch that can get
beat over the top by taller receivers and get move around when
guards and tackles drift into the second line of defense. The
Huskies prefer quickness over power, but against certain
opponents, it can backfire on them.
Outlook:
Arguably the most talented unit on the roster, the linebackers
are deep, experienced, and very productive. Not only are the
starters good, but they’re growing up together, all juniors and
all used to the other’s tendencies. Lutrus, Wilson, and Lloyd
have the range and instincts to keep the ball in front of them
and limit extra yardage.
Rating: 8
Secondary
Projected Starters:
The glass is half-filled for a Husky secondary, which welcomes
back three players with starting experience, but loses all-star
CB Darius Butler, who’s now a New England Patriot. It’s a good
thing that 5-9, 196-pound senior
Robert McClain and 5-9, 171-pound junior
Jasper Howard saw the field plenty last season. McClain has seen the
starting lineup in each of the last two years, making 30
tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three picks, and five breakups in
2008. While not tall, the converted running back is plenty
feisty, jamming receivers and providing support in run defense.
Howard started all 13 games as a sophomore, holding up well
despite being the target of opposing quarterbacks, who were
looking to avoid Butler. Third on the team with 40 solo tackles,
he added three tackles for loss, four interceptions, and a
team-high nine pass breakups. A terrific all-around athlete,
he’s got the hips and catch-up speed to be the unit’s best cover
guy.
Now in his third season as a starter, 6-0, 202-pound FS
Robert Vaughn is the new headliner of the defensive backfield. While
tough in run defense, he also has excellent ball skills, picking
off nine passes over the last two years. In his 2008 All-Big
East campaign, he posted a career-high 67 tackles, intercepted a
pair of passes and redirected three others.
The newest member of the starting lineup will be 5-11, 203-pound
sophomore SS Jonathan
Jean-Louis, who spent most of his first season making plays
on special teams. A fast and physical defensive back, he’s added
muscle since matriculating and can really pack a wallop. His
coverage skills remain a question mark that’ll require support
from his teammates.
Projected Top
Reserves: After redshirting in his first season, the
blueprint for 5-11, 189-pound rookie
Dwayne Gratz calls
for him to letter in 2009 and replace McClain at cornerback in
2010. One of the program’s key recruit from a year ago, he has
the instincts and closing speed that solicit offers from a bunch
of FCS schools.
The closest thing Connecticut has to a veteran safety is 6-1,
190-pound sophomore Aaron
Bagsby, who’s having to break a sweat to earn the No. 2 job
behind Vaughn. A fluid athlete, who can really climb the tree to
bat balls away, he played in 10 games in 2008, making a pair of
starts and 27 tackles. He could be the heir apparent at free
safety if he continues to develop and stays healthy.
Watch Out For…
the development of McClain. He’ll be the key, as opponents
search for the weak link in the defensive backfield. Howard may
be a wise target, based on last year’s play, leaving McClain, a
former running back, to prove he belongs in the every-day
lineup.
Strength:
Defending the pass. Sure, it’s going to get tougher without
Butler, but year after year, these Huskies do a sensational job
of limiting big plays, picking off passes, and generally
frustrating opposing receivers. Last year’s edition was ninth
nationally in pass efficiency defense, yielding just nine
touchdown passes in 13 games and less than six yards an attempt.
Weakness:
Shutting down taller receivers. If there’s a way to beat this
group, it’s over the top with long receivers. McClain and Howard
are generously listed at 5-9, which means they’ll be at a
serious disadvantage against the likes of Pitt’s Jonathan
Baldwin and Syracuse’s Mike Williams.
Outlook: A
microcosm for the entire program, the secondary doesn’t have a
lot of sex appeal, but it always seems to get the job done.
They’ve got the experience and athleticism to completely shut
down most opposing passing attacks. It’s the out of conference
games with the likes of Baylor and Notre Dame, however, that the
departure of Butler will be most noticeable.
Rating: 7.5
Special Teams
Projected Starters:
Sophomore Dave Teggart
took over placekicking duties midway through last year,
solidifying the position. He set a school-record by nailing his
first 11 field goal attempts, finishing a crisp 13-of-15, while
showing above average leg strength.
Back for another season at punter will be senior
Desi Cullen, who’ll also be one of the team captains for the
upcoming season. While he doesn’t possess a booming leg,
averaging just under 40 yards a punt, he’s a good directional
kicker and an asset as a downfield tackler. One priority this
season will be to decrease the time it takes to get the ball
off.
With Darius Butler gone, sophomores
Robbie Frey and
Jordan Todman will be
competing to become the new kickoff returner. Both got chances
in this area a year ago. The punt returner will again be junior
Jasper Howard, whose 11-yard average last fall was No. 2 in the Big
East and 28th nationally.
Watch Out For…
the development of Teggart. Was he just riding the wave of being
the starter last year, or is he really this good? The Huskies,
naturally, are praying for no sophomore slump because this is an
offense that needs its field goal kicker to be on target.
Strength:
Stability in the kicking game. Just about everyone in the
country is replacing either a kicker or a punter. The Huskies
are an exception, bringing back a third-year starting punter and
a placekicker, who appears capable of following the same career
path.
Weakness:
Blocks. How ugly did things get last year? Connecticut allowed a
ridiculous six punts to be blocked, highlighted by a fiasco
against North Carolina. More than anything else, correcting this
flaw has been an offseason priority for assistant Lyndon
Johnson.
Outlook: On the
surface, things look stable with the returns of Teggart and
Cullen, but the Huskies still need to do the little things
better, like long snapping, covering punts and kicks, and
preventing blocks. This is one of those programs that needs to
do the little things well in order to reach all of its goals.
Rating: 7