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Coach Calhoun Returns

UConn Men'sBasketball Head Coach Jim Calhoun has returned from a medical leave of absence that lasted just over three weeks.

In a statement Coach Calhoun said, "I am excited to return to the team and my coaching staff. I appreciate the hard work by the staff and team in my absence and am looking forward to being back on the court for practice this afternoon and moving forward. I am especially thankful to people for their support during the past three weeks, but also for the respect and privacy that everyone has provided me during this time. Dr. Schulman, my primary care physician, and I both felt that the time away was important for my personal and professional well-being and that I am ready to move ahead from this point at full speed."

During his time away from the team the Huskies were led by Associate Head Coach George Blaney and had a 3-4 record, highlighted by a victory over then #1 Texas.

Papajohns.com Bowl: UConn 13 - South Carolina 0 at Halftime

A halftime score that most UConn fans wouldn't have even expected here from Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama for the Papajohns.com Bowl. A defensive struggle for the beginning part of the first half, neither team recorded a first down through 7 minutes of play. With UConn driving, Frazer connected with Kashief Moore on a flare down the left sideline, where Moore made a highlight reel one handed catch for a 37 yard touchdown to put the Huskies up 7-0 with 6:37 to go in the first quarter. On the ensuing Huskies drive after stopping South Carolina on a 4th and 1, UConn took over on their own 32 and managed a 33 yard field goal by Dave Teggart to improve their lead by 10. After forcing South Carolina to two straight 3-and-outs, Teggart connected again, this time a 44 yard field goal to put the Huskies up 13-0, which is how the half would end. Andre Dixon leads all ground gainers with 13 rushes for 44 yards. Dixon has also surpassed 1000 yards on this season during an 8 yard run in the 2nd half. The Huskies defense has been the story so far this half, holding the Gamecocks to just 65 yards in the air and 28 yards on the ground. Garcia is the leading rusher for South Carolina, mainly because UConn's pass rush is forcing Garcia out of the pocket. South Carolina was held without a first down through the first 23 minutes of play in the half, and have managed just 4 in the game thus far. They are 1 for 8 on third down conversions, and 0 for 2 on 4th down conversions. The 2nd half is just about to be underway here from Birmingham for the Papajohns.com Bowl.

A Game with No Losers

The excited way they ran to their classmates showed just how much this win meant to them, and a unlike the many times we've seen students run onto the field after beating a rival, several of these players jumped into the stands to celebrate with their classmates. This wasn't just any victory, it was a record 8th in a row over an opponent they have been playing since 1890. It is the greatest rivalry game in any sport in this country, and the only one that can be played on this Saturday. No matter what these teams records they will play on national TV, in a pro stadium, in the week between the end of the college football season, and the first weekend of bowl season. The two schools have combined for 4 National Titles, and 5 Heisman Trophy winners. Despite all that nobody looks at either of these schools as national powers, just as schools full of some of the bravest young men the country has to offer.
I am of course talking about the Army - Navy game, which Navy has won yet again. Junior Quarterback Rickey Dobbs led his team to victory, while setting the NCAA record for most rushing touchdowns by a Quarterback in a single season and becoming only the third Navy Quarterback to rush for 1000 yards in a season. Navy improved to 9-4 on the season and will face Missouri in the Texas Bowl, Army fell to 5-7 falling just one victory short of their first bowl since 1996.
After the victory Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo teared up on the sideline as he talked about how much this victory means to everyone involved and how proud he was of the guys on both teams, saying that these are the guys that are going to protect us.

UConn Dismantles Rival Syracuse, Becomes Bowl Eligible

On Rivalry Weekend across the nation UConn came out victorious over Syracuse by a score of 56-31. The win marks the 6th for UConn this season, making them Bowl eligible for the 3rd time in 3 years. Coming out of halftime with a 28-17 lead UConn took the ball 80 yards on 15 plays and scored on a Zach Frazer pass to Marcus Easley in the back of the end zone to take a 35-17 lead. During the drive UConn was faced with a 4th and 6 on the Syracuse 26, but elected to go for the first down because of the strong winds that would pose a problem in the kicking game. Frazer completed a pass across the middle to Brad Kanuch for the first down, which eventually set up the score. After a Syracuse missed field goal and a Frazer interception Syracuse regained possesion, and Greg Paulus hit Lavar Lobdell on a 12 yard touchdown pass to cut UConn lead from 18 to 11. The Huskies wasted no time answering back, as Andre Dixon scored his third touchdown of the day just over 2 minutes later on a 45 yard run to give UConn a 42-24 lead. With 6 minutes remaing and Syracuse down 42-31, Paulus led their spread offense on what looked like a promising drive, but the UConn defense held up on a 4th and 7 and the Orange turned the ball over on downs. The ensuing drive created quite a bit of controversy between Head Coaches Randy Edsall and Doug Marrone. UConn, up 11, was faced with a 4th and 11 on the Syracuse 28 with just over 4 minutes to go. Instead of attempting the field goal Edsall decided to go for it, and Frazer hooked up with Easley again on a 28 yard touchdown pass to give the Huskies a 49-31 lead. After the game Syracuse Head Coach Doug Marrone had some choice words for Edsall, saying that he was running up the score. With Syracuse trying to salvage their point differential on the following possession, receiver Alec Lemon fumbled a lateral pass, which was recovered for a touchdown by Dwayne Gratz to seal the deal for the Huskies.

Jordan Todman finished the game's leading rusher with 123 yards and a touchdown. Todman has now surpassed 1,000 yards on the season, becoming just the 9th Husky to do so. Andre Dixon finished with 77 yards on 15 carries and 3 touchdowns, which marks his third 3-touchdown game of the season. Lawrence Wilson had yet another standout game for the Huskies on defense, tallying 17 tackles with 1 TFL. Captain Scott Lutrus continued to be solid since returning from his injury, record 11 tackles with 1.5 TFL. Linebacker Greg Lloyd was upended on a chop block late in the 4th quarter and remained on the ground for several minutes with an apparent knee or ankle injury. Edsall said after the game he will be evaluated and more information will be available tomorrow. For Syracuse, probably the most hated man in the stadium by Husky fans, Greg Paulus, had a very solid game. Paulus completed 24 of 32 for 296 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Delone Carter surpassed 1000 yards rushing on the season for the Orange with his 102 yard effort on the ground. The Huskies are back in action next week on Senior Day, when the take on South Florida in their regular season finale at home at 8pm.

Halftime: UConn 28 - Syracuse 17

A week after what may have been UConn's biggest win in school history over Notre Dame, the Huskies look like they haven't missed a step as they lead Syracuse 28 to 17 at the half in Rentschler Field. Jordan Todman leads the ground game with 57 yards, including a 37 yard touchdown run in the 2nd quarter which puts him over the 1,000 yard mark for the year. Andre Dixon has been held to just 18 yards on 6 carries but has scored twice. Former Duke Basketball player Greg Paulus has taken the majority of snaps for the Orange, completing 10 of 12 for 117 yards and a touchdown. Sophmore Ryan Nassib has also taken snaps for the Orange when they run option, but has also completed 3 of 5 passing for 33 yards and a score. Wind has been a big factor in the game, as it gave UConn optimal field position early in the game. Syracuse went 3 and out to open the game, and was able to net just 7 yards on the punt into wind gusts of up to 35 mph. UConn took advantage, and went 25 yards for the first score of the game. After a Syracuse field goal, Freshman Mike Lang took the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to the house for a touchdown to make it 14-3. With 3 minutes remaining in the second half and UConn leading 21 to 10, Paulus orchestrated a 7 play, 52 yard touchdown drive to cut the lead to 4. UConn got the ball back with 1:08 left, as Jordan Todman returned the kickoff 34 yards to the UConn 38. Frazer and the Huskies drove 62 yards to score with :08 seconds left on the clock, highlighted by an amazing over-the-shoulder one-handed catch by Marcus Easley deep down the right sideline. The drive was capped by an Andre Dixon 1 yard run to give the Huskies a 9 point lead entering halftime.

Are we really winning?

One doesn't need to be in the locker room right now to imagine what Jim Calhoun is saying to the team, or the vivid language he is most likely using. It can be summed up in 2 words, we stink. Although the Huskies hold a one point lead, Colgate largely dominated the first half of play. The signs of Calhoun's frustration with is teams performance were apparent, with Donnell Beverly making an appearance, and Jim emphatically clapping when Colgate scored. The Huskies did receive good play from Guard Kemba Walker, who seemed to take the game into his own hands late in the half, as well as from freshman Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, who led the team with ten points off the bench.

Really? Over a Hot Dog?

After three consecutive losses to offset their 3-0 start, the New York Jets were in need of a big break. And on Sunday afternoon against the “playoff-bound” (Richard Seymour’s words, not mine) Oakland Raiders, they got one.

Behind 100-yard ground games by both Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene, not to mention the patented Rex Ryan defense, the Jets scorched Al Davis’ crew 38-0.

But the next day, the focus was not on the sheer domination of New York’s running game, which averaged 5.9 yards per carry in the win, nor was it on the four turnovers caused by the defense or Calvin Pace’s three sacks. The focus wasn’t even on the rookie Mark Sanchez’s two touchdowns…

…actually, the focus was on Sanchez, but not for anything he did on the field.

On Monday morning, the football community (the media portion) was up in arms over video footage from CBS’s broadcast depicting Mark Sanchez trying to discreetly eat a hot dog on the sideline during New York’s win. Mark was immediately criticized for his “actions.” It was called disrespectful, improper, unbecoming of a football star. The cries of reporters all across the nation with nothing better to talk about actually led to Mark making a public apology for what he did.

What he did? He didn’t do anything. He got hungry.

Through this “crisis,” one referred to by some in media as “Hot Dog-Gate” (you’ve got to be kidding me), we’ve learned more about Jets head coach Rex Ryan. He might be the most levelheaded guy in the NFL. Don’t get me wrong, he’s insane, but the good kind of insane. Here was his response to the hot dog “fiasco”:

“It is unfortunate that here we have a great game, run for 300-some yards – breakout game – 38-to-zip score, get a shutout and now the focus is on the hot dog.”

Couldn’t have said it better.

Are we really chastising a man for eating a hot dog on the sidelines? Where exactly is the uproar for that justified? Look at the situation, look at the score. I’m a Jets fan, been one since Boomer Esiason was quarterback. I could care less that he was eating a hot dog. He could have been eating a 3-pound lobster while chugging a Keystone and finish it off with a nice Cuban cigar – it was 38-0!

Granted, what Sanchez did was unconventional, and coach Ryan made sure to tell him that afterward. But he also told him to be smart next time and get him one too.

Jasper Howard Updates

Yesterday police arrested Johnny Hood for interfering with police officers. Hood reportedly gave the wrong name to police officers when they tried to question him. However, he has not been charged in the death of Jasper Howard. Hood's attorney said that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was not aware of the stabbing.

A lawyer for a Bloomfield man he said that police have notified him that they will have a warrant for his clients arrest. Deron Freeman, the Lawyer, declined to name his client but said that he was at the scene of the stabbing but did not actually stab Howard.

It has also been released that Brian Parker, a reserve wide receiver who is academically ineligible this season, was the other victim in the stabbing but only sustained minor injuries. Coach Randy Edsall has said that two other players were present, and one applies pressure to Howard's wounds in an attempt to save his life. Edsall said he will leave it up to those players as to whether they play in this weekend's game or not.

The team will wear a JH helmet sticker for the rest of the season in memory of Howard. They will also bring either his jersey or helmet to all of their remaining games. Edsall said that the team will be putting together a package of memorabilia for his unborn child. The package will include a game ball from Saturday's game against Louisville.

West Virginia Will wear a number 6 helmet sticker Saturday and both teams will participate in a pregame moment of silence and handshake. Clemson cornerback Chris Chancellor, a high school teammate of Howard will switch his jersey number to number 6.

Jasper Howard

This morning began like an other Sunday morning for most students on campus. Many students were likely sleeping in after celebrating the end of homecoming week the night before. But as students woke up we saw alerts from UConn in the form of text messages, emails, and banners on the student page, there had been a stabbing early this morning and the perpetrator was still at large. Then the rumors started to fly. Some may have seen Facebook statuses suggesting it, other heard it from friends, all hoped it wasn't true. However as the day went on we all had to come to the realization that it was true, Jasper Howard had died.

Howard, 20, who came to UConn from Miami, was not only the first person in his family to go to college, but it was announce at today's press conference that he was an expectant father. Senior captain Desi Cullen said, "Hearing the news that he's a father breaks my heart. The idea that he will grow up without a father to raise him will be extremely tough for that child. Along with Jazz looking down on him, that child will have 105 uncles to look up to. As a team, we're going to make sure that we don't just get through these times, but that we grow from it and become better men because of Jazz."

Howard was coming off perhaps the the best game of his career against Louisville. He had recorded eleven tackles and he a key strip and recovery in the third quarter as the Cardinals were getting ready to score. Last season Howard had led the team with four interceptions, and led the Big East with an average punt return of 10.9 yards and 1TD. His career ended with 96 tackles and four interceptions.

Police reported that the stabbing occurred after a fire alarm was pulled in the Student Union, which resulted in over 300 people being evacuated from a dance being held there. Howard and a second victim were brought to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford. Howard died a few hours later and coach Edsall identified his body before calling Howards family to let them know what had happened. Edsall said, "There's nothing in my job description that says you have to identify bodies, and that you have to make the phone calls to the parents, but that's part of the job."

Police announced that the second victim was a UConn student, and had been released from the hospital. His identity was be withheld as the investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with information relating to the incident are asked to contact the police at (860) 486-4800.

For more on the Press Conference Click Here

Halftime: UConn 14 - Louisville 13

A back and forth game here at the Rent this afternoon. UConn struck first with 10:50 left in the first quarter on a 16 yard dash by Andre Dixon, which capped off a 6 play, 61 yard drive. The drive was set up thanks to an interception by Redshirt Freshman Blidi Wreh-Wilson off a Lawrence Wilson tip. After a Louisville punt, UConn threatened again, pushing deep into the Louisville red zone thanks to a nice 26 yard run by Andre Dixon and a 3rd down pass interference call on Louisville. However, UConn couldn't capitalize, as 2 false starts in the red zone pushed the Huskies back and Dave Teggart missed a 27 yard field goal wide right. Louisville tied the game on their next possession, capping of a 19 play 80 yard drive in which they completed 4 consecutive 3rd downs. On 4th and Goal from the 1 yard line Louisville running back Bilal Powell punched in the touchdown on a bootleg to the left. UConn took the lead back quickly, as Endres completed a beautiful pass along the left sideline to Kashif Moore for 67 yards, and eventually set up an Andre Dixon 1 yard run up the middle for the touchdown. Louisville follwed up with an 8 play 77 yard touchdown drive of their own and attempted to tie. UConn blocked the first extra point attempt, however, Redshirt Freshman Jerome Junior was called for offsides. On the ensuing re-kick, Louisville kicker Ryan Payne missed the extra point wide right. The score at halftime now stands UConn 14, Louisville 13. Andre Dixon leads UConn on the ground with 16 rushes for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns. Cody Endres is 6 of 13 for 141 yards and 1 interception, coming at the end of the half.

Flawed Lottery System Shows that UConn Simply Doesn’t Care

I didn’t win tickets in this year’s UConn basketball lottery.

I didn’t win last year either.

And I didn’t win the year before that.

I was upset the first two times I didn’t win, but neither of those disappointments compares to what I feel now. I imagine the feeling is the same among my fellow seniors and above (I have a total of 118 credits, either completed or in progress). The first two experiences were annoying, but this time it goes far beyond that – I don’t even have a word to describe it.

When first implemented, the number of times our PeopleSoft numbers were entered into the lottery was based on earned credits – freshman got their number in once, sophomores twice, juniors three times, and seniors four. Well now my fellow three-time losers (and there are LOTS of us) and I get to shine as examples of the students who have been shunned by the system because our number never came up.

I’ve tried to imagine some eloquent way to describe the flaws in the lottery system, but none come to mind, so all I can do is speak the truth: this is a terrible system. Over the past few months, UConn Athletics has claimed to work to increase school spirit with its new programs (e.g. the Spirit Squad, and we know how well THAT was received), but the reality is that Athletics seems more inclined to put convenience ahead of school spirit. They don’t care who gets the tickets, all they seem to care about is that the tickets get sold. After that it doesn’t appear to be their problem.

I went to check out the Facebook group, “Buy or Sell UConn Tickets,” after the lottery winners were announced, and I was less than surprised by what I saw. Within minutes of receiving their congratulatory emails, there were literally hundreds, HUNDREDS of students, offering to sell their ticket packages to the highest bidder. And the asking prices were absurd:

$90 for Women’s games at the XL Center…(which cost $2 per ticket face value)

$150 for Men’s games at the XL Center…

$250 for Men’s games at Gampel Pavilion…etc…etc…

One guy was offering $300 for Men’s Gampel and XL games, and posted “my loss is your gain, men’s Gampel and XL for only $300!” Thanks UConn for turning our student body into the next generation of Slick Rick used car salesmen. Students who won the lottery paid $108 total for both sets. Slick Rick here will generously sell us his tickets for around three times that amount. I feel so blessed by his charity.

There was a time, a time before online lotteries, before colored wristbands, when basketball tickets were based on a first-come, first-served basis. There was a day when the tickets would go on sale, and students camped out and lined up accordingly. It was a perfect system. It weeded out the true fans from the people who want to make a quick buck. True fans will walk through the gates of hell to get UConn basketball season tickets. These price gougers just wait for a little bit of luck.

My friend, Marcus Lynam, an anchor/producer with UCTV Sports, posted a blog about the lottery system shortly after the emails were sent out. In his post, he reminded us that the Gampel student section holds 2,600 people, which is just around 16% of the student body. Luckily, for us sports fans, not every UConn student cares about going to a UConn basketball game, or any sporting event for that matter. In the old system, would they have ever shown up to wait in line? But now, thanks to the lottery, they too can sign up for tickets they don’t even want. And when they win? PROFIT!

By the way, Marcus is a junior. His number went into the lottery three times. He didn’t win either.

UConn Athletics claims to want to increase school spirit, and yet they take away our signs, limit our camp out times, and create a lottery system that reduces our best fans to unfortunate saps who have to enter bidding wars, and turn other students into heartless profiteers who bank on the misery and devotion of the die-hard fans who simply weren’t lucky enough.

This has been a tough year for America, and the student body at UConn has not been spared the effects of a down economy. We have faced budget cuts, lost programs, and paid higher tuition, to say nothing of how the downturn has affected our students at home. Why does our school’s athletic department seem so content on making it that much harder for our biggest fans to get basketball tickets? Haven’t they suffered enough?

And I’m not buying the notion that Athletics isn’t aware of the problem, because I’m sure plenty of people have been complaining. The only conclusion I can draw is that they simply don’t care about the student fans.

UConn men’s and women’s basketball games, especially at Gampel, are a sight to see. The students who attend the games are devoted. They’re loud. They’re the sixth man for home teams that usually don’t need the extra help, but it’s certainly a nice addition. When Big Red stands up from his seat, charges up the student section, and leads the U! C! O! N! N! chant, I will forever maintain that this is one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard. There’s nothing quite like it. These games allow us the chance to escape the outside world, if only for a few hours. Inside the arena, we don’t need to worry about the molecular biology exam the next day, or the 10-page history midterm paper we haven’t started yet. As top tier UConn fans, our only job during the game is to show up and cheer loudly. Is Athletics really going to make us jump through hoops to get that experience?

In Marcus’ blog, he also wrote about a system being utilized by major schools like Florida, UCLA, Maryland and Texas where students “garner points by attending athletic events other than the big time sports” like football and basketball. When it comes time to buy tickets for the big sports, preference is given to the students with the most points. Athletics wants school spirit? There it is. It draws fans to the sporting events that usually don’t get many fans, and rewards the most devoted students when basketball season rolls around. How hard could it be to implement that system at UConn? It’s the perfect system for any school with a reputation for top-notch athletic programs.

But then again, anything at this point would be better than the lottery.

UConn defeats Rhode Island 52-10

The Huskies improved to 3-1 on the season Saturday with a win over the Rhode Island Rams. The game was never in question as UConn came out firing, scoring on the opening drive in just 6 plays. Although their numbers weren't huge, the ground game duo of Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman is still proving to be an extremely effective offensive weapon. Dixon lead the ground game with 98 yards on 17 carries, while Todman contributed 70 yards and 3 scores. Reserve back Robbie Frey also shed some light late scoring twice in the final 8 minutes, one on an impressive 54 yard run to seal the deal. Cody Endres started for the 2nd game in a row and orchestrated the best game of his career, completing 23 of 30 passes for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns. In the first half Endres looked uncomfortable in the pocket, missing one-on-one coverage and holding onto the ball for too long. Head Coach Randy Edsall said after the game that Endres needs to work more on anticipating plays developing and putting more confidence in the receivers to make the plays. Endres' target of choice for the game was sophomore Michael Smith, who reeled in 8 catches for 82 yards. Smith was targeted mainly in crossing routes, where the Rhode Island secondary seemed to have the hardest time defending him. Freshman Mike Lang also had a breakout game, recording the first receptions and touchdown of his career, catching 2 passes for 58 yards and a score. Endres hit Lang on a strike down the sideline, which he took 50 yards to the house in the closing minutes of the third quarter.

On the defensive side of the ball, UConn's front line was relentless, holding URI to just 40 yards on the ground. QB Chris Paul-Etienne was limited to just 108 yards in the air, throwing 2 interceptions and being sacked 3 times. The key to the UConn defense was their ability to stop URI on third down, allowing just one third-down conversion in 15 attempts. URI ran out of the shotgun the majority of their 3rd down attempts, and the front line consistently pressured Paul-Etienne into a scramble. Defensive End Lawrence Wilson lead the Huskies with 12 tackles, 2 sacks, and 3 TFL. Edsall commented on Wilson's performance after the game, saying he played "just OK" because Wilson is the man on defense that should be making those plays, and was quick to point out that he had a few missed tackles on some screens. Nevertheless, Wilson had a very successful game, especially with the lack of production from Lindsey Witten, who has been bothered by a GI illness throughout the week. The secondary was lead by captain Robert McClain, who picked off 2 passes in the first half. Cornerback Jasper Howard also had a very good game with 8 tackles, most of which came off URI's screens and quick slants.

UConn enters a bye week this week where they will rest and hopefully get some injured players healthy for Big East rival Pittsburgh the following week. Coach Edsall said he does not know the status of QB Zach Frazier for Pittsburgh, saying that he is rehabbing his injured knee and he will be back on the field as soon as he is cleared to do so. As of right now, Cody Endres will still be getting first team reps and is slated to start.

Halftime: UConn 24 - Rhode Island 7

As expected, the UConn Huskies have had no problem with the Rams of Rhode Island. The defensive line has been outstanding, holding Anthony Ferrer to just 13 yards on 6 attempts. QB Chris Paul-Etienne is 6 of 9 passing for 90 yards with a score and 2 interceptions, both by Robert McClain. The defensive front has been putting lots of pressure on Paul-Etienne, throwing 5 and 6 man blitzes on almost every third down, forcing him out of the pocket and causing him to make mistakes. On the offensive side, UConn had a lot of success on the ground and in the air in the first half, as the Huskies needed just 6 plays to take the lead. Jordan Todman is the leading man on the ground, with 67 yards on 10 attempts with 2 TDs. Andre Dixon has added 40 yards on the ground, as well as an 18 yard TD catch to open the game. Endres statistically looks good, going 12 for 15 for 152 yards and a touchdown. However, his pocket presence needs to improve, as he has been sacked 3 times, all of which he sat in the pocket for too long. He is also having problems keeping the ball off the ground, as he has fumbled multiple times within the pocket.

2009 New England Patriots Season Preview

The New England Patriots are coming into the 2009 NFL Season with a number of new faces on the roster. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is yet to be determined. Last season now seems like a blur. Having won 11 games after losing their best player and still not making the playoff was a huge blow, but this year looks to be a season of redemption for the Patriots of New England. Tom Brady, one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, is finally back and healthy. Matt Cassel, his backup from last year, has been shipped off to Kansas City along with longtime outside linebacker Mike Vrabel and Ex-Director of Player Personnel Scott Pioli. Josh McDaniels, who was the O-Coordinator from last year’s team, is now the Head Coach of the Denver Broncos as well. However, most people in New England agree that as long as Bill Belichick is still around, that is all that really matters.

After a long and successful career in Jacksonville, RB Fred Taylor has joined the New England backfield committee alongside Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Joey Galloway has been added to the receiving corps to go with Randy Moss and Wes Welker, while TE Chris Baker has signed over from the New York Jets. This offense, which has always been anchored by its great lineman upfront, looks armed and ready to have a terrific season once again.

The Defense on the other hand has much to prove. Just this week the Patriots traded away former first round draft pick Richard Seymour, who had been a stalwart defensive lineman for this team for the better half of the last decade. The Raiders sent a 2011 first round draft choice in compensation for Seymour. Rodney Harrison & Tedy Bruschi have recently retired, Mike Vrabel went to Kansas City, Ellis Hobbs was traded to Philadelphia and well….you get the idea. Only 5 returning starters will be back for the Patriots defense this season, and plenty of responsibility will be put on guys like Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren, and JeRod Mayo to make sure that this defense holds up with the reputation of the past.

One last hometown note, former UConn standout defensive back Darius Butler was selected by the Patriots in the 2^nd Round of April’s NFL Draft and he has made the team with flying colors. After having a great training camp and pre-season, Butler looks to notch some immediate playing time as a backup cornerback, and will be on the field right away in nickel formations. Good luck Darius!