UConn head coach Randy Edsall discussed the appearance of middle linebacker Greg Lloyd on the depth chart. It was initially decided Lloyd would redshirt this season.
"He was cleared," Edsall said during the Huskies' first regular media day of the 2010 season on Tuesday. "I just happened to see him do some things. As I kept watching him do things, and when he scrimmaged, I saw a guy that was starting to get back to where he was before. I saw him hit people and get to the ball. I was saying to myself and the coaches the guy is ready to go.
"I know we had in mind to redshirt him, but to see him practice and scrimmage, he did all the things as a coach you want to see. So you go with your best."
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Senior listed as starter at MLB after being expected to redshirt
Apparently UConn's Randy Edsall still has a little bit of that old quarterback in him.
How else can you explain the audible he called Monday by announcing that Greg Lloyd, who was expected to miss the entire 2010 season while recovering from a serious knee injury, will not only play Saturday when the Huskies open at Michigan (3:30 p.m., Chs. 6, 8), but will start at middle linebacker.
That was the major news coming out of Storrs when Edsall released his updated two-deep chart. He will comment for the first time today during his weekly news conference.
It is certainly an amazing twist to Lloyd's story, which began last Nov. 28 when he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee during the Huskies' 56-31 victory over Syracuse at Rentschler Field. He underwent surgery, and missed season-ending wins over South Florida and South Carolina.
Lloyd still earned All-Big East second-team honors (he was second on the team in tackles with 91), but then Edsall announced the 6-foot-2 senior from Clermont, Fla., would spend 2010 as a medical redshirt and use the time to transition to a new position - defensive end.
Lloyd even added 25 pounds during the offseason (he's now listed at 259) before Edsall changed his mind prior to the start of training camp and decided to keep Lloyd at linebacker.
Apparently Edsall liked what he saw this preseason.
His decision bolsters an experienced, talented linebacking corps that is widely considered to be the Big East's fines. Scott Lutrus (6-3, 245) now moves from the middle back to the outside, where he was a second-team All-Big East pick in 2008, and Lawrence Wilson (6-1, 226) returns to the other side, where he was a first-team All-Big East selection last season after leading the conference in tackles (140, 10.8 per game).
All three are seniors and have combined to start 89 games.
While the news about Lloyd was a bit of a shocker, there were a couple of other last-minute changes, too, that might raise an eyebrow or two.
A pair of true freshmen - Taylor Mack and Gilbert Stlouis - have moved up to No. 2 on the depth chart at cornerback behind starters Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz, and junior Harris Agbor beat out last year's starter, Jerome Junior, at strong safety.
Other changes: Twyon Martin won his starting job back at defensive tackle, redshirt freshman Michael Box is the No. 2 quarterback while Cody Endres serves his university-imposed suspension, true freshman Leon Kinnard - recruited as a QB - will open as the No. 2 slot receiver behind Kashif Moore, and Edsall won't choose a punter (Cole Wagner or Chad Christen) until Saturday.
In addition, Edsall listed junior Robbie Frey "or" Southern Cal transfer D.J. Shoemate as the No. 2 tailback behind starter Jordan Todman.
UCONN DEPTH CHART OFFENSE
WR: 80 Michael Smith (Jr., 6-0, 202)
88 Gerrard Sheppard (RSo., 6-2, 209)
WR: 82 Kashif Moore (RJr., 5-9, 180)
14 Leon Kinnard (Fr., 5-9, 182)
WR: 83 Isiah Moore (RJr., 6-1, 190)
1 Dwayne Difton (So., 5-11, 173)
LT: 63 Adam Masters (RSo., 6-4, 283)
72 Jimmy Bennett (RSo., 6-8, 290)
LG: 66 Mathieu Olivier (RSr., 6-6, 294)
50 Tyler Bullock (RFr., 6-4, 301)
C: 57 Moe Petrus (RJr., 6-2, 292)
70 Gary Bardzak (RJr., 6-3, 292)
RG: 78 Zach Hurd (RSr., 6-7, 325)
69 Steve Greene (RFr., 6-4, 309)
RT: 71 Mike Ryan (RJr., 6-5, 333)
77 Kevin Friend (RFr., 6-5, 289)
TE: 94 Ryan Griffin (RSo., 6-6, 243)
89 John Delahunt (RSo., 6-3, 244)
QB: 10 Zach Frazer (RSr., 6-4, 231)
4 Michael Box (RFr., 6-3, 209)
TB: 23 Jordan Todman (Jr., 5-9, 193)
44 Robbie Frey (RJr., 6-0, 203) OR
24 D.J. Shoemate (Jr., 5-11, 218)
FB: 49 Anthony Sherman (Sr., 5-11, 240)
39 Brett Manning (Sr., 5-11, 260)
DEFENSE
DE: 48 Trevardo Williams (So., 6-1, 225)
96 A.J. Portee (RSo., 6-4, 237)
DT: 99 Kendall Reyes (RJr., 6-4, 298)
59 Shamar Stephen (RFr., 6-5, 300)
DT: 4 Twyon Martin (RJr., 6-2, 292)
53 Ryan Wirth (RSo., 6-2, 272)
DE: 91 Jesse Joseph (So., 6-3, 255)
98 Ted Jennings (RSo., 6-5, 247)
SLB: 32 Scott Lutrus (RSr., 6-3, 245)
28 Jory Johnson (RSo., 6-1, 227)
MLB: 95 Greg Lloyd (Sr., 6-2, 259)
55 Jerome Williams (RSo., 5-11, 233)
WLB: 8 Lawrence Wilson (RSr., 6-1, 226)
46 Sio Moore (RSo., 6-1, 230)
CB: 5 Blidi Wreh-Wilson (RSo., 6-0, 191)
29 Taylor Mack (Fr., 5-9, 170)
S: 25 Harris Agbor (RJr., 5-11, 183)
15 Jerome Junior (RSo., 6-1, 215)
S: 19 Kijuan Dabney (Jr., 6-1, 192)
7 Mike Lang (So., 5-11, 181)
CB: 24 Dwayne Gratz (RSo., 6-0, 187)
2 Gilbert Stlouis (Fr., 5-11, 182)
SPECIALISTS
P: 86 Cole Wagner (RFr., 6-2, 198) OR
13 Chad Christen (RFr., 6-1, 203)
K: 38 Dave Teggart (RJr., 6-0, 207)
13 Chad Christen (RFr., 6-1, 203)
LS: 93 Derek Chard (Sr., 6-3, 237)
67 Adam Mueller (Fr., 6-1, 208)
H: 13 Chad Christen (RFr., 6-1, 203)
4 Michael Box (RFr., 6-3, 209)
KR: 23 Jordan Todman (Jr., 5-9, 193)
44 Robbie Frey (RJr., 6-0, 203)
PR: 21 Gary Wilburn (RJr., 5-11, 195)
31 Nick Williams (So., 5-10, 183)
"He was cleared," Edsall said during the Huskies' first regular media day of the 2010 season on Tuesday. "I just happened to see him do some things. As I kept watching him do things, and when he scrimmaged, I saw a guy that was starting to get back to where he was before. I saw him hit people and get to the ball. I was saying to myself and the coaches the guy is ready to go.
"I know we had in mind to redshirt him, but to see him practice and scrimmage, he did all the things as a coach you want to see. So you go with your best."
================
Senior listed as starter at MLB after being expected to redshirt
Apparently UConn's Randy Edsall still has a little bit of that old quarterback in him.
How else can you explain the audible he called Monday by announcing that Greg Lloyd, who was expected to miss the entire 2010 season while recovering from a serious knee injury, will not only play Saturday when the Huskies open at Michigan (3:30 p.m., Chs. 6, 8), but will start at middle linebacker.
That was the major news coming out of Storrs when Edsall released his updated two-deep chart. He will comment for the first time today during his weekly news conference.
It is certainly an amazing twist to Lloyd's story, which began last Nov. 28 when he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee during the Huskies' 56-31 victory over Syracuse at Rentschler Field. He underwent surgery, and missed season-ending wins over South Florida and South Carolina.
Lloyd still earned All-Big East second-team honors (he was second on the team in tackles with 91), but then Edsall announced the 6-foot-2 senior from Clermont, Fla., would spend 2010 as a medical redshirt and use the time to transition to a new position - defensive end.
Lloyd even added 25 pounds during the offseason (he's now listed at 259) before Edsall changed his mind prior to the start of training camp and decided to keep Lloyd at linebacker.
Apparently Edsall liked what he saw this preseason.
His decision bolsters an experienced, talented linebacking corps that is widely considered to be the Big East's fines. Scott Lutrus (6-3, 245) now moves from the middle back to the outside, where he was a second-team All-Big East pick in 2008, and Lawrence Wilson (6-1, 226) returns to the other side, where he was a first-team All-Big East selection last season after leading the conference in tackles (140, 10.8 per game).
All three are seniors and have combined to start 89 games.
While the news about Lloyd was a bit of a shocker, there were a couple of other last-minute changes, too, that might raise an eyebrow or two.
A pair of true freshmen - Taylor Mack and Gilbert Stlouis - have moved up to No. 2 on the depth chart at cornerback behind starters Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz, and junior Harris Agbor beat out last year's starter, Jerome Junior, at strong safety.
Other changes: Twyon Martin won his starting job back at defensive tackle, redshirt freshman Michael Box is the No. 2 quarterback while Cody Endres serves his university-imposed suspension, true freshman Leon Kinnard - recruited as a QB - will open as the No. 2 slot receiver behind Kashif Moore, and Edsall won't choose a punter (Cole Wagner or Chad Christen) until Saturday.
In addition, Edsall listed junior Robbie Frey "or" Southern Cal transfer D.J. Shoemate as the No. 2 tailback behind starter Jordan Todman.
UCONN DEPTH CHART OFFENSE
WR: 80 Michael Smith (Jr., 6-0, 202)
88 Gerrard Sheppard (RSo., 6-2, 209)
WR: 82 Kashif Moore (RJr., 5-9, 180)
14 Leon Kinnard (Fr., 5-9, 182)
WR: 83 Isiah Moore (RJr., 6-1, 190)
1 Dwayne Difton (So., 5-11, 173)
LT: 63 Adam Masters (RSo., 6-4, 283)
72 Jimmy Bennett (RSo., 6-8, 290)
LG: 66 Mathieu Olivier (RSr., 6-6, 294)
50 Tyler Bullock (RFr., 6-4, 301)
C: 57 Moe Petrus (RJr., 6-2, 292)
70 Gary Bardzak (RJr., 6-3, 292)
RG: 78 Zach Hurd (RSr., 6-7, 325)
69 Steve Greene (RFr., 6-4, 309)
RT: 71 Mike Ryan (RJr., 6-5, 333)
77 Kevin Friend (RFr., 6-5, 289)
TE: 94 Ryan Griffin (RSo., 6-6, 243)
89 John Delahunt (RSo., 6-3, 244)
QB: 10 Zach Frazer (RSr., 6-4, 231)
4 Michael Box (RFr., 6-3, 209)
TB: 23 Jordan Todman (Jr., 5-9, 193)
44 Robbie Frey (RJr., 6-0, 203) OR
24 D.J. Shoemate (Jr., 5-11, 218)
FB: 49 Anthony Sherman (Sr., 5-11, 240)
39 Brett Manning (Sr., 5-11, 260)
DEFENSE
DE: 48 Trevardo Williams (So., 6-1, 225)
96 A.J. Portee (RSo., 6-4, 237)
DT: 99 Kendall Reyes (RJr., 6-4, 298)
59 Shamar Stephen (RFr., 6-5, 300)
DT: 4 Twyon Martin (RJr., 6-2, 292)
53 Ryan Wirth (RSo., 6-2, 272)
DE: 91 Jesse Joseph (So., 6-3, 255)
98 Ted Jennings (RSo., 6-5, 247)
SLB: 32 Scott Lutrus (RSr., 6-3, 245)
28 Jory Johnson (RSo., 6-1, 227)
MLB: 95 Greg Lloyd (Sr., 6-2, 259)
55 Jerome Williams (RSo., 5-11, 233)
WLB: 8 Lawrence Wilson (RSr., 6-1, 226)
46 Sio Moore (RSo., 6-1, 230)
CB: 5 Blidi Wreh-Wilson (RSo., 6-0, 191)
29 Taylor Mack (Fr., 5-9, 170)
S: 25 Harris Agbor (RJr., 5-11, 183)
15 Jerome Junior (RSo., 6-1, 215)
S: 19 Kijuan Dabney (Jr., 6-1, 192)
7 Mike Lang (So., 5-11, 181)
CB: 24 Dwayne Gratz (RSo., 6-0, 187)
2 Gilbert Stlouis (Fr., 5-11, 182)
SPECIALISTS
P: 86 Cole Wagner (RFr., 6-2, 198) OR
13 Chad Christen (RFr., 6-1, 203)
K: 38 Dave Teggart (RJr., 6-0, 207)
13 Chad Christen (RFr., 6-1, 203)
LS: 93 Derek Chard (Sr., 6-3, 237)
67 Adam Mueller (Fr., 6-1, 208)
H: 13 Chad Christen (RFr., 6-1, 203)
4 Michael Box (RFr., 6-3, 209)
KR: 23 Jordan Todman (Jr., 5-9, 193)
44 Robbie Frey (RJr., 6-0, 203)
PR: 21 Gary Wilburn (RJr., 5-11, 195)
31 Nick Williams (So., 5-10, 183)
