UConn AD David Benedict optimistic about football program, cautious about COVID complications

[huskymedic]

-> With rediscovered confidence, UConn opened preseason camp on Friday, the first of 25 preseason practices in advance of the opener Aug. 28 at Fresno State. Hopes and expectations are high in Storrs. The Huskies were 6-30 over their most recent three seasons. Coach Randy Edsall, now with an experienced roster that spent a year-plus exclusively on development, said Thursday the team is now in a position to win.

And it will be expected to. Then again, wouldn’t success to any degree — maybe even just getting through a season on a pandemic tight-rope like many teams did last year — be particularly rewarding? “No,” Benedict said. “Just holding it together is not necessarily the goal. We’ve got to win football games. The good news is I believe that’s happening. ... Physically, our team looks different. Athletically, our team looks different. So I think it’s going to be a fun year.” <-

->“Success is important regardless of sport, but football gets a lot of attention,” Benedict said. “Nationally, people talk about it. So, from a relevance standpoint, it’s very important that our football team is successful and I think this is the year we are going to see the results of Randy and his staff’s hard work over the past four years.

“Unfortunately, we don’t know, totally, what the fall holds. However, I have a great deal of confidence that, based on the vaccination rate of our football team, we shouldn’t have a problem playing this year — based on what we currently know. As we’ve gone through this year, we do know things change. But I’m pretty confident about that.”<-

-> Will the Huskies draw more fans this season? Is it entirely dependent on the team’s success? “I think it’s entirely dependent on COVID,” Benedict said. “But I think there’s excitement around the program. Part of it is because we haven’t played in a while, and part of it is because there’s optimism. I think we’ve got a chance to really re-energize the fan base. But we’ve got to come out and show we’re competitive.” <-

 

[CL82]

“Just holding it together is not necessarily the goal. We’ve got to win football games. The good news is I believe that’s happening. ... Physically, our team looks different. Athletically, our team looks different. So I think it’s going to be a fun year.”

Don’t tease me Davey boy. I can’t take the heartbreak anymore.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

“Just holding it together is not necessarily the goal. We’ve got to win football games. The good news is I believe that’s happening. ... Physically, our team looks different. Athletically, our team looks different. So I think it’s going to be a fun year.”

Don’t tease me Davey boy. I can’t take the heartbreak anymore.

He looks like he could still play college ball, (Lol) look at the shoulders on him. I think he played at Utah or New Mexico or some place like that.

 

[phillionaire]

“Just holding it together is not necessarily the goal. We’ve got to win football games. The good news is I believe that’s happening. ... Physically, our team looks different. Athletically, our team looks different. So I think it’s going to be a fun year.”

Don’t tease me Davey boy. I can’t take the heartbreak anymore.

 

[Adios]

He looks like he could still play college ball, (Lol) look at the shoulders on him. I think he played at Utah or New Mexico or some place like that.

Southern Utah, linebacker. Wife is a 2 time D1 champion and 4 time All-American as a gymnast at Arizona State. Her hometown is outside of Buffalo.

Lucky man.