The weekly Tuesday media luncheon at the Burton Complex provided, as usual, a wealth of information. Some highlights...

• Randy Edsall was asked what the reaction of his defense was to his critical comments after the Rhode Island game. Edsall said he was only saying what he felt was the truth, and that if anyone had furt feelings maybe they should take up another sport. The defensive players agreed with Edsall's comments, which they viewed as a challenge. More on this topic in Wednesday's Register.

• Danny Lansanah said he had just gotten off the phone with Alfred Fincher Tuesday. Lansanah still speaks with Fincher, now with the New Orleans Saints, at least twice a week. He said Fincher watches every UConn game, and offers a weekly critique. It sounds like Fincher's assessment of the defense after the Rhode Island game was roughly the equivilent of Edsall's.

• Tuesday trivia: UConn is 12-1 against non-league opponents at Rentschler Field. Bonus points to anyone who knows the answer without looking it up. Answer is below.

• Edsall said the only thing keeping fullback Deon Anderson from being a "household" name in college football circles like Dan Orlovsky and Fincher were two years ago is that he doesn't play a glamourous position like, say, quarterback or linebacker. Edsall also said there are a few other younger players on the roster with a real chance to become premier players in the league very soon. He didn't name names. I will. How about Donald and Cody Brown for starters?

• Edsall was asked to respond to Boston College athletic director Gene DiFilippo's comment in Sunday's Boston Globe about how UConn wants to play the Eagles in football but DiFilippo has no interest in playing the Huskies at this point. "He gave his opinion," Edsall said. "I think it would be great for this region. But I'm just the football coach. Would I like to see it? Yes. But the circumstances at this point and time doesn't seem like it's going to take place. At least not yet."

• UConn will open next season on the road at Duke during Labor Day weekend. The date hasn't been set, but it will be either Aug. 30-31 or Sept 1 (Thursday-Saturday). Here's hoping for another Thursday opener. The Huskies follow the Duke game with the home-opener against Maine. The other non-conference games next season are at Virginia and home with Temple and Navy.

• Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe was positively gushing about the Huskies. You'd think he was talking about the 1985 Chicago Bears. Don't get me wrong, I think Wake should be at least a 3 1/2-point underdog. But Grobe had firmly entered Lou Holtz smoke-blowing territory. "I was impressed with how solid they are in every aspect," Grobe said. "Their offense, defense, kicking game, special teams play....They beat us pretty bad last time (in 2003), so there are a lot of concerns about how good they are."

• Grobe was pleased, and rightfully so, at backup quarterback Riley Skinner's performance against Duke on Saturday. Skinner, in his first start, was 22-of-29 passing for 235 yards and a TD. Duke managed to take away the Wake Forest run game in the first half, so the Deamon Deacons were forced to throw more than usual. Skinner did a nice job. Grobe said they key is how Skinner responds to playing in a hostile environment like the Runway.

• Trivia answer: Boston College beat UConn 24-14 at the Runway in 2003. Kind of a trick question. BC was still in the Big East at the time, but UConn was still playing as an independent. To those who knew the answer, in the words of the late Pop Shortell "Hat's off!!"

This week's schedule for the print edition of the Register...Wednesday: defense feature; Thursday: UConn notebook; Saturday: Wake Forest game day advance page.