A win is a win. There were pretty moments, but it was hardly a pretty victory. Still, the defense was back to its old self, Caulley and Taylor had big plays and when the game was still in doubt, and UConn locked it up with a late 80-yard scorng drive at the right time.

A few observations...

• Kicking is still, obviously, a huge problem. Vicidomino didn't get it done, and was benched before his first start was finished. Edsall said even Tony Ciaravino will get a look at practice this week. Great timing by UConn in putting Matt Nuzie on the cover of the game program the week he got benched, too.

• Edsall welled up a bit in the postgame interview talking about the resolve of his team after a troubling week. He was like Mike Myers playing Linda Richmond in the old Saturday Night Live sketch. Here's the quote that got him just a little vaklempt...
  "You have to understand these are kids, and they make mistakes," Edsall said. "We understand what family is about. We understand what team is about. We understand that we all have to stick together and we all have to fight the good fight. Nobody knows what we go through on a day-to-day basis more those kids in the room. We share those things amongst ourselves. It is very private, just like our family. I'm very, very proud of them."

• All kidding aside, Edsall should be proud after this win. A loss would have been devastating. It wasn't about keeping slim bowl dreams alive or snapping an ugly two game losing streak. It was about the team rallying together and actually showing up ready to play. West Virginia is next. It will take a minor miracle to win that game, but at least the Huskies can hold their heads up in practice this week and put to rest the never-ending questions about the program's demise.

• Sometimes I wonder how certain guys in the media manage to get credentials. There was one man with a microphone in the interview room who mistook Rhema Fuller for Larry Taylor. He asked Fuller a couple of questions about the punt return before Rhema politely told him he wasn't Larry Taylor. OK, Rhema was sitting under a placard with Taylor's name on it. But how is it possible to mistake Fuller, who is 6-foot-3 and 285-pounds, with little Larry, who is 5-6 and 165? I just hope this guy found his way back to his house without getting lost.

• The instant replay rules make no sense. If every play gets reviewed upstairs, then why do coaches get one challenge per game? They're either reviewing eveything or they aren't.

• Chris Pavasaris hurt his foot last weekend when his punt was blocked, but apparently didn't tell the coaches until Thursday. Edsall said he considered using Desi Cullen at punter, but Pavasaris said he could get the job done and he did.