Another Tuesday, another media lunch in Storrs. As always, there was no shortage of information. Some highlights...

• Randy Edsall hates playing games on any other day except Saturday. He said he understands it's all about television and money, but it doesn't mean he has to like it. It spoils the team's routine, both for practice (UConn held a 5 a.m. practice on Monday) and classes, and Edsall railed the NCAA for being hypocritical. "The NCAA puts so much scrutinty on academics and the (Academic Performance Rate)," Edsall said. "The mission the NCAA has is they want guys to graduate. Well, if you want them to graduate then don't take them out of class in the middle of the week. Let them go to class and do things they do and play on Saturdays. It's hard for me to believe it when (the NCAA) talks about all that when they are in complete conflict with the message they are tying to send."

• Anyone see the Cardinals-Bears game on Monday night? Neil Rackers, the NFC's Pro Bowl kicker last season, missed two makeable field goals including a potential game-winning 40-yarder with 48 seconds left that would have salvaged an Arizona meltdown. Anyone else immediately think of UConn's kicking game?

• Edsall said he may not make a decision on which of his three kickers will handle field goals and extra points against West Virginia until pregame warm-ups are finished Friday. The current batting order is Matt Nuzie, Tony Ciaravino, then Graig Vicidomino.

• Edsall gave a hard time to a reporter who asked what the coach would be looking for from his three kickers in practice this week.
  "Let me ask you the question," Edsall said, eliciting a laugh from the roomful of media. "This isn't a tough question. You know those yellow uprights? You see those things where it has a pole there and the cross bar and those things that go up? What's the kicker supposed to do? I want the ball to go through the uprights. Isn't that the name of the game when the kicker goes out there is to put the ball through the uprights? You don't have to be the head coach at the University of Connecticut to figure that one out."
  It wasn't so much that it was a dumb question from the reporter that sent Edsall into Bobby Knight mode. In all honesty, it was a fair question. It was more likely a combination of the frustrations with his kickers and, well, the fact that the answer was pretty simple. Edsall wasn't vicious in his response, by the way. It was done more in a joking manner.

• Defensive end Jason Ward is out for the West Virginia game. He has been battling an ankle injury since the preseason. Gary Mack will back up Dan Davis instead.

• Edsall said he spoke with his team Monday morning about the Miami-Florida International brawl. He recalled a quote from ex-Syracuse coach Frank Maloney, whom Edsall played for and coached with. "He and an attorney used to talk to us every year," Edsall said. "The quote was the loser goes to the hospital and the winner goes to jail whenever you're involved in a fight."

• West Virginia held a special media teleconference with star tailback Steve Slaton for out-of-state reporters. Let's just say that Slaton, if I may borrow a phrase from Seinfeld, is a bit of a low talker. He sounded like he was speaking through a locked bathroom door. Slaton isn't much for elaborating either. It was like interviewing Will Ferrell after he shot himself with the horse tranquilizer in Old School. To cut Steve a little slack, I'm sure he's sick of answering the same questions every day. But the least he can do is present himself a little better. He's only a Heisman Trophy candidate. Have a cup of coffee, for crying out loud.