UConn opened today's practice to the media, so here are a few odds and ends picked up in discussions with Donald Brown, Terry Caulley, Randy Edsall and Lindsey Witten mixed in with a few of my own useless thoughts and observations.

• Donald Brown is the complete package. He has speed (ran the 40 in 4.41 electric last spring), elusiveness (displayed against Rutgers) and runs with serious power. He squats over 600 pounds. That's triple his body weight, and pretty impressive for a running back.

• Terry Caulley almost sounded like a proud father (or older brother) when talking about watching Brown's performance against Rutgers. "To see the things he did, I was very happy," Caulley said. "I've watched him develop and grow, and an very happy for him. I was his host when he came on his recruiting visit and we were roomates for his (true) freshman training camp. You can see in his blocks and the way he ran that he has a lot of talent."

• UConn got a verbal commitment from quarterback Cody Endres over the summer. The Huskies will still likely have only two scholarship QBs for spring practice (unless Endres enrolls early). Asked if he would look at junior college quarterbacks to provide assistance at the position, Randy Edsall said he is looking to bring in one more quarterback for next season, though he couldn't be any more specific because of NCAA regulations on recruiting. The Huskies have been in contact with Bryan Savage, a Wisconsin transfer now at Coffeyville (Kans.) CC, and are likely looking at others.

• Hard Hittin' Lindsey Witten was one of 21 players from Glenville High-Cleveland's class of 2006 to receive a football scholarship. Folks, there are only 22 football players who can be on the field at one time. Twelve teammates are now at Division I-A programs, including three at Ohio State, two at Iowa and one each at Cincinnati, Indiana, Wisconsin, Toledo, Purdue and Marshall. Nine others are at Division I-AA or Division II programs. Think that's amazing? Get this. Witten, who also played basketball and ran track at Glenville, says six of his basketball teammates from last winter are now playing college ball.

I can't include Louisville-West Virginia in the weekly pick'em contest because it's being played Thursday night. But I will give a prediction. The winner will finish the season undefeated and wind up in the national championship game against the winner of the Ohio State-Michigan game (yeah, I'm really going out on a limb there). West Virginia will squeak past the Cardinals 41-35 in a shootout (and a can't miss game). The Mountaineers will meet Ohio State in Glendale, Ariz. for the national championship on Jan. 8.