The quarterback and defensive tackle spots were already positions of concern before QB Michael Nebrich left the program and DT Shamar Stephen was sidelined for a few weeks with a sprained right knee so the quality and quantity of players at those positions was the focus of my main story off UConn's annual media day.

Second-year UConn Paul Pasqualoni expressed confidence that the Huskies should be in good shape at both positions moving forward.

First here is his reaction to Nebrich's decision to leave.

“It was his decision to transfer,” Pasqualoni said. “I would love to have had Mike stay because Michael could come in and contribute and be a good player for us but at the same time the player has got to be happy. We are not going to stand in a guy's way in regards to what he wants to do but we are optimistic with the guys we have. Johnny McEntee played 12 games for us last year, played more than Mike played so it is good to have Johnny. Casey Cochran, he will be healthy pretty soon (after breaking his left wrist in an offseason bicycle accident) and Casey is making progress.

“I think at the quarterback position we are in the developmental phase. It is a work in progress every day but we are happy with the progress we are making.”

Cochran said he hoped to be able to practice without restriction perhaps as soon as before the Aug. 30 season opener against Massachusetts. Also Pasqualoni said he is hoping to have quarterback Scott McCummings back at practice next week. McCummings, used primarily in the Wildcat formation in 2011, has been excused from the first week of practice to tend to a personal matter.


As far as defensive tackle, Stephen suffered a minor sprain to his right knee but there is a chance he could be ready in time for the UMass game.

“It is frustrating but I am learning to deal with it so everything is all right now,” Stephen said. “They are
stepping up and filling in for me.”

Sophomores Angelo Pruitt and B.J. McBryde are among those defensive tackles seeing more time lining up next to starting defensive tackle Ryan Wirth with UConn’s starting defensive unit.

“It was good to know that he (Stephen) was going to be OK,” Wirth said. “He rehabs hard, he works hard and he will be back really quickly. We have a lot of talented guys who are working hard. The sky is the limit for some of these guys “

The defensive line could get a boost from 6-foot-9 freshman Andreas Knappe from Denmark who is expected to go through his first practice in full pads shortly.

UConn’s practices on Tuesday (3-5:30 p.m.) and on Aug. 18 (8:45-11:15 a.m.) at the on-campus practice field off Alumni Drive are open to the public.

Sophomore quarterback Michael Nebrich has decided to transfer from UConn.

Nebrich has taken part in UConn's first five practices and in the two practices I saw he seemed to be the most effective quarterback throwing the ball.

I spoke to Nebrich after UConn's first practice about the quarterback situation since it was the day after Chandler Whitmer was named the Huskies' No. 1 quarterback.

"Me and Chandler are good friends," Nebrich said. "We really didn't care who Coach (Paul) Pasqualoni named the starter. Me and him have been working hard the whole offseason and we are going to continue to support each other."

UConn is a little thin at quarterback at the current time as Scott McCummings, primarily used in the Wildcat formation, has been excused from the early portion of practice for personal reasons and highly-regarded freshman Casey Cochran is still recovering from a broken thumb on his left (non throwing) hand leaving Whitmer and last year's starter Johnny McEntee as the only healthy options at the current time.

With Paul Pasqualoni announcing yesterday that Chandler Whitmer was No. 1 on the depth chart at quarterback, naturally Whitmer was a popular guy with the media following Friday's practice.

Whitmer discussed the advantage of heading into fall camp knowing he is the No. 1 guy.


"It is chemistry," Whitmer said. "I think getting out there and getting into a rhythm with the guys who are going to be out there is something that is exciting

"He (Pasqualoni) called me in the office. I have been working all summer and he told me yesterday. I have been trying to improve myself all summer and get better and try to win games."

Pasqualoni, who resisted the temptation to name Whitmer the starting QB despite an impressive showing in the spring game by the junior college transfer and again at the Big East media day on Tuesday, addressed why he made the move on Thursday.


"We wanted to give the starter coming into camp more of an opportunity with the reps to work with the first team guys in an effort to develop the communication aspect, the chemistry aspect, the feel for each other aspect," Pasqualoni said. "Under the conditions of the position right now I just thought we'd go this way. It is a judgment call on my part. Sometimes you try to gather all the important information you can and you make the gut call. I think it is going to help Chandler in regards of being the starter and I think it is going to help the selection of who the backup is because we are not going to make it through the season with one quarterback. We are going to need another guy to go in and win the game so I felt it was going to help us all around."

While Whitmer may be the No. 1 guy at QB, Michael Nebrich may have been the most consistently impresssive thrower on Friday. Bear in mind it was a practice without pads and almost no contact so take this info for what it's worth but Pasqualoni said he was impressed with the improvement Nebrich has made on throwing the deep ball. Whitmer threw some nice balls but also forced the issue a little too much leading to some ill-advised throws.




"I think the whole offense kind of did click which is surprising since it is our first day," Nebrich said. "I think the offseason work really panned out for all of us and hopefully we keep it going through the rest of camp."

Nebrich downplayed the announcement of Whitmer at the No. 1 QB.

"Me and Chandler are good friends," Nebrich said. "We really didn't care who Coach Pasqualoni named the starter, me and him have been working hard the whole offseason and we are going to continue to support each other out here. I think that is what you saw today, we were both completing a lot of throws today. We are both trying to make each other better. Whoever can help the team win the best that is who they are going to play. I am going to support him; he is gong to support me it doesn't matter."

Staying on the subject of the quarterbacks, Pasqualoni said that Scott McCummings should be returning soon but he did not know the exact date. McCummings has been excused from the early part of camp to tend to personal matters, A broken left thumb kept freshman Casey Cochran limited to the role of reluctant spectactor. Pasqualoni did not have a definitive timeline of when he would come to a decision whether or not to redshirt Cochran.


"We could make it by the UMass game but typically we might not make it until the sixth game of the year and that is kind of the rule for freshmen redshirt guys," Pasqualoni said. "Some of them it is a clear that you redshirt them at the end of camp, other guys it is not quite as clear. It (varies) depending on the guy, depending on the needs."