A pair of UConn offensive linemen have been signed an undrafted rookie free agents by NFL teams. Just think about that statement for a bit while pondering the well-documented offensive line struggles at UConn in recent years.

Andreas Knappe was signed by the Atlanta Falcons shortly after the NFL draft came to an end. Today came word that after bringing in more than 50 players for tryouts, Richard Levy was one of three tryout players signed as free agents by San Francisco.

Levy was the starting left tackle as a sophomore and junior but with the emergence of redshirt freshman Matthew Peart, he moved to guard as he started all 37 games between 2014-16. I haven't heard whether Levy was playing tackle or guard for the 49ers.

I took over the day to day coverage of UConn football in 2013 and don't recall a rookie offensive lineman being on the 90-man roster of an NFL team during that time. I did some checking and it looks like the last time that happened was in 2012 when Moe Petrus was signed by Tampa Bay and Mike Ryan by Cincinnati.

By my count, 11 players on UConn's 2014 team - a roster that former coach Bob Diaco managed to squeeze one whole win against a Football Bowl Subdivision team - have taken part or will take part in NFL training camps (not including tryouts at rookie camps).

S Andrew Adams: Started 13 games and had 46 tackles as a rookie with New York Giants
DT Kenton Adeyemi: Signed as free agent in 2016 by Chicago and then Cleveland
WR Geremy Davis: Former sixth-round pick by New York Giants had two catches in 10 games in 2016, now on Los Angeles Chargers' roster
WR Deshon Foxx: Current on New York Jets roster, previously with Seattle
CB John Green: Signed as free agent by Tennessee Titans
DB Byron Jones: Starting safety for Dallas Cowboys who had 88 tackles in second NFL season
OT Andreas Knappe: Currently on Atlanta's 90-man roster
OT Richard Levy: Currently on San Francisco's 90-man roster
DL B.J. McBryde: Spent team either on the roster or practice squad with Philadelphia, Green Bay and San Franisco
S Obi Melifonwu: Second-round pick of Oakland Raiders
WR Noel Thomas: Signed as a free agent by Detroit

Also, defensive lineman Mikal Myers (Baltimore), kicker Bobby Puyol (Baltimore) and cornerback Jhavon Williams (New Orleans) got looks in rookie camp as did Reuben Frank with Detroit in 2015 while a talented group of seniors, who were freshmen on the 2014 team, figure to add to that list in 2018.

The situation had the potential for disaster.

Rich Levy, the only returning offensive player to start every game in the last two seasons, was going to be replaced at left tackle by redshirt freshman Matt Peart. The decision was made before the team hit the field for the first spring practice and it is the kind of move that could cause an implosion.

Levy, however, was determined not to put his personal goals over the good of the team. Nobody has been more in Peart's corner than Levy but that still left a question about what was going to happen with Levy.

At one point in spring camp he saw some snaps at left guard both with the first and second teams before giving it the old college try to right guard. It wasn't going to be easy as Trey Rutherford began spring ball as the starting right guard and former starting center Brendan Vechery, whose natural position is guard, was also in the mix. Yet, in Saturday's Blue-White Game it was Levy who got the call as the starting right guard.

"It has been an ongoing battle between left and right for me, I finally transitioned to right and I am getting it down," Levy said.

The 6-foot-6, 319-pound Levy is now lining up next to the 6-foot-8, 319-pound Andreas Knappe to form an imposing right side of the offensive line. Peart (6-7, 291 pounds) and Tommy Hopkins (6-6, 316 pounds) seem entrenched on the left side with the return of Ryan Crozier at center giving UConn the potential of having its best line in recent memory.

Levy is not only attempting to make an impact at guard but he is also trying to be a sounding board for Peart.

"In reality, I feel like Matt has a good grip on that position so me moving to what I feel like is my natural position at right guard, it wasn't that much of a big deal, we all just do what we had to do to win," Levy said.

"We felt like he could make plays, he is a great tackle and if I am at guard, if that is going to help us win, let's do it."

Left tackle is the only offensive line position Levy played in high school and college before the start of spring practice. He admits that things tend to happen much quicker at guard and there are more times when he needs to engage defensive players in space which is something that wasn't the case at left tackle.

"You should be a lot more versatile and be able to play more offensive line (positions) in general," Levy said. "I am coaching them as much as I can, coach myself as much as I can, take coaching as much as I can and keep going."

Earlier in spring practice Peart spoke about his ascension to being the No. 1 left tackle and how much Levy has aided in his learning curve.

"Rich, he has been probably my biggest mentor because he has played the position before and has a ton of experience," Peart said. "Every single time I go 'hey, was my foot work good? Was my second step faster? How about my kick step? Was my base too wide?' I am always asking him tiny little minor details because I am trying to get better because he knows so I always go to him for help."

So what advice does Levy give to UConn's new starting left tackle? 

"I told him to just keep calm, you are going to get it, don't get stressed, don't crack just keep level headed," Levy said. "Whenever he has a question, I help him out."

The way Levy has dealt with losing his starting left tackle spot has not been lost on his teammates.

"It is a testament to him," UConn starting quarterback Bryant Shirreffs said. "I think this is his third position this spring so it just shows  he is as an overall linemen to be able to play three different positions and how everybody can accept playing different positions. Our linemen as so diverse that they aren't just stuck to one (position)."

The biggest offensive play in the spring game was a 63-yard touchdown run by Ron Johnson and the play began with Johnson running right, turning the corner, breaking a tackle and breaking free. The video below shows Levy making a block to help spring Johnson.

"He is willing to help the team in any way he can and he is such an amazing leader, vocally and leading by example and to see him to be able to take on different positions and different obstacles throughout his life is amazing," Johnson said. "He is an amazing guy on and off the field.

"Rich being an older guy, he takes guys under his wing, he understands the playbook and makes sure he (shares) that knowledge. He is passing it down, just to listen to him, understand where he is coming from, makes you (realize) everything he is doing is amazing."

I just finished watching a replay of last night's game because you always see things a little differently than you do on game night. Now it is time to break down what went right and what did not.


THE GOOD
The sophomore trio of Foley Fatukasi, Luke Carrezola and Junior Joseph have a chance to be scary good by the time they are there. Heck, they might already be there. I would have to think Villanova quarterback John Robertson was seeing images of Carrezola when he went to sleep last night, Carrezola was only credited with six tackles but he was constantly applying pressure. It was Carrezola who did just enough to force Robertson into the throw which was intercepted by Andrew Adams/ Fatukasi had two of the team's four sacks and two tackles for loss. He was simply too much for the Villanova line to handle. Joseph didn't get as much attention as the game was going on but when he hits you, the play is over.

Ron Johnson displayed quickness, vision and power for UConn

Tight ends were not a featured part of the passing game in the two scrimmages I saw and it was good to see Tommy Myers and Alec Bloom targeted as much as they were. The combined for 99 yards on three catches and could have had six catches between them.

I wrote earlier in this blog how much quicker Ron Johnson looks and it was on display against Villanova. He was cutting quickly and with purpose but also displayed pure power. I had him forcing four missed tackles in the first half and I wish I had charted his yards after contact because it would have been a pretty impressive number. His final numbers (23 carries for 69 yards) might not blow anybody away but don't forget a 24-yard run wiped out by a needless hold by left tackle Richard Levy.

If Bryant Shirreffs was rusty while playing his first game since 2013, it didn't show. He finished 12 of 20 for 202 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He was victimized by two sure drops, made a great throw down the sideline to Noel Thomas that was just a matter of an inch or so from being a huge play and while his throw to Myers late in the first half wasn't great, it was merely bad luck what it resulted in an interception. Shirreffs was tentative a couple of times on runs but that part of his game figures to improve. I thought they forgot to look in the direction of Noel Thomas for long stretches which is something the Villanova team was probably very thankful for.

THE BAD
Villanova had six tackles for loss and by my count, four of them were a result of simply not blocking the defender. Most of these came from the left side where there seemed to be communication issues with Levy, the tight ends and running backs. This is easily fixed and I would think it will be addressed this week in practice. It was encouraging that the interior of the line featuring first-time starters Tommy Hopkins and Brendan Vechery seemed to hold up pretty well. Also, senior guard Tyler Samra wasn't too noticeable on the tape which is usually a good thing for an interior offensive lineman.

Six offensive touches for Arkeel Newsome is simply not acceptable. He needs to get his hands on the ball more and his 27-yard dash to the end zone with a screen pass made that abundantly clear. What was interested in watching the tape is that he ran to the sideline right before that play thinking he was being taken out. Instead, Max DeLorenzo came to the sidelines and Newsome came up with one of the best plays in the game.

The holding penalties on veteran tackles Levy (wiping out Johnson's best run) and Andreas Knappe (resulting in a safety when he was called for holding Trumbull's Don Cherry in the end zone) were lazy plays. They were in position to make the blocks but instead reached out and grabbed jerseys. The 15-yard penalties against Fatukasi and Johnson was a case of young, enthusiastic players getting carried away. I am sure it will be a point of emphasis as their passion and skill make them key players on this UConn team but they will learn when it is time to line up for the next play.

THE UGLY
 With the exception of the third quarter, UConn's defense on third down was just dreadful. There was a stretch where Villanova converted five first downs on seven third-down plays. Here's the breakdown

3rd and 6: 7 yards
3rd and 2: 2 yards
3rd and 21: 22 yards
3rd and 9: 10 yards
3rd and 6: 13 yards and a touchdown

Villanova averaged 7.2 yards on third down plays and 3.5 on all the other plays. The Huskies did such a great job putting themselves in position to get off the field only to throw it away with poor execution on third down.

By my count UConn missed 10 tackles. Now five of those came against the slippery John Robertson but still, that is a concern. It is the season opener and it is the first time they could hit with no restrictions but with Army and its vaunted option offense up next, this needs to be cleaned up.

In closing, UConn has to feel pretty good about how things went especially with 11 of the 22 starters being sophomores including seven first-time starters. I am sure there are some out there saying what's the big deal about an FBS team beating an FCS team especially at home. The fact is that a year ago UConn would not have won that game and two years they didn't emerge victorious in a similar situation as Towson posted a 33-18 win. Villanova is not your ordinary FCS team even with the loss key players on the both sides of the game. For a program needing positive results to build off, what took place last night was a nice way to get things started.

Guard Tyler Samra could be UConn's only senior starter on offense

A new season, a new offensive coordinator and plenty of optimism that this is the season when not turning the ball over can be considered a successful possession.

As I begin my fourth season on the beat, the story lines surrounding the UConn football team haven't really changed. Frank Verducci is the fourth offensive coordinator in the last four seasons (five if you count the time when Shane Day called the plays after T.J. Weist became the interim head coach).

Bryant Shirreffs will be the third different quarterback to start a UConn season opener in the last three seasons and there are people, myself included, curious to see how he is going to perform. For the record, I liked what I saw in the two scrimmages and two practices I attended in preseason camp more than what I witnessed during spring practice. He can make all the throws, has looked pretty good throwing the deep sideline out which is the one throw I always look for in judging a quarterback's arm strength. He doesn't seem to be as much of a riverboat gambler as Chandler Whitmer. Whitmer's aggressive mindset resulted in some tough throws into tight windows but also costly interceptions. I don't think Shirreffs will make as many risky throws as Whitmer did. He also gives UConn a true pass-run threat at the quarterback position which is something that has been lacking.

That is not the only question I have regarding the offense. I think UConn is in pretty good shape at offensive tackle with Richard Levy and Andreas Knappe returning for their second season as starters. However, the interior offensive line positions, that is a different story. UConn fans have to hope that the season-ending injury suffered by Ryan Crozier doesn't become a popular story angle because that would mean that first-year starters Brendan Vechery and Tommy Hopkins were struggling. It was hard to get an accurate read on how they are playing because going up against UConn's defensive line is going to be a tough task for anybody this season.

Noel Thomas enters his junior season as UConn's top receiver

My other major concern is who emerges as a secondary receiving option. Noel Thomas is primed for a special season. In my opinion he's been UConn's best player in camp. He has caught everything and I do mean everything thrown in his direction. He had enough highlight variety catches in the last scrimmage I was at as some players get in an entire season. However, teams are going to make it a point of taking Thomas away so it will be imperative that somebody else steps up. It would not surprise me in the least if true freshman Tyraiq Beals ends up being that guy. I also anticipate tailback Arkeel Newsome and the tight end position (likely Alec Bloom and Chris Lee)  to be targeted often.

While their offensive philosophies are different, I see a lot of T.J. Weist in new offensive coordinator Frank Verducci. He's an energetic, tell it like it is kind of guy and when the assistant coaches are made available to the media, he is usually either the first or last guy I seek out. He was the last person I spoke to during UConn's media day and he gave me some great stuff about the growth of the offense since a less than stellar showing in the first scrimmage of preseason camp.

Here's what he had to say.

"I like how we have progressed in the last week," Verducci said. "(The second scrimmage) was a giant step for us, it was more situation specific, red zone and stuff like that. We were pleased with the progress. Even since then I think we have made another jump.

Arkeel Newsome led UConn in all-purpose yardage as a freshman

"One of the things that is hard to develop is a sense of self expectation standards. I think our standards have risen, our expectation of how we practice, how efficient we are and all that kind of thing and that has jumped up. The greatest thing is that we have kept the players healthy and in doing so, they have had a chance to improve and I think they have done that."

Every indication is that sophomores Ron Johnson and Newsome will handle the bulk of the carries although I expect to see senior Max DeLorenzo seeing time as well likely at a variety of positions.

"What we have to be careful with Ron is we have to understand that he is still a young player," Verducci said. "In a lot of programs he would have been a redshirt and he would just be playing, he would be getting his first exposure right. A lot of times he would be getting exposure behind an upperclassmen where he shot to the front of the line here for whatever reason. The thing as a coach that I have to be aware of is that he is a young player, he does lack experience in certain areas. Just because he is the No. 1 guy, we still think his ceiling is still very high and we are trying to continue to develop him as he is contributing which is a bit of a challenge.

"Arkeel is very deceiving. For a guy as slight in stature as he is, he is as physical of a player that we have pound for pound he really is a physical player."

About the offensive line ...

"I think the greatest asset we have there is Mike Cummings because he's doing a tremendous job of building them as a group, developing them individually so I have all the confidence in the world there," Verducci said. "As a former line coach myself, I sit there and watch what Mike does and he does a sensational job. The players absolutely respond to him and I am confident with where we are headed even with the lack of experience there, we are just going to continue to get better."

Some of his quotes on Shirreffs made the story I filed on Sunday when Shirreffs was named the starting quarterback but in case you missed it, here you go.

"I love Bryant Shirreffs," Verducci said. I think his teammates will say that he is one of if not the hardest working guy on the team,

"Bryant Shirreffs is a guy that every minute you invest with him, you get a return, he is a joy to work with."

Finally, depending on what happens with DeLorenzo, guard Tyler Samra could be the only senior starter on offense so I was curious if Verducci was concerned about a lack of veteran leadership.

"The team is led irregardless of class," Verducci said. "Some of our best leaders are sophomores and juniors on the offensive side of the ball and I think you will always see that in a program is geared towards developing leadership at all levels regardless of seniority."

Verducci mentioned tackles Levy and Knappe and guard Samra among the players taking leadership roles on offense.

Tomorrow night we'll get the first look at how this offense is going to look and get the answers to some of the questions posted above.

Bob Diaco had a lot to say in the 30 or so minutes he was available to the media at Wednesday's media day.

However, the one comment that really surprised me was when he spoke about the freshmen and had this to say:

"The offensive line, the defensive line, the tight end position, in the linebacker corps and that group there, that could become a mess. So where are they participating? They are participating, potentially, in the skill positions. I am fairly certain that is going to be the hallmark of this year. I can't imagine in the two deep there being a true freshman that is going to be a guy that the team is counting on (at those positions). The only one would be Matt Peart at left tackle and he is by no means ready to go in the game and play. We'll see if we can get him ready to go into the game in a week."

Peart was consistently working as an offensive tackle with the second team during all the three practices/scrimmages we were able to check out during preseason camp which made Diaco's comments all the more noteworthy to me.

When you look at the fact that UConn has been forced, mostly due to injury, to start four different players at right tackle during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, having quality backups at tackle is no small matter.

I followed up with offensive line coach Mike Cummings on which players would join sophomore Trey Rutherford as options as tackle behind starters Richard Levy and Andreas Knappe.

I assumed that former starting tackle Dalton Gifford would be at the top of the list of contenders and Cummings had plenty to say about Gifford.

"Dalton has played every position on the offensive line," Cummings said. "There are four tackles in there for sure who have played tackle. Tommy Hopkins have played tackle, there are a lot of guys who can play at that position."

One of the more intriguing situations in camp centered around Dalton, who began the 2014 season starting at right tackle while Knappe got healthy. Yet, there he was working with the third string as he was behind a true freshman (Peart) and true sophomore (Rutherford) and at the first practice I was at true sophomore Steve Hashemi was also seeing time at tackle ahead of Gifford.

"Dalton is doing a good job, he is working hard, he is a good teammate," Cummings said. "If he is taking anything personally, it is probably on the positive end. He has a great attitude and is a great senior. Anytime we ask Dalton to go in, he is ready to go. He isn't day dreaming through camp, he is ready to go."

Hashemi, a former St. Joseph of Trumbull star, has had an interesting camp. He moved to tight end as a freshman and after moving back to his natural offensive line position, he has worked in at both guard and tackle.

"We have him at both right now, we have him playing guard," Cummings said. "He has the skill to play either of them and he is a tough guy. We are trying to get the right people on the field at the right spots. He could play guard for us, he could play tackle. he is doing a great job. The biggest thing is he athletic, he is tough, he loves the school, he loves the state and that goes a long way."

Of course who is going to be the second string offensive tackles isn't as pressing of an issue as how the interior offensive line is going to perform. They seem to have had their struggles when I was there but Cummings and offensive coordinator Frank Verducci said they are encouraged by what they have seen from center Brendan Vechery and guards Tommy Hopkins and Tyler Samra.

Cummings believes Vechery will benefit from going head to head with defensive tackle/nose guard Julian Campenni every day in practice.

"I don't know if there is a better guy you could practice with at that position, I don't know if there could be," Cummings said. "He is getting a lot of work.

"Hopkins and Vechery are doing well, they learn every day. It is not like they are new to the position, they are working very hard."

Samra, who could be the only senior starter on offense depending on what happens with running back Max DeLorenzo, has plenty on his plate as he needs to take care of his duties but also add leadership with first-time starters Vechery and Hopkins next to him.
"We came a long way just coming from spring ball," Samra said. "Losing Ryan Crozier (to a season-ending leg injury) was pretty hard on us but Vechery is stepping up. You can see we are working together as a unit which was something that was kind of hard for us last year because we had a lot of newcomers, a lot of new starters so this year, this camp we have come a long way.

"They all know the game, it is not getting them used to (playing). We are getting better as a unit. It is more fluid in everything we do on the line."

UConn coach Bob Diaco also weighed in on Vechery's growth as the Huskies starting center.
"I am very interested what that play is going to look like (at center)," Diaco said. "I can't wait for the game to watch these guys play. I can't wait to watch Vech and see what he's going to be in the game after all this preparation and work that he's put in. He looks good, every day he gets better and better, learns something new about the spot so it is exciting."

Tyler Samra is one of two returning offensive linemen to start
all 12 games at UConn during 2014 season

The exact timeline is a little fuzzy to Mike Cummings.

At some point during his first season on the UConn football coaching staff all the weeks felt like all the other ones. So just when Cummings, who was hired to be the offensive coordinator and work with the tight ends, began taking on more of a hands' on approach with the struggling offensive line escapes him.

"Some of it is a blur for me but I would say it was around week four," Cummings said.
The timing would make sense. The fourth game of the season was the nightmare at South Florida when the Huskies abandoned the passing game for a significant portion of the game because the coaching staff didn't want to risk more costly turnovers.

Once the season began the practices were not open to the media which is nothing new as it was the same way when Paul Pasqualoni was the Huskies' head coach. The result is I didn't fully understand how involved Cummings was in the improved play of the offensive line until the season was over.
UConn coach Bob Diaco did want to use the fact that Cummings was being pulled in a few different ways as an excuse. But when the season came to an end, it was clear he was going to make some changes on the offensive side of the ball. Mike Foley, who coached the offensive line from 2006-10 when future NFL running backs Jordan Todman and Donald Brown were among the nation's most productive tailbacks. When Pasqualoni was hired, he brought in George DeLeone to work with the offensive line and Foley moved over to work with the tight ends during the 2011 and 2012 seasons and started the 2013 season in the same capacity. When Pasqualoni and DeLeone were fired after an 0-4 start, Foley returned to work with the offensive line. He was the only coach retained by Diaco before deciding that something had to be done.

When the dust settled none of the remaining offensive assistants had the same responsibilities. Nobody was more impacted than Cummings who returned to his speciality of coaching the offensive line. While he is still listed as co-offensive coordinator, veteran NFL assistant coach Frank Verducci was brought in to be the offensive coordinator and call the plays.

In retrospect Cummings admitted the time be devoted on fixing the leaky offensive line probably hurt his performance as a play caller.

"I spent all the individual time with the line," Cummings said. "The division was doing position, individual (work) with the offensive line and then I spent time with the team in the other (practice periods).

"It is difficult when you spend so much time coaching five guys that it feels like it is a different world. It if difficult because you are focused and locked in on a particular portion of the offense that when you step out into the big picture, you kind of go back to that part of the offense which is a huge part of the offense."

The results were hard to overlook.

UConn did not allow a sack in three of the last four games and the running game was more productive as well. After the East Carolina game UConn had one game with at least 160 rushing yards in the last 31 contests. The Huskies accomplished the feat three times in the last five games with the 249 yards against SMU is the most since a Nov. 11, 2010 game against Pittsburgh.

"That was huge," Cummings said. "That does mean a lot. If you coach the position, you are motivated by players getting better. You are not motivated by notoriety, obviously you want to win the games and that is primary but seeing players get better and develop skill wise, emotionally, socially those are big deals."

Cummings said he is 100 percent all in with his new role. I'm sure seeing somebody else call the plays must have stung Cummings a little but he certainly said all the right things about Verducci's arrival and his changing role.

"Frank is very detailed," Cummings said. "I think he has a very good vision and plan and I think it is a shared vision. I enjoy working with him, he really likes collaborative efforts with the staff which is big. He lets the position coaches have ownership."

As for the players he will be working with, Richard Levy and Tyler Samra started every game at left tackle and right guard respectively. Andreas Knappe likely would have started every game at right tackle if not for a leg injury he suffered late in preseason camp. He started the last seven games while true freshman Ryan Crozier was the starting left guard for the final three games. UConn did lose Alex Mateas, the starter at center in all 12 games, and Gus Cruz, who got the start at left guard for the first nine games. Those were the only losses on the offensive line. Trey Rutherford, Thomas Hopkins, Kyle Bockeloh and Gifford lead the list of the other linemen who got game experience a season ago. Obviously the biggest question facing the offensive line is who is going to earn the starting center job. Daniel Oak, who redshirted last season, drew plenty of praise for his work in practice. He figures to push Bockeloh for the job. Cummings couldn't say enough good things about Oak, who added 13 pounds since the end of last season and is now listed at 278.

"Dan Oak made a lot of progress," Cummings said. "He is a smart player, he is very tough. While he didn't get the game experience, we felt it was best to redshirt him because we could. He is a player that we are expecting a lot from him. We were able to put him in (practice) and he was able to battle with our defense as a next man in, not as a scout team or look team (center) and he was very aggressive. He did a good job, not a great job but a good job against our nose men which in our league are very difficult to block."

Another player of interest is Shelton's Steve Hashemi, who was moved to tight end and saw time on special teams as a true freshman. With so many tight ends as part of the incoming freshman class, Hashemi can move back to the offensive line which is what he was recruited to play.

"He has a lot of upside and he is going to develop," Cummings said. "He is only 270 pounds. I say only 270 but he's going to weight 300 and some pounds. He is a good big athlete who could step in and be able to do the job we asked him to do. Now we've got somebody for that job so we will bring him back and put him in the position we really wanted him in."

Obviously true freshmen Crozier and Rutherford were seeing time throughout the season and the Huskies had inexperienced starters at the tackle position. It is only natural that there were some growing pains.

"There is a frustration part of it that you know they are going to be really good but they are not there yet so you had to pull it back and make sure what you teach them is to the smallest common denominator so they can successful," said Cummings, who helped turn Eric Fisher from lightly-regarded prospect to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft during his four years coaching the offensive line at Central Michigan. "As they get older it is really fun because they have the building blocks and experience. It is not a guy who is in his third year and hasn't played, it is a little different."

It also helps that the offensive linemen continue to bulk up led by the tackle duo of Levy and Knappe.
"They are pushers, shovers, mushers were everybody else is a runner," Cummings said. "They are totally trained for that, that has been a big improvement for Andreas, he has been through the battles."

NEWSOME, JOHNSON READY FOR AN ENCORESpeaking of young players getting a baptism under fire, there wasn't much time for tailbacks Ron Johnson and Arkeel Newsome to act like the true freshmen that they were a season ago. With Max DeLorenzo the only experienced tailback on last year's team, Johnson, Newsome and redshirt freshman Josh Marriner were thrown right into the mix from the opening game.
That experience should serve the young running backs well this season.

"He is a guy that is obviously very explosive so we tried to find ways to get him the ball," said UConn assistant coach David Corley, who coached the running backs last season. "We got the ball in his hands and a couple of times he was able to make some big plays happen. It is a natural maturation process. In your first year of college there are so many distractions that are happening, things are moving faster on the field then they were in high school. I think he was able to settle himself. I think he is better prepared now  what is expected from him, what is necessary and I think he is looking forward to these 15 days of spring practice and find a way to get better every day.

"They had no choice but to grow up. You come out high school, you are used to a certain speed of the game, a certain size of the opponents. Now you are in college and you are playing against grown me who are 21/22 years old. I think those guys definitely, it was a process and it didn't happen overnight but I think they learned and they grew up quite a bit in those 12 games last year."

Heading into last season there was not a position on the UConn team with more experience than offensive tackle as the duo of Jimmy Bennett and Kevin Friend have been protecting the edge for a few years.

In the "what a difference a year makes" department, now the Huskies have a starting left tackle (sophomore Rich Levy) who played a couple of snaps in a mop-up role against Buffalo and the other right tackle was projected to be former defensive lineman Andreas Knappe. With Knappe likely to miss the season opener against BYU due to a lower-leg injury, Dalton Gifford returns to man the position where he started six games in place of Friend a season ago.

BYU didn't exactly set the world on fire in the pass-rush department last season and the returning players accounted for just 14 sacks during the 2013 campaign. Still, there will be plenty of eyes on the offensive tackles to see how they hold up.

"It is just a matter of stepping on the field and getting going, getting game experience," UConn offensive line coach Mike Foley said. "Guys like Rich Levy have done a tremendous job through camp and through the spring and it is game experience now. He has the tools, it is just a matter of getting up there and gaining that experience, being productive. That is college football too, you don't keep them forever so it is the next guy up to go in there and be productive. It is their time to go in there and get it going. The other tackle, Gifford is in there and he has done a nice job throughout camp, he's played for us. He started for us last year when Kevin Friend went down towards the end of the year. Those guys are going to be on the field and they are starting to come together.

"It will be a real test for us and we are real anxious to see where we really are. I think we have gotten better within ourselves playing against our own team and everything else but now it time to line up against somebody else and see where we really are. We are not a finished product. I think this is an offensive line that will grow and get better as the year goes on. That is not saying that we won't be ready to play Friday night, we will be ready but I think we will be a group that will keep improving because we don't have a ton of experience with these guys."

Both Gifford and Levy said they learned so much from Bennett and Friend even when they weren't playing.

"It was motivation for everyone, the fact that we can fill their shoes in terms of picking up where we left off at," Levy said. "For me, it was motivation because with Kevin (Friend) and (Bennett) leaving and I wanted to be how he was, if not better. I learned a lot. I learned not to get down after a bad play, I learned how to bounce back, I learned how to persevere and keep going no matter what the situation is."

Gifford relied heavily on any advice he could get from Friend when he was thrust into the starting lineup.

"I just took it a day at a time. I was really close with Kevin and Jimmy and those guys," Gifford said. "Being with the 2's and being around them all the time allowed me to be ready for anything so whenever I have to go in, I was ready to go in to play at a high level. Kevin really prepared me and made sure I wasn't too rattled to go in the game.

"In the beginning when I wasn't sure if Kevin was going to be able to play or not and I was just making sure I was going to try my best to play at his level or above his level. Once I got into the flow of the game, the nerves settled and the smoke cleared I just played at my level and hope that was good enough for everyone."

Gifford drew praise from Foley and UConn head coach Bob Diaco for how far he came during preseason camp. He rose to the challenge after Knappe went down and Gifford began to work with the first team.

"I've been making sure to work on a lot of my fundamentals and the little things that make the big things happen easier," Gifford said. "That is the focus I have had in preseason camp to make myself better starting with the small steps and working up to the big stuff."

Levy's focus was more on the physical side of things. He is in the best shape of his life and it shows.

"I feel like I made the most progress with my footwork," Levy said. "I didn't have the best footwork last year and I committed time to getting better in the offseason and really grinding. I would say the change that we went through as a program and the nutrition factor really helped me a lot."

Emotions will be riding high when Levy trots onto Rentschler Field for his first collegiate start on Friday night.

"I just remember where I came from and all the people who depend on me back home, people who want to see me succeed as much as I do," Levy said. "I use that as my motivation every day to do the best of my ability.

"It is going to be very special. It is going to be a very different thing to witness but I feel as though I have worked for it."

While there's plenty of work yet to be done before UConn opens up the 2014 season against Brigham Young, it is looking like the coaching staff has a pretty good idea who are the building blocks on the offensive line.

At the first practice I attended, the No. 1 line consisted of (from left to right) tackle Richard Levy, guard Kyle Schafenacker, center Alex Mateas, guard Bryan Paull and tackle Dalton Gifford. After nearly a week and a half off due to spring break and more importantly, that much down time for the staff to break down the performance of that line, four of the five players were in the first O-line group sent out at yesterday's practice.

Levy and Gfford remained the left and right tackles and Mateas (who is impressing head coach Bob Diaco with his leadership) was the starting center. Paull moved from right guard to left guard while Tyler Samra moved in at the right guard spot. Again, this is very much subject to change with 10 more spring practices to go before the Apr. 12 spring game.

Gus Cruz, who started five games in each of the last two years at right guard, is still relegated to riding the stationary bike at practice. If he is able to return to the field after seeing his 2013 season cut short due to cardiac issues, it could provide a huge lift to a young offensive line.

Also in the "for what it is worth department" Casey Cochran was the first QB I saw in the offensive reps although the QBs seem to be getting a similar amount of reps and the brief time I was able to watch, I saw plenty of formations with both a fullback and tight end which was a rarity a season ago whether it was Paul Pasqualoni coaching the team or T.J. Weist assuming control of the team. It is going to be interesting to see how this plays out. UConn has an overflow of talented receivers so if the Huskies opt to use a tailback, fullback and tight end, that means only two receivers can be out on the field. The trio of Geremy Davis, Shakim Phillips and Deshon Foxx figure to be among the best playmakers on the 2014 UConn team so that would mean that either the fullback or tight end position would get fewer snaps if Diaco and offensive coordinator Mike Cummings opts to use more three-receiver sets. Davis has looked rock solid in blocking drills so that could also figure into things down the road when the Huskies determine how to best use their receivers, tight ends and fullbacks as  big receivers like Davis (6-3, 216 pounds) and Phillips (6-3, 206) could help in the running game as well as given the No. 1 quarterback big targets on the outside.