Practice had come to an end but there was still some work to do so defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter gathered some of the defensive backs around him. This was not a social gathering but the time to pay up.

One by one they did the dreaded "Up-Downs" that seemingly has served as a punishment for as long as coaches held football practice. The countdown came and went but while Poindexter believed there was still one rep left, senior safety and team captain Andrew Adams thought otherwise.

With a chuckle he politely informed Poindexter that he count was off.

"He counted wrong but that is OK, I did them," Adams said with a laugh. "They were for loafs in the game, sometimes you get caught going a little slow so that is what those are for. I have to held accountable to my plays."

With a career-high 17 tackles in the loss to Navy. there couldn't have been too many instances when Adams wasn't going full speed.

"I might have left one or two out there but I don't dwell on the past, I am ready for BYU," Adams said.

While it is not what drives him, he is also closing in on a milestone. With 195 career tackles Adams has a chance to reach the 200-tackle mark in Friday night's game at BYU.

The last UConn defensive back with at least 200 career tackles happen to be playing in the NFL so perhaps Adams will follow the path of former teammate Bryon Jones by earning a spot on an NFL squad. While NFL scouts are regulars as UConn's games and practices, the potential of playing in the NFL is not on Adams' radar right now.

"I am just trying to improve my game week in and week out," Adams said. "My team needs me to be a dominant player and that is what I try to be on game day.

"I want to be at my best so I can help the team be at their best. If I am playing my best football, I believe the defense will be playing pretty well. I just look to put the defense in the better opportunities and situations possible."

If not for missing six games due to injuries as a freshman and sophomore, Adams would have recorded tackle No. 200 quite some time again. As one of the most experienced players on a defense featuring four sophomore starters, Adams takes his role as an on-field leader and consistent produced to heart.

"I have a bunch of games under my belt so the game slows down as you get older and as you get more experienced so that helps me a lot on game day," said Adams, who leads the Huskies with 34 tackles and two interceptions. "I take pride is how I study week in and week out. Over the years I have developed study habits for the game which are very important."