UConnReport.com - Late skids could end against Louisville

October 17, 2009

Associated Press

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - UConn coach Randy Edsall is looking for someone, anyone, to step up and make a big play for the Huskies in the fourth quarter.

That's because UConn (3-2, 0-1 Big East), which hosts Louisville (2-3, 0-1) this afternoon, has had trouble finishing games this season and has been outscored 40-10 in the fourth quarter of games against Bowl Championship Series opponents.

The Huskies are coming off a 24-21 loss to Pittsburgh, a game in which they blew a 21-6 third-quarter lead and watched the Panthers celebrate after a last-second field goal. Earlier this season, they had a 10-0 fourth-quarter lead and lost to North Carolina 12-10.

"It's tough because you've lost two games now by a total of five points," Edsall said. "It's not like you got your butts handed to you or you got blown out."

The Huskies will get a chance to prove things right today by hosting the Cardinals, who snapped a three-game losing streak and an eight-game losing streak to Football Bowl Subdivision opponents with a victory over Southern Miss last week.

First, in order to do so, Edsall called out some of his seniors to provide confidence and a can-do attitude on the field. Defensive end Lindsey Witten, cornerback Robert McClain and free safety Robert Vaughn, the Big East's defensive player of the week, were challenged by their coach.

"I agree with that," said Vaughn, who against Pitt had 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and two interceptions, including one that he returned 20 yards for a touchdown. "You look at the two games we lost and we feel we let it go in the fourth quarter, and that's something that we need to take personally and not let it happen again. You can't give away games like that if you want to go where every team wants to go."

UConn will be led for the fourth consecutive week by sophomore quarterback Cody Endres, who played well enough in relief of an injured Zach Frazer to keep the job, even though the junior transfer from Notre Dame has recovered from the knee injury he suffered against the Tar Heels.

Edsall said Frazer didn't lose the job because he was injured, but because Endres played better in his starts than Frazer had.

"If you have an injury and you get hurt, but somebody else comes in and is playing better than you were before you got hurt, that guy is really playing well, it's tough to take that guy out," Edsall said.

Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe also is expected to stick with his one-time backup quarterback, Adam Froman, despite Justin Burke's availability.

Froman threw for 248 yards a week ago in the Cardinals' come-from-behind 25-23 win over Southern Miss. Burke, a transfer from N.C. State, started Louisville's first three games, but suffered a bruised sternum and has not played in the last two.

"We've got two quarterbacks I feel really, really good about," Kragthorpe said. "The fact we've got two quarterbacks is very comforting to me."

The Cardinals will be looking for some revenge after dropping two straight to the Huskies, including a 26-21 decision last year in Louisville after leading 21-10.

The close victory over Southern Miss has the Cardinals thinking positively about the rest of the season.

"It's always good medicine," Kragthorpe said. "You always have a pep in your step. Everything looks better. Heck, my wife looked better Sunday morning when I woke up."

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