UConnReport.com - Devine TD spoils UConn's upset bid

October 24, 2009

Zac Boyer
UConnReport.com Editor

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MORGANTOWN, W. Va. - There were a few moments Saturday when UConn could smile, laugh, celebrate and think, maybe, that things were starting to turn around.

After all, an improbable 88-yard touchdown reception by Marcus Easley late in the fourth quarter gave the Huskies hope of a victory in a place they had never won and against a team that they had never played close.

But any inspiration drawn from the death of Jasper Howard six days prior to UConn's showdown with West Virginia was lost late, as the Mountaineers rallied behind a 56-yard touchdown run by Noel Devine to walk away with a 28-24 victory at Milan Puskar Stadium.

Howard, a junior, was stabbed on campus early Sunday, hours after he played the best game of his career in the Huskies' home victory over Louisville.

"This week's been real emotional, not just for me but for the whole team," said wide receiver Kashif Moore, who was with Howard when he was stabbed and held him until medical personnel arrived. "We just tried to stay together and get through it together. Practice was kind of tough during the week dealing with everything, but we just tried to come out here and get the win."

It almost happened. UConn (4-3, 1-2 Big East), which had lost to West Virginia (6-1, 2-0) by an average of 37 points in the teams' previous five meetings, went ahead 24-21 with 3:50 remaining when Easley caught the touchdown pass from Cody Endres.

Easley, who finished with 157 yards receiving, set up the go-ahead drive by stripping West Virginia's Kent Richardson of the football a minute earlier. Richardson had returned an interception 54 yards before meeting Easley near UConn's 15-yard line.

"I just tried to give it my all, and like Jazz said, 'Play every play like it's your last,'" Easley said.

Devine, who finished with 178 yards rushing, ended UConn's upset bid when he tip-toed 56 yards down the right sideline with 2:10 remaining for a touchdown. The Huskies drove to the West Virginia 35 with under a minute remaining, but Endres was hit by Sidney Glover and threw an interception.

Endres completed 25 of 41 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns, including a 17-yarder to Moore with 20 seconds remaining in the first half.

It was Moore's first touchdown in 14 games.

"That was definitely for Jazz," Moore said. "I think Jazz was out there watching over us the whole game."

West Virginia's Tavon Austin returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown before Jordan Todman answered with a 5-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Dave Teggart, one of Howard's three roommates, made a 38-yard field goal for UConn in the second quarter, though his 27-yard attempt in the third was wide right and his 45-yarder in the fourth hit off the left upright.

West Virginia quarterback Jarrett Brown, a game-time decision due to a concussion sustained a week ago against Marshall, ran five yards for a touchdown in the second quarter and threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Urban in the third.

Much like his predecessor, Pat White, the Huskies had difficulty stopping Brown. He completed 16 of 27 passes for 153 yards and also rushed for 41 against UConn, which blitzed early and often and played all but a few plays in a nickel defense.

Greg Lloyd led UConn with 13 tackles. Blidi Wreh-Wilson, filling in for Howard at cornerback, had five tackles.

"As I told the team, I think [Howard's] proud of us, and he's disappointed that we didn't come out on the right side of the column today," said UConn head coach Randy Edsall, who will fly with the Huskies to Howard's hometown of Miami on Monday for his funeral. "But I know this: he's going to give us more strength."

	Zac Boyer, the editor and publisher of UConnReport.com, covers UConn sports on the Rivals network. He can be reached by e-mail at zacboyer@rivals.com.
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