ESPN College Football

• Paul Pasqualoni might have been UConn's first choice all along. A Huskies assistant found another job. Cody Endres is starting over at Slippery Rock.

• Delone Carter is a player to watch in the East-West Shrine Game.

• West Virginia picked up a pair of offensive linemen.
  
• USF landed another local receiver standout.

UConn coach Randy Edsall announced Thursday that he will hold an annual golf event in honor of the late Jasper Howard.

The first Randy Edsall Golf Classic will be held July 18 at the Golf Club of Avon. All proceeds will go toward helping improve the lives of students at two elementary schools in Hartford.

Howard was murdered last October on campus and has been a constant inspiration for the team ever since.

“I’ve always wanted to do something in his memory because of what he meant to me and what he meant to his teammates,” Edsall said, according to the Connecticut Post. “I know that Jasper would feel very, very good about this."

Also, dismissed quarterback Cody Endres sent out a statement to some media outlets on Thursday apologizing for his actions. Endres was suspended for a third time and then banished from the team for reportedly failing a drug test days before the Louisville game last month.

The statement reads:

“I find it very difficult to express my regrets about some of my recent decisions. I would like to start by apologizing to my family, friends, teammates, coaches and UConn fans for my mistakes. I recognize the fact that I have disappointed many people, including myself. I am a 22 year old young man and I know with hard work and faith I can improve myself. I am currently taking steps toward that end.

"I have spent the past two weeks talking to people I respect and thinking about my future. I remain determined and optimistic that I will continue my education, and I plan on continuing my football career also. I would like to thank my family and close friends who stood behind me during this tough time and I hope for their continued support.”

The Big East knows Halloween.

You want scary? Just check out the league's nonconference record. The best story in the Big East right now is a team (Syracuse) whose mascot looks conspicuously like a giant pumpkin. And Pitt's quarterback of the future is named Mark Myers, which sounds an awful lot like you know who.

Here are some more Halloween tie-ins:

Scary movie: Pitt's 31-3 loss to Miami at home was as frightening as it gets, both for Panthers fans and the Big East in general. The league's supposed best team got mauled by a former friend. Sounds like a horror-film plot. Runner-up: Rutgers' home loss to Tulane.

Night of the living dead: Cincinnati started just 1-3 after winning the past two Big East titles and going 12-0 in the regular season last year. The Bearcats crawled back to life, but another damaging loss to South Florida last week has them clinging to bowl hopes by their fingernails.

Cursed team: Connecticut. It's been a nightmare season for the Huskies, with injuries, suspensions and tough losses turning a promising season into a horror story.

Graveyard: Read the last rites for: Cincinnati's 13-game Big East winning streak; Syracuse's eight-year drought against West Virginia; UConn's Big East title chances; the Big East's Top 25 residency; Dion Lewis's Heisman and repeat Big East player of the year hopes; West Virginia's dominant run attack; South Florida's October weeknight road flops.

Thriller: The best and most exciting player in the Big East this season hasn't been Dion Lewis or Noel Devine. It's Louisville's Bilal Powell, who runs like there are ghouls and goblins chasing him and who attacks linebackers like a zombie hunter.

Jack-O-Lantern: If the light ever goes on for the Rutgers offense -- that is, if the line can protect the quarterback, the running game takes off and the young receivers mature -- the Scarlet Knights could be dangerous because of their already strong defense and special teams.

Twilight Zone: South Florida fans had to feel like they were trapped in some hellish cosmic time warp when quarterback B.J. Daniels kept making costly mistakes in losses to Florida, Syracuse and West Virginia. Daniels finally busted through his own shackles last week at Cincinnati, and the Bulls hope that's the end of the episode.

Costumes: And finally some suggested costumes this year for Big East personalities:

• Charlie Strong: Dr. Frankenstein. He's stitched together some leftover parts and made Louisville come alive.

• Doug Marrone: Lazarus. He has helped raise Syracuse from the dead.

• Rutgers' offensive linemen: Swiss Cheese. With a nation's worst 33 sacks allowed, this group has plenty of holes.

• Cody Endres: Snoop Dogg.

• Noel Devine, Jock Sanders and Tavon Austin: Sonic, Knuckles and Tails. This was, after all, Devine's idea.

• Skip Holtz: The Joker. The South Florida coach always has a smile and is quick with the one-liners, but don't underestimate his killer instinct.

• John Marinatto: Houdini. The Big East commish and his league have escaped conference realignment unharmed. For now (to be continued ...)

Brian Bennett looks at the Big East’s top storylines in Friday Four Downs.

Redshirt freshman Michael Box will get his first career start at quarterback for Connecticut for Saturday's game at Louisville, head coach Randy Edsall said Thursday.

Box replaces Cody Endres, who was suspended for the rest of the year Wednesday for violating school policy. Edsall said Endres' time at UConn is officially over.

Box has appeared in two games this season, completing two of his five passes for 30 yards. He'll be backed up by senior Zach Frazer, who started the Huskies' first four games.

The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Box is from Suwanee, Ga., and has been praised by the coaching staff for his work in practice.

Edsall said he had "complete confidence" in Box despite the quarterback's lack of game experience. Edsall also said he had a team meeting Wednesday in which he discussed the departures of both Endres and starting guard Erik Kuraczea this week.

"A lot of times, you get addition by subtraction," he said.

• Cody Endres has blown it, and he needs to go.

• Rutgers players will wear a sticker on their helmets that says "Believe" in tribute to Eric LeGrand. Mike Teel and Ryan Hart know what a quarterback controversy is like.

• Syracuse is trying to forget the Pitt game as it prepares for West Virginia.

• Pitt's Brandon Lindsey has done a good job of filling in for Greg Romeus.

• Geno Smith has some freedom to make or change calls at the line of scrimmage. How much freedom? That's a secret. Jock Sanders only cares about winning.

• South Florida added Florida A&M and UTEP to its upcoming schedules. Dontavia Bogan is not one of the Bulls' misfit toys at receiver.

• This is a basketball story, but Big East coaches talk about the difficulties of having a 16-team conference. Says Rick Pitino: "Fortunately for us, the Big East is probably the only conference in America where college football doesn't dictate how the other sports go about their life."

1. Rutgers' focus: It's impossible to tell how Rutgers will respond to the devastating injury to teammate Eric LeGrand last week that has dominated the discussion and thoughts in New Jersey. The closest parallel is probably how Connecticut played after losing Jasper Howard last year. The Huskies were inspired but took several weeks until they could close out and win a game, as the emotional fatigue might have been a factor. How do the Scarlet Knights come out on Saturday at Pittsburgh?

2. O-lines at Heinz: The offensive lines at Rutgers and Pitt have been under fire all season. The Scarlet Knights surrendered eight sacks last week and rank last among 120 FBS teams with 26 sacks allowed this season. They will have to hold off a strong defensive line led by Jabaal Sheard that will be looking to cause havoc. The Panthers' offensive front has showed improvement since making lineup changes three games ago, but it will face a difficult challenge against a Rutgers defense that brings pressure from lots of confusing angles. "Nobody will force the blitzing issue as much as Rutgers will," Dave Wannstedt said. This could be a defensive struggle unless the lines hold up.

3. Chas vs. Tino: Rutgers true freshman quarterback Chas Dodd will be making his first road start. Can he continue the fourth-quarter magic he's showed the past two games? Meanwhile, Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri had his best game last week at Syracuse. Can he keep it up against another blitz-heavy defense?

4. Can USF find the end zone? South Florida has failed to score an offensive touchdown in two Big East games. Skip Holtz and his staff went back to the drawing board this week, trying to find ways to improve the passing game and quarterback B.J. Daniels. Freshman cornerback Terrence Mitchell could see some time at receiver Friday night at Cincinnati. The Bulls have never won at Nippert Stadium and will have a hard time breaking that streak with merely field goals.

5. Cincinnati's offense vs. South Florida's defense: The secret to both teams' success Friday night is no secret. Cincinnati, which is averaging more than 30 points a game, likes to play a fast, free-wheeling offense that lights up the scoreboard. South Florida, which is allowing just 16.7 points per game, relies on its defense to keep it in games. If this is a track meet, the Bearcats should roll. If it's a physical, grind-it-out special, the Bulls have a chance.

6. Who will QB UConn? The Huskies' stunning announcement Wednesday afternoon that starting quarterback Cody Endres will be suspended the rest of the year creates intrigue for their game on Saturday at Louisville. Will Randy Edsall turn back to Zach Frazer, who made his debut while leading a memorable comeback win at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium two years ago? Or will Edsall stick to the depth chart and elevate redshirt freshman Michael Box, who has little important game experience? Either way, UConn's offense will have to make some on-the-fly adjustments this week as it prepares for a crucial conference road game.

7. Star running back duel: If you like watching standout tailbacks do their thing, Saturday's Connecticut-Louisville game is for you. UConn's Jordan Todman is the nation's No. 3 rusher, while Louisville's Bilal Powell -- coming off back-to-back 200-yard games -- is No. 4. Both have different styles; Todman is shiftier, while Powell will lay his shoulder into a defender. Both offensive lines are good and tough. Expect lots of handoffs and a fun battle to see who is the Big East's best back.

8. Big-play prevention: Avoiding the big play in the passing game has been a big problem for both UConn and Louisville. The Cardinals got burned several times last week by Cincinnati's receivers and may be without top cornerback Johnny Patrick. The Huskies lost the Rutgers game because of too many long Scarlet Knights passes, and it's been a continuing issue they worked on during the bye week. Their best corner, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, is coming off hand surgery. The strong running games for both sides should open up the play-action and potential big gainers in the passing game. Can either side stop it?

9. Cuse comeback: Syracuse's momentum wasn't just halted last week, it was flattened and sold off for parts. A 31-point home loss was embarrassing for a team that thought it had turned a corner. The Orange don't have long to feel sorry for themselves with this week's game at No. 20 West Virginia. Sometimes having a big-name opponent after a tough loss can help with focus. Syracuse needs a strong performance to show it wasn't merely an early-season feel-good story.

10. Deep-dishing Geno: Syracuse's defensive game plan the past two weeks was clear: load the box and see if the opposing quarterback could beat the Orange. It worked great against the struggling Daniels at South Florida, but Sunseri was ready for it and threw four touchdowns. Syracuse probably doesn't want to try the same strategy against West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, who's been terrific all season and now has a solid complement of receivers. If defensive coordinator Scott Shafer doesn't change things up, though, Smith could have a big day.

This was supposed to be a breakthrough season for Connecticut. Instead, it's shaping up as one to forget.

The Huskies have suffered disappointing losses at Michigan, Temple and Rutgers, and now -- just a few days before an important conference game at Louisville -- they announced that starting quarterback Cody Endres has been suspended for the season.

No reason other than "university policies" was given for Endres' suspension. But he was suspended in the preseason and missed three games, so you'd think a guy in his shoes would be on his very best behavior the rest of the year. I don't want to speculate as to what Endres did to run afoul of team rules, but whatever it was could not have been smart on his part.

Curiously enough, offensive lineman Erik Kuraczea was suspended at the same time as Endres this preseason, and the school announced on Tuesday that Kuraczea was leaving the team. As of now, UConn isn't saying whether the two moves are related.

So now what does UConn do? Go back to Zach Frazer, who was inconsistent and inaccurate in his first four starts? The senior has been bumped down to third on the depth chart, and it sure seemed like Randy Edsall was talking about him Tuesday when he mentioned an unnamed player had not handled a demotion well. It appeared the team had lost some confidence in Frazer (and the fan base sure had).

Redshirt freshman Michael Box is currently the No. 2 quarterback, but he's never played any significant minutes and would be making his first career start on the road. The coaching staff likes him a lot, but that's a tough way to break in a young guy at that spot.

It's just another headache for Edsall, who thought he had a veteran team that would be ready to take the next step this year after a strong finish to 2009. Instead, he's been talking about how his team has felt a "sense of entitlement" and trying to find ways to fix various gaps and issues that have sprung up all year.

At 3-3 and sitting in a 0-1 Big East hole, this is the last bit of bad news UConn needed right now.

UConn guard Erik Kuraczea has withdrawn from school for "personal reasons," head coach Randy Edsall told the media Tuesday. Edsall said Kuraczea plans to transfer in January.

The 6-foot-2, 319-pounder was suspended along with quarterback Cody Endres to begin the season but started the Huskies' past two games at left guard. He started five games last season as a redshirt freshman.

Mathieu Olivier will resume starting duties at left guard, where he played during Kuraczea's suspension.

Adam Masters is back as the starting right tackle after an injury. Cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson, who underwent hand surgery during the bye week, is listed as the starter for this week's game at Louisville.

Connecticut Huskies

Record 3-3 (0-1 Big East)

Connecticut was the wise-guy pick to win the Big East this season.

The Huskies got on a roll to end 2009 and returned most of their starters. It looked like the time for a breakout year had arrived for Randy Edsall's team.

Instead, UConn has been plagued by too many breakdowns. Defensive lapses and shaky quarterback play doomed them in losses to Michigan and Temple in the first three weeks. Edsall made a quarterback change in the fourth game, pulling ineffective starter Zach Frazer for Cody Endres at halftime against Buffalo. That energized the offense and led to big scoring outbursts in that second half and in the following week against Vanderbilt.

But just when the Huskies bandwagon began to fill up again, Connecticut dropped its Big East opener at struggling Rutgers. A familiar bugaboo -- giving up big passing plays on defense -- came back to bite UConn late.

Now the former buzz team is sputtering at 3-3. The Huskies can still make noise in the league because they have a tremendous running game led by Jordan Todman, and West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati all have to come to East Hartford. But as far as picking them to win the Big East and break into the next level, that no longer looks so wise.

Offensive MVP: Jordan Todman, RB

Another year, another UConn star rusher. Todman leads the Big East and ranks third nationally in rushing yards per game (152.2), and he's been doing it with a banged-up elbow that caused him to miss a game. If he'd played against Buffalo, Todman might be on pace for a 2,000-yard season.

Defensive MVP: Lawrence Wilson, LB

Wilson hasn't been quite as good as he was a year ago, but he still leads UConn and the Big East in tackles with 62. He's also got 2.5 sacks.

A long, nearly two-hour first half has ended with Connecticut leading Rutgers 24-17.

There has been more offense than we could have expected so far. Well, that and special teams. UConn scored on a 100-yard kickoff return by Nick Williams, and Rutgers' two scores were set up by a long punt return by Mason Robinson and a 75-yard kick return by Joe Lefeged.

The Scarlet Knights led 17-7 thanks to a strong start by true freshman Chas Dodd. He completed eight of his first nine passes for 130 yards and showed a lot more poise in the pocket than injured Tom Savage has this year. There may be a real quarterback controversy here, which is amazing. Rutgers hasn't scored 17 points in its last two games and yet still trails despite the outburst.

That's because Jordan Todman erupted on a 66-yard touchdown run with some classic pulling work by UConn's offensive line, and Cody Endres's one great pass of the half went for a 22-yard touchdown to Kashif Moore. Clearly, UConn has more offensive weapons than Rutgers, to no one's surprise. The Huskies have also been better in the second half this year, so the seven-point lead bodes well.

But Rutgers isn't out of this, and if Dodd continues to play well this could actually turn into a shootout. It's been way more entertaining so far than expected.

The Rutgers-Connecticut series lately has featured a matchup of relative equals, with the Scarlet Knights usually emerging with the upper hand.

As the two teams meet Friday night in the Big East opener, UConn looks like the team on the rise, while Rutgers is faced with all sorts of questions.

The Huskies have scored 85 points in their past two games, both wins, and seem to be hitting their stride with a new starting quarterback.

"I think we're coming along nicely," said that quarterback, Cody Endres. "We're starting to get all facets of of our offense going and I think we've kind of got a little momentum going into Big East play. Everyone is feeling pretty confident right now."

That quote is about the exact opposite sentiment coming out of Piscataway. The Scarlet Knights have mustered just 27 total points in their past two games, both losses, and may be forced to put a true freshman under center for his first career start. They're coming off Saturday's demoralizing defeat to Tulane on homecoming, which has to rate as one of the worst losses of the Greg Schiano era.

"We certainly are disappointed and feel like we are a much better team than we showed," Schiano said.

History dictates this game will be close; six of the past eight meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less. And there are some interesting matchups to watch.

Rutgers has survived on its defense, which leads the league in points and rushing yards allowed. But UConn is the Big East's top scoring and rushing team, led by tailback Jordan Todman.

"He is something," Schiano said of Todman. "I see a lot of Ray [Rice] in him when he is running the football. He is not the biggest guy and he hides behind a gigantic line, but he has got great acceleration and really good patience and vision and balance."

A key for the Scarlet Knights will be to stop Connecticut's improving passing game, which has taken off since Endres supplanted Zach Frazer at halftime of the Buffalo game two weeks ago. As usual, Rutgers will likely blitz from several angles and hope to force Endres into mistakes as it did last year to Frazer, who threw three interceptions in a 28-24 loss.

"They come from everywhere," Endres said. "I have to read my keys and make all the right decisions."

But the real question is, can Schiano's offense keep up even with a modest UConn output? Starting quarterback Tom Savage might not play because of injured fingers on his throwing hand, and that means true freshman Chas Dodd could get thrown into the fire. Dodd showed some things while trying to mount a comeback against Tulane, but he lacks dependable receivers and is hampered by an offensive line that has given up 13 sacks already, including four last week. Meanwhile, the Huskies are tied for the league lead with 13 sacks on defense.

"If I am Connecticut, I am coming after Rutgers," Schiano said. "They are going to bring the heat and I would do the same thing in many different ways, and they have the ability to do it."

So things appear to lean toward the Huskies in this showdown. But it did last year, too, after Todman scored with 38 seconds left for a 24-21 lead, only to see Rutgers win the game 16 seconds later with an 81-yard touchdown pass from Savage to Tim Brown.

"We want to get anybody back who beats us, but especially the way that happened," Endres said. "We thought we had it in the bag."

We'll find out Friday night if the Huskies can play their advantages into a victory this time around.

Entering our sixth week of the season, the last turnover pool is just about outliving its usefulness.

I'm declaring the quarterback competition closed, barring any unforeseen developments. Zach Collaros went 107 attempts before his first interception, and with new UConn starter Cody Endres tossing a pick on Saturday, there doesn't appear to be any other contenders. If there's a major quarterback change later in the season that produces a rival to Collaros' streak, we will pick this back up.

So all it leaves us with is the running back division, which I'll update only sporadically from here on out. Here are your current leaders:

Delone Carter, Syracuse: 73 carries without a lost fumble.

Ray Graham, Pittsburgh: 52

Mo Plancher, South Florida: 50

Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh: 47

Vic Anderson, Louisville: 45

1. UConn is starting to figure things out: The Huskies were a preseason darling who fell flat in their first two games against FBS opponents. But since inserting Cody Endres as the starting quarterback last week, UConn has scored 71 points in its past six quarters. The defense is starting to come around to, shutting out Vanderbilt in the second half on Saturday after allowing too many big plays in the first 30 minutes. Granted, the competition was merely Buffalo and Vanderbilt. But Connecticut looks like it's in a whole lot better shape than next week's opponent. Speaking of which ...

2. Rutgers is in turmoil: Another injury to quarterback Tom Savage -- this time, adding a hurt throwing hand to his bruised ribs -- forced Rutgers to go with a true freshman under center against Tulane. Chas Dodd actually played pretty well, by the low standards of the Scarlet Knights offense. This team is the anti-Oregon; it's managed a total of 46 points against Florida International, North Carolina and Tulane. Some fans will no doubt call for Dodd to start over the struggling Savage this week, though that's unlikely. Losing to Tulane at home is inexcusable, and Greg Schiano has to turn this team around before Friday's conference opener.

3. Ray Graham is a budding superstar: Dion Lewis didn't play for Pittsburgh on Saturday, but the Panthers hardly needed him. Graham ran 29 times for 277 yards and three scores against Florida International, falling just 36 yards short of Tony Dorsett's single-game school record. For the season, Graham has gained 492 yards and is averaging a stunning 9.5 yards per carry, while Lewis had just 143 yards and 3.0 yards per carry. Dave Wannstedt says Lewis is still his starter, but Graham has earned the right to at least get equal carries going forward.

4. Coaching changes make a difference: We still don't know what we know about South Florida, which has beaten three patsies and lost to Florida this season. Louisville has the record (2-2) you'd expect at this point, with wins against Eastern Kentucky and Arkansas State and losses to Oregon State and Kentucky. But watching both teams, it's clear that each has benefited from the offseason coaching change. The Bulls look like a more complete team under Skip Holtz, adding a solid running game to the offense instead of simply relying on the quarterback to get things done. And although Louisville let up in the second half against Arkansas State, the Cardinals zoomed out to a dominating 31-7 halftime lead on the road, the kind of performance rarely seen in Steve Kragthorpe's tenure. This team believes in Charlie Strong, and it won't be an easy out in conference play.

Connecticut has established a trend in its last two games: Get off to an early lead, then let opponent back before halftime. Own the second half.


Whatever works. After blowing out Buffalo in the second half last week, the Huskies did the same thing Saturday against Vanderbilt in a 40-21 win. UConn outscored the Commodores 19-0 in the second half and produced 26 unanswered points after falling behind 21-14 in the first half.

The big plays that burned the Huskies in the second half weren't there for Vandy in the second half as the defense played much better. The defense, in fact, accounted for two scores, with Blidi Wreh-Wilson returning an interception for a touchdown for the second straight week and Vanderbilt taking a safety late.

Jordan Todman finished with 190 yards on 37 carries, and Cody Endres went 21-for-30 for 179 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. This offense is clearly performing better with Endres at the helm, and if UConn can eliminate some of the big mistakes it keeps making -- another fumble in the red zone Saturday, for example, this team can still live up to its preseason billing as a serious Big East contender.

The Big East improves to 2-10 against BCS conference opponents and now can say that it has beaten an SEC team, as dubious a claim as that might be.

Connecticut still has some issues to iron out, but the Huskies should take a fair amount of momentum and confidence into next week's conference opener against Rutgers.