Pregame: Field looks gorgeous as does the tailgating. Traffic getting in was horrible. They have to fix Hartford. I came in early and got hit with rush hour.
Anyhow, it's nice to be back covering games. It seems like yesterday we were in Charlotte.
What to expect tonight? I imagine a UConn blowout. Anything less and I think it's a worrisome sign. Huskies are bigger, strong and more physical. Hofstra has some good players, but its FCS. Not overlooking the Pride, just relaying the truth.
Some other notes. This is Hofstra coach David Cohen's third year as opposed to my error in some stories I wrote (can't remember which publication) when I said it was his first year. The media notes and the Hofstra website are confusing in this regard. Some others made the same mistake too, so I am not a total dunce.
Prediction Time
Game: Huskies 35, Hofstra 7
Season: 8-4, 4-3 Big East, Papajohns.com bowl.
I am starting a new feature. As many of you know, the Huskies aren't the most imaginative team on special teams. I can't remember the last time I saw a fake punt or field goal. This goes back to the Division I era. I heard a rumor they tried one some years back and it didn't go well.
Odds of seeing a fake punt or field goal tonight: 1000-1.
Last thing is, it's weird sitting here and not having Randy Smith next to me. I am half expecting Smith to walk in here, put his arm around me, and ask me if the Pups are any good or if they are going to stink this year. Then, he would have spent the next two hours talking about how much cash he lost at the Travelers and women's basketball. He would have loved the Delle Done story. A colleague of mine with the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance, Hal Levy, will also be missed. He was a regular at these games.
I'll miss both of them...
Edit 6:50 p.m.: Skimming the roster, no Corey Stringer. He transferred to Stony Brook some time last week. Well, there goes your linebacker depth. Stringer was a hybrid safety/linebacker. He was nowhere near the depth chart.
Also, Zach Frazer is the backup quarterback today. No or next to him and Cody Endres.
Update 7:18 pm: As always a late arriving crowd. About 1/3 full. I guess there is a good reason. I haven't heard the reason why yet however. I have never seen this stadium filled before kickoff.
Update 7:27 p.m.: QB Bryan Savage is out. Some guy named Cory Christopher is in. So much for the one paragraph in my advance. LOL.
1 comment:
It takes forever to get into the stadium. The problem is everyone is walking about a mile from the red lot, we never leave early enough and everyone tries to get in at the same time. Even with a smaller crowd, there was a wait at the entrance. It's very bizarre...never seen it take so long to take people's tickets at any other D-I stadium Ive been too (ND, Maryland, Fla.)
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