Shoemate officially in the fold

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D.J. Shoemate is officially in the fold for the UConn Huskies and with three weeks to go before camp the UConn running back situation got a little more crowded...and at that's a good thing.

Shoemate is a refugee from Southern California where the Trojans were hit by big-time NCAA sanctions. Edsall is going to allow the former high school All-American to come in and compete right away

"He will have the opportunity to compete for playing time. Whomever is the best guy will play."

There are a couple of spots where the Huskies are thin going into fall camp but running back isn't one of them. Shoemate is a terrific athlete and Edsall felt he is very shift and quick. He's much bigger than incumbent Jordan Todman, who rushed for over 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns last year.

Todman was unchallenged this spring with Andre Dixon now headed the the UFL's Hartford Colonials after the duo both went over 1,000 yards last year. Now, Shoemate looks primed to compete for some of Dixon's carries and even more.

"Jordan has shown what he can do," Edsall said. "No question about that. Over 1,200 yard rusher. DJ will compete for carries at that position. Whomever is best guy is going to play. We have seen here in previous years, we have one guy a starter, next year not a starter. It’s competition and guys that can do that. I am not saying it's going to happen at running back, but he has an opoortunity to come here and get carries."

That's a warning to Todman, who didn't endear himself to the coaching staff this spring missing several practices because of disciplinary reasons. What Todman did was nothing serious, but the coaching staff didn't really have anyone primed to challenge Todman for carries. Now with Shoemate, if Todman doesn't work hard and compete, then there is a player here who can take those carries away.

It's not hard to fathom. The backup running back for UConn going into fall camp is perhaps the most dangerous rusher east of the Mississippi. Cornell Brockington, Donald Brown, Andre Dixon have all had big years unseating 1,000 yard rushers. If Edsall can send Terry Caulley, whom Edsall adored, to the bench as well as Brown during their careers, it isn't that much of a stretch to think the same could happen to Todman.

If UConn is going to compete for the Big East title Edsall will need to get the best of both worlds out of his backs. Shoemate is bigger, at 220 pounds, and was a fullback at USC who did a lot of pass catching, and the tandem could put up big numbers this season. Todman showed his explosion, and if Shoemate's scouting report is accurate, they added another explosive back into the mix. Shoemate will also play on special teams which should help immensely.

I am not expecting Todman to be supplanted. I would actually bet against it. But, I don't think the coaching staff is going to waste talent and athleticism offensively. Shoemate is going to get on the field and will get carries. That should make the Huskies a much more dynamic bunch.      

Also some house keeping. Geremy Davis will redshirt his freshman season after having successful surgery. Also, backup fullback Bret Manning was granted a scholarship.

Here's UConn's release on Shoemate.

D.J. Shoemate, a 6-0, 225-pound, tailback from Corona, Calif., will enroll at the University of Connecticut and play for the Husky football team this fall. Shoemate transfers to Connecticut after spending his first two years at the University of Southern California. Shoemate will be eligible to play at UConn immediately and has two years of eligibility remaining.

Shoemate served as a backup fullback for the Trojans and played on special teams as a sophomore in 2009. He played in 12 games for USC and had a pair of carries for two yards and two receptions for 23 yards, including a 13-yard TD.

Shoemate began 2008 as a wide receiver, and then was moved mid-season to fullback. He also played on special teams and played in a total of nine games.
He enjoyed a tremendous career at Servite High School in Anaheim where he was teammates with current Husky quarterback Johnny McEntee.

Shoemate earned ESPN 150 honors as a senior and was named Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West first team, Orange County Register Fab 15, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Los Angeles Times All-Star, Orange County Register All-Orange County first team and was the Trinity League Co-Offensive MVP.

In his senior year, he ran for 1,291 yards on 241 carries with 24 TDs. Shoemate also caught 40 passes for 570 yards with 4 TDs.

As a sophomore in 2005, he made the All-CIF Division I first team, Orange County Register All-Orange County first team and was the All-Serra League Co-MVP while rushing for 604 yards on 71 carries with 13 touchdowns, catching 46 passes for 930 yards with eight TDs and getting four scores on blocked punts. 

The Thoroughbred and the Workhorse

I am at a lost for a nickname for Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman. Fire and Ice, Thunder and Lightning etc. I was trying to come up with something with Dreads, but Todman doesn't really stick out yet. Every good running back tandem has a nickname. If someone gives me one I like I'll send you an Oklahoma media guide.  I also have Ole Miss and Tennessee hanging around if you want it.

For now, it's the Thoroughbred and the Workhorse. Looking at Dixon and Todman on paper, their stats are similar, though they have gotten there in different ways.

Take Todman. He is fast and explosive. When he gets outside in space he can run away from the defense. Get him a seam and he will race through the hole. He is like that race track thoroughbred that is beautiful to watch run. Explosive, fast and somewhat fragile. That's Todman. He is beat up after every game running between the tackles. He has 326 yards on 65 carries for a 5.0 average and pair of touchdowns. Against Ohio he dominated with speed.




On Saturday they needed something a little more physical to make the defense hurt. That's Dixon, he's the workhorse blue-collar running back that can wear a defense down. Dixon has speed, but he is at his best hitting the hole fast and making quick decisive cuts. He isn't going to have many big-time runs, but he moves the chain, gets positive yards, and can finish off a game. Todman excites and makes the Huskies a one-play scoring team. Dixon can chew yards out in bulk against a tired defense. Dixon has 270 yards on 58 carries.

"A fresh Jordan is better than a tired me," Dixon said Saturday. "And a fresh me is better than a tired Jordan."


Is this what Edsall and Joe Moorhead designed? I don't think either is going to win a job outright and get all the carries. First off, neither is built like Donald Brown and Todman is bruised up enough after 20 carries. I cringe to see what 10-15 more "tough carries" would do to him. It would slow him down, so keeping Todman fast and explosive would seem to be the most prudent course of action.

Dixon doesn't have the big play or top end speed of Todman, but he is a little like Brown in that when you feed him the ball he ends up making things happens. Dixon needs a lot of carries to get going because he does that tough inside running.  Eventually he will hit a hole and bounce it out for a 12 yard gain.


Dixon only got 7 carries against UNC, and I thought that was a mistake. The staff fixed that this week when they rode the tough running Dixon to a win over Baylor. The pair have almost the equal number of carries and that bodes well for this season. In fact, I think Dixon has been on the field for more snaps this season. Both are fresh in the fourth quarter and as the season wears on, keeping each healthy and fresh will be a key to the Huskies continued success.