October 19, 2013 • vs. Cincinnati Huskies faced a team ranked in the Associated Press poll at the time of the game. UConn has a 2-19 record in those games with the two wins coming vs. No. 19 Louisville on November 24, 2012 by a 23-20 score in triple overtime and on Oct. 27, 2007 with a 22-15 win over No. 11 USF. UConn first played a ranked team in the 2001 season opener at No. 9 Virginia Tech. UConn has played the country’s top ranked team once when it traveled to Miami on Oct. 5, 2002. UCONN FOOTBALL A LEADER IN ACADEMICS The UConn football program continues to be a leader in terms of academic performance by its student-athletes. UConn was the top team in the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of both October 2008 and ’09 among Big East league schools. In 2010, the Huskies GSR was third in the Big East and within four points of the second place team in 2011, was tied for fourth in the league, but within four points of the two schools that were tied for second. UConn’s 75 percent GSR mark released in 2012 was well ahead of the national GSR for FBS teams, which was 67 percent. The UConn football program also had the highest NCAA GSR for African-American student-athletes among all state universities that participated in a bowl game in 2008. In five of the past seven years, including 2007, ‘08 and ‘09, UConn was recognized by the American Football Coaches Association for its high graduation rate. UConn’s overall GSR in 2009 was the third-highest of the more than 50 state universities that participated in a bowl game. In 2012, the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR) for the UConn football team was an impressive 963 over a four-year cycle, with a one-year mark of 950 for the 2010-11 academic year. The 963 was above the national average for FBS schools (952) and public institutions (943). UConn’s 2013 APR score of 958 was 11 points higher than the national average of public institutions. HUSKIES VS. NON-CONFERENCE FOES SINCE 2002 Connecticut boasts a 45-26 record against non-conference opponents in the regular season since making the move to the FBS in 2002. The Huskies have won 20 of their last 32 regular season nonleague games overall with the only blemishes coming via a onepoint loss at Virginia (17-16) in 2007, losses to North Carolina in 2008 and ‘09, Michigan and Temple in ’10, Vanderbilt, Iowa State and Western Michigan in ’11, North Carolina State and Western Michigan in ’12 and Towson, Maryland, Michigan and Buffalo in ’13. UConn has posted the following records in non-conference regular season games: 6-6 (2002), 9-3 (2003), 4-1 (2004), 3-1 (2005), 3-2 (2006), 4-1 (2007), 4-1 (2008), 4-1 (2009), 3-2 (2010), 2-3 (2011), 3-2 (2012) and 0-4 (2013). HUSKIES ON THE REBOUND UConn is 34-25 in games following a loss since Oct. 26, 2002. The Huskies lost their 2012 season finale vs. Cincinnati and the record includes games over two seasons with the losses to Towson, Maryland, Michigan, Buffalo and now USF.
OFFENSE NOTES BOYLE GETS THE STARTING NOD UConn freshman quarterback Tim Boyle (Middlefield, Conn.) made his first career start and got his first career playing time
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last Saturday against USF. Boyle was 15 of 43 in the air for 149 yards without a touchdown or an interception. He also ran the ball nine times for 12 yards. Boyle was named Connecticut High School Coaches’ Association Player of the Year as a senior in 2012 at Xavier High School in Middletown. Boyle became the first true freshman to start a game for UConn at quarterback since Shelton native Dan Orlovsky did on October 6, 2001 – a 19-0 win over Eastern Michigan. Orlovsky started 43 consecutive games over three-plus seasons, concluding his career with a win in the Huskies’ first-ever bowl appearance – the 2004 Motor City Bowl. Boyle was named first team All-State by the New Haven Register and All-Hartford Courant and was named All-Southern Connecticut Conference as a senior. He threw for nearly 2,500 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior as team won state Class LL championship for the third-straight season – a 48-14 win over Norwich Free Academy at Rentschler Field. Boyle was named one of three finalists for the Walter Camp Football Foundation Connecticut Player of the Year Award along with fellow UConn freshman FB Matt Walsh (Madison, Conn.). As a junior, Boyle shared starting duties and threw for 850 yards and 15 TDs in six games. On June 29 at Rentschler Field, Boyle played in the Hall of Fame Classic Military Bowl – a Connecticut all-star game – and had two TD passes leading his team to a 15-14 win. He was 12 of 24 in the air for 134 yards. WHITMER AT BACKUP UConn junior quarterback Chandler Whitmer (Newnan, Ga.) started the last 15 games for the Huskies at quarterback dating back to the start of the 2012 season. His 2,503 yards of total offense last year was eighth in school single-season history while his 208 completions was seventh. Whitmer’s 2,664 passing yards was fifth. Here is the statement that head coach T.J. Weist released to explain the quarterback change and how Whitmer has handled himself since coming to UConn. “Chandler Whitmer has exhibited outstanding character and integrity since the day I stepped on to this campus and even before I got here. He has worked extremely hard, put in a lot of hours at his craft, and done everything in his power to help this team be successful. We all know the QB takes an unfair amount of criticism when a team loses. To Chandler’s credit he has handled the criticism with class and dignity. He has done everything in his power to improve and do the best job possible. We haven’t always put him in the best position to be successful, having had multiple injuries at the wide receiver and the offensive line positions and to his credit he has not complained. He’s gone out and battled every game for this team. “That being said, we feel like at this time we need to give Tim a chance to play and see if he can provide a spark for our team. He has been working hard and deserves an opportunity to show what he can do. Chandler is still a big factor and leader on this team and we know that he will continue to prepare as if he’s the starter and when his number is called he will be ready to help this team in whatever capacity is needed. He’s been a great mentor to Tim up to this point and given his integrity and character we know he will continue to do whatever it takes to help Tim and this team be successful.” Whitmer enrolled at Connecticut for the spring 2012 semester and participated in spring practice. Whitmer originally enrolled
2013 University of Connecticut Football Game Notes