The Daily Campus

Issue date: 4/13/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Dan Gindraux Tight end John Delahunt pulls in a pass during spring football practice earlier this month. Delahunt is one of the contenders to be named the starter heading into summer practice, following the graduation of Steve Brouse and Martin Bedard. The spring football game is Saturday at noon at Rentschler Field.

Twelve practices down and less than a week to go before UConn's annual Blue-White spring game. In a spring season that's been highlighted by a sparkling new offense, an immensely successful Pro Day and the emergence of one of the nation's most highly recruited quarterbacks, there's still much to do and little time to accomplish it.

While the two essential skill positions, quarterback and running back, have been adequately filled, there are still a few question marks remaining on the Huskies' roster.



Tight Ends

Leaving: Steve Brouse, Martin Bedard

Candidates: Yianni Apostolakos, John Delahunt, Ryan Griffin



The Huskies graduated a talented pair of tight ends last winter in Bedard and Brouse - both of whom showed up to UConn's Pro Day a few weeks back. Brouse and Bedard combined for 205 yards and a touchdown last season, and while the numbers may seem insignificant, they provided over 10 percent of the Huskies' total passing offense and hauled in one of just five touchdown passes thrown all season. Brouse shined in his junior season, reeling in four touchdown catches, second-most on the team, which helped give UConn's offense another dynamic on the goal line.

The main problem with the Huskies' current crop of tight-end talent is lack of game time experience - none of them have caught a single pass during a game. Apostolakos, a redshirt sophomore who saw time on special teams last season, was the frontrunner but a leg injury sidelined him for most of spring practice. This left him unable to learn the new playbook instituted by offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead. With no incoming signees from the tight end position, it will be up to Delahunt and Griffin, a pair of redshirt freshmen, to battle it out for the starting nod.

Continued...

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