UConn Huskies (2-9, 2-5 American) vs. Memphis Tigers (3-8, 1-6 American) Game 12 • Saturday, Dec. 7 • 1:00 PM East Hartford, Conn. - Rentschler Field (40,000) ESPN3 • UConn IMG Sports Radio Network
The Coaches UCONN INTERIM HEAD COACH T.J. WEIST T.J. Weist, a 25-year veteran of the coaching profession who most recently served as the wide receivers coach at Cincinnati, is the interim head coach at UConn for the rest of the 2013 season. Weist was elevated to that position on Sept. 30 -- four games into the 2013 season. Weist is in his first season at UConn and continues to serve as offensive coordinator and also has position responsibility with the wide receivers. He has led the Huskies to a 2-5 record, but has won his last two games – marking the first time since the end of 2012 that UConn won two-straight. During his time with the Bearcats, Cincinnati won a total of two BIG EAST Championships. Weist (pronounced WEEST) helped lead the Bearcats to a 10-3 record in 2012 and a 48-34 victory over Duke in the Belk Bowl. Weist served as Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator in the Belk Bowl as the Bearcats gained 554 yards of total offense on 53 plays and did not have a turnover. Cincinnati was 17 of 25 in passing for 332 yards. Weist joined the Bearcats after eight years at Western Kentucky mentoring the receivers. He also served as the team’s assistant head coach (2007-09) and offensive coordinator (2003-06). Weist came to WKU from Indiana, where he served as wide receivers coach from 1997-01. While at IU, he also carried special teams responsibilities with the return units and also served as the Hoosiers’ recruiting coordinator his first two years. Weist was also on the staffs at Tulsa (1996), Southern Illinois (1994-95), Michigan (1990-93) and Alabama (1988-89). A native of Bay City, Mich., Weist was a wide receiver at Alabama from 1985-87, taking part in three postseason bowl games, and earned a letter as a senior. He earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education in 1988, and then added an exercise physiology master’s degree one year later.
UConn Schedule/Results Date Opponent (TV) Score/Time 8/29 TOWSON (ESPN3) L, 18-33 9/14 MARYLAND (ESPN3) L, 21-32 9/21 No. 14/15 MICHIGAN (ABC) L, 21-24 9/28 at Buffalo (ESPN3) L, 12-41 10/12 USF* (SNY/ESPN-R) L, 10-13 10/19 at Cincinnati* (ESPNU) L, 16-41 10/26 at No, 21/25 UCF* (SNY/ESPN-R) L, 17-62 11/8 NO. 20/16 LOUISVILLE* (ESPN2) L, 10-31 11/16 at SMU* (ESPN3) L, 21-38 11/23 at Temple* (ESPN3) W, 28-21 11/30 RUTGERS* (ESPNU) W, 28-17 12/7 MEMPHIS* (ESPN3) 1 p.m. *Denotes American Athletic Conference Game
Memphis Schedule/Results
Date Opponent (TV) Score/Time 9/7 DUKE (ESPN3) L, 14-28 9/14 at Middle Tennessee (CSS) L, 15-17 9/21 ARKANSAS STATE (ESPN3) W, 31-7 10/5 UCF* (ESPN3) L, 17-24 10/12 at Houston* (ESPNews) L, 15-25 10/19 SMU* (ESPN-R) L, 29-34 10/30 CINCINNATI* (ESPN2) L, 21-34 MEMPHIS HEAD COACH JUSTIN FUENTE 11/9 TENNESSEE-MARTIN (ESPN3) W, 21-6 Justin Fuente is in his second year as the head coach at Memphis and led the 11/16 at USF* (ESPN3) W, 23-10 team to a 4-8 record last season. He came to Memphis after serving on the TCU 11/23 at No. 21 Louisville* (ESPN-R) L, 17-24 staff from 2007-2011 as the running backs coach (2007-08) and the co-offensive L, 21-41 coordinator and QB coach (2009-11). Fuente helped TCU advance to consecutive 11/30 TEMPLE* (ESPN3) 12/7 at UConn* (ESPN3) 1 p.m. BCS bowl appearances with a 2011 Rose Bowl win. Fuente served on the Illinois State staff from 2001-06. He is a 1999 Murray State *Denotes American Athletic Conference Game graduate and was the 1999 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Years as a Rankings indicate ranking at time of game quarterback.
Radio & TV Coverage
TELEVISION COVERAGE Saturday’s game will be available on ESPN3. John Brickley is on play-by-play with Matt Chatham doing color. Steve Fenig is the producer. A replay of Saturday’s game will be air on SNY on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. RADIO COVERAGE The UConn IMG Sports Network is the home of Husky football on the radio. WTIC Newstalk 1080 in Hartford serves as the flagship station and is the state’s only 50,000 watt signal and can be heard in 23 states and parts of Canada. The 2013-14 year marks the 22nd consecutive season that WTIC is the flagship for UConn sports. The 2013-14 football and men’s and women’s basketball season also marks the second year that the radio rights are held by IMG College, which is UConn’s multi-media rights partner. Veteran UConn announcers Joe D’Ambrosio (play-by-play) and Wayne Norman (color commentary) return to call the action with Kevin Nathan on the sidelines and Anthony “Rex” McCalla on production. UConn football on home Saturday dates gets going early with “Breakfast At The Rent” with Ray Dunaway and Scott Gray beginning at 6:00 a.m. For noon games, the UConn Tailgate Show will air from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The pregame show begins at 11:30 a.m. followed by the game and then postgame “Husky
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UConn and Memphis have never met before. The Huskies will look to close out 2013 strong in their season finale. UConn has won its last two games, defeating Temple on Nov. 23 and Rutgers on Nov. 30 Casey Cochran is 2-1 for UConn since taking over as the starting quarterback. He turned in the best performance of his career against Rutgers, going 25-of-33 through the air with 311 yards and two touchdowns. For his efforts, Cochran was named to The American’s Weekly Honor Roll. Taylor Mack had a pair of interceptions against RU, picking up league Defensive Player of the Week honors.