UConn Huskies (1-9, 1-5 American) vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-5, 2-4 American) Game 11 • Saturday, Nov. 30 • 12:00 PM East Hartford, Conn. - Rentschler Field (40,000) ESPNU • 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. 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. RUTGERS HEAD COACH KYLE FLOOD Kyle Flood is in his second year as the head coach at Rutgers and is in his second year as a collegiate head coach. Last season, he led Rutgers to a 9-4 record and an appearance in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Rutgers won a share of the 2012 BIG EAST Championship and he also shared BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors. He has an overall record of 14-9 heading into Saturday’s game vs. UConn. Flood had served on the Rutgers staff for the previous seven seasons and also had assistant coaching stints at C.W. Post (1995-96), Hofstra (1997-2001), Delaware (2002-05). He was part of the coaching staff that led the Blue Hens to the 2003 NCAA FCS Championship. Flood is a 1993 Iona College graduate.
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) 12 p.m. 12/7 MEMPHIS* (ESPN3) 1 p.m. *Denotes American Athletic Conference Game
Rutgers Schedule/Results Date Opponent (TV) Score/Time 8/29 at Fresno State (ESPNU) L, 51-52 (OT) 9/7 NORFOLK ST. (CBSSN) W, 38-0 9/14 EASTERN MICHIGAN (ESPN3) W, 28-10 9/21 ARKANSAS (ESPN) W, 28-24 10/5 at SMU* (ESPNEWS) W, 55-52 (3OT) 10/10 at Louisville* (ESPN) L, 10-24 10/26 HOUSTON* (ESPNEWS) L, 14-49 11/2 TEMPLE* (SNY/ESPN-R) W, 23-20 11/16 CINCINNATI* (ESPNEWS) L, 17-52 11/21 at UCF* (ESPN) L, 17-41 11/30 at UConn* (ESPNU) 12 p.m. 12/7 USF* (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2) TBA *Denotes American Athletic Conference Game Rankings indicate ranking at time of game
Radio & TV Coverage TELEVISION COVERAGE Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPNU. Marc Kestecher is on play-by-play with Rene Ingoglia doing color. Nick Rudd is the producer. 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 Talk” with Nathan.
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UConn and Rutgers have met 32 times in the past, seventh most among all teams and most amongst 2013 opponents. RU holds a 22-10 edge all-time in a series dating back to 1940. UConn won its first game of the season last Saturday, coming back from a 21-0 deficit to defeat Temple, 28-21. Yawin Smallwood was named American Defensive Player Of The Week after his game-clinching 59 yard interception return touchdown Casey Cochran scored the game-tying touchdown on a one-yard run vs. Temple, the first rushing TD for a UConn QB this season Lyle McCombs picked up his 11th career 100yard rushing game vs. SMU on Nov. 16