Staying strong at UConn
Posted by BKoch at 11/2/2009 3:09 PM EST on Cincinnati.com

It’s hard to imagine a more difficult period for a college football program than the two weeks that Connecticut have transpired at Connecticut, beginning with the Oct. 18 stabbing death of cornerback Jasper Howard.

But UConn coach Randy Edsall, whose team plays at UC on Saturday, says his players’s spirits are good, even after two gut-wrenching losses, including Saturday’s 28-24 loss at home to Rutgers.

“The good thing is we’re out here playing games and we’re together as a family," Edsall said today. "Again, when we hit the field and the meetings it’s all about football and trying to go out and win.

“We’ve come up a little bit short in some tough situations. The kids yesterday we had a good practice. They were spirited and running around. They understand we have to keep going through our everyday life and keep moving forward. That’s the thing I like about these kids. We might not be winning football games, but they’re winning in the game of life.”

Edsall has displayed admirable class in dealing with a situation that most coaches never have to face. He says his focus from the start has been to be strong for his players and that hasn’t changed.

Asked how he was doing personally, he said, “I’m taking it one day at a time, doing everything I can to keep these kids together and help them through this. I’m fine, Ill be OK.”

UC coach Brian Kelly said today he has great admiration for the way Edsall and his players have persevered.

“These are competitive kids,” Kelly said of the Huskies. “They want to win football games. They’re going to stay together and keep fighting. That’s why they’re a dangerous team.

“(It’s) a lot like overcoming adversity in your own family. You bond tighter. You don’t feel sorry for yourself. You go out there and you fight and that’s what they’ve done. You stick together and you move on. The longer they go from when this tragedy occurred the more the healing process will take place.”

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