Edsall Critical Of Defense

STORRS — - Take away the 11 points Pittsburgh scored in the fourth quarter and the 12 fourth-quarter points North Carolina scored and you're looking at a 5-0 UConn football team today, folks.

But it doesn't work that way.

So the Huskies are 3-2 overall, 0-1 in the Big East and, frankly, playing below expectations.

Even in victories, the Huskies had fourth-quarter meltdowns because they could neither sustain drives nor stop them.

Outside of Rhode Island, UConn has been outscored 40-10 in the fourth quarter.

"I don't think anything changes mind-set-wise when we get to the fourth quarter," senior defensive end Lindsey Witten said. "We've just got to step up our play in the fourth quarter."

Other problems UConn must overcome:

•Youth: Redshirt freshman Jerome Junior started at safety the first four games, basically because the more experienced Aaron Bagsby, a sophomore, was serving a suspension. Junior got torched in every game he started. Bagsby had his moments against Pitt, too. They're in competition for the starting role against Louisville.

•The lack of big plays by the experienced and talented guys on defense when the Huskies need them most.

Coach Randy Edsall had no problem calling out a few of his top players, such as Witten, an NFL-caliber player who has had just one sack since Week 2 but is still second in the nation (1.60). "I've been kicking myself all week because I know what I'm capable of doing and that was not one of my better performances," Witten said of the Pitt game.

Edsall called on a couple of his linebackers, starters last year, to play better, namely Lawrence Wilson and Greg Lloyd. Safety Robert Vaughn was the Big East defensive player of the week with two interceptions, yet Edsall said he can still tighten up his game, too.

These are guys who have been taught to raise their level of play by former Huskies such as Alfred Fincher, Tyler Lorenzen, Cody Brown and Julius Williams.

Time for them to pass on their wisdom.

They began the process Sunday. Edsall said he wasn't present, but some of the older current players gave the younger players an earful. The coach called that a good thing and said peer pressure in this instance can help.

But Edsall and his staff are not above criticism, either. Everyone has to be held accountable.

"We as coaches are always looking at, what can we do to help our guys? What kind of call can we make to put them in a better position or help them make a play in those situations," Edsall said. "Believe me. We grill ourselves more than what anybody could imagine afterward.

"I think it's a confidence thing. It's an attitude. And when you have some young guys, you don't have that same kind of confidence and that same kind of exuberance because they haven't experienced that before."

Pitt scored 18 unanswered points for a 24-21 victory at Heinz Field, marching downfield to win it on an 18-yard field goal in the last second. The Panthers erased a 15-point deficit.

UConn had No. 19 North Carolina on the ropes at Rentschler Field but lost 12-10 after the Tar Heels scored 12 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

"It's a growing process when you look at some of the youth and inexperience that is there, but that's not an excuse," Edsall said. "We've got to get it done as coaches. We've got to get it done as players. ... It's tough because you've lost two games now by a total of five points. It's not like you got your butts handed to you or you got blown out."

As tough as it has been for the defense, it has been frustrating on the offensive side, too. UConn had two quick possessions, both three-and-out, in the fourth quarter against Pitt.

Sophomore left tackle Mike Ryan, starting in place of fifth-year senior Dan Ryan, got beat for a sack on one of those drives. He'll start against Louisville and so will redshirt freshman guard Erik Kuraczea of Ansonia.

>>Louisville at UConn: Saturday, noon, Rentschler Field, Ch. 59.

>> To see UConn and Louisville depth charts and statistics, go to courant.com/uconnlouis.