When Paul Pasqualoni was hired by Connecticut on Jan. 13, he inherited one of the most unsettled situations in college football.

Eight games into the season, UConn is still undergoing one of the most dramatic transformations in college football. It’s been a process defined by changes in strategy and personnel.

‘New system, new coaches, new approach, young guys,’ Pasqualoni said during the Big East coaches’ teleconference Oct. 24. ‘They’ve done a real good job, they’ve been really important. I think I’m seeing them grow up. In all honesty, they’ve got more growing up to do. They’re certainly not there yet, but they’re playing awful hard and that’s what’s important.’

Following six years in the NFL, Pasqualoni returned to the Big East — where he served as the head coach at Syracuse from 1991-2004 — to take over the Connecticut program. Following a landmark season in which the Huskies won the Big East title and reached its first-ever Bowl Championship Series, UConn lost its starting quarterback Zach Frazer, leading tackler Lawrence Wilson and Jordan Todman, the best running back in the Big East. Pasqualoni has had to rely on a drastically different starting lineup from the one that made it to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl last season.

The Huskies have just six returning starters on offense from a year ago and have two new faces in both the secondary and the linebacking corps as it enters its matchup with Syracuse at noon Saturday at Rentschler Field.

With new faces in some of the most important positions on the field, it’s been a challenge early on. UConn hasn’t put together a complete performance this season en route to a 3-5 mark.

Although it’s been a difficult process and the results have not always shown, Pasqualoni said he’s enjoyed the chance to make his mark on his inexperienced team.

Johnny McEntee is one of the players that have shown some potential in his first chance to get on the field this season.

McEntee emerged as the team’s starting quarterback following a preseason-long competition with Scott McCummings and Michael Nebrich that spilled into the early games of the season. Pasqualoni said it will take time for McEntee to develop confidence and a better understanding of the new offensive scheme.

After throwing four interceptions compared to zero touchdowns through his first three games, McEntee has thrown eight touchdowns and zero picks in his last five games.

‘Knock on wood, I’ve improved on turning the ball over,’ McEntee said. ‘I haven’t made as many mistakes there. I think the offense has improved a little bit in executing the plays. We’re still struggling here or there, but we’re doing the best we can.’

The rest of the team has struggled, too, but it continues to make progress under Pasqualoni. The head coach has had to be creative and adapt to unexpected obstacles to get the Huskies prepared each week.

When linebacker Jerome Williams was injured late in the spring, he called upon Yawin Smallwood, a player who had never practiced at the position, to fill the void.

McEntee said learning on the fly for many of the new starting players has led to inconsistency.

‘We lost a lot of really great players, but we have a lot of really great players that filled their spots,’ McEntee said. ‘Learning a new offense and defense can be a little tough, but I think everyone stepped up to the plate and everyone is working hard.’

That hard work has not always led to favorable results due to the team’s inability to put together a complete game on both sides of the ball. In the offense’s best game, against Western Michigan, the defense faltered and UConn lost 38-31.

Following the loss, it was rumored Pasqualoni was on the hot seat.

In the team’s 24-21 defeat to Vanderbilt, the offense struggled to capitalize on its opportunities. It was the first of two games this season in which UConn has not scored an offensive touchdown.

And with a small chance of gaining bowl eligibility this season, Pasqualoni said consistency is the main area the team needs to improve upon to finish the regular season.

‘When we get the ball in the red zone we have to score,’ Pasqualoni said during Monday’s teleconference. That’s been something that’s really hurt us so far this year is not scoring in the red zone, not capitalizing on those opportunities.’

Part of those offensive lapses can be attributed to the team’s major loss in talent on offense. Replacing Todman, last season’s Big East Offensive Player of the Year, has been one of Pasqualoni’s tallest tasks.

But the head coach has found a capable running back for the future in redshirt freshman Lyle McCombs.

McCombs is 171 yards away from reaching the 1,000-yard plateau, a feat that has been accomplished by previous starters Todman and Donald Brown in the past three seasons. He has continued the consistent rushing attack, which has been the main reason for UConn’s success in the last few seasons. But he has struggled to find the end zone, scoring all four of his touchdowns in UConn’s blowout win over Football Championship Subdivision team Fordham.

The team is still on the verge of having a losing season for the first time since 2006.

‘Last year was last year,’ fifth-year senior defensive tackle Kendall Reyes said. ‘Whether we were good or bad last year, losing games is tough to swallow no matter how you did the year before. No one likes losing games. We lost a few games, but we also have a chance to turn the season around.’

Reyes is motivated by the opportunities that this season still holds. The Huskies need to win three of their next four games to achieve bowl eligibility yet again.

Although none of the team’s victories this season have been pretty, all McEntee can hope for in the last juncture of the season is consistent play from each unit on the field. McEntee said he feels the team can be successful if they can put it all together.

‘We need to get it going on all phases,’ McEntee said. ‘Sometimes it feels like when the offense is doing well, the defense will struggle a little bit or the other way around. If we can put it all together, I think we’ll be able to be very successful.’

But that consistency and success has yet to take shape in 2011.

This season’s team is a remnant of last year’s Big East champion. But the rebuilding year gives Pasqualoni a chance to measure the talent he has at his disposal before looking to develop it. Despite the results this season, he believes the progress has laid the foundation for a bright future.

‘I enjoy working with them each day,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘I enjoy the successes that they have and try and help them overcome the failures that we’ve had. And they’re pretty good guys. They’re guys who in their careers here three or four years down the road are going to be pretty good players down the road.’

adtredin@syr.edu

Published on November 2, 2011 at 12:00 pm