Connecticut vs West Virginia Recap

The death of Jasper Howard can't be undone or reversed. Yet, in the face of that immeasurable loss and the ocean of grief it has created, the Connecticut Huskies and college football both won on Saturday in Morgantown, W. Va., in a game where the scoreboard didn't matter.

The 2009 football season simply can't be viewed as just another set of Saturdays for Coach Randy Edsall and his heart-stricken squad. It will take many years for UConn's kids to process and absorb the cruel killing of a beloved teammate and friend, so while 2010 offers the promise of some semblance of normalcy, the remainder of this year simply can't be perceived through a normal football lens. For now, the health of the Connecticut program is only as much as the emotional health of every coach, player and staffer who takes to the sideline every Autumnal weekend.

By that measure, then, the Huskies most certainly won on their trip to Mountaineer Field.

The crowd of 58,106 fans--most of them Mountaineers, but sprinkled with sections of UConn fans--gave the Huskies a loud ovation as they walked onto the field for a game unlike any other. This note of appreciation carried through the afternoon, as a banner posted on the edge of the field said, "We're all Huskies." West Virginia fans signed their names to the banner, wishing healing and peace to the UConn football family. By any true measure, the Huskies gained what they needed to gain from this game: simply, the familiarity of football, a refuge and an escape from their sadness. By playing the sport Jasper Howard loved to play, the UConn kids took a first big step in moving forward with their lives. The fact that they played West Virginia tooth-and-nail didn't hurt their outlook for the rest of 2009 and beyond.

Yes, Noel Devine needed to be pushed out of bounds on his game-winning 56-yard touchdown run. Yes, quarterback Cody Endres needed to display better ball security; his three interceptions didn't help UConn's on-field cause. Yes, kicker Dave Teggart can't afford to miss two of three field goals, which is precisely what he did on the field turf surface in Morgantown. A Connecticut team that prides itself on not making mistakes simply coughed up too many miscues in a hard-fought Big East battle.

Yet, those things take a backseat on this afternoon and--at least to a degree--for the rest of 2009. For now, UConn won something quite precious after suffering a loss far worse than anything seen on a scoreboard. Randy Edsall's club claimed a small but real piece of the familiarity that, bit by bit, needs to re-enter an abruptly-altered set of lives.

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By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer