Spring Break
The Daily OrangeConference coaches reflect on death of UConn cornerback
By Ryan Mafurt
Posted: 10/21/09, 1:37 AM EST Section: Sports
A University of Connecticut football player, and soon-to-be father, was stabbed to death Sunday morning, mere hours after he led the team to a homecoming victory over Louisville.
Jasper "Jazz" Howard, 20, was stabbed near the Student Union on UConn's campus just after 12:30 a.m. Howard was first taken to Windham Community Memorial Hospital but then airlifted to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Conn., where he was pronounced dead, the Hartford Courant reported.
The rest of the Big East had its first chance to respond to the tragedy Monday during the weekly coaches' teleconference.
"When I heard about it on Sunday, I broke," said South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt, who has dealt with the death of three players during his career, but never one mid-season. "The only thing you can do is put faith in our Lord and in each other. I haven't had to go through it during a season. That's what's going to be an incredible challenge for (UConn head coach Randy Edsall) and the team.
"But there's nothing worse. It does put things in perspective. You lose a football game, and it's very difficult. But it is nothing like losing a player."
Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano echoed those sentiments, beginning his portion of the teleconference by addressing Howard's untimely death.
"I'd like to, on behalf of Rutgers and Rutgers University, express our deepest sympathy to the whole Howard family and to the University of Connecticut family," Schiano said "It's a terrible tragedy, and I think it's times like these where a close conference like the Big East needs to come together."
Edsall held a team meeting at the Huskies' training facility on Sunday morning, when he addressed the team, according to a report in the Courant.
The Connecticut State Police major crimes unit and UConn police said the stabbing took place on Hillside Road following a homecoming dance party at the Student Union. Both students and non-students attended the event; a total of nearly 300 people were present.
Jasper "Jazz" Howard, 20, was stabbed near the Student Union on UConn's campus just after 12:30 a.m. Howard was first taken to Windham Community Memorial Hospital but then airlifted to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Conn., where he was pronounced dead, the Hartford Courant reported.
The rest of the Big East had its first chance to respond to the tragedy Monday during the weekly coaches' teleconference.
"When I heard about it on Sunday, I broke," said South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt, who has dealt with the death of three players during his career, but never one mid-season. "The only thing you can do is put faith in our Lord and in each other. I haven't had to go through it during a season. That's what's going to be an incredible challenge for (UConn head coach Randy Edsall) and the team.
"But there's nothing worse. It does put things in perspective. You lose a football game, and it's very difficult. But it is nothing like losing a player."
Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano echoed those sentiments, beginning his portion of the teleconference by addressing Howard's untimely death.
"I'd like to, on behalf of Rutgers and Rutgers University, express our deepest sympathy to the whole Howard family and to the University of Connecticut family," Schiano said "It's a terrible tragedy, and I think it's times like these where a close conference like the Big East needs to come together."
Edsall held a team meeting at the Huskies' training facility on Sunday morning, when he addressed the team, according to a report in the Courant.
The Connecticut State Police major crimes unit and UConn police said the stabbing took place on Hillside Road following a homecoming dance party at the Student Union. Both students and non-students attended the event; a total of nearly 300 people were present.
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