Under former coach Randy Edsall, UConn was notorious for taking low-rated recruiting classes and turning them into Big East contenders. Paul Pasqualoni will get the chance to see if he can work similar magic with the 2011 class.

This would have seemed like an opportunity for Connecticut to build on its best season ever, one that saw it reach the Fiesta Bowl before falling to Oklahoma. But then Randy Edsall took a plane flight to Maryland instead of back home with the rest of the team, and the next thing anyone knew he was putting on a Terrapin hat and the school was advertising a coaching vacancy.

Pasqualoni, a former Syracuse coach and Dallas Cowboys assistant, was hired to fill the void. One of his early tasks will be to shore up an area that tended to be low-rated under Edsall: recruiting.

The Huskies have what is widely considered to be the worst incoming class in the conference. That's partially due to its small size (only 16 players), and no doubt the coaching change didn't due the team any favors. Running back/defensive back Adrian Amos, for example, went back on his verbal committment and signed with Penn State instead.

Since Pasqualoni was hired in January he didn't have time to put his stamp on the class. He did, however, keep 16 of the 17 Edsall commits in the fold (Amos was the lone exception).

And he might not be done. Pasqualoni has talked about extending the vertical passing game, but signed just one wide receiver. If there's anyone out there who can help who hasn't already committed, they may be getting a call from the new staff.

"You would love to have one of two things. A tall guy who can body him up and box him out, go up and get the ball, those guys are terrific. The other guy is the guy that is so quick and fast off the ball that you have a hard time getting your hands on him," Pasqualoni said, when asked what he was looking for in a wideout. "Those are the guys that you are really looking for and to be honest I think we have a chance to have those guys. They may be on our campus right now and that is what we are going to figure out."

Now that Signing Day is in the past, there's one more task before spring practice begins -- filling out the staff. In the meantime, he and the rest of the coaches have a lot of film to watch, to see what they have before they get to see everyone in action.

TOP OF THE CLASS

LB Jefferson Ashiru (McEachern HS, Powder Springs, Ga.) -- Ashiru has the size and speed to be a top collegiate outside linebacker. Given the attrition at the position this season, he is also likely to get the opportunity to show he can do that right away.

LB Marquise Vann (Fairfield Senior HS, Cincinnati, Ohio) -- Like his classmate Jefferson Ashiru, Vann has the skills to challenge for time in the depleted Huskies linebacking corps right away. He projects as an inside linebacker, however, and has the reputation of being an explosive tackler.

QB Michael Nebrich (Lake Braddock HS, Fairfax Station, VA.) -- Nebrich was the Washington Post Player of the Year in the D.C. Metro Area, and despite the coaching change had the confidence enough in the school and the program to enroll at UConn for the Spring Semester. Though he would face an uphill battle to win the starting job, the only returning quarterback with experience is Michael Box, so he could contend for a place on the depth chart if he picks up the offense quickly.

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