UConn QB's career back on the upswing

Nov 4, 2009 - 9:42 PM By PAT EATON-ROBB Associated Press Writer

STORRS, Conn.(AP) -- Connecticut quarterback Zach Frazer went from top recruit at Notre Dame to Fighting Irish cast off to the Huskies' starting quarterback to a backup who lost his job after an injury.

"It's tough," Frazer said. "It's just always been my career as an athlete. It's always up and down, up and down, it's like a roller coaster."

The 6-foot-4, 228 pound junior transfer is back up this week. A season-ending shoulder injury to quarterback Cody Endres means Frazer will be under center as the Huskies (4-4, 1-3 Big East) face No. 4 Cincinnati (8-0, 4-0) on Saturday night.

UConn fans are hoping to see the Frazer who engineered two fourth-quarter touchdown drives last Saturday against Rutgers, giving the Huskies a short-lived 24-21 lead before the Scarlet Knights beat them in the game's final seconds.

They would prefer not to see the Frazer who has thrown seven interceptions in fewer than three full games this season.

"He's going to have to be the guy and do the things that he needs to do," coach Randy Edsall said. "The biggest thing he has to do is stay within himself and take what the defense gives him. When he doesn't do that, that's when he gets himself in trouble."

Frazer was considered one of the top prospects in the nation after throwing for 3,647 yards and 27 touchdowns in his junior year of high school in Mechanicsburg, Pa.

He signed with Notre Dame in 2006 as the heir-apparent to Brady Quinn. But after redshirting his freshman year, he fell to fourth on the Irish depth chart behind Jimmy Clausen and others.

After talking to Edsall, who was also a quarterback from western Pennsylvania, Frazer decided to transfer to Connecticut. He had to sit out a year before seeing his first action last season, filling in for an injured Tyler Lorenzen.

This summer, he won the battle for the starting job. But in the Huskies second game, a 12-10 loss to North Carolina, down went Frazer with a knee injury and in stepped Endres.

The sophomore threw for 1,354 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions, prompting Edsall to stick with him, even after Frazer recovered.

"You work hard over the summer, hard during the offseason and then you get hurt, it's just a real downer," Frazer said. "But it made me appreciate everything I had when I was the starter."

When Endres went out in the first quarter against Rutgers, Frazer said it was like being hit with cold water.

His teammates, he said, have been very supportive. Tackle Mike Ryan said there is no drop-off in confidence when Frazer is in the game.

"He was the starter," Ryan said. "Cody's hurt now and Frazer has to come back in and get the job done. I don't care who is at QB to be honest with you, as long as we start winning some games."

Despite the ups and downs, Frazer said he doesn't regret coming to Connecticut, and is just trying to make the most of each game as it comes.

"I try to live my life with no 'What ifs?' no looking back," he said. "It's the next page in my life. I'm just excited to see what the next page is going to be."

For the Huskies, the page after Cincinnati will be a trip to South Bend, Ind. and a game with Frazer's former team, Notre Dame.

Frazer knows that if the Huskies win those games, nobody will care what happened in the past.

"All the tough losses and everything, it's bound to go our way sometime," he said.