Hurd goes from 'soft' to all-Big East pick

Zach Hurd weighed 230 pounds when he played his final football game for Waterford High School in 2005, but arrived at UConn the following summer having added over 60 pounds to his 6-foot-7-inch frame.

How's that for commitment.

"I know people were saying, 'He's going to play Big East football?'" Hurd said earlier this fall, even going as far to admit, "I was soft when I started ... but each year here, I've gotten less soft than the year before."

Along the way, Hurd also developed into one of the best offensive linemen in the Big East Conference, which was validated Wednesday when UConn's starting right guard was selected to the 2009 All-Big East first-team offense in a voting of the conference's eight coaches.

"I was excited (to get the news) and it's an honor," Hurd said Wednesday night. "From the first game to the end, I feel like I got better each game, and that's what you have to do at this level."

He credited his mom, Susan, for her constant support, strength and conditioning coaches Jerry Martin and Drew Wilson for pushing him in the weight room, and offensive line coach Mike Foley for constantly challening him on the practice field.

"I wanted to be a real physical player and finish every single play, and that's where hitting the weight room really helped," Hurd said. "I maintained my weight and strength all season and it definitely made a big difference."

The redshirt junior, who now weighs 314, was joined on the first team by teammates Lindsey Witten (defensive end) and Lawrence Wilson (linebacker). Witten led the Big East in sacks (11.5) and Wilson was first in tackles (11.3 per game).

Four Huskies were named to the second team - running backs Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman, linebacker Greg Lloyd and cornerback Robert McClain - and the Big East also announced it had named Jasper Howard, who died during an on-campus stabbing incident on Oct. 18, as the honorary captain.

"We regard the Big East Conference as the biggest family in collegiate athletics," commissioner John Marinatto said. "As a family, we wanted to respectfully remember Jasper Howard and honor his memory. In naming him the honorary captain of the 2009 All-Big East team, we have memorialized his name in Big East Conference history."

Hurd, meanwhile, was honored for leading a UConn offense that became one of the Big East's best in 2009, finishing second in passing yardage (225.7) and third in scoring (32.1), rushing (172.8) and total offense (398.8).

"I thought Zach had a really good year," coach Randy Edsall said Wednesday. "He continues to improve and it was well deserved. I'm really anxious to watch his progress and evolution over next year, too, because he has so much ahead of him.

"This honor should give Zach the confidence to go out and have a great senior year."

Hurd spent the 2006 season as a redshirt before playing in all 13 games in 2007 as a reserve tackle. He was converted to guard in the spring of 2008 and has started all 25 games the past two seasons at right guard.

Start No. 26 will come on Jan. 2 against South Carolina in the PapaJohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., when the Huskies will make their third consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in school history.

c.banning@theday.com