Storrs — Billy Crocker admits he gets fired up coaching football.

To locate Crocker during UConn spring practice just follow the sound of his booming voice. He's clearly in the running for loudest member of Randy Edsall's coaching staff.

"I can get a little crazy sometimes," said Crocker, a Waterford native and former Coast Guard Academy football player. "I've tried to bring that down. I'm an emotional guy. That's the way I think football should be played — with passion."

Energetic. Fiery. Intense. Intimidating.

Those are all words that UConn players use to describe their new defensive coordinator.

"He's awesome," defensive lineman Sheriden Lawley said. "He's very upbeat, high tempo. He wants to teach everybody. He's a very good teacher of the game. He knows a lot. And he's always out there and wants to get the best out of all of his players."

Red-shirt senior defensive lineman Cole Ormsby added: "He brings intensity. ... He grabs your attention. He wants you to feel it. You want to play hard for him, that's what you want your coach to be."

Attitude and intensity helped carry Crocker this far during his successful coaching career. Crocker arrived in Storrs after spending 12 years as an assistant at Villanova, the last five as defensive coordinator. He built a stingy defense that ranked first in the FCS in fewest points (15.0) and yards (259.9) allowed per game last season.

Now the former Waterford High School football standout is back home to try to help turn around the UConn program. His wife, Kristina, and three young children will join him down the road.

"We've been so busy that we really haven't had the time to digest it," Crocker said about returning to the area. "My family is still back in Philadelphia. So we're just kind of here doing football, that's all we really have time for right now. It's been great.

"We're thrilled and excited for the challenge and opportunity to come back a little bit closer to home for me."

There was likely a surge in UConn season ticket sales from fans in southeastern Connecticut when Crocker was officially hired in January.

Numerous family members, relatives and friends still live in the area. He considers Dave Sousa, his former Waterford football coach, Rik Little and Jack O'Keefe some of the biggest influences on his football career.

They helped guide him down his career path.

"It was always something that I thought I was going to do," Crocker said. "You can ask Dave (Sousa) a little bit about that because I probably thought I knew more than he did back in high school on a few occasions. ... What level? I didn't know, I was going to let it play itself out. To be where I am right now, I credit a lot of people that have helped me get here."

There's no time to waste for Crocker and the rest of the UConn football staff. He's installing a 3-3-5 defense while also adjusting to new players. He wants his Huskies to be aggressive and run to the football.

"I'm not a guy that wants to sit back and wait and let things be dictated to us," Crocker said.

The Huskies have embraced Crocker's system and mentality.

"I'm definitely looking forward to the season," Ormsby said, "especially with the type of scheme we've got coming in. We want to attack the quarterback."

So far, Crocker is happy with his unit's progress.

"The thing that I wanted to see is improvement and I've really seen that the last two or three practices from these guys," Crocker said. "The biggest challenge was, outside of a couple guys, a lot of these guys on defense have not played significant snaps of college football. They just had to come out and play football again.

".... The attitude has been unbelievable, the willingness and the buy-in. It's a great group of guys. I think they're getting better each practice as we go along. So we've seen some really positive things from these guys."

The Huskies will certainly have no problem hearing Crocker yell out instructions this season. Unless vocal Jon Wholley, the linebackers coach, drowns him out.

Crocker gives volume edge to Wholley.

No player wants to be on the bad side of either coach.

"Crocker and Wholley, for their height, they're the scariest guys," linebacker Junior Joseph said. "I think they're both about 5-8. But they're the two guys that you fear the most when they start yelling. They're definitely the loudest coaches that we have.

"... They mean business. I love that. That's what we need as a defense."

g.keefe@theday.com