Newport, R.I. — Randy Edsall has experienced an enjoyable last few days.

Over the weekend, Edsall attended a Red Sox-Yankee game at Fenway Park and threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Sunday. He had a good conversation with Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk and talked to Red Sox reliever and former UConn baseball standout Matt Barnes.

Then the UConn football coach headed to scenic Newport for the American Athletic Conference football media day. He went for a run on the famed Cliff Walk and took part in the conference clambake overlooking Newport Harbor on Monday night.

After taking a few days off, a rested and energized Edsall will get back to work on Monday to prepare for summer camp. The Huskies report on Thursday, July 27. First day of practice is the July 29.

Edsall and his fellow AAC coaches met with the media on Tuesday morning at Gurney's Newport Resort and Marina.

"It's good to get back here," Edsall said. "Now, especially with a day like this, we're that close to getting started and doing the things that you want to do and you've worked on since January. Coming here to Newport is a good trip.

"I got up this morning and yesterday morning and ran along the cliffs. You take it all in, leave here and take a few more days off. Starting Monday, we'll all be back at it with the coaches and starting the 27th the players come in. ... It's here. It's time to get going."

One highlight of the last few days was Edsall's conversation with Fisk, who told him an interesting story about catching Ted Williams' first pitch at the 1999 All-Star.

"He said he was going to do everything he could to make sure that ball didn't hit the ground," Edsall said. "He said if I had to run and jump and all this stuff, I'd lay out to catch. He said old Ted got up there and just threw that ball right in there and he didn't have to move.

"That was a neat story."

Starting QB competition

• UConn will open camp at the end of next week without Edsall naming a starting quarterback.

"It's a wide open competition," he said. "The guys know that. And who's ever the best guy will be the guy that goes out there on the 31st."

August 31 is the date of the season opener against Holy Cross.

The Huskies currently have six quarterbacks on their roster. Redshirt senior Bryant Shirreffs and sophomore Donovan Williams are the most experienced returning QBs, appearing in nine and three games, respectively, last season.

Junior David Pindell also has some games under his belt on the junior college level at Lackawanna in Pennsylvania. Edsall also would like to see more of Williams and freshman Marvin Washington.

"All those guys are going to have an opportunity to compete," Edsall said, "but, as we told them, the new guys we want to be able to see. We've seen a lot of the older guys and guys that have been in the program. But with Donovan being hurt, and David and Marvin, we haven't seem them so they'll probably get a few more reps early on in practice to see how they are and what they are all about."

State of the AAC

Commissioner Mike Aresco gave his State of the AAC Address Tuesday morning. He continues to heavily promote the conference's Power 6 campaign.

The P6 logo was everywhere at Media Day.

Aresco touted the conference's accomplishments, including its bowl successes and quality wins, as well as ambitious plans for the future.

"This is a critical period for the American Athletic Conference, and we approach it with optimism and confidence," Aresco said. "The conference is clearly on the cusp of great things, having already accomplished so much in our relatively brief history. We have issued a strategic plan that will guide our efforts to be and remain a Power 6 conference."

News and notes

• UConn linebacker Luke Carrezola, who sat out spring workouts with a shoulder injury, is healthy and ready to go. "It was hard just watching my teammates play. I'm full-go now and ready to go. It gives me more energy for this season." ... Former Southington standout Jay Rose is on the UConn roster as a tight end. He committed to the Huskies in 2016 but changed his mind. Edsall recently gave Rose a scholarship. "He's going to be great fit for us at tight end," veteran Tommy Myers said. "I'm excited to see what he'll do in the future. I was his roommate the first go-around in camp, so I told him I'm going to chain him to his bed." ... Edsall is one of five new football coaches in the AAC this season. Other newcomers include South Florida's Charlie Strong, Temple's Geoff Collins, Cincinnati's Luke Fickell and Houston's Major Applewhite. "A little different than when I first started in the Big East, I think I was one of the younger guys," Edsall said. "Now I'm the old guy."

g.keefe@theday.com