Storrs — UConn coach Randy Edsall's epic recruiting trip started on a Sunday night.

By the time he returned home to Connecticut Friday, he had covered more ground than UPS during the Christmas season, driving and flying up and down the East Coast.

Edsall started off by flying to Baltimore, then he went to Atlanta, Moultrie (Ga.), Roanoke, Ala., back to Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, northeastern Pennsylvania where he stopped at Mountain Top and Scranton before driving back to Connecticut.

And he visited five schools in Connecticut on Friday.

"I think I logged more miles in one week driving than I had in about three years," he said. "It's a grind but the enjoyable part is being able to sit down with the families and going into areas. ... That's the life of a football coach during recruiting. That's what you have to do."

It was worth every mile, every minute stuck in traffic, every flight delay and every meal on the go, as Edsall checked off every item on his recruiting shopping list for the late signing period.

With the addition of five newcomers, his entire recruiting class stands at 25 players.

"It's good to add these five to the 20 that we had already signed in December," Edsall said. "We really fulfilled all the needs that we were looking for in terms of when I put together the list and what we were shooting for. We really hit the target for what we wanted."

The newest Huskies include linebacker Tui Faumina-Brown (Monroeville, Pa.), running back Devontae Houston (Roanoka, Ala.), offensive lineman Remon Young (Moultrie, Ga.) and defensive backs Durante Jones (Atlanta) and Tre Wortham (Stockton, Calif.), a junior college player.

There was no drama during the recruiting process. All five players committed during their recruiting visits a couple weekends ago.

Edsall stayed away from recruiting players in the transfer portal, preferring to go the high school and junior college route.

"Guys going into the portal, to me, they've got issues," Edsall said. "That's why they're going into the portal. ... Sometimes these guys from the portal think they're enabled and entitled to something. Maybe it didn't work, you didn't stay there and finish."

Edsall's comments prompted a response on Twitter from some of the 20-plus Huskies who transferred out of the program after last season, including Donovan Williams and Mason Donaldson.

Williams tweeted: "Never in my life have I approached this game with a sense of entitlement. Earned every second on that field and every ounce of respect from teammates and coaches. Look in the mirror."

Donaldson wrote: "For the last few weeks of the season I volunteered to play scout team DB. I knew I'd never see the field but it would help my team win. My guys were fighting an uphill battle since day one. I'm appalled with the "leadership" of the program. We just wanted to win."

Overall, the incoming recruiting class includes 14 players on offense and 11 on defense. The list breaks down like this: four defensive backs, five defensive linemen, two linebackers, three running backs, two wide receivers, six offensive linemen, two tight ends and a quarterback.

"With this group of 25, there's no doubt that we've upgraded ourselves significantly," Edsall said.

The recruits all share something in common that appealed to Edsall besides talent.

"A lot of these guys were leaders but they were also guys that had to overcome some adversity, maybe," Edsall said. "They weren't enabled and entitled guys. They're guys that work. ... They're my kind of guys. They have the work ethic, the character. They know how to persevere."

The Huskies stand at 79 scholarships right now. Edsall will look to some walk-ons, hoping to bring a couple more offensive linemen, a receiver, linebacker, defensive back and punter.

"From a roster management standpoint, we're going to continue to work on that," Edsall said. "I feel good about where we are but feel really good about all these guys."

g.keefe@theday.com

UCONN FOOTBALL / FEBRUARY SIGNING CLASS

Here's a closer look at the five new members of the UConn football family:

• Tui Faumina-Brown — Four-year letterwinner at Gateway High School in Monroeville, Pa., earned all-state honors at linebacker and tight end. As a senior, he caught a team-best 45 passes for 587 and had nine touchdowns and racked up 45 tackles, three sacks, an interception and fumble recovery for WPIAL Class 5A title team. He also plays basketball.

Coach Randy Edsall: "He's going to play linebacker for us. Very athletic, very productive. A guy that is very versatile. The kind of guy that you like. ... Great family. I had a chance to watch him play basketball last week and you just see the athleticism."

• Devontae Houston — Running back out of Handley High School in Roanoke, Ala., piled up 2,819 all-purpose yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior. He made first team all-state and received the 2019 County Player of the Year from the Randolph Leader.

Edsall: "You just look at the productivity that he had last year. ... Very, very fast and quick. Got hurt his junior year. Played there as a freshman. That's a pretty good school down there, Handley HIgh School. ... Great kid. Can not only run the ball but also is a good receiver coming out of the backfield. Very, very fortunate to be able to land him."

• Durante Jones — Attends Mays High School in Atlanta, had an impressive 10 interceptions, 12 pass-breakups, two touchdowns and blocked three field goals during his senior season at defensive back. He earned all-state and all-city honors.

Edsall: "Very versatile. Could be a corner or safety. Probably going to look at him more as a safety. Tough, physical. A leader. He's a guy that has a mindset that he knows what he wants to accomplish and he's going to go about doing it. Really liked the way he played physically and liked his length. We're very happy that he decided to join the family."

• Tre Wortham — Defensive back out of Delta College in Stockton, Calif., had 44 tackles, 14 pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery last season on the junior college level. He was a three-time first team all-league pick at Bear Creek High School in Stockton. He graduated from junior college and is taking courses to become eligible at UConn. His junior college coach, Gary Barlow, was a college teammate of UConn defensive backs coach Darrell Perkins.

Edsall: "I was very impressed with him. I don't know if I've seen a guy in a long, long time get up and play with fundamentals and technique that the young man coming out of junior college plays with. He gets up and plays press coverage and plays physical."

• Remon Young — Offensive lineman attends Colquitt County High School in Norman Park, Ga., served as team captain and received All-State honorable mention. He also was an All-Region first and second team pick during his high school career. He's a member of the National Honor Society. Current Husky Steve Krajewski also went to CCHS.

Edsall: "He'll be a center for us. ... He's a guy that you watch on tape, at 6-foot-2, he doesn't have the length to be a tackle. So you look at his skill set and how he moves, there's a guy that I felt he'd go inside and be an outstanding center. So you bring him here, you redshirt him and you teach him."