Storrs — For former quarterback Dan Orlovsky, who visited practice Tuesday morning, the UConn football team looks different.

In a good way.

“It’s nice to see how they look like a college football team,” Orlovsky said inside the Shenkman Training Center. “I remember coming back six or seven years ago, that was one of the things that I took away, they didn’t look the part. Now they look the part.

“The linemen look like college football linemen, the receivers look like college football receivers, so it’s good to see.”

Since his playing days from 2001-2004 during which Orlovsky guided the Huskies to their first bowl appearance until the present, he has been tied to the program.

Orlovsky, 39, has watched UConn reach the heights of playing in the Fiesta Bowl in 2011, to the depths of being one of the worst FBS programs in the country.

Jim Mora, who’s in his second year as head coach, is turning the program around. Last season, he helped the Huskies finish with their most wins and first bowl trip in seven years.

“Tremendous,” Orlovsky said when asked about Mora’s impact on the program. “How quickly it happened last year. You have to go play the games, but how potentially good this year could be. Just watching them, they can play. So, his impact has been pretty impressive to see how it’s happened so quickly.”

Orlovsky, who lives in Westport, remains invested in the program. He genuinely cares about his alma mater.

His UConn experience basically changed his life. He went on to play in the NFL for 12 years and now is a highly-respected football analyst at ESPN. He never misses a chance to talk about his Huskies.

Coming out of Shelton High School, Orlovsky arrived on campus with a lot to learn and a lot of growing to do.

“I came here as an incredibly cocky, narrow-minded, and I’d say selfish person — certainly football player,” Orlovsky said. “And coach (Randy) Edsall and my teammates and being a part of this program shaped me in many ways as a much better teammate, a much better leader. Made me way more humble. Made me way more appreciative. I think that was the game of football and that was the teammates that I had.

“I think when you go to a school that is constantly trying to gain respect, you take that upon yourself. It taught me to prove myself on a daily basis. It was wildly impactful in many ways, still very much so a part of my everyday life.”

Orlovsky also takes great pride in being an in-state player who excelled at his state university.

He says it takes courage to take the harder route and play at UConn instead of a bigger name program.

“I remember, when I committed to UConn, everyone thought I was stupid because, why would you go to UConn? There was a sense of like I want to be the kid from the state that does for the state school what no one thinks can be done. I don’t think that ever leaves you.”

“.... When you’re in this state and you come to play ball here and it works out well for you, it opens up so many doors for you after college and even into your adult life that you can’t comprehend. So I love it.”

Watching practice, Orlovsky could see a competitive fire in both the coaching staff and players.

After wide receiver Kylish Hicks made a nice touchdown catch on the sideline near where Orlovsky stood, he was mobbed by some of his teammates.

“The coaches are super energetic and super engaged and competitive on a play-to-play basis,” Orlovsky said. “You definitely see with the kids as far as when they get into those competitive periods of ones versus ones and twos versus twos wanting to win those drills.

“There was a touchdown pass … and there was a huge celebration by the receiver and all the groups and my wife looked at me and she said, ‘Would you celebrate like that in practice?’ My immediate response was, ‘No.’

“And then I followed up that back up with, actually it’s a competitive period when you’re going against your counterparts, I would. So that’s good to see.”

Orlovsky says he keeps in contact with Mora. They played together in the Travelers Championship Pro-Am in June.

He’s careful not to overstep his bounds.

“I just want to continue to encourage and support him and let him know that not only me but a bunch of us are watching and rooting and pulling from afar,” Orlovsky said.

Orlovsky will be tracking the program’s progress this season. UConn hosts North Carolina State on Thursday, Aug. 31, in the season opener at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

And don’t be surprised if Orlovsky turns up at practice again, if for nothing else to relive his UConn days with his family — wife Tiffany and their four children. He still holds several program passing records.

“It gets cooler every time I come because my kids are older so they understand it a little bit more,” Orlovsky said. “Walking in, they were like, where are you, trying to find my name or pictures. So those are very cool small moments.”

g.keefe@theday.com