Storrs — Quayvon Skanes has seen highs and lows and everything in between during his UConn football career.

It's been quite an adventure.

"I've experienced some things," Skanes said on Tuesday. "I've been on both ends. Starting, not starting. Playing special teams, not playing. Different coaches. I've seen everything. It's been a great experience."

A red-shirt junior wide receiver, Skanes added to his list of experiences in Saturday's 56-35 win at UMass, UConn's first victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision team in just over two years.

Clinging to a seven-point lead midway through the third quarter, UConn dialed up a trick play that generated a touchdown. Freshman quarterback Jack Zergiotis threw the ball back to Skanes, who tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jay Rose in the corner of the end zone.

Coach Randy Edsall prefers not to call it a trick play.

"I think you might call them deceptive plays, not trick plays," Edsall said. "You do them for a rhyme and reason. You try to practice things each week that you see that might be available to you based on what the opponent is doing and then you go out and practice it. And you do it in practice and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

"But you keep it in your game plan. It's just a feel for when you think it should happen and where on the field as you put the game plan together. You just make the call. That was one that was very well executed at the right time and the right place."

The "deceptive'' play wasn't as successful in practice as it was in Saturday's game.

"It was kind of shaky in practice," Zergiotis said. "We couldn't execute it. And then it just worked out in the game. We had a good feeling about it. I think coach Edsall was actually a bit nervous when that play was called. But, ultimately, it worked out for us. Hopefully, we can use Q a little bit more."

Prior to and during the game, Skanes had no advanced warning that the UConn coaching staff planned on using that play.

"It definitely was exciting but it was also unexpected," Skanes said. "They didn't say like, 'Q, get ready,' or nothing like that. It was just called."

A dual threat quarterback in high school, Skanes didn't make a big deal about his first career touchdown pass. He was more happy about Rose catching his first touchdown pass this season.

"Not nervous because I did it in high school and I'm pretty comfortable throwing the ball," Skanes said. "When my number is called, I just make sure I go out there and execute."

Skanes, who's from Chicago, has had an interesting college career.

After sitting out as a redshirt, Skanes was a major contributor as a sophomore. He had at least one reception in all 12 games and ranked second on the team with 35 catches and also added a touchdown.

Then he saw his role diminish last season, as he played in just five games. This season, he's yet to make a catch but has been a regular on special teams serving as a punt and kickoff returner. He's averaged 8.3 yards on seven punt returns and returned just one kickoff.

"My role is basically making sure these young guys are prepared for every game, especially the receivers," Skanes said.

Skanes and his fellow Huskies (2-6, 0-4) are feeling better this week coming off a win. They're preparing to host Navy (6-1, 4-1) Friday at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. The American Athletic Conference game starts at 8 p.m.

"It definitely changes the energy in the room," Skanes said. "When we win, there's a lot of energy in the room. When we lose, no energy. What you expect. We've got to win more often so the energy can stay high."

News and notes

• Junior running back Kevin Mensah, whose five touchdowns vs. UMass were the most in FBS this season, was named an AAC offensive player of the week. "The guy works extremely hard and also is very prideful in terms of how he plays and his own standards and expectations that he has for himself as a football player. That's why you love being around the game," Edsall said. Mensah ranks eighth in program history in rushing yards with 2,299. ... Freshman Cam Ross has been the favorite target of Zergiotis, who also is his roommate. Ross leads the team in receptions with 40, including 18 catches in the last two games. "We're pretty close," Zergiotis said. "Our relationship off the field translates to our connection on the field."... Edsall handed out UMass game balls to linebacker Jackson Mitchell (defense), Mensah (offense) and Omar Fortt (special teams).

g.keefe@theday.com