News:Michael Smith entered the bye week with nine receptions in his last two games, the USA Today reports.
Analysis:Michael Smith has seen his place in the offense grow and now has 23 receptions for 280 yards and a touchdown. The Huskies play South Florida next and Smith had six catches for 58 yards against the Bulls two years ago.
News:Michael Smith had four receptions for 61 yards on Friday against Syracuse.
Analysis:Michael Smith was coming off his best fantasy week against Temple and had his season high in yards on Friday. The Connecticut offense is being forced to throw more, so Smith has slightly more value going forward.
News:Michael Smith had three receptions for 52 yards in the Saturday loss against Rutgers.
Analysis:Michael Smith, a 6-1 senior, has at least two catches in his last four games. The Huskies do not have a great passing offense, but Smith is making the most of his few opportunities.
News:Michael Smith had three catches for 30 yards.
Analysis:Michael Smith did not play in 2011 while he got his academic house in order. He made two of his catches on the same series. The 6-1 senior made the most of his limited targets.
News: ![CDATA[Six Big East players were named to the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award last week, an award annually given to the nation's top wide receiver. The players on the watch list are: Tavon Austin (West Virginia), Van Chew (Syracuse), Mark Harrison (Rutgers), Mike Shanahan (Pittsburgh), Michael Smith (Connecticut) and D.J. Woods (Cincinnati)
]]
Analysis: The last Big East receiver to win the Biletnikoff was Pitt's Larry Fitzgerald, who won the award back in 2003. However, Smith will not win the award as he will redshirt after being declared academically ineligible for the 2011 season.
News: UConn wide receiver Michael Smith hauled in a team-leading 46 passes for 615 yards and two scores last season, but will miss all of 2011 after being declared academically ineligible.
Analysis: This one hurts as there are not many proven producers in the Huskies' receiving corps. UConn will look to Kashif Moore, Geramy Davis, and Tebucky Jones to step up.
News: Smith had three catches for 29 yards against Syracuse on Saturday.
Analysis: Smith is as valuable as anyone in the Connecticut passing game, which is to say he doesn't belong in your fantasy lineup.
News: Smith had six catches for 56 yards against West Virginia on Friday.
Analysis: Smith has proven to be a reliable option in the Huskies passing game. Unfortunately, the Huskies have proven to be a run-first team, limiting Smith's value.
News: Smith had four catches for 63 yards against Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Analysis: For the second straight week, Smith caught just four passes. This time, however, he was unable to find the end zone. Connecticut relied heavily on Jordan Todman and the running game so Smith will have to hope for a more balanced attack against Rutgers next Friday.
News: Smith had four catches for 130 yards and a score against Buffalo on Saturday.
Analysis: Despite catching just four passes, Smith had a field day against the Bulls. He continues to lead the Huskies in receiving and is a good bet to stay productive against Vanderbilt next week.
News: Smith had two catches for 14 yards and a score against Texas Southern on Saturday.
Analysis: The Connecticut passing attack was not needed as the Huskies ran at will against an overmatched Texas Southern team. Hopefully, Smith can get a few more targets against Temple next week.
News: Smith had three catches for 87 yards against Michigan on Saturday.
Analysis: Smith certainly exceeded expectations against one of the most difficult defenses Connecticut will see all year.
News: Smith will be ready to play Saturday against West Virginia, the Hartford Courant reports.
Analysis: Smith, along with wide receiver Kashif Moore, were the two players that tried to save cornerback Jasper Howard's life after he suffered a fatal stab wound early Sunday morning. Head coach Randy Edsall said that he was unsure if the two of them would play against West Virginia, but Moore will indeed play against the Mountaineers.
News: Smith had three catches for 25 yards in Saturday's loss at Pittsburgh.
Analysis: Smith seems to be a favorite target for quarterback Cody Endres, but it remains uncertain if he or Zach Frazer will be the starter for Saturday's game against Louisville.
Smith Helps Lead UConn to Win Against Rhode Island
News: Smith had eight catches for 82 yards in Saturday's win against Rhode Island.
Analysis: Smith's eight catches were four less than he had in his career before Saturday. If Cody Endres remains the starter at quarterback, Smith might see more opportunities, as Endres showed he can lead the passing game down the field.
