UConn Basketball's Top Five Questions for the 2009-10 season

After recovering from a torn meniscus that ended guard Jerome Dyson's season last February, the rehab went as well as expected over the summer.

Until he opened the door to Gampel Pavillion two hours before last Sunday's exhibition win over UMass-Lowell.

A piece of metal on the door ripped off the toenail on his big toe and required stitches on the skin under the nail.

As a testament to just how ready Dyson is for his last year at UConn, he went out and scored 32 points in the preseason finale.

Dyson, who has missed huge chunks of time over the last two seasons, from a suspension two years ago to last year's injury, will be counted on now more than ever as UConn's leader and go-to option on offense.

Paired with the super quick Kemba Walker in the backcourt and Stanley Robinson on the wing, UConn will have a big advantage in transition and on the break this year.

The key is getting a full year out of the senior, and while no one can foresee when the injury bug may bite someone, after his toe incident Calhoun may have to look into purchasing a plastic bubble for Dyson to enter when off the court.

While the investigations into the recruiting violations are rumored to still be in the early stages, UConn fans can't help but wonder when the NCAA will springs its results on the program.

The Yahoo! sports report that alleged UConn's ties with former team manager and decertified agent Josh Nochimson and his role in the illegal recruitment of Nate Miles (pictured) dropped on the eve of last year's West regional.

As investigations of this nature usually take some time, pardon UConn fans for thinking the NCAA will reveal its final judgment with even worse timing than the Yahoo! report.

Probably on the eve of the Big East tourney, or NCAA tourney, if UConn makes it that far.

For a squad and coach that can't afford the distraction, there's no doubt it will be at the most inopportune time.

Highlighted by a Dec. 9 matchup at Madison Square Garden against longtime Calhoun nemesis and new Kentucky coach John Calipari, the Huskies schedule is ripe with landmines throughout.

November could bring a preseason NIT final against Duke.

Six days near the end of January find UConn traveling to Michigan and facing Texas at Gampel, just as the Big East schedule is in full swing.

Speaking of the Big East, the Huskies had better have their questions in the middle answered by that time.

Notre Dame, with stud big man Luke Harangody, and Louisville, with its own talented thumper in the middle in Samardo Samuels, should be looking forward to two matchups apiece with the Thabeet-less Huskies.

Other Big East mines include road ventures to Georgetown, Syracuse, Villanova, and the rabid fans at the RAC against Rutgers.

The learning curve for UConn's newcomers this year is all but nonexistent.

After what has seemed like an eternity of waiting for UConn fans, Ater Majok officially joins the team Dec. 15.

With the lack of quality depth in the interior for UConn, Majok's arrival couldn't come at a better time.

Majok's long arms and 6'10" frame should be a plus immediately for UConn defensively and on the boards.

While Majok brings shooting range out to the three-point arc, Calhoun is looking for him to provide offense in the paint.

The athletic Majok should fit right into Calhoun's plan to transform his team into a more uptempo squad, but it's anyone's guess how Majok adjusts to the certain pounding inside that will come when Big East play begins.

Easily the biggest question is how Calhoun replaces the production that was lost with the departures of Adrien and Thabeet.

UConn's eight-year run of leading the nation in blocks will be hard-pressed to reach nine this year.

With Calhoun adamant in his desire to keep Stanley Robinson strictly at small forward, the center and power forward positions are the biggest keys on the team.

It seems early on that 6'9" senior Gavin Edwards will start at the four, with 6'9" freshman Alex Oriakhi in the middle, but the Huskies will be hard-pressed to keep both spots from being a revolving door.

Oriakhi should have the biggest impact of all of the newcomers, even Majok, just by controlling the glass defensively to start the Huskies running in transition.

Calhoun had hoped in the summer that 7'1" sophomore wide load Charles Okwandu could secure significant minutes in the post, but after two lackluster outings in the exhibitions, expectations have faded.

Okwandu is now being expected to provide the team five extra fouls and an occasional blocked shot.

Jamaal Coombes-McDaniel, a 6'7" freshman, will be seeing minutes early in the year or at least until Majok is eligible at power forward.

McDaniel is a Calhoun-type player to a tee, able to do a lot of things at a lot of positions on the court.

In the backcourt, another freshman, Darius Smith, should receive the bulk of the minutes behind Walker and Dyson. In terms of speed and pressure, UConn would not lose much in those areas when Smith spells Walker.

With the expected transition to more of a running and high pressure team, Calhoun will employ a much bigger rotation this year, going 9-10 players deep.

As much as he wants to run, though, in Big East play and hopefully the Big Dance, UConn is going to face those teams that slow the pace.

Whether the talent in the middle can develop by that time should go a long way in finding out this team's ultimate success.