Very sad news at the University of Connecticut this morning: Starting cornerback Jasper Howard was stabbed and killed outside the student union early this morning, after a school-sponsored dance was evacuated when a fire alarm was pulled.

The 20-year old Miami native was very tight with Patriots' rookie Darius Butler, who served as a mentor to the corner.

Reportedly, a fire alarm was pulled at 12:26 a.m. and as students filed outside, there was an altercation between two groups; Howard and a friend, still unnamed, were stabbed. The perpetrator is still at large.

Howard had a strong performance for the Huskies against Louisville earlier Saturday; he came from a difficult background, raised by a single mother who worked several jobs to support he and his sisters (one of whom had meningitis), and he spoke of making it to the NFL and being able to take care of his family.

-- SHALISE MANZA YOUNG