USU Football preview: UConn
UConn ended the 2021 season only winning one of their 11 games. The lone win, over Yale 21-15, has been UConn’s only win since they defeated UMass in 2019 since the program did not participate in the 2020 season due to coronavirus.
The starter for the Huskies in 2021 was Steven Krajewski. The sophomore threw for 1217 yards, slinging seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions in nine games played, but announced he would enter the transfer portal in April and has since ended up at Georgia State.
The starter for the Huskies is projected to be sophomore transfer Ta’Quan Roberson, who is a former Penn State commit, but it is important to note that on the Huskie depth chart three other quarterbacks have an “or” next to their name. Roberson’s career stats are 11-28 completions, 85 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in three games played for Penn State.
A bright side for the Huskies is sophomore running back Nathan Carter. As a freshman, he led the Huskies in rushing yards with 578 on just 125 carries, reaching the end zone two times in 12 games played.
After the departure of five-year head coach Randy Edsall after just two games last season, the Huskies hired former UCLA head coach, Jim Mora. Mora led the Bruins to two consecutive 10-win seasons, including a top 15 recruiting ranking in 2012, and had a 46-30 record as their head coach. Mora has also coached in the NFL twice. His first stint was with the Atlanta Falcons from 2004-2006 where he led the Falcons to an 11-5 record in his first season. In 2010, Mora took the reigns for the Seattle Seahawks, but he became the first coach in Seahawks history to be fired after one season where he went 5-11. Mora served as an offensive analyst last season for the Huskies.
UConn announced that defensive coordinator Lou Spanos is taking an indefinite leave of absence for “personal reasons” in a statement on Aug. 18, putting the Huskies in a tough spot nine days before the season opener. Spanos was the defensive coordinator from 2019-2021 and served as interim head coach after Edsall left the team. As of Aug. 27, a replacement has not been named.
As an FBS Independent school, the Huskies have freedom with their scheduling and have chosen to schedule four Power Five teams this season, two of them at home.
UConn, looking to start a campaign for bowl eligibility for the second time in 12 years, will visit Maverik Stadium today with kickoff at 2 p.m. The radio broadcast will be on Aggie Radio 92.3 in Cache Valley and FS1 on television.
Featured image from 2021 game against Hawaii. Photo by Joseph F Myers.