Looking ahead to 2023

What to keep an eye on this offseason, and an early preview of the 2023 schedule.

After the first wave of 2023 freshmen signed on Wednesday, the offseason got started in earnest for UConn football just two days after the Huskies wrapped up their season at the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

We have a lot to keep an eye on as the Huskies look to build on the immense success of 2022. Next year, UConn and Jim Mora will enter the season with expectations. How will they respond? How will the team look different than it does right now?

But first, who are they playing? Here’s an early look at next year’s opponents and how they fared this year:

2023 Schedule

NC State

NC State was supposed to be a national contender in 2022 but absolutely collapsed at the end of the season. The Wolfpack had enough firepower to take down UConn, 41-10, at home this year in Week 4 and reach a No. 10 ranking, but lost four games the rest of the way including a couple to ACC stinkers Boston College and Louisville.

Still, the Wolfpack finished 53rd in Football Outsiders’ FEI overall rankings and will surely have a talent and depth advantage on UConn, even though star QB Devin Leary has transferred. This will be a challenging start to Jim Mora’s second season.

at Georgia State

The Panthers went 4-8 in head coach Sean Elliott’s sixth year, though they still finished a solid 83rd in FEI, well ahead of UConn at No. 112.

It was only Elliott’s second losing season after three years in a row with a winning record, including two straight bowl wins. Expect GSU to be a tough game, especially on the road.

Florida International

FIU was the worst team in FBS according to FEI and many other metrics, finishing with a 3-8 record including a 33-12 loss to the Huskies in Florida.

This is the first game on the schedule that seems like a should-win for a UConn squad that will have many expecting an improvement from last year’s six-win campaign. Getting this FIU team at home is about as good as it gets.

Duke

The Blue Devils went 8-4 under first-year head coach Mike Elko and they’ll be taking their act to Rentschler Field in Week 4. Quarterback Riley Leonard threw 20 touchdowns and had 2,794 passing yards as a sophomore and should have a lot of returning targets on a team that, like UConn, had a five-win improvement in 2022. Duke ended the regular season ranked 50th in FEI and will be a tough opponent in 2023, even if it’s playing on the road.

Utah State

Utah State had a wild ride through the 2022 season, surviving a tight Week 0 contest against UConn before losing four straight including losses to FCS Weber State and lowly UNLV. The Aggies then won five of their last six to end the regular season 6-6 and 105th in FEI.

Meeting this team for a home rematch will not be easy, even if the Huskies did give them a scare to open 2022. If UConn’s 2023 is going to be better than expected, however, this may need to be a win.

at Rice

Rice has been one of the worst teams in all of FBS for a long time, which makes the Owls a great addition to the Huskies’ schedule. Finishing 5-7 in 2022 and 120th in FEI, they are not likely to be much better in 2023 and should be the kind of team that an improved UConn can take care of without a problem.

USF

After a 1-11 season, USF is once again under new leadership. In this vaunted Big East/AAC rivalry, the Huskies haven’t beaten the Bulls since 2011, an 8-game streak. This will be as good a chance as ever.

at BC

In 2022, BC lost to UConn for the first time ever, dropped eight other games, and somehow inexplicably beat NC State. This was not a good team; it finished 101st in FEI and the Eagles’ “star” QB has transferred to Pitt.

The honor of being the top college football program in New England is on the line in this game. With a win, Mora really could start winning regional recruits from BC, which would be big.

at Tennessee

Going to keep this one simple, Tennessee is quite good. The Volunteers were a CFP contender for most of 2022 before a couple of late losses but are still going to be huge favorites at home against the Huskies.

This could be a cool road trip for fans, at least.

at JMU

This one is almost as simple. JMU is really good. The Dukes transitioned to FBS as gracefully as possible, going 8-3 and finishing 49th in FEI in 2022. They represent a difficult road test late in the season.

Sacred Heart

UMass

Nice way to end the season, with two home games that should be wins. The UMass game takes place on November 25th, 2023.

Keys to a good offseason

1. Portal, Portal, Portal. Mora and his staff need to strike while the iron is hot to improve the roster via the transfer portal. Players looking for a new team should find a six-win squad to be attractive, and UConn also has playing time to offer. Every position group can be improved either in terms of top-line talent or depth, and this year’s injuries proved how important depth can be. I’d expect at least one quarterback to enter the picture, and for the staff to go after a lot of line and skill position players, too.

2. QB Competition? Speaking of the most important position on the field, Zion Turner has probably not earned the right to lock down the starting job. Ta’Quan Roberson will return from injury and want his chance to compete, and Tyler Phommachanh will also be looking for a shot. I’d expect at least one, maybe two, of those three guys to transfer while Mora adds another passer via the transfer portal in addition to freshman recruit Tucker McDonald.

3. Coaching turnover. While some feared that Mora might be a candidate for head coaching jobs at other schools, that seems unlikely this year. However, running backs coach E.J. Barthel has already departed for Nebraska. That spot has been filled but who knows if any other assistant coaches might be leaving. Also, UConn is still looking for a new defensive coordinator. That position can’t stay open forever.

4. Key Player Departures. Nate Carter is transferring to Michigan State. Other talented dudes may be on the way out, too. Someone like Jackson Mitchell could decide to go pro or finish his career somewhere where he can further improve his draft stock. UConn’s All-American guard Christian Haynes has a similar decision to make. Though the Huskies have a young roster, some key names may be missing next year.

5. Bowl tie-ins. This would be a good offseason for UConn to announce that it has some sort of arrangement for bowl games, particularly to play a decent one if the Huskies win 8+ games. They may not need it in 2023, but if UConn keeps winning, it may stop being exciting at some point to rotate between the Myrtle Beach and Boca Raton bowls. This is the last step for the football independence shift to be fully complete, in addition to quality scheduling, which seems to be in good shape.