The Morning After: Mora's debut a positive one despite the loss

The Huskies lost by 11 points, but certainly seem to have a lot going for them compared to previous UConn teams.

The dust has settled on the Huskies’ season opener and even after a good night’s sleep, it’s hard not to feel positively about the way the 2022 campaign has started.

For the first time in a long time, UConn looked like a competitive FBS squad. Utah State is no slouch, and the Huskies were within a score against them in the fourth quarter despite being 27-point underdogs. That is indicative of tremendous progress from last year. That team was one of the bottom five in the country, so the bar isn’t high, but it’s still nice to be clearing it.

One of the most encouraging performances Saturday was that of the offensive line. Those dudes created plenty of space for Nate Carter, whose vision and ferocity led to an astonishing 190 yards on 20 carries. The Huskies were limited in the passing game, but it never hurts to #EstablishTheRun. This is especially important with true freshman Zion Turner starting at quarterback going forward.

Ta’Quan Roberson appeared to run the offense well in his limited time on the field. The initial read on his injury is not a positive one, as Mora said he and receiver Keelan Marion are likely out for the season. That really, really hurts.

The Husky defense allowed 542 yards and 31 first downs, but the Aggies have one of the better offenses that UConn will face this season. They left some points on the table but the defense at least showed it’s capable of making stops. This bodes well for UConn to be competitive in more games and avoid blowouts.

Nick Charlton appeared to have called a good game as offensive coordinator. Obviously he and the team were thrown an early wrench when Roberson went down, but they had to turn to the true freshman at the most important position on the field and gameplanned well under those difficult circumstances. Losing Marion must have hurt the passing game as well.

The Huskies host Central Connecticut State next week in their home opener. CCSU has had some good years in the recent past, but is not expected to be a formidable FCS opponent. After this week, Mora and the Huskies now have to deal with the heightened standards that come with outperforming expectations. UConn better handle the Blue Devils comfortably, and fans can cautiously raise their win projections for this year.

If the Huskies can keep this up, games against the likes of Syracuse, Boston College, Ball State, and Liberty could be closer than expected. That’s a pretty good feeling to have, even if it is only after one game.