Aside from two expected losses, the start of the 2023 season for UConn football has contained a lot of disappointment.
In three games where the expectation was to be competitive, the Huskies got crushed by Georgia State, fell behind 24-3 by halftime to FIU, and blew a 17-0 lead against Utah State.
Growth is not linear and progress can be hard to note when wins aren’t coming, but UConn’s offensive breakthrough against Utah State represents the brightest ray of hope for this team going forward. After a strong performance in that game, the offense must begin to demonstrate some consistency.
Defensively, the Huskies are struggling. Allowing big plays was arguably the primary cause of the FIU and Utah State losses. The trend we have witnessed all season may just be a problem unless Jim Mora and his staff find a way to fix it.
Against Rice, a team that’s ranked a respectable 89th in the F+ efficiency rankings, T-46th nationally in scoring, and T-55th in yards per play, Mora’s defense will be tested.
If UConn can keep up its offensive development and the defense can find a way to cut down big plays, the Huskies could get their first win of the season. This is essentially the goal for the next three games, as they face similarly situated squads in USF and Boston College in the two games after this. The adjusted goal for all three contests is to stay competitive.
Edited by Chelsea Brown.
Photo by Ian Bethune
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