Randy Edsall had a very successful tenure at UConn. While he was there, the Huskies were consistently competitive in the Big East, often pushing for the conference crown. Last season, Paul Pasqualoni took over when Edsall left for Maryland. In his first season, the Huskies struggled a bit, finishing 5-7. Will this year be their return to the winning ways of the past, or will this season be the second of their downslide?
It has been some time since the UConn Huskies had a reliable QB under center. Last season, all three QBs on the roster took game snaps, and none emerged as the answer. Now, all three return, and they get to compete with two new comers for the position. It is anyone's guess as to who may take the first snap of the season on 8-30 against UMass, but someone is going to have to step up and take control of this offense if the team is to succeed. SO RB Lyle McCombs is young and very quick, and is the Huskies best player on the offensive side. He will need to mature as a runner this season, learning patients and how to follow his blocks better. He has the talent to be very productive in the Big East though, so it should be fun to watch. At receiver, Clemson transfer, Bryce McNeal will be the team's primary target. He is very talented, and should be a great weapon for who ever finds themselves under center. SR TE Ryan Griffin is also a reliable target to look at, and he should compete for all conference honors this year again. Up front, the unit has some experience, but lacks the star power of some of the other teams in the conference. They should be better than serviceable though, and with the lightning quick feet of McCombs, they won't have to hold their blocks for too long.
The Huskies defense is showing more promise this year than the offense. Of the four down linemen, both SR DEs are going to be worth watching. Jesse Joseph emerged two seasons ago as a real pass rushing threat, but disappeared last season. Trevardo Williams has continued to improve each season, and earned 2nd team all Big East honors last season. If Williams continues his upward trajectory, and Joseph can return to form, this will be a dangerous duo off the edges. At linebacker, Sio Moore continue to be a reliable tackler who can make plays for this team. He may not be the biggest or fastest linebacker out there, but he is consistently good, which is a quality the Huskies will need to rely on this year. In the defensive backfield, SR CB Dwayne Gratz is the standout of the group. He covers well, and has a good feel for the ball once it is in the air. He should continue to improve this year. SR Blidi Wreh-Wilson will line up on the other side, and he too is good at hawking for the ball. This combo will be formidable this year, and I expect improved pass defense numbers from a year ago.
The past few years have featured more questions than answers for the UConn Huskies football program. They have some talented players, but they need to figure out how to get the most from them, and how they can raise the game of their teammates. They are not very deep anywhere on the field though, so injuries have the potential to completely decimate this club. Even though they only won 5 last year, I think replicating that performance would be a nice goal for this season.
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