(WR Brett Buckman – The UCONN Blog)
Key Players Returning:
RB Cam Edwards, RB Victor Rosa, WR/PR Brett Buckman, OC Christopher Fortin, OT Chase Lundt, OT Valentin Senn, DE Pryce Yates, DT Dal’Mont Gourdine, DT Jelani Stafford, LB Tui Faumuina-Brown, CB Malcolm Bell, FS Malik Dixon-Williams, FS Lee Molette III, SS Rante Jones, and KR Bryan Domino.
Key Players Departing:
QB Ta’Quan Roberson (Kansas State transfer), WR Geordon Porter, WR/PR Cameron Ross (JMU transfer), TE Justin Joly (NC State transfer), OG Christian Haynes (Seahawks R3), OG Noel Ofori-Nyadu, DE Eric Watts, LB Jackson Mitchell, LB Noah Plack, CB Mumu Bin-Wahad (Georgia State transfer), SS Chris Shearin (JMU transfer), PK Joe McFadden, and PT George Caratan.
(QB Nick Evers – 247Sports)
Top Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: QB Nick Evers (Wisconsin transfer), RB Mel Brown (Gardner-Webb transfer), WR TJ Sheffield (Purdue transfer), DS Malachi McLean (New Mexico State transfer), TE Dominic Toy (Chester, Pennsylvania), DE Cooper Ackerman (Shrewsbury, Massachusetts), LB Jayden McDonald (Indiana transfer), WR Shamar Porter (Kentucky transfer),DE Jevon Banks (Kansas State transfer), and RB Durell Robinson (Charlotte transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 NC STATE L 14-24
G02 @ Georgia State L 14-35
G03 FIU L 17-24
G04 #18 DUKE L 7-41
G05 UTAH STATE L 33-34
G06 @ Rice W 38-31
G07 USF L 21-24
G08 @ Boston College L 14-21
G09 @ #17 Tennessee L 3-59
G10 @ James Madison L 6-44
G11 SACRED HEART W 31-3
G12 @ UMASS W 31-18
Misc. Team Information:
2023 Record: 3-9
Home: 1-5
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
Head Coach: Jim L. Mora
Connecticut: 9-16
Career: 57-48
Bowls: 2-2
(RB Cam Edwards – UCONN Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Joe Fagnano (18-35, 173 yards, 51.4%, 3.7 avg., 0 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Cam Edwards (123 car., 618 yards, 5.0 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: Brett Buckman (46 rec., 488 yards, 10.6 avg., 2 TD)
TDs Scored: Cam Edwards (5)
Sacks: Pryce Yates (4.5)
Tackles: Durante Jones (72)
Interceptions: Tui Faumuina-Brown/Malik Dixon-Williams (1)
Pass Deflections: Malcolm Bell (4)
Tackles For Loss: Pryce Yates (14)
Kick Returns: Bryan Domino (16 ret., 335 yards, 20.9 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Brett Buckman (5 ret., 9 yards, 1.8 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 3 Nick Evers (RS SO/TR)
RB: 0 Cam Edwards (JR)
WR: 1 Skyler Bell (RS JRT/TR)
WR: 10 Brett Buckman (GR/TR)
WR: 8 TJ Sheffield (RS SR/TR)
TE: 81 Louis Hansen (RS JR/TR)
LT: 71 Valentin Senn (RS SR/TR)
LG: 73 Wes Hoah (RS JR/TR)
OC: 67 Christopher Fortin (SR)
RG: 77 Ben Murawski (RS FR)
RT: 75 Chase Lundt (RS SR)
KR: 28 Bryan Domino (RS FR)
PK: 28 Chris Freeman (GR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 90 Pryce Yates (RS JR)
DT: 99 Jayden Simon (GR/TR)
DT: 97 Jelani Stafford (RS SR/TR)
DE: 93 Jack Barton (RS SR/TR)
LB: 24 Julien Simon (RS JR/TR)
LB: 5 Aaron Key (GR/TR)
LB: 15 Tui Faumuina-Brown (RS SR)
CB: 22 Reggie Akles (SR/TR)
CB: 11 Isiah Davis (RS SO)
FS: 1 Malik Dixon-Williams (RS SR)
SS: 2 Rante Jones (SR)
PR: 8 TJ Sheffield (RS SR/TR)
PT: 17 Connor Stutz (JR/TR)
(DE Pryce Yates – Hearst Connecticut Media)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 @ Maryland Terrapins | UCONN trails the series 1-2. The Huskies lost (21-32) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
09/07 MERRIMACK WARRIORS | First meeting between schools.
09/14 @ Duke Blue Devils | UCONN leads the series 2-1. Last season’s 7-41) loss was the first meeting between schools since 2007.
09/21 FAU OWLS | UCONN won (61-14) the only prior meeting between schools in 2002.
09/28 BUFFALO BULLS | UCONN leads the series 16-5. The Huskies lost (12-41) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
10/05 TEMPLE OWLS | UCONN trails the series 6-14. The Huskies lost (17-49) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/19 WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS | UCONN trails the series 1-2. The Huskies lost (10-24) the last meeting between schools in 2007.
10/26 RICE OWLS | Last season’s 38-31 win was the first meeting between schools.
11/01 GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS | Last season’s 14-35 loss was the first meeting between schools.
11/09 @ UAB Blazers | First meeting between schools.
11/23 @ Syracuse Orange | UCONN leads the series 6-4. The Huskies lost (14-48) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/30 @ UMASS Minutemen | UCONN trails the series 37-38-2. The Huskies won (31-18) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series loss (13-27) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 4-3
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
Overall: 6-6
gridironpredictions.net 