The UConn football team is coming off a less than ideal 3-9 campaign that featured not only a difficult schedule, facing teams like No. 18 Duke, No. 19 Tennessee and No. 21 JMU but also some heartbreaking losses that could have gone the other way for the program. The Huskies had a tall task in kicking off their season this go around, facing Maryland on the road. UConn couldn’t get it done, coming up short 50-7.
The Huskies’ defense did not get off to the start they would have liked on Saturday, conceding a pair of first downs in quick succession. However, the defensive unit had their moments on the first drive, forcing a Maryland 4th and 4. Yet, the pass rush never got home, and the Terrapins moved the chains thanks to quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. finding Tai Felton for a 5-yard dump off. Two plays later, Edwards Jr. found Felton again, this time for an 18-yard touchdown reception. This was a lethal connection all afternoon, as the 21-year-old wide receiver finished with 178 yards on seven catches and a pair of touchdowns.
The Huskies got the looks they wanted early on offensively. Cam Edwards broke off a 16-yard run to get Connecticut going, and the program had some opportunities to make some nice gains through the air. Nevertheless, a crucial drop killed any momentum for the program, and they had to punt it away.
The Huskies’ first offensive drive was a recurring theme all afternoon long. The Maryland offense got it done in all aspects of the game, finding the holes in UConn’s defense for big gains. The offensive line created massive holes for the Terrapin run game, a significant reason the program finished with 248 yards on the ground. This unit also did a solid job stopping the Connecticut pass rushers and allowed Maryland quarterbacks to combine for 381 yards through the air.
While the Maryland pass rush failed to record a sack all afternoon, the pressure they applied to UConn quarterback Nick Evers played a massive role in why Connecticut failed to mount any significant offensive attack. The sophomore signal caller was constantly forced to make difficult throws in small windows that even the most experienced under center would have a tough time completing.
After that, a positive sign for Connecticut was their defense, which forced back-to-back punts, although a punt and a botched snap would kill any momentum that the defense had built. The Huskies got another defensive break as Maryland muffed their snap the next drive. The ball went off their player in motion, and the Terrapins had to fall on it and eventually settled for a chip shot field goal.
One player for UConn who had a solid day at the office was junior wide receiver Skyler Bell. He was central to some high-energy plays and gave this offense much-needed life. The young receiver finished with 141 yards on five receptions.
There was drama late in the first half after Connecticut missed a field goal. Defensive back Jordan Wright was whisked away on a targeting call, hitting Edwards Jr. late on a slide. Teammate Durante Jones joined Wright on the sidelines in the fourth quarter with a targeting call of his own.
UConn received more bad news late in the game, as Evers left the game in the third quarter for precautionary reasons following a big hit. As a result, Joseph Fagnano was called upon to lead the UConn offense. Fagnano had solid moments, but like his teammate, he struggled to generate consistent offense, and the game was out of reach. However, the senior quarterback did get the only points on the board for this squad, finding TJ Sheffield on a wheel route for a 27-yard score to make it a 30-7 ballgame. Despite this positive play, Felton struck again for the Terrapins, making two men miss on a hitch route and taking it 75 yards to make it a 4-score game, killing any hope the Huskies had at a comeback.
There is no easy way to put it. This was a challenging game for UConn nation to endure. The program failed to get it going offensively, which put much pressure on their defensive unit, leading to an insurmountable scoring deficit. This team is not letting Saturday’s loss define its season. Connecticut will open at home against Merrimack next week, a matchup UConn has a solid chance of winning.