There’s no time like the present and for the Huskies, it’s go time as they prepare for a matchup against Duke on Saturday. Coming off an electric and record-breaking 63-17 victory over Merrimack, the Huskies are seeing sparks of something great.
During last weekend’s home opener at the Rent where Connecticut tied the school FBS record for points in a game, UConn was on fire. With Joe Fagnano at the helm and completing 13 of 19 passes, the offense secured 624 yards and made massive strides from a diverse lineup of athletes.
Tight end Skyler Bell, a redshirt junior out of Wisconsin, had a fantastic second game as a Husky, catching two passes with 105 receiving yards. Bell has already been a valuable asset to the offense, even securing a 60-yard touchdown catch last weekend.
Following last weekend’s contest, head coach Jim Mora said the team is still a defensive “work in progress.”
“We still have to become a better tackling football team, and I think we are still adapting to the scheme a little bit, but we have to make huge progress and we have to make it right now,” he said.
Senior linebacker Jayden McDonald closed last weekend’s match with a team-high of eight tackles. McDonald and his defensive colleagues will have a tough task ahead of them as Duke’s offense has been stepping up when needed. Even after getting a slow start in last weekend’s overtime nailbiter against Northwestern, Duke delivered when necessary.
Last weekend, Duke’s Jordan Moore nailed an explosive performance, racking in 121 receiving yards and a touchdown. The wide receiver will be the one to watch as he delivers consistently strong performances week in and week out.
Despite Duke’s offensive triumphs, their defensive skill might be the toughest battle for UConn. In their season-opener against Elon, the Blue Devils defense was ironclad, only allowing Elon 140 total offensive yards and one field goal. UConn should be prepared for pressure in the pocket as Duke’s defense totaled eight sacks and sixteen tackles for loss against Elon.
The last time the Huskies and Blue Devils came face-to-face, the result favored Duke 41-7. With the Blue Devils holding Connecticut to just four first downs and 32 yards in the first half, UConn’s Achilles’ heel was offense. Throughout 2023’s matchup Connecticut struggled to generate any kind of momentum as they were shutout for three quarters, just narrowly finding success for a touchdown in the fourth.
We still have to become a better tackling football team, and I think we are still adapting to the scheme a little bit, but we have to make huge progress and we have to make it right now.
Jim Mora, Head Coach
Although Duke (2-0) brings a favorable history, explosive receivers and defensive consistency to the table, UConn (1-1) cannot be counted out. While the Huskies face a big task with the No. 5 program in the ACC, last weekend’s performance is a testament to their potential.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Durham N.C.