Any Playmakers On The Outside?
The Story: The focus on UConn is all about the quarterback and defense, for good reason. But in addition to a new quarterback, the Huskies’ receiving corps will also be filled with untested talent. The top four wide receivers are all gone. Can anyone make a play?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: We have no idea if UConn is going to get anything out of the passing game. We like Mike Beaudry at quarterback based on his production at Division II West Florida. But we won’t know much about the offense and its explosiveness in the passing game for several weeks. There is a new offensive coordinator, new quarterback and new wide receivers. We are assuming it is the same scheme with Frank Giufre taking over for John Dunn, but who really knows what’s going to happen?
WHAT DO THEY HAVE? The Huskies have transfer Ardell Brown, who is in the mold of Nick Williams, Larry Taylor and Deshon Foxx at 5-foot-10. He was ultra-productive at Seton Hill (not Hall) last season with 81 receptions, more than 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns. After that? No one else on the roster is proven past high school.
Heron Maurisseau did have a 74-yard TD catch against Rhode Island — one of two catches in four games — before Randy Edsall put a redshirt on him. True freshmen Cam Ross and Matt Drayton are among eight players on the participation list this week. Who else is on the docket? Mason Donaldson, who scored three touchdowns last year, Cam Hairston, Elijah Jeffreys and Quyavon Skanes. UConn has 14 wide receivers!
BOTTOM LINE: The unit is inexperienced, so the hope for us is a pounding running game and Beaudry directing the passing game. Brown appears to be the top target by default and the rest is untested. That means a young player could step in and make an impact right away. UConn is going to play young players and it looks like freshmen are going to get a chance to play right away. Good for them. Fingers are crossed that one or two can be a big enough of a threat to take the pressure off the running game.
AAC Like You Care One Last Time
The Story: UConn will spend one last season in the AAC before removing its shackles and flying into the great unknown, though some of the top teams in the conference will not make a final trip to luxurious Rentschler Field.
CAN UCF BE UCF? Although quarterback McKenzie Milton will miss the season after injuring his right knee in November — he nearly needed to have the leg amputated because of the damage — UCF has a capable replacement ready in Brandon Wimbush, who started 16 games over the last two seasons at Notre Dame. The No. 17-ranked Knights watched their 25-game winning streak end in the Fiesta Bowl and it will be up to Wimbush to lead UCF all the way to another self-anointed national championship.
HEADING ‘HOME’: Houston hired West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen as its coach after it unceremoniously dumped Major Applewhite, whose only crimes were putting together back-to-back winning seasons and not being famous enough. Holgorsen spent two years as the Cougars’ offensive coordinator under Kevin Sumlin and has gone about trumpeting his connections to the city to help raise the team’s profile, but the pressure will be on from Day 1 as Houston opens against Oklahoma.
MAN, OH MANNY: After Miami native Manny Diaz made the incomprehensible, reprehensible decision to become Miami’s head coach just days after taking over at Temple, the Owls were forced to turn to someone named Rod Carey, who spent seven seasons as Northern Illinois’ coach (but was not the guy who led the team to the Orange Bowl in 2012). Temple is expected to be one of the teams to beat in the AAC this season and it has the benefit of facing UCF and Memphis at home.
TOUGH STRETCH FOR HUSKIES: The schedule gods did no favors for UConn, which will face the three best teams in the East Division (UCF, Cincinnati and Temple) on the road and will not face SMU or Tulsa, two of the conference’s weaker teams, at all this season. That means we can all safely say goodbye to road trips to Oklahoma until the Huskies receive their Big 12 invite.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: The AAC doesn’t name preseason players of the year (…but does it put out a depth chart?!), but keep an eye on Wimbush, Houston quarterback D’Eriq King, Cincinnati running back Michael Warren III, Temple wide receiver Isaiah Wright and SMU quarterback Shane Buechele.
Morning Reads
CHANGES ON THE FIELD AND IN THE RENT: There are a number of changes afoot at Rentschler Field, including new items at the concession stands, free tickets for students and other weekly promotions. (UConnHuskies.com)
BEAUDRY EARNED IT: “Big Mike” — OK, we made up the name, but we know it will stick — will be UConn’s starting quarterback and did it the old-fashioned way — he won the job. (Hartford Courant)
OH NO! NO FANS! The great attendance obsession begins in Connecticut. Expect a sparse crowd Thursday night against Wagner. Why should you care? We don’t know. (Waterbury Republican-American)
AAC WILL GET RID OF DIVISIONS: UConn leaving the AAC means that the league will get rid of divisions next year. A waiver will be submitted to the NCAA to approve a title game. Sorry UMass, an AAC invite isn’t happening. (Orlando Sentinel)
WILLIAMS FINDS A HOME: A day after being cut by the Denver Broncos, Nick Williams found a home with the San Francisco 49ers. (49ers.com)
