Usually in Storrs, college football is a placeholder, an opening act before the college basketball season begins. However, this year the academic rating is so low for UConn hoops that they’re not allowed to participate in the NCAA Tournament. Therefore, they’ll have to be a football school this year. LOL!
Actually the Connecticut Huskies have come a long way since going division I. They have been to a BCS bowl already. Which was a financial and on-the-field disaster, but still. This year they could finish anywhere from 4-8 to 8-4.
2011 was: the most mediocre of times. Their 5-7, 3-4 in conference finish doesn’t do justice to just how crappy this team was in some areas. You and I could have done a better stopping the pass than their secondary, which finished 113th, and gave up 400 yards on four different occasions. Considering how weak the Big East is, it’s a difficult feat to accomplish. Hats off to the run d though- third in the nation!
2012 will go smoothly if: Illini transfer, by way of Butler County Community College Chandler Witmer is their quarterback, and the team learn show to pass the ball. They ranked just 87th in that category last season, and signal caller should be an upgrade, as will the offense in general. There’s a new scheme for the OL, new starters to break in and some new blood at receiver. Will be interesting to see how it all meshes together.
2012 will be rough if: Their defense, especially against the run, isn’t the bulwark. The Huskies were 50th in total d, 51st in scoring defense which isn’t bad for a Big East team. Paul Pasqualoni won’t be able to do this year what Randy Edsall did his final season in Connecticut, but he could get them to a bowl.
BMOC: DE Trevardo Williams, LBs Sio Moore and Jory Johnson
All-name team: MLB Yawin Smallwood, CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, SS Ty-Meer Brown
Bottom Line: There are some questions on offense, at pretty much every position, so reaching a bowl depends on them winning all their winnable games. They have enough talent to pull off a couple upsets and be a force in the conference. With 8 starters returning to a decent defense, and transfers to help augment the running game, they could be decent.
Rankings Athlon- 69 Lindy’s- 56 Phil Steele- 62
All the 77s
#67 Southern Miss
#73 Kansas
#76 Minnesota
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Chicago Tribune.com, Fox Sports, MSN, Walter Football and Yardbarker
A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too