Opponent Preview: UConn

On Saturday afternoon, the Cincinnati Bearcats will play host to a UConn Huskies team that has had awfully rough season.

To be frank, they’ve had a rough decade. UConn has not posted a winning season since 2010.

There doesn’t look to be much hope in the horizon either. The Huskies are 2-7 this season under the leadership of Randy Edsall.

Edsall coached the Huskies during their late aughts heyday but has won just six games in the nearly three seasons since he returned to Storrs.

The Huskies have been blown out in 5 of their 7 defeats. They rank near in the bottom of every offensive and defensive categories in the AAC. Their wins have come against FCS Wagner and a UMass program that may be dropping football.

Since UConn announced its 2020 return to the Big East, there has been talk of UConn dropping football as well.

Amidst all the troubles, this year’s UConn club has some bright spots.

Freshman quarterback Jack Zergiotis is a dual-threat quarterback from Montreal who is completing nearly 60 percent of his passes. Zergiotis has accomplished this while under near-constant duress from opposing pass rushes. Fellow freshman Cameron Ross has proven to be his steadiest target, snatching 46 receptions and just over 500 receiving yards.

Junior tailback Kevin Mensah is one of the leading rushers in the AAC, posting more than 800 yards with 9 touchdowns in nine games. He is squat, versatile back who can contribute both on the perimeter and between the tackles.

Defensively, UConn has struggled with injuries and inconsistent play. The Huskies have surrendered 40-plus points on five occasions. Their surest tacklers are senior safety Tyler Coyle and junior middle linebacker Omar Foritt.

The less time that UConn’s defense is on the field, the better their chances to compete in this game.