2023 Season - What Does Success Look Like? What Say You?

[Ldandy]

Brennan Armstrong transferred from UVA to NC St after Leary transferred to Kentucky

They also lost one of their top wide receivers, Devin Carter as a transfer to WVU. While I think Armstrong is a solid pick up as an experienced QB, Leary is a better player. Leary + Carter is a significant loss for them. Getting them early before they have a chance to build some chemistry with their new QB is about as good of a scenario as you can hope for as a UConn Fan.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[RSTuthill]

If they can run the ball on people pretty much at will, I’d be okay with that.

Tall order without any kind of a legitimate passing threat.

 

[RSTuthill]

I have forgotten. Are BC and Utah State underdogs to UConn this preseason?

 

[gsmooth]

If they can run the ball on people pretty much at will, I’d be okay with that.

look at RSTuthill's post #53. UConn's run game was very good last year for sure and Mora and his staff deserve a lot of credit. However, the threat of a pass needs to be there or opposing defenses will stack the box. Running can work against stacked boxes if the opponent doesn't have the talent or physicality UConn has, but the more talented P5 teams will be much tougher to run against if the threat of a downfield passing attack isn't there.

 

[SubbaBub]

If the new WR are half as good as Mora claims, our passing game should be better. I'm confident that our QB play will be better. Question is will it be good enough to lead to a special season.

 

[Patman]

look at RSTuthill's post #53. UConn's run game was very good last year for sure and Mora and his staff deserve a lot of credit. However, the threat of a pass needs to be there or opposing defenses will stack the box. Running can work against stacked boxes if the opponent doesn't have the talent or physicality UConn has, but the more talented P5 teams will be much tougher to run against if the threat of a downfield passing attack isn't there.

Also it is clear that they couldn't just "run at will", they certainly had some big runs from some key players. Some of those guys aren't there anymore. I'm sure we'll be fine in the run game but that's just the way it is. Credible passing game will help.

 

[Dizzy21]

I have forgotten. Are BC and Utah State underdogs to UConn this preseason?

It pretty much looks like he thinks so, unless Northern Illinois, Holy Cross are going to make a run at it.

 

[Hoophound]

If the new WR are half as good as Mora claims, our passing game should be better. I'm confident that our QB play will be better. Question is will it be good enough to lead to a special season.

Who will the QB be?

Fagnano is the only QB we have that we know can really throw it. Charlton may have a hard time sitting him.

I’m hoping Roberson can make throws, but we have no evidence that he can.

Zion seemed limited throwing but even more so, he seemed hesitant to throw it. He didn’t see open receivers when they were there. Admittedly, they weren’t open enough.

 

[Scoe]

Win another banner and win a bowl game, I don’t care if it’s a Cumberland Farms trophy. Bottom line eclipse a winning season, would like that to happen going into a bowl game so I say 8 wins.

 

[metsfan2323]

Who will the QB be?

Fagnano is the only QB we have that we know can really throw it. Charlton may have a hard time sitting him.

I’m hoping Roberson can make throws, but we have no evidence that he can.

Zion seemed limited throwing but even more so, he seemed hesitant to throw it. He didn’t see open receivers when they were there. Admittedly, they weren’t open enough.

I can't remember a year when the QB position was more wide open than this year. It's usually easy to pick an odds on favorite, not this year.

Wide open.

 

[DoctorWho85]

NC or bust.

 

[husky10]

I can't remember a year when the QB position was more wide open than this year. It's usually easy to pick an odds on favorite, not this year.

Wide open.

Maybe we are different for giving odds. In 2021, we had 4 different starting QB’s. There would have been 3 different starting QB’s if we had no injuries.

Edit: I had to look it up, in the first 3 games we had 3 different starting QB’s, all coaching decisions. Unless you go back to FHCBD’s QB1A and QB1B, that’s as wide open as it gets.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Visible improvement in all phases.
Avoid a losing season
Uptick in recruiting

I don't expect a major jump over last year. Avoid being blown out and look competitive on Offense beyond the first two series each game. That would be positive growth to me. And that equals success.

 

[Waquoit]

It hadn't come to me yet, but after reading a recent post I now realize what success would look like to me. Five wins. Why? Because the best minds and algorithms put the line at 4.5 wins. So to surpass that has to be considered a success. That and I'm going up to MGM for the sole purpose of making the wager.

 

[Palatine]

Beat NC State.

 

[Waquoit]

Beat NC State.

And there's that

 

[RSTuthill]

Beat NC State.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

If we beat NC State, then 5 wins would be a disappointment given the other winnable games. Starting to see national pundits taking the over of 4.5 wins so clearly others besides UConn fans can see us beating 5 or 6 other than NC State. I think we get 7.

 

[Bobol]

7 wins this season seems likely.

8 wins this season would be a step forward.

 

[huskidork]

This is the best UConn team we've seen since the fiesta bowl in my opinion, 7 wins is the minimum think we could easily do that and it be called a successful season in my eyes, this team could win 10 games if they are healthy and they execute, my prediction is 8 wins in the regular season, and a bowl victory.

 

[Huskygrad88]

-Win more than we lose
-Do not have three games where the other team can name the score (ala 2022)
-significantly increase the passing yards per game from 110 (think we were bottom 5 in the country)

 

[RSTuthill]

This is the best UConn team we've seen since the fiesta bowl in my opinion, 7 wins is the minimum think we could easily do that and it be called a successful season in my eyes, this team could win 10 games if they are healthy and they execute, my prediction is 8 wins in the regular season, and a bowl victory.

I am not convinced yet. Certainly the best coached. But talent wise better than 2011? Had HCPP developed one or both of his freshmen QB's rather than going with Trick Shot Johnny, things might have turned out better. The rest of that team was pretty solid though.

 

[huskidork]

I am not convinced yet. Certainly the best coached. But talent wise better than 2011? Had HCPP developed one or both of his freshmen QB's rather than going with Trick Shot Johnny, things might have turned out better. The rest of that team was pretty solid though.

no, I said "the best team since" not that they are better, that team was in the Fiesta Bowl for a reason.

 

[freescooter]

I am not convinced yet. Certainly the best coached. But talent wise better than 2011? Had HCPP developed one or both of his freshmen QB's rather than going with Trick Shot Johnny, things might have turned out better. The rest of that team was pretty solid though.

I’m with you. I think this will be a solid team but beast since 2011, I’m not sure. With a solid quarterback maybe but that is a really open question right now. Zion-I was somewhat critical last year. I didn’t think he really progressed much. Roberson looked pretty good in his one quarter but it was one quarter and he is coming back from injury so who knows. The kid from Maine was a pretty solid FCS quarterback but can he tranfer that to our level? Not so sure. To me he is more of an insurance policy though I might be wrong. The freshman is a redshirt.