UConn football eager to right itself after disappointing opener
Sep. 3—One dismal defeat hasn't discouraged the Huskies.
They insist they're not the same old Huskies after a mistake-filled season-opening loss at Fresno State.
They're eager to prove it Saturday before their home fans at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
Playing its first home game since November, 2019, the UConn football team hosts Holy Cross beginning at noon (CBS Sports Network). About 21,000 tickets had been distributed as of Friday afternoon.
"It's going to be awesome just seeing everybody back," sophomore quarterback Jack Zergiotis said. "I know a lot of fans are disappointed with that performance in the first game. I just want to say the team is hungrier than ever. We hope the fans still support us. I truly believe that we're going to have a solid season."
This is a game that UConn should and really has to win to have a shot at enjoying a "solid season."
If the Huskies can't beat a Patriot League team, they will have trouble knocking off a team from the Big Ten like Purdue, which visits next week.
Holy Cross is a Football Championship Subdivision team, a step down from UConn's Football Bowl Subdivision neighborhood. The Crusaders have captured two straight Patriot League titles and qualified for the last two postseasons.
The Huskies are 17-1 overall against FCS competition all-time, only losing to eventual Division I-AA national runner-up Towson in 2013. They just barely won the last meeting with Holy Cross in 2017, scoring 20 points in the second half to rally for a 27-20 win.
Having a game under their belt while the Crusaders are playing their season opener should be an advantage for the Huskies. Holy Cross did play four games in the spring and returns 12 of its 15 All-Patriot League picks. Quarterback Matthew Sluka led the team in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and passing yards.
"We're playing a really good football team and a well-coached team in Holy Cross," UConn coach Randy Edsall said. "They're a very aggressive, very physical football team. They've had a lot of success the last few years in terms of making the playoffs this past spring and the year before.
"... It will be great to be at home in front of our fans. We haven't been in Rentschler Field other than a couple of scrimmages here in the fall."
The last time UConn played at Rentschler it suffered a 31-24 loss to East Carolina on Nov. 23, 2019. The Huskies went 2-10 overall that season.
They returned to action after taking last fall off for COVID-19 related reasons with a renewed sense of optimism and hope.
Then they suffered a humbling 45-0 loss in their season opener last Saturday in their first game in 637 days.
Senior running back Kevin Mensah had a message this week for the disappointed fans: "Don't give up. It's just the first game. We've got 11 more. ... We're excited to be home and we're going to give the fans what they deserve."
To help accomplish that mission, the Huskies can start by eliminating big plays and consistently generating some offense, both of which they failed to do in the season opener. They allowed two touchdown passes of at least 61 yards and had only 107 yards of total offense. They never got a sniff of the end zone, driving only as deep as the Fresno 32-yard-line.
UConn lost the battle on the line of scrimmage, offensively and defensively.
"I just want to see guys go out and execute the things that they're capable of doing and do it on a consistent basis," Edsall said.
Edsall has faith the Huskies will be just fine in the long run.
"We're putting the best people on the field. These kids are going to be alright. ... It's a long season. We're not going to judge the season on one game or two games. We're going to judge the season on 12 games and we're in the second game of the 12 and we're going to do everything we can to prepare and then to go get a win.
"When that game is over, we're going to move to the next game."
News and notes
Mensah, who needs 32 yards to move into fourth place on UConn's all-time rushing list, will reunite with his high school coach at Holy Name Central Catholic in Worcester, Mike Pucko, who's the defensive line coach at Holy Cross and also played at and graduated from UConn. "I love him," Mensah said. "Coach Pucko had a good impact on me from Holy Name. He showed me the way. He was the reason why I started getting recruited from all these colleges. He showed me the right way and I'm forever thankful for him. I'm so happy to reunite with him on Saturday." ... UConn starting defensive end Kevon Jones, who missed the season opener, is expected to play Saturday. "It is going to be good to have him back," Edsall said. "He has a chance to be a force for us out there. I just hate any time any young man makes a poor decision and ends up taking an opportunity away from himself. I hope those are all behind him now."
