UConn prepares for Buffalo after easy win over FAU

In this Nov. 4, 2023, file photo, UConn head coach Jim Mora watches play during the second half of a game against Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Storrs — A year ago, UConn’s top two rushers, top two receivers and starting quarterback weren’t on the roster.

Coach Jim Mora used the transfer portal to inject talent and firepower into a struggling offense that averaged just 19.1 points and 326.9 yards per game last season.

The result: The Huskies (2-2) are a vastly improved offensive team after four games, averaging 34.8 points per game and 447.5 yards.

“It’s a great tool to use…” Mora said of the transfer portal. “It’s an opportunity to bring in veteran players who have played a lot of games, who have physical maturity as well as emotional maturity and who are improving quickly.”

Another statistic that jumps out is UConn’s 241.5 rushing yards per game (13th nationally), a significant improvement from last season’s 136.6.

Give credit to transfers Durell Robinson and Mel Brown, who previously played in Charlotte and Gardner Webb, respectively.

In Saturday’s 48-14 rout of Florida Atlantic, Robinson rushed for 156 yards on 16 carries and Brown ran for 156 yards on 21 carries to help the Huskies set an FBS school record 421 rushing yards, the second-most in program history.

Robinson, who weighs 207 pounds, relies on power while Brown, who is 5-foot-8 and 176 pounds, is more of a speed and agility guy.

“He brings all the energy,” Brown said of Robinson. “He’s literally the power and energy of this offense. On and off the field, he brings that. Honestly, I feel like he’s the big back and I’m the little back. Thunder and lightning.”

The backfield duo added quality depth to a running back room that also includes junior Victor Rosa and redshirt sophomore Cam Edwards, who has a 100-yard rushing game this season under his belt.

Edwards, who was injured, was limited to seven carries for 30 yards last weekend. Rosa (broken finger) could return to action Saturday at noon against Buffalo at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

Add in mobile quarterback Nick Evers, a transfer from Wisconsin, and UConn can put a lot of pressure on an opposing defense. He ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns against FAU.

“We’ve got to have weapons,” Mora said. “And this room is full of guys that are all a little different. They all have a little different style, which I think is a good thing. We saw last week the big difference between Mel and Durell and what they can do. And they’re both very effective at that.”

“We’ve seen what Cam can do. Cam is a hammer. People don’t want to mess with Cam. And then Victor, he’s got incredible versatility. So it’s a good room.”

“In college football these days, having a quarterback who can do things with his legs in the run game is a big advantage to you because it forces a defense to maybe play different coverages or be a little slow on the backside, which helps your run game on the frontside.”

The Huskies will face a much tougher challenge Saturday against Buffalo (3-1), which beat No. 23 Northern Illinois in overtime last week (23-20). Defense is a strong point for the Bulls, who are allowing 18.5 points and 133.8 rushing yards per game.

Mora sees room for improvement in attack, particularly on the offensive line.

“We left a lot of things on the field,” Mora said, referring to his team’s play against FAU. “We had things even in the running game where we had a lot of success, but just weren’t clean. If we can clean those things up, which we have to because we’re playing really good defense this week, then we have a chance to get better. So we’re working hard on that.”

Once again this Saturday, Mora will face a serious problem in deciding which running backs will receive the majority of the carries.

Perhaps it is a matter of feeding the hot hand.

“We all play our part,” Brown said. “The coaches are going to put us in positions to do what we do best. And we just have to trust them.”

UConn center Wes Hoeh, who transferred to Syracuse, has confidence in all the running backs.

Hoeh was thrilled to contribute to UConn’s record rushing day.

“It means a lot,” Hoeh said. “Rush yards are what we pride ourselves on. If we can get our running backs, the guys that have the talent, into the open spaces, they do the rest. That’s something special.”

And if the running game stalls, UConn can turn to its passing game and Evers, who completed 30 of 60 passes for 296 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. His leading receivers are Wisconsin transfer Skyler Bell (15 receptions, 347 yards, one TD) and TJ Sheffield (11 receptions, 83 yards, one TD), who previously played at Purdue.

The Huskies dominated the time of possession against FAU, holding the ball for nearly 42 minutes. The ball control attack allowed the defense to rest and get ready to play.

“We stayed fresh,” defensive back Malik Dixon-Williams said. “We had to stay relaxed on the sidelines. Overall, we felt good. It allowed us to play a lot faster and more physical because we knew our legs were a little fresher.”

News and Notes

Conference shake-up rumors continue to make headlines and generate a lot of buzz. One article mentioned UConn as a possible candidate to join the Pac-12, only for football. Mora, who coached in the Pac-12 at UCLA, was asked Tuesday about conference shake-up. “I don’t pay attention to what’s going on. I see headlines every now and then. I grew up being a Pac-12 player, obviously. I have enough going on here that I don’t spend a lot of time on it.” … St. Thomas More graduate Ben Murawski, the starting left guard who missed last week’s game with a concussion, could be back for Saturday’s game.

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