-> Coaching stability is a must. Mora sounded like he was looking for the exits last year at this time, but in reality he was renewing his attack on the challenge. He gained more ammunition for the transfer portal and he overhauled and upgraded the roster.
He has been attributing his experience as an NFL coach in his ability to go get players as “free agents” and mold a new team every year and sounds now like he revels in that challenge. This won’t be lost on other schools looking to find their way in the new environment.<-
-> A win in Amherst would make it 8-4, possibly earning UConn a bid to a more prestigious bowl game against an opponent that would allow a
statement to be made. We’ve seen projections like Rutgers in Boca Raton, Arizona State in San Antonio, TCU in Phoenix, Virginia Tech in other places; these would be great opportunities. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Evers start if he is healthy next week, as UConn needs to find out what it has, or needs for next season at that position.
What UConn has found out and, perhaps others are discovering it, too, is that it has a niche in FBS football, a place where hungry, talented and undervalued players can seek opportunity, a place somewhere between group-of-five and power-four, but trending upward. Even with no conference title to chase, every game still matters in some way.
And on days like Saturday, pursuit of that once-promised land of regular football Saturdays against big Eastern brands doesn’t seem like such an impossible thing. <-
