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Really tired of dealing with all the "what ifs" and unsubstantiated rumors, so I'm going to try something else. Let's ignore who is in the portal, all the twitter noise, who Candle may bring with him, formation changes and everything else. Let's pretend that we know that everyone with eligibility will be back in blue and white next fall, no system changes and ask where we are in terms of personnel and what we would need, either with transfers in or subs moving up the depth chart.
On defense, while it wasn't good, we have the possibility of 5 starters (as listed on UConn's last depth chart) returning. Carroll-Jackson up front, Diomande at LB, Cam Chadwick at corner and Mal McLean and Lee Molette at the back. That would be 4 more returning starters than we had this year where only D'Mon Brinson returned. Add to those 5 Matt Hoffman, who played a lot at DE, Osiris Gilbert at CB, who played some and we were really high on, and Suchanic at Safety, who played special teams almost exclusively but we were also high on. And we really bring back a large core. Hopefully the D upgrades as a whole by using NIL money to not just replace but improve the really open positions: MLB, the hybrid LB and a pass rushing DE. And if we can improve upon Carroll-Jackson and Hoffman up front, all the better.
On offense, skill position players are largely replaceable, but you have to start with a QB and an OL. We're in good shape on the OL if everyone returns. Per the depth chart Murawski, Ty Chan and Cassady all come back, as does Brady Wayburn and Toriyan Johnson. Someone needs to play Center but we're in good shape. We lose the QB who if he's done (not playing in the bowl game — he is not coming back) may have just finished the best year a QB has had in our FBS era. But we do return Evers, who the staff liked and started half of last year (even though from what he showed on the field he didn't usually look like a starting QB). We lose an amazing WR in Bell, plus probably our #2 in Murphy, but return Porter (who if he can just put it all together ...), Neider, who could be a star next year, and Jackson Harper. We lose two experienced TEs in Honig and Hansen, but Juice played a lot and Chirchi forced himself on the field. And basically the entire RB room could come back, including Edwards who is not the best TB we've seen in the modern era, but may very well be the toughest. But Brown, Rosa Lundberg Coleman and Terrence Smith are all back.
On specials, we need a Kicker and a Punter. Maybe Sullins is that guy -- who knows. The long snapper returns but .... And both punt and kickoff returners are back.
So the bottom line is that if Candle can keep our starters with eligibility left, it won't take tons of numbers (although where we have holes we need real quality) to have another good team next fall. We would need a Center, a QB, a stud WR, an upgrade in the DL room and some new LBs. But we don't need two new units, so the resources can be focused on some key portal or Toledo adds rather than a whole new roster. Or most of our returning starters can move on and Candle can reload (hopefully) or rebuild from the ground up. We'll see.
On defense, while it wasn't good, we have the possibility of 5 starters (as listed on UConn's last depth chart) returning. Carroll-Jackson up front, Diomande at LB, Cam Chadwick at corner and Mal McLean and Lee Molette at the back. That would be 4 more returning starters than we had this year where only D'Mon Brinson returned. Add to those 5 Matt Hoffman, who played a lot at DE, Osiris Gilbert at CB, who played some and we were really high on, and Suchanic at Safety, who played special teams almost exclusively but we were also high on. And we really bring back a large core. Hopefully the D upgrades as a whole by using NIL money to not just replace but improve the really open positions: MLB, the hybrid LB and a pass rushing DE. And if we can improve upon Carroll-Jackson and Hoffman up front, all the better.
On offense, skill position players are largely replaceable, but you have to start with a QB and an OL. We're in good shape on the OL if everyone returns. Per the depth chart Murawski, Ty Chan and Cassady all come back, as does Brady Wayburn and Toriyan Johnson. Someone needs to play Center but we're in good shape. We lose the QB who if he's done (not playing in the bowl game — he is not coming back) may have just finished the best year a QB has had in our FBS era. But we do return Evers, who the staff liked and started half of last year (even though from what he showed on the field he didn't usually look like a starting QB). We lose an amazing WR in Bell, plus probably our #2 in Murphy, but return Porter (who if he can just put it all together ...), Neider, who could be a star next year, and Jackson Harper. We lose two experienced TEs in Honig and Hansen, but Juice played a lot and Chirchi forced himself on the field. And basically the entire RB room could come back, including Edwards who is not the best TB we've seen in the modern era, but may very well be the toughest. But Brown, Rosa Lundberg Coleman and Terrence Smith are all back.
On specials, we need a Kicker and a Punter. Maybe Sullins is that guy -- who knows. The long snapper returns but .... And both punt and kickoff returners are back.
So the bottom line is that if Candle can keep our starters with eligibility left, it won't take tons of numbers (although where we have holes we need real quality) to have another good team next fall. We would need a Center, a QB, a stud WR, an upgrade in the DL room and some new LBs. But we don't need two new units, so the resources can be focused on some key portal or Toledo adds rather than a whole new roster. Or most of our returning starters can move on and Candle can reload (hopefully) or rebuild from the ground up. We'll see.
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