It’s not often a football team comes out of a game in which it allowed 38 points and feels good about its defense but that is exactly where the UConn Huskies are heading into their American Athletic Conference opener.
UConn takes on South Florida on Friday night coming off a 38-21 home loss to Boise State. The Broncos got the win as expected, but the Huskies put up a fight, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
The Broncos entered the game averaging 537.5 yards per game on offense and the Huskies limited them to 292 yards. UConn got off the field on third down and allowed only 13 first downs and 52 yards rushing.
“The defense, playing basically the same system they played in week one, looked nothing like it looked in week one. So the defense is moving its game forward,” said UConn coach Bob Diaco. “I’m proud of the way that they played today.”
The Huskies had trouble in the opener with Taysom Hill and BYU and then did the job against FCS Stony Brook in Week 2. So the Boise State game was a real test for the UConn defense and it passed. Boise State running back Jay Ajayi came into the game averaging 152.5 yards rushing and 229.5 total yards a game and UConn held him to 39 yards rushing and 52 total yards, with a long run of only nine yards.
While the defense rose to the occasion, the problem was the offense did not. The 38 points Boise State scored makes it look like the offense had its way but it doesn’t tell the entire story as the UConn offense again shot itself in the foot and allowed a fumble to be returned for a touchdown and an interception to be taken back to the house.
“Fourteen uncontested points, where the defense or the special teams is not on the field, against any opponent we are going to play, it becomes impossible to win the games,” Diaco said. “When you factor in another plus-field turnover, you’re talking about 21 points.”
Despite the loss, there is some reason for optimism in Storrs and it starts with the defense. Boise State will be one of the better offenses the Huskies face this season and if they can continue to play defense like they did against the Broncos, wins should come in AAC play.
“It shows the work that we have put in,” said redshirt sophomore safety Obi Melifonwu. “Boise State is a great offensive team. I think there are a lot of positives that we can take away from the game.”
*All quotes were obtained first hand.
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