I know what you’re thinking.
It’s not even national signing day, spring practices haven’t begun yet, we’re 215 (!) days from the first game of the season and we’re already taking a look at next season.
Welcome to the offseason.
UConn’s non-conference slate includes an FCS opponent, an independent, and an SEC team in the first three weeks of the season. Talk about diverse scheduling. The tentative 2015 schedule also has the Huskies traveling to Provo, Utah to play BYU in the week five.
9/3/2015 vs. Villanova (11-3 last year in FCS)
First up is the Villanova Wildcats, a top-10 FCS team that is more known for their old school Big East matchups in college basketball. This time, Rentschler Field will play host to the season opener for the Huskies.
Last year’s scheduling of FCS opponent Stony Brook was a last-second scare as UConn hung on for a three point victory. Villanova will try and redeem the FCS by taking home a win, but for UConn, this could be their most winnable game of the year.
‘Nova’s defense is an unorthodox 3-3 set with five defensive backs. It will be interesting to see what that does to limit the Huskies’ passing game after losing their starting safety. In the run game, it may lead to more between-the-tackle running by Ron Johnson and Max DeLorenzo but a game changer will be Arkeel Newsome and his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.
History seems to be on UConn’s side as well, as Villanova hasn’t won a season opener since 2009, but overlooking a smaller opponent is how Stony Brook almost won, so Bob Diaco and his staff will be fully prepared for the home opener this time around.
9/12/2015 vs. Army (4-8 last year as Independent)
UConn will stay at home for their second game and it will be against the Army Knights. Last year’s meeting at Yankee Stadium didn’t go as planned for UConn, as they lost 35-21 thanks to a pick-six just as the Huskies were brewing up a fourth quarter comeback.
The silver lining is that the UConn defense won’t have to deal with Angel Santiago who rushed for 97 yards and two scores last year. In fact, if you count Santiago as a running back (which he was more than a quarterback), all three leading rushers for Army are gone now. The run heavy offense will still be in place, but it is their defense, specifically Chris Carnegie, who is still probably giving Chandler Whitmer and the offense migraines to this day. A more meshed Husky offense should give UConn more of a chance to make this a winnable game.
Army is locked in as the middle ground between Villanova and UConn’s next opponent and first road game of the year.
9/19/2015 @ Missouri (11-3, 7-1 in SEC last year)
Bob Diaco and co. will travel to the University of Missouri to take on last year’s SEC East champs. Mizzou will have had two cupcake games before UConn comes to town and will be the toughest test for UConn in 2015.
Fellow AAC East team UCF played Missouri in the third week of last season and turned the ball over four times to the Tigers in a 38-10 loss. The upcoming matchup will be the first game ever between Missouri and UConn and the Tigers will return the favor in 2017 when they come to Rentschler Field.
Missouri has a promising young quarterback in Maty Mauk, but he’ll be asked to do more with less as his top three receivers will all be gone next year. The defense will be the biggest test for UConn’s offense and in order for this game to be close, it’ll have to be low-scoring and a mental duel between Diaco and Gary Pinkel.
Let’s not get too excited about that last game, however.
UConn’s non-conference schedule isn’t all that, but it’s much better than past years. Roughly seven months to go, Huskies. Practice, practice, practice.
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