Huskies Fall to Terrapins in Season Opener
With high hopes for the season opener against Maryland, the Huskies fell short, resulting in a 50-7 loss to the Terrapins. The Huskies were missing several defenders, including Rante Jones, Malik Dixon-Williams, Pryce Yates, in addition to Dean Engram and Reggie Akles, who were already out for the season. LB Jayden McDonald gave it a go but was limited by a shoulder injury.
Maryland started off strong, with QB Billy Edwards Jr going 3-3 for 34 yards on the opening drive, culminating with a TD pass to Tai Felton. A fumble that was initially given to the Huskies, was overturned, and Edwards capitalized on the very next play. On Nick Evers’ first drive as a Husky, he threw an incompletion to Louis Hansen, then had a dropped pass from Ezeriah Anderson, which brought out the punt team. Connor Stutz landed the punt inside the 10, but Maryland needed just seven plays to go 92 yards for the score. The 48 yard TD rush by Nolan Ray quickly made it 14-0. On Evers’ second drive, Evers was under pressure from the Maryland DL and threw two incompletions. A 50-yard Stutz punt gave the Terps the ball at their own 15. UConn forced their first punt on the ensuing drive but was backed up at the goal line and was forced to punt after Evers’ first completion, an 8-yard pass to Akron transfer Jasaiah Gathings.
UConn’s offensive woes continued in the second quarter, as the team was backed up again at the goal line and miscommunication between new C Wes Hoeh and Evers created an errant snap, forcing Evers to fall on the ball at their own 4. Stutz would have to punt from the back of his own end zone, a 50-yard punt to the 40. Maryland would capitalize with a FG after losing yards on an errant snap of their own, with the snap going off the receiver in motion’s foot, giving them a 17-point yard. Skyler Bell made the play of the half, a one-handed grab on an Evers deep shot, giving the Huskies the ball in plus territory at the Maryland 33. Indiana transfer Chris Freeman missed the 43-yard FG attempt on 4th and 2, keeping the Huskies scoreless. On the ensuing drive, Edwards took off running, and DB Jordan Wright hit him as he slid, getting a targeting call that was offset by unsportsmanlike conduct on the Terps, as the two sides had some words for each other. Maryland would get another FG, then intercepted Evers’ first pass of the drive, giving them the ball at the UConn 45 with 36 seconds left. They would move down to the 5, but only get a FG, entering the half with a 23-0 lead.
The Huskies got the ball to start the second half, but an intentional grounding call on Evers and an incompletion to Anderson on a deep route forced the Huskies to punt. Edwards would promptly hit Felton for a 39-yard completion into UConn territory. Roman Hemby took it in from four yards after another long pass to Felton to make it 30-0. Mel Brown returned the kickoff to the 50, giving the Huskies their best field position of the day. They would promptly go three and out, and Stutz shanked a punt, giving the Terps the ball at their own 35. The Terps would go only 14 yards and punted back. Evers got hit in the head, knocking his helmet off but there was no targeting called. Evers was out, and backup Joe Fagnano entered the game, hitting Bell in stride for a nice gain, but was then intercepted on a pass to the flat intended for Victor Rosa, which bounced off the RB’s shoulder pad and into the arms of Ruben Hyppolite. Fagnano would later hit Bell again with a big gainer, then got the Huskies on the board with a TD pass to TJ Sheffield, making it a 30-7 game as the third quarter came to a close.
Maryland scored on their next play, a 75-yard pass to Felton with several missed tackles aiding him to the end zone. The extra point was missed, and it was 36-7. Rante Jones, who missed the first half of this game because of a targeting call in the finale last season against UMass, was called for targeting on backup QB MJ Morris and will miss the first half next week against Merrimack. Frankly, this game could’ve gone worse, and at least they didn’t get shut out. But man, very disappointing. The Huskies will look to rebound in their home opener next Saturday against FCS Merrimack.