2021 UConn Huskies football team explained

Year:2021
Team:UConn Huskies
Sport:football
Conference:Independent
Record:1–11
Head Coach:Randy Edsall
Hc Year:16th
Hc Games:first 2 games
Head Coach2:Lou Spanos
Hc Games2:interim; final 10 games
Off Coach:Frank Giufre
Oc Year:2nd
Off Scheme:Multiple
Def Coach:Lou Spanos (2nd season; first 2 games)
Jarren Horton
Dc Year:1st
Def Scheme:4–3
Stadium:Rentschler Field

The 2021 UConn Huskies football team represented the University of Connecticut (UConn) in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Huskies competed as an independent, having left the American Athletic Conference following the 2019 season. They played their home games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.

On September 5, following the team's 38–28 loss to FCS-school Holy Cross, head coach Randy Edsall announced he would be retiring at the end of the season.[1] The following day, the school announced that Edsall had resigned effective immediately and defensive coordinator Lou Spanos was named the interim head coach.[2] [3]

On November 11, former UCLA coach Jim L. Mora was named the school's 31st head coach beginning with the 2022 season. Shortly after the hire he helped serve as an offensive assistant for the remainder of the season.[4]

The team finished the season 1–11.

In June 2020, it was announced that UConn's other sports programs would be joining the Big East Conference. Since the Big East does not sponsor football and the American did not want to keep UConn as a football-only school, it was decided that the football program would compete as an independent.[5] The move to the Big East was primarily due to the university wanting to focus more on the men's and women's basketball programs, feeling the move to the American had hindered those programs.[6]

Schedule

Source [7]

Game summaries

At Fresno State

See also: 2021 Fresno State Bulldogs football team.

Statistics UConnFRES
First downs 9 25
Total yards 107 538
Rushing yards 35 156
Passing yards 72 382
Turnovers 1 1
Time of possession 29:03 30:57

Holy Cross

See also: 2021 Holy Cross Crusaders football team.

Statistics HCUConn
First downs 19 18
Total yards 363 262
Rushing yards 226 88
Passing yards 137 174
Turnovers 1 4
Time of possession 33:13 26:47

Purdue

See also: 2021 Purdue Boilermakers football team.

Statistics PURUConn
First downs 29 11
Total yards 562 223
Rushing yards 187 124
Passing yards 375 99
Turnovers 0 1
Time of possession 34:34 25:26

At Army

See also: 2021 Army Black Knights football team.

Statistics UConnARMY
First downs 9 24
Total yards 225 504
Rushing yards 116 397
Passing yards 109 107
Turnovers 1 0
Time of possession 19:24 40:36

Wyoming

See also: 2021 Wyoming Cowboys football team.

Statistics WYOUConn
First downs 22 19
Total yards 353 281
Rushing yards 204 110
Passing yards 149 171
Turnovers 2 1
Time of possession 35:29 24:31

At Vanderbilt

See also: 2021 Vanderbilt Commodores football team.

Statistics UConnVAN
First downs 26 23
Total yards 515 439
Rushing yards 184 106
Passing yards 331 333
Turnovers 2 2
Time of possession 28:10 31:50

At UMass

See also: 2021 UMass Minutemen football team and UConn–UMass football rivalry.

Statistics UConnUMass
First downs 14 21
Total yards 291 407
Rushing yards 163 247
Passing yards 128 160
Turnovers 3 0
Time of possession 20:49 39:11
The day before the game, interim head coach Lou Spanos, offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Frank Giufre, and tight ends coach Corey Edsall, along with offensive linemen Ryan Van Demark and Will Meyer, tested positive for COVID-19. Defensive line coach Dennis Dottin-Carter served as the Huskies' head coach for the game.[8]

Yale

See also: 2021 Yale Bulldogs football team.

Statistics YALEUConn
First downs 16 15
Total yards 299 318
Rushing yards 108 119
Passing yards 191 199
Turnovers 4 0
Time of possession 31:35 28:25

Middle Tennessee

See also: 2021 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team.

Statistics Middle TennesseeUConn
First downs 30 16
Total yards 473 304
Rushing yards 155 67
Passing yards 318 237
Turnovers 0 3
Time of possession 37:22 22:38

At Clemson

See also: 2021 Clemson Tigers football team.

Statistics UConnClemson
First downs 6 26
Total yards 99 476
Rushing yards -17 129
Passing yards 116 347
Turnovers 2 2
Time of possession 23:16 36:44

At UCF

See also: 2021 UCF Knights football team.

Statistics UConnUCF
First downs 17 23
Total yards 311 537
Rushing yards 137 280
Passing yards 174 257
Turnovers 3 1
Time of possession 32:30 27:30

No. 24 Houston

See also: 2021 Houston Cougars football team.

Statistics HoustonUConn
First downs 21 16
Total yards 472 238
Rushing yards 149 82
Passing yards 323 156
Turnovers 1 1
Time of possession 31:16 28:44

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ESPN. Scarborough. Alex. UConn football coach Randy Edsall announces retirement, effective at season's end, after loss to FCS Holy Cross. September 5, 2021. September 6, 2021.
  2. Web site: Kidwai . Aman . Randy Edsall out as UConn head coach . The UConn Blog . September 5, 2021 . September 7, 2021.
  3. Web site: CT Insider. Bonjour. Doug. Day after Randy Edsall's departure, Uconn shifts focus to Purdue: 'Bit of a roller coaster'. September 7, 2021. October 2, 2021.
  4. Web site: ESPB . Rittenberg . Adam . UConn hires former UCLA coach Jim Mora to lead football program . November 11, 2021 . November 20, 2021.
  5. Web site: Hartford Courant. Putterman. Alex. A program in transition: As Huskies kick off season, independent future slowly snaps into focus. August 28, 2020. October 2, 2021.
  6. Web site: The Day. Big-tome football not going over big for UConn. September 7, 2021. October 2, 2021.
  7. Web site: 2021 UConn Football Schedule . FBSchedules.com . January 31, 2021.
  8. Web site: ESPN. Wilson. Dave. UConn Huskies interim football coach Lou Spanos tests positive for COVID-19, won't coach Saturday. October 9, 2021. October 10, 2021.