Time to look to the future of UConn football

Torrington football coach Gaitain Rodriguez is looking to get the Raiders back on the right track after a tough two seasons.

“We’re working to get back where we were two years ago,” Rodriguez said, referring to 2015 when Torrington went 9-2, won the NVL Iron Division championship and made a Class L playoff appearance.

That year, the Red Raiders recorded six straight wins before hitting perennial state champion Ansonia, their only regular-season loss.

The penalty for their success was a strong schedule, including Ansonia, Naugatuck and Seymour among the first four games in each of the next two years. This year, only Naugatuck remains from that trio, offering the first element of hope for better days.

The rest of the hope is more significant.

“This team has similarities to two years ago,” Rodriguez said.

It begins with an experienced quarterback and offensive/defensive lines.

Senior Ora Curry is back in his third year heading the offense, ready to expand the bag of Raider tricks after relying on a strong running game led by nowgraduated Dylan Myrie for the past two years.

Now Curry will operate from the shotgun, just as

Connor Finn did in 2015, behind a line veteran coach Andy Theriault compares favorably with Finn’s.

“They’re not as big but they have the same attitude,” says Theriault.

Four returning O-line starters include seniors Jacob Allen and Anthony Chiravolo and juniors Bryce Coudriet and Zach Sweeney. Senior Dan Scheerer, a promising sophomore before missing last year, is the fifth projected starter.

The Raiders trade Myrie’s explosive runs for less predictability. Senior Josh Mildanado, Christian Ellafani and sophomore Aidin Traver head a deep cadre of runners. Jacob Coleman is the most experienced of the

receivers.

“We’re always looking to run the ball, but we’ll be more balanced,” Rodriguez said.

“We have five or six guys fighting for three up-front spots,” Theriault said of the defense. “We’re strong enough and quick enough; we’re not huge, but we make up for it in effort and maturity.”

“I really like our linebackers,” Rodriguez adds, citing Moldonado, Scheerer and junior Logan Bermas.

The rest of the defensive backfield is a work in progress, with speedy candidates from which to choose those who can match the aggressive attitudes/abilities of the line.

Seventeen freshmen came out for a team whose numbers have remained stable in the low 50s.

Look for a return to form to mean at least a .500 record, overturning some of last year’s close losses. Anything more counts as gravy.