New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Mora encouraged by offensive line
STORRS — Throughout fall camp, UConn football coach Jim Mora regularly expressed he viewed the offensive line as the most impressive positional group on his team.
While the aftertaste of Saturday’s 31-20 seasonopening loss to Utah State is still fresh, Mora’s assessment of the offensive line hasn’t changed.
Saturday marked the first time in 16 games the Huskies did not allow a sack, dating back to the 2019 season. Last year UConn allowed 40 sacks in 12 games.
“It is a really great group to be around,” Mora said Tuesday. “They are just workers. They don’t say much, and they are a very intelligent group. I think coach (Gordon) Sammis has done a great job with those guys, they understand the schemes, they play well together, and I thought they had a good performance on Saturday.”
The UConn offense compiled 245 yards on the ground, the most in a single game since its 2019 bout with UMass in which the Huskies ran for 326 yards. Running back Nate Carter rushed for over 100 yards for the third time in his career, setting a new personal mark with 190.
In the postgame press conference Saturday, Carter credited the big men up front. Those big men have high expectations for the unit.
“I thought the line played well, I thought we reached our expectations for ourselves, but we didn’t exceed them,” UConn center and Dartmouth transfer Jake Guidone said. “That is what it is going to take to win these types of games, we have to play better than we expect to play.”
In 2021, UConn averaged 101.3 rushing yards per game and 3.2 yards per carry. Saturday’s performance more than doubled last year’s average rushing production against a team that while not heralded for its defense did finish last season as the No. 24 team in the country.
The noticeable improvement on the offensive line has led to excitement across the fan base, but personal expectations have not yet been met.
“The ‘good jobs’ and the ‘attaboys’, you kind of have to brush to the side,” Guidone said. “We will obviously say thank you for that, but we have a much higher vision of what this team can be and what we can accomplish in this season.”
Guidone was joined by Noel Ofori-Nyadu, Christian Haynes, Valentin Senn, and Chase Lundt as the starting line. Ofori-Nyadu appeared in eight games for the Huskies last season. Senn saw action in three games last year, Lundt in 11 games and Haynes played in all 12 games.
With Ta’Quan Roberson shelved for the season with an ACL tear, true freshman Zion Turner will now take charge of the offense.
“You want to protect the quarterback, and now that we have a freshman quarterback we are going to have to double down on our assignments,” Guidone said. “Make sure we give him time to feel comfortable back there and make the necessary throws.”
Turner took over in the first quarter against Utah State and made some typical rookie mistakes including two interceptions, but was well protected for the most part.
“(Turner) is a very mature kid for his age, and I am expecting greatness out of him,” Guidone said. “If we can give him time he needs, he will succeed in this offense.”
UConn turns around as a heavy favorite heading into its home opener against FCS-level Central Connecticut State on Saturday at Rentschler Field (noon).
The offensive line will pair up for more reps with Turner this week as he prepares for his first collegiate start, with hopes of building on the protection it showcased in the season opener.
“I am excited to see where we can go with those guys,” Mora said. “It is so important, especially with a young quarterback, to establish the run. If you establish the run, you can open things up with the pass game. We were able to establish the run and the pass game will come along.”