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Duke football 2024 opponent scouting report: The UCONN Huskies

Currently in the midst of a 12-year streak of losing seasons, can the UCONN Huskies challenge the Duke football team in game three?

By Matthew Conner

Sep 23, 2023; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson (6) is sacked by Duke Blue Devils defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles (16) in the second quarter at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 23, 2023; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson (6) is sacked by Duke Blue Devils defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles (16) in the second quarter at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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If the Duke football team wants to get to the postseason, it needs to take advantage of the few bad teams on the 2024 schedule. One of those beatable opponents will come to Durham in week three in the form of the UCONN Huskies.

Now in its third year as an independent football program, UCONN is struggling to find its footing under head coach Jim Mora. In fact, in Mora's two seasons in charge, the Huskies have gone just 9-16 overall as the program seems unable to break its current string of 12-straight losing seasons.

Now, in fairness, Mora did take UCONN to a bowl with six wins in 2022. However, last season he managed just a 3-9 mark as his program took a huge step backward.

This year, UCONN has an extremely easy schedule so Mora could see his program rebound. UCONN will play only four games against teams from one of the four major conferences (Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, and Wake Forest) so they could get back to a bowl game just by taking care of business against lesser teams.

Of course, Duke fans are just concerned about whether the Huskies will be able to test the Blue Devils in Durham in game three of the season. So to find out, let's take a deeper look at what UCONN will bring to the table this fall.

UCONN will be breaking in a new quarterback

At the game's most important position, UCONN will be forced to break in a new starter in 2024. That's because last season's starter, Ta’Quan Roberson, entered the transfer portal this offseason. Last year, he threw for 2,075 yards with 12 touchdown passes and six interceptions while also giving his team two rushing touchdowns.

Now, there will be a battle for the starting QB job. Wisconsin transfer Nick Evers, who has all of one career pass attempt in two college seasons, and former FCS transfer Joe Fagnano, who threw 35 passes for the Huskies in 2023, are the main candidates to lead the UCONN offense.

Of course, Duke has its own QB questions to answer in 2024. Thus, the program that figures the position out the best by game three will have a huge advantage when these teams meet.

Transfer receivers will give UCONN some offensive punch

Though UCONN lost 2023's leading pass-catcher, tight end Justin Joly, who is now at NC State, the portal has brought some intriguing weapons to the offense. That should make the Huskies more explosive than last season.

Purdue transfer TJ Sheffield has caught 118 passes for 1,209 yards and 11 TDs in his career. Likewise, Wisconsin transfer Skyler Bell has 69 receptions for 755 yards and six TDs to his name in three seasons in Madison.

In last season's 41-7 loss to Duke, UCONN threw for only 114 yards. If this year's game is going to be more competitive, the revamped passing attack for the Huskies will have to provide more productivity and that could happen thanks to the new additions at wide receiver.

UCONN will have a new defensive scheme

Last season, the Huskies gave up at least 30 points in half of their games. This year, former Mississippi State DC Matt Brock has been hired to fix that.

He will have two decent defensive linemen to depend on. Between them, Pryce Yates and Jelani Stafford racked up 22 tackles for loss a season ago.

However, the loss of linebacker Jackson Mitchell who had three straight 100-tackle seasons for UCONN will be tough to weather. Last year, he had only two tackles against Duke, though. It was the lowest tackle game he had in a 113-tackle season.

Early prediction: Duke should take care of UCONN at home

The expectation is that UCONN will be better in 2024. If they aren't, Mora will be on the hot seat.

Regardless, Duke should be able to handle the Huskies, especially in Durham. Last year's game at UCONN was a laugher for the Blue Devils and though there have been massive changes for the program, no one expects Duke to step so far back that UCONN will be able to walk out of Wallace Wade Stadium with a win.

Duke needs to make hay early in the season, especially with a non-conference slate that is more than manageable. Later in the year, business picks up as the ACC schedule has plenty of contenders on tap for Duke.

Thus, this fish is one that Manny Diaz and his team had better reel into the boat. If all goes according to plan, Duke will be 3-0 after this game with one more winnable non-con game at Middle Tennessee to go before opening ACC play.

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