By Tony Catalina
NEFJ Correspondent
STORRS – With the 2023 season and all of its disappointment firmly in the rearview mirror, the feeling around the UConn Huskies football team at their annual Media Day oozed a program that feels a sense of eagerness and excitement.
The Huskies are only one full season removed from a season that produced a bowl game appearance, and with a more concerted effort towards adding proven talent via the transfer portal and an influx of new names, the Huskies look ahead to the new season feeling like they aren’t far off from that same destination once again.
Players who were available to the media made it clear that they didn’t want to speak about themselves, with many sharing a desire to talk about a group that has taken this Summer to bond with one another. Some discussed that the closeness they feel as a team feels different than in years before, and while that isn’t a knock on prior teams, it is a sentiment that was widely shared by everyone who got a chance to speak.
One of the biggest advocates for the connection was defensive lineman and team leader Jelani Stafford. When given the chance to open the day with remarks that could be either about himself or his teammates, he took the latter.
“For me or for us? I think I’ll talk about the team. The team, we have done so much together I feel like this is the closest we’ve ever been,” Stafford started. “Even with all the new guys we’ve got now, I think we kind of built a cohesive bond to help us for the future and our success.”
And while the new guys Stafford mentioned may be looked at as players coming to take jobs from those already on the roster, running back Victor Rosa talks about the excitement he has for them to show out and demonstrate just how crucial those guys are going to be to their success this season.
“New names all over the field making plays that you guys haven’t seen in a Husky jersey,” Rosa said. “Transfers are definitely going to help us win games this year… it’s going to be a different team this year that you guys will be seeing.”
One of the new names getting the most hype around the team and the fanbase is transfer quarterback Nick Evers. The former four-star recruit comes to UConn looking to establish a footing in a college career that hasn’t gone quite the way he had hoped.
Despite moving around and transferring on more than one occasion, the talent is undeniable to head coach Jim Mora.
“He’s extremely athletic. He’s a 6’3”, 205 lb. kid with a rocket arm who can also throw with touch and run,” Mora said. “Watching him work, in the limited time I’ve been able to watch him, you see real athleticism out of him, and you see real resolve.”
Evers brings an undeniable talent to a quarterback room that needs it. While those who have come before him have performed admirably over the last few seasons, bringing a guy like Evers is how a team like the Huskies can change overnight via the transfer portal.
With former Purdue wide receiver TJ Sheffield expecting to help in a big way and local running back Cam Edwards hoping to take a leap in 2024, coupled with a new defensive philosophy and other exciting pieces, the Huskies have a chance to surprise people this season, and the players know it.
On the eve of the new season, the excitement and hope surrounding the program are palpable as UConn begins to prepare for its Week 1 road matchup against the Maryland Terrapins.