UConn Holds Off Villanova 20-15 in Season Opener

 University of Connecticut redshirt sophomore Bryant Shirreffs(Jefferson, Ga.) threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns in his first collegiate start and first game for the Huskies as the UConn football team defeated Villanova by a 20-15 score on Thursday night. The game was the season opener for both team and was played before a Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field crowd of 26,113.

The Huskies opened the scoring with a 14-yard TD reception by redshirt sophomore Tommy Myers(Coventry, Conn.) from Shirreffs that completed a 13 play, 79 yard drive that made it 6-0 Huskies with 6:55 to go in the first quarter.

The Wildcats led 9-6 at the half, but the Shirreffs to Myers duo was back at work on the second play from scrimmage of the second half for a 69-yard completion that put the ball at the Wildcat one-yard line. Two plays later, sophomore running back Ron Johnson (Naples, Fla.) ran the ball in for the score and give UConn the lead for good at 13-9.

The Huskies made it 20-9 on a 27-yard reception by sophomore Arkeel Newsome (Ansonia, Conn.) with 4:53 to go in the game. Villanova quarterback John Robertson scored on a three-yard run with 1:45 to go.

UConn had a key defensive stop early in the fourth quarter as Villanova had moved the ball to the Husky 36, but stopped the Wildcats on fourth and one.

Johnson was UConn's leading rusher with 69 yards while junior Noel Thomas (Norwalk, Conn.) and Newsome each had three receptions.

Redshirt sophomore Junior Joseph (Sinking Springs, Pa.) led the Huskies with nine tackles while sophomore linebacker Luke Carrezola (Langhorne, Pa.) had six tackles with a sack and redshirt sophomore Folorunso Fatukasi (Far Rockaway, N.Y.) had six tackles with two sacks.

Robertson passed for 153 yards and one TD while rushing 66 yards for the Wildcats, who are ranked fourth preseason in the NCAA FCS.

UCONN Huskies Season Preview

STORYLINES
UConn heads into its second season under head coach Bob Diaco with 13 returning starters, including seven on defense. The Huskies had reeled off four straight winning seasons between 2007 and 2010 — a stretch that included two conference titles and a Fiesta Bowl appearance — but look to end a string of four straight seasons without a bowl bid. UConn will face five of its 12 opponents for the first time in the 2014 season.
OFFENSE
QB Tim Boyle is the only returning player on the roster who saw time behind center last season. QB Bryant Shirreffs, a transfer from North Carolina State and a former Northeast Georgia high school player of the year, figures to battle for the starting spot in 2015. RB Ron Johnson emerged as the Huskies’ leading rusher as a freshman last season. Johnson rushed for 429 yards and three touchdowns, while RB Arkeel Newsome and RB Joshua Marriner made contributions as freshmen as well. WR Noel Thomas had a team-high four touchdown receptions last year and is the Huskies’ top returning receiver. UConn returns three starters on the offensive line — OT Richard Levy, OT Andreas Knappe and OG Tyler Samara. C Ryan Crozier was named to the Rimington Trophy preseason watch list.
DEFENSE
UConn could boast one of the more improved defenses in the nation thanks to the return of key players at every spot. DE Kenton Adeyemi and NG Julian Campenni anchor a veteran defensive line which returns its top four tacklers from last year. LB Marquis Vann (eighth), S Andrew Adams (10th) and LB Graham Stewart (12th) were all among the American Athletic Conference leaders in tackles. Vann finished the season with 105 tackles and seven tackles for loss. Stewart registered 94 stops with 10.5 TFL, two sacks and two forced fumbles. Adams proved to be an impact player in the secondary after he made 95 tackles with four interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
SPECIAL TEAMS
UConn will return both kicking specialists from last year. K Bobby Puyol was the regular placekicker and made 19 of 22 field goal attempts. P Justin Wain averaged 38.8 yards on an American Athletic Conference-leading 74 punts last season. Wain’s average was fourth in The American.