TheAmerican.org will be previewing all ten American teams in advance of the start of the 2013 season. The previews will be released in reverse order of the preseason media poll.
STORYLINES
UConn looks to bounce back from consecutive 5-7 seasons as coach Paul Pasqualoni enters his third year on the sidelines.
Pasqualoni has won 151 career games in 21 years as a collegiate head coach. He has more wins than any American Athletic Conference head coach.
The Huskies play four of their first five games at home and close the year with back-to-back dates at Rentschler Field.
OFFENSE
UConn returns its starting quarterback, running back and its top receiver from last year’s team. The Huskies also bring back four of their five starters on the offensive line.
QB Chandler Whitmer threw for at least 200 yards in five of the Huskies’ final six games last year. Whitmer finished the year with 2,664 passing yards, but had a Big East-leading 16 interceptions.
RB Lyle McCombs enters his third year as the Huskies’ starting tailback. McCombs has rushed for 2,011 yards in his two-year career.
No returning player had more than one touchdown reception last season. WR Geremy Davis led the team with 613 yards on 44 receptions in 2012.
DEFENSE
LB Yawin Smallwood, who finished third in the Big East with 120 tackles last year, earned All-Big East First Team honors as a sophomore.
The Huskies have five starters back from a unit that led the Big East in total defense last season.
UConn will need to replace a pair of defensive backs who were drafted by NFL teams. CB Byron Jones and S Ty-Meer Brown return as starters in the secondary.
A veteran defensive line will be anchored by DT Shamar Stephen, DE Angelo Pruitt and DE Jesse Joseph.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Chad Christen stepped in to make 14 of 21 field goal attempts in his first year as the starter. Christen was 12-for-14 from inside 40 yards.
P Cole Wagner averaged 40.5 yards per punt in 2012, good for fifth in the Big East.