Here is a scouting report on Connecticut, who plays at NC State at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on RSN.
Five Connecticut players to watch
Senior outside linebacker Brandon Bouyer-Randle
Bouyer-Randle has been to three different colleges in seven years. The Rivals.com three-star prospect was part of Michigan State's class of 2016 out of Battle Creek (Mich.) Central High. He redshirted and played three years at Michigan State, where he graduated, and he transferred to Texas Tech for two years. Now at UConn, the 6-foot-2, 240-pounder is fifth on the team with 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception in four games. He has played in 39 games and amassed 106 career tackles.
Junior weakside linebacker Jackson Mitchell
Mitchell has become a tackling machine for UConn, but was a Rivals.com two-star wide receiver prospect coming out of Ridgefield (Conn.) High in the class of 2019. Mitchell easily leads the team with 49 tackles in just four games, plus 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble. He has 219 career tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception in 25 career games. He had 105 tackles a year ago in 11 contests.
Senior middle linebacker Ian Swenson
The 6-1, 218-pound Swenson is tied for second on the team with 28 tackles, and he was second last year, finishing with 73 stops, four tackles for loss and one sack. The converted defensive back from Chicago (Ill.) Loyola Academy has 197 career tackles in 34 career games at UConn. He had a career-high 13 stops against Middle Tennessee State last year, and also had 12 tackles against Houston.
Freshman quarterback Zion Turner
UConn planned to start former Rivals.com four-star prospect and Penn State transfer Ta'Quan Roberson at quarterback. Instead, he got hurt with 7:55 left in the first quarter of the season opener and is done for the season. Former Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas quarterback Zion Turner has taken over. The Rivals.com three-star prospect has gone 44-of-86 passing for 390 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions, and he has rushed 22 times for 60 yards. The 6-0, 198-pound Turner only completed four passes for 17 yards in the 59-0 loss at Michigan, so he might get a quick hook.
Junior defensive end Eric Watts Jr.
The 6-6, 269-pound Watts was a Rivals.com two-star prospect from Sumter (S.C.) High in the class of 2019. He has gained 49 pounds since high school and has 17 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack this season. He had 39 tackles, six tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries last year.
What to watch for from Connecticut
1. UConn is in trouble on offense. Sophomore running back Nathan Carter has been the bulk of the UConn offense through four games, but will miss the NC State game with a shoulder separation. He's a smaller back at 5-9 and 199 pounds, but he runs hard and has a good burst.
The former Rivals.com two-star prospect has 65 carries for 405 yards and a touchdown, and has caught five passes for 39 yards in four games this season. He gashed Utah State for 20 carries for 190 yards in the season opener Aug. 27. Compounding matters, sophomore running back Brian Brewton also got hurt and suffered a season-ending injury.
2. Who will run the ball?: Sophomore running back Devontae Houston will get the first crack at being the main ballcarrier, but he’s been injured too with a shoulder, and missed the Michigan game.
The 5-9, 170-pound Houston has carried the ball nine times for 72 yards and a touchdown, and caught five passes for 30 yards in three games. Freshman running back Victor Rosa is the second-string back, and he has 20 carries for 38 yards and a touchdown. All five offensive linemen are at least 295 pounds.
3. UConn has been aggressive on defense. The points allowed numbers haven’t been pretty, but the Huskies have 18 tackles for loss and nine sacks in just four games, so that’s pretty impressive.
UConn isn’t relying on one particular player up front, with seven different players with at least a full sack. Connecticut was able to get three sacks against Syracuse and two at Michigan this season.
Three keys to the game for NC State football
1. NC State airs it out a little bit more. The Wolfpack need some good confidence going into the at Clemson game Oct. 1. Airing it out a little bit more against Connecticut would be a good way to do it. NC State should run the ball well, with Utah State and Syracuse both having running backs top 100-plus yards.
Michigan rushed 43 times for 192 yards and six touchdowns, but also have a young quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, who passed for 214 yards and zero touchdowns. NC State quarterback Devin Leary is ready to bust loose and doing it before the Clemson game would be ideal.
2. NC State defense should rack up sacks. Connecticut quarterback Zion Turner has good wheels, but he also has a tendency to scramble and roll out and get himself into trouble. With the top two running backs out with injuries, and the second string quarterback in the game, it's time for the Wolfpack defense to eat.
Turner has 22 carries for 60 yards this season, but the Huskies have only allowed a respectable four sacks. NC State could end up having at least four sacks Saturday due in part to more creative blitzes and fast linebackers that can close on the elusive Turner.
3. Improved performance in the red zone. NC State struggled in its execution in the red zone against both East Carolina and Texas Tech, due in part to some bad luck and ill-timed penalties.
NC State has had nine trips inside the 20-yard line, resulting in seven scores. The total trips ranks No. 101 in the country, and the seven scores ranks No. 102. NC State had one touchdown against East Carolina, and one touchdown and a field goal in the red zone against Texas Tech.
Three numbers of note
7 Years since Connecticut has played in a bowl game, making the St. Petersburg Bowl in 2015, where the Huskies fell 16-10 against Marshall. UConn went 3-3 in bowl games between 2004-15, with a PapaJohns.com Bowl win over South Carolina in 2009.
77 Career wins for UConn coach Jim Mora between coaching the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks and at UCLA. He went 31-33 in the NFL, with a trip to the NFC title game in 2004 with the Falcons. Mora finished 46-30 and went to four bowl games in six years at UCLA (2012-17).
2,000 Passing yards in season, something UConn hasn't had a quarterback achieve since former NC State quarterback Bryant Shirreffs threw for 2,287 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2017. Shirreffs threw for over 2,000 yards all three years and finished his 37-game college career with 6,329 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, plus rushed for 1,187 yards and six scores.
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