UConn Football: Season preview, prediction for 2019

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BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 18: AJ Dillon #2 of the Boston College Eagles carries the ball against the Connecticut Huskies during the first quarter at Fenway Park on November 18, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Defense

This is a unit that was historically bad in 2018. They ranked 130th in scoring, rushing, and total defense. They were only 126th in pass defense. They allowed 617.4 yards per game and 50.4 points. On top of that, they only got to the quarterback for 11 sacks. It was not a good year.

Improving this unit will be a tall task for defensive coordinator Lou Spanos, who was an analyst at Alabama last season. He’ll transition the defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4. It will an adjustment, but change is a theme on a team that struggled so much a season ago.

The defensive line is encouraging. Freshmen started four-wide last season, so the potential for improvement up front is high. They also add freshman Eric Watts, a three-star defensive end from Sumter, S.C. He’s expected to contribute in his first season.

Junior Tyler Coyle leads the defensive backfield from the safety. Statistically, they were the best group on the defense, but they’ll still need to improve this season.

The defense, as a whole, returns nine starters. So many of those players were freshman, and that is the best explanation for their struggles last season. Entering 2019, this defense can only get better.

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