UConn’s offense is heading into 2026 with a different look, and the early signs point toward a ground-heavy identity.
That makes sense considering what the Huskies lost. Last season, quarterback Joe Fagnano and All-American receiver Skyler Bell powered the passing game, while Cam Edwards handled much of the work on the ground. Now all three are gone, with Fagnano in the Baltimore Ravens organization, Bell with the Buffalo Bills and Edwards at Michigan State.
So the big question for Jason Candle’s first offense is simple: who takes over, and how does UConn move the ball without its top names from a year ago? Candle still has to name a quarterback, and the Huskies also need new playmakers to emerge after losing Bell and Edwards.
The answer may start with the run game. West Virginia running back Cyncir Bowers has already pointed to the speed in the backfield with him, Kenji Christian and others, and Candle echoed that confidence in Christian by calling him the kind of player who can take the ball 80 yards to the house. Christian previously played for Candle at Toledo and looks positioned to be a major piece of the offense.
None of that guarantees a run-first attack, but it does reinforce the idea that UConn has enough talent in the backfield to lean on the ground game while the quarterback situation sorts itself out. That could be the safest way for the Huskies to open the season, especially with the offense still searching for its new identity.
And they’ll need that identity quickly. UConn is coming off back-to-back nine-win seasons, but the schedule is loaded this year with Power Four matchups against Syracuse, Maryland and North Carolina, along with James Madison, which made the College Football Playoff a year ago.
In other UConn news, the school is reportedly set to name Charlie Stevens as the general manager of the men’s basketball program, replacing the recently retired Tom Moore. Stevens graduated college in 2021 and has spent the last five years with the San Antonio Spurs in scouting and player development.
In Other News...
Dan Hurley Added A Veteran UConn Fans Will Appreciate Fast
Dan Hurley has added another experienced piece to the UConn roster in Isaiah Shaw, a veteran addition that fits the kind of culture the Huskies have built under their coach. Shaw has been around multiple college programs and comes from a notable basketball family, giving him a background that should help him settle quickly into a program that values toughness, adaptability and doing the little things the right way.
For UConn, the appeal goes beyond simply adding another body. Hurley sees Shaw as a player whose work ethic and versatility can help in practice and in the locker room, while his perimeter shooting gives him a clear way to contribute when he gets on the floor. Just as important, Shaw understands that part of his job is to help push younger players along, which is the kind of veteran presence UConn fans tend to appreciate right away. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Is Chasing A 5-Star Guard With A Complicated Fit
NaVorro Bowman Jr., one of the top 2027 guard prospects, is beginning to sort through a recruiting picture that already has five major programs involved, and UConn is in that mix. For a staff that has continued to target high-end perimeter talent, that alone makes Bowman worth watching, especially as the Huskies think ahead to how their backcourt could look in the seasons to come.
The fit question is where things get tricky. UConns appeal would likely hinge on how the roster settles over the next year, with the staff having to project what happens around Braylon Mullins and Silas Demary Jr., plus the possibility that at least one of Colben Landrew or Junior County eventually moves on. In other words, this is the kind of recruitment that could make a lot more sense later than it does right now, which is why the visits matter even before the picture is fully clear. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Fans Got An Early NFL Reminder To Feel Proud
Before the NFLs preseason even really gets rolling, a few former UConn players were already getting their chances to show they belong. Joe Fagnano turned in the busiest day of the group, working for the Baltimore Ravens and finishing 22 of 28 passing with a touchdown and an interception, while also connecting on a 16-yard scoring throw to JaKobi Lane. Elsewhere, Chris Freeman handled an extra point for the Houston Texans, a small moment but one that still counts when roster spots and special teams jobs are in play.
The Texans connection to Storrs only grew from there, too. After a minicamp workout, Houston signed former UConn tight end Louis Hansen, keeping another Huskies name in the mix as teams continue sorting through the edges of their offseason rosters. For UConn fans, it was an early reminder that the programs footprint is still showing up on NFL fields, even before the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]