The 2021 UConn Huskies football team represented the University of Connecticut (UConn) as an independent during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Randy Edsall, in his 16th and final season as head coach, for the first two games of the season and then Lou Spanos as interim head coach for the remainder of the year, the Huskies compiled an overall record of 1–11. The team played home games at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.

On September 5, following the team's 38–28 loss to NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) member Holy Cross, head coach Edsall announced he would be retiring at the end of the season. The following day, the school announced that Edsall had resigned effective immediately and defensive coordinator Lou Spanos was named the interim head coach.

On November 11, former UCLA coach Jim L. Mora was hired the UConn's 31st head football coach beginning with the 2022 season. Shortly after the hire, he helped serve as an offensive assistant for the remainder of the season.

In June 2020, it was announced that UConn's other sports programs would be joining the Big East Conference. Since the Big East did not sponsor football and the American did not want to keep UConn as a football-only school, it was decided that the football program would compete as an independent. The move to the Big East was primarily due to the university wanting to focus more on the men's and women's basketball programs, feeling the American had hindered those programs.

Schedule

Game summaries At Fresno State

Statistics UConnFRES First downs 9 25 Total yards 107 538 Rushing yards 35 156 Passing yards 72 382 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 29:03 30:57

Holy Cross

Statistics HCUConn First downs 19 18 Total yards 363 262 Rushing yards 226 88 Passing yards 137 174 Turnovers 1 4 Time of possession 33:13 26:47

Purdue

Statistics PURUConn First downs 29 11 Total yards 562 223 Rushing yards 187 124 Passing yards 375 99 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 34:34 25:26

At Army

Statistics UConnARMY First downs 9 24 Total yards 225 504 Rushing yards 116 397 Passing yards 109 107 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 19:24 40:36

Wyoming

Statistics WYOUConn First downs 22 19 Total yards 353 281 Rushing yards 204 110 Passing yards 149 171 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 35:29 24:31

At Vanderbilt

Statistics UConnVAN First downs 26 23 Total yards 515 439 Rushing yards 184 106 Passing yards 331 333 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 28:10 31:50

At UMass

Statistics UConnUMass First downs 14 21 Total yards 291 407 Rushing yards 163 247 Passing yards 128 160 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 20:49 39:11 The day before the game, interim head coach Lou Spanos, offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Frank Giufre, and tight ends coach Corey Edsall, along with offensive linemen Ryan Van Demark and Will Meyer, tested positive for COVID-19. Defensive line coach Dennis Dottin-Carter served as the Huskies' head coach for the game.

Yale

Statistics YALEUConn First downs 16 15 Total yards 299 318 Rushing yards 108 119 Passing yards 191 199 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 31:35 28:25

Middle Tennessee

Statistics Middle TennesseeUConn First downs 30 16 Total yards 473 304 Rushing yards 155 67 Passing yards 318 237 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 37:22 22:38

At Clemson

Statistics UConnClemson First downs 6 26 Total yards 99 476 Rushing yards -17 129 Passing yards 116 347 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 23:16 36:44

At UCF

Statistics UConnUCF First downs 17 23 Total yards 311 537 Rushing yards 137 280 Passing yards 174 257 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 32:30 27:30

No. 24 Houston

Statistics HoustonUConn First downs 21 16 Total yards 472 238 Rushing yards 149 82 Passing yards 323 156 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 31:16 28:44

Roster

NFL draft One Husky was selected in the 2021 NFL draft following the season.

+RoundPickPlayerPositionNFL team376Travis JonesDefensive tackleBaltimore Ravens

References