STORRS – While he was still head coach at UCLA, Jim Mora recruited four-star quarterback Hank Bachmeier. While he was broadcasting for ESPN, Mora called one of Bachmeier’s games during his 2019 freshman season at Boise State and the two took a photo together.
On Saturday, a 25-year-old Bachmeier and his new Wake Forest team stand in the way of what could be one of the most significant wins in Mora’s tenure as head coach at UConn.
The Huskies enter the Week 8 matchup already carrying their best record through six games since 2009 at 4-2. A win would be the program’s second over a power conference opponent in the Mora era, and would put UConn’s record at 5-2 for the first time since 2008.
To pull it off, the Huskies will have to contain Bachmeier (playing his 45th career game) and the Wake Forest passing attack, which ranks 41st in the FBS averaging 257 yards per game.
“He’s a good decision-maker,” Mora said. “He threw two picks (in a 49-14 loss to Clemson) last week but he took ownership for them and he was playing against a pretty darn good defense and they were playing from behind. … He’s got good receivers to throw to, he’s got some really big, physical, talented receivers and a really good slot receiver (Taylor Morin) who is their leading receiver.
“Tight ends, they’re a tight end-centric team, they didn’t have two of their tight ends last week but they’ll have them back this week. And anytime you can run the ball the way they can run the ball, teams have to commit to that and that slow mesh game, guys tend to get open and Hank makes good, accurate throws.”
Bachmeier has completed 62.9% of his passes for 1,439 yards with nine touchdowns to four interceptions so far this season. The Wake rushing attack is led by junior Demond Claiborne, who has 99 carries for 524 yards and six touchdowns.
“We’re not taking them lightly despite their (2-4) record,” linebacker Donovan Branch said on Tuesday, his voice still recovering from the Temple celebration. “It’s still a great team that we’re going against, these guys are no joke. I don’t really look at the record, I look at who they are as a team and I feel like this is going to be a great challenge for us as a defense and for us as a team, to be honest with you, and we’re ready to take that challenge.”
Branch said Saturday’s contest will be a “dog game,” implying that the winner will come down to who can give the extra effort to get on top in a tightly contested matchup.
UConn’s quarterback situation entering the game remains unknown as Mora has kept Nick Evers’ potential return from injury close to the vest. Evers exited the Sept. 28 win over Buffalo with a head injury and missed the Huskies’ last game against Temple. Backup Joe Fagnano did just enough to keep the game close, throwing for 272 yards and a touchdown on 24-for-41 passing, but his two interceptions contributed to the need for a miracle finish.
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Mora also confirmed on Tuesday that third-string quarterback Tucker McDonald required season-ending foot surgery after he was hurt on the final play against Buffalo, leaving true freshman Cole Welliver as the third option when Evers is healthy.
UConn hopes to return top receiver Skyler Bell, who left the Temple game with an apparent ankle injury and posted an image to social media of his left leg in an air cast before the bye week.
The Huskies are also hoping they can get their running game (ranked 14th in the country averaging 220.3 yards per game) going again after a slow effort against the Owls last week. Much of that will be dependent on who is in at quarterback, because Evers’ ability to run and play the option game shouldn’t allow Wake Forest to stack the box and take away the ground.
Wake Forest’s defense ranks 103rd in the FBS allowing 177.8 yards per game on the ground.
“We just didn’t play well up front (against Temple),” Mora said. UConn’s stable of backs ran for 99 yards against the Owls, its lowest rushing total since the blowout loss to Maryland in Week One.
“Our offensive line didn’t play to the standard that they’re capable of playing at. I have a high regard for our offensive line, and they know they didn’t play well enough. We just have to be more disciplined, we have to be more exact in where we put our hat and our hands and where our point of aim is. If we can do that, we always have a chance to have success in our run game. If we don’t, then it’s gonna be tough,” Mora said.
Quick hits
Saturday’s game features 11 matchups between former high school teammates, including UConn WR Jasaiah Gathings against DB Zamari Stevenson, who each attended Statesville High in North Carolina. “I ain’t got much to say to him, he knows what time it is when we out there. I mean, that’s my dog, but when we between them lines I ain’t trying to talk to him,” Gathings said.
Wake Forest has five players from Connecticut: WR James Hillhouse (Westport), LB William Moy (Norwalk), OL Sebastien Pierre (Norwalk), OL Jack Hines (Avon) and TE Dominic Deluca (Greenwich).
Mora answered “he’s doing great” and didn’t reveal their status when asked about injuries to Evers and Bell, as well as defensive lineman Pryce Yates and defensive back Cam Chadwick, who have been dealing with head injuries.
Defensive lineman Jasheen Davis is climbing up the all-time ranks for Wake Forest with 21.5 career sacks, which ranks fourth-most in the program’s history.
UConn has lost five straight games against ACC opponents and hasn’t beaten a power conference team since taking down Boston College at Rentschler Field in 2022, Mora’s first season.
Jim Mora Sr., who wouldn’t have liked the way UConn was tackling to start the season, is “a little happier but he’s not satisfied. He didn’t think we were wrapping up enough and I share his sentiments,” said Mora Jr. Mora’s dad, the 89-year-old former NFL head coach, isn’t into addressing the team himself, but he regularly checks in – “He’s a fan now, he’s our most ardent fan. He’ll probably watch the game three or four times over and over again, and then I get my report.”
What to know
Site: Rentschler Field in East Hartford
Line: UConn by 2
Time: Noon.
TV: CBS Sports Network – Rich Waltz, Ross Tucker and Alanna Campbell
Radio: UConn Sports Network from Learfield, Fox Sports 97.9
Online: The Varsity Network App – Mike Crispino, Wayne Norman, Adam Giardino
2024 record: UConn: 4-2, Wake Forest: 2-4
Series: Wake Forest leads, 2-1.
Last meeting: Dec. 29, 2007 – Wake Forest 24, UConn 10 in the Meineke Car Care Bowl
Pregame reading:
