UConn opened its doors to Rentschler Field on Saturday, Aug. 15, and fans got to see the Huskies finding their identity in real time. Flashes of brilliance mixed with the rough edges that come standard with August football were on full display. "We're a long way from the finished product," coach Jason Candle said following practice. "I mean, there's some of that's to be expected. Others, you're disappointed in the way things went. Others are really extremely pleased. That's preseason camp, so we got to go back and watch the tape and make sure that we do a good job telling ourselves the truth on that part of it.” From a still-unsettled quarterback battle to a running back room brimming with transfer talent to an offensive line finally trending healthy, there was a lot to see in the two-and-a-half-hour practice UConn held. Here are the five biggest takeaways from Saturday. Osborne, Merklinger make strides Every quarterback on the depth chart got reps during Saturday’s practice, but all eyes were on three guys as Jake Merklinger, Kalieb Osborne and Tucker McDonald headline UConn’s quarterback competition. Osborne looked the best of the three as his dual-threat abilities were on full display. The junior completed multiple passes on the run and broke off big runs on QB-designed plays. His best throw of the day came when he hit freshman receiver Logan Barnes across the middle for a touchdown in the redzone.
While Merklinger had an up-and-down practice, his quick decision-making skills stood out. UConn’s defense blitzed Merklinger a lot on Saturday, and the former Tennessee backup never turned the ball over. He found Javon Brown for a deep touchdown pass early in practice that drew loud cheers from fans in the stands. McDonald didn’t show much, with the senior struggling to move the ball consistently. He extended a few plays with his feet but otherwise wasn’t as impressive as Osborne or Merklinger. With the season opener just under a month away, Candle said he has not yet decided on a starting quarterback. Kenji Christian, Cyncir Bowers lead dynamic running back room One of the biggest strengths of UConn’s offense will be its running back room, where the Huskies have brought in multiple Power 4 transfers. Christian, who followed Candle from Toledo, projects to be UConn’s best back. He broke free multiple times on Saturday and was a factor in the pass game. “He's one of the guys on a team that can score an 80-yard touchdown,” Candle said. “He catches the ball really well in the backfield. We're not going to sit here and claim like we taught him how to run the ball. That's all-natural ability. But I think he's really improved in the pass protection part of things.”
Bowers has a similar skill set, transferring in from West Virginia. The 5-foot-10 back was productive in limited carries last season but is slated to be a key factor in UConn’s running back room this season. “We got a lot of speed between Kenji, me and a lot of other guys. I feel like we can definitely go far in the run game,” Bowers said. Linebacker duo poised for big year Linebackers John Lista and K'Von Sherman couldn’t be more different. Lista, a transfer from Penn, is quiet and softspoken. Sherman, UConn’s most accomplished player, isn’t afraid to let you know how good he is. But together, the two linebackers are a force. Lista and Sherman blew up multiple plays and were two of the most physical players on the field Saturday. “We just feel like we're just two missiles just shooting downhill, and we’re definitely feeding off each other's energy,” Lista said. Lista, a fifth-year senior, was an accomplished Ivy League player. In nine games last season, he racked up 78 tackles –– six behind the line of scrimmage –– and two sacks. Sherman was an all-conference linebacker at Toledo where he led the Rockets in tackles (94) while adding 4.5 sacks. “You should erase the run if Lista is in the game,” Sherman said. “He’s a good partner-in-crime to have. I enjoy playing with him.” Offensive line getting healthy UConn’s offensive line has been plagued by injuries all fall camp, according to Candle. But Saturday’s practice showed positive signs as many of the Huskies’ offensive linemen were able to participate, including returner Ty Chan. “Sometimes that rhythm is hard to capture when guys are in and out of the lineup,” Candle said. “So, we got to get some guys healthy there, and we got to make sure that we continue to work on our timing.” Christian said he’s seen improvement from his o-line throughout camp. “I feel like our offensive line is progressing good” Christian said. “It's really about our chemistry and stuff like that.” Freshman kicker shines Jack O’Connor couldn’t miss on Saturday. The freshman kicker from Illinois knocked in multiple field goals from 40-plus yards away while also knocking through all his chip shots. O’Connor will be in a battle with junior Mike Baker, who missed multiple field goals during Saturday’s practice. This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Five takeaways from UConn football open practice, headlined by QB battle