UConn football’s defensive improvement is one of the main reasons the Huskies are looking forward to the Myrtle Beach Bowl after a six-win regular season. The Huskies are currently in the top 70 in defensive SP+, a huge jump from their triple-digit rank in 2021.
They were solid in run defense despite losing two of their three starters on the defensive line, and their pass defense (although not perfect) was like night and day compared to the 2021 unit. Despite a tough start to the season in blowout losses to Syracuse, Michigan, and North Carolina State, UConn held opposing offenses to under 400 yards per game for the first time since 2015.