Coaching legacies MacIntyre and Mora to satisfy when FIU hosts UConn on Saturday evening

Both groups are led by the son of a well known coach.

Both coaches are of their first years with their respective packages.

And each groups have already doubled their win totals from their 1-11 information in 2021.

That’s the matchup set for Saturday evening at 7, when the FIU Panthers (2-2) will play host to the Connecticut Huskies (2-4).

FIU coach Mike MacIntyre mentioned he is aware of his UConn counterpart, Jim Mora, fairly effectively.

MacIntyre’s father, the late George MacIntyre, was the long-time Vanderbilt’s coach. Jim Mora Sr. coached within the NFL for the Saints and Colts most notably.

“We have the same agent,” MacIntyre mentioned of him and Jim Mora Jr. “Both our dads were coaches. We’re coach’s brats, I guess.”

MacIntyre mentioned throughout Tuesday’s weekly press convention that UConn has performed “an extremely tough schedule”, and it’s actually laborious to argue that time.

The Huskies have misplaced to a few Power Five faculties this 12 months: at house to Syracuse and on the street towards Michigan and North Carolina State by a mixed rating of 148-24.

UConn, which additionally misplaced to Utah State, had maybe the largest win of its season final week, beating visiting Fresno State, 19-14.

The considerably odd factor about this matchup is that solely one among these groups has a quarterback from South Florida – and that’s Connecticut.

Freshman Zion Turner, who’s from St. Thomas Aquinas, is finishing 54.5 p.c of his passes this 12 months as UConn’s beginning QB. He leads the staff in passing yards (559), and he has a 5-3 TD-to-interception ratio.

“He’s a heck of a football player,” MacIntyre mentioned of Turner. “I don’t think he lost a game at St. Thomas. He’s doing a great job as a freshman.”

Turner, although, will not be how the Huskies plan to beat FIU, in response to MacIntyre.

“(The Huskies) play a lot of two tight end sets,” he mentioned. “They’ll try to knock us off the ball.

“UConn is the biggest team we’ve played all year. They are physical, powerful and long.”

Nathan Carter, who has missed two contests this 12 months, nonetheless leads UConn in dashing (405 yards), common per run (6.2) and common per sport (101.3).

Huskies backup Devontae Houston is second on the staff in dashing yards (215) and averaged per run (5.4).

“They’re a little bit bigger than us,” MacIntyre mentioned of the Huskies. “They will try to pound the rock.”

THIS AND THAT

▪ Safety Demetrius Hill, who leads FIU with 35 tackles, has made speedy enchancment this 12 months: “In the spring, he would have a bad scrimmage and a good one. You can ask him,” MacIntyre mentioned. “But he’s now understanding what offenses are trying to do, and he is able to correct himself. He asks a lot of good questions. He’s a smart and physical player.”

▪ Running again Lexington Joseph, who leads FIU with 117.5 all-purpose yards per sport, is a tough runner, in response to MacIntyre. “He’s hard to bring down,” the coach mentioned. “He doesn’t look like he is running that fast, but they don’t ever get him.”

▪ MacIntyre on Tuesday introduced up Hurricane Ian, saying: “I’m praying for everyone on the west coast of Florida. We have a lot of players on our team who have had a lot situations happen there. It’s been tough.”

▪ MacIntyre praised defensive coordinator Jovan Dewitt: “He’s done a great job,” MacIntyre mentioned. “Our players are really young, and they are getting used to the speed of the game.

“The guy that really popped for me last week was (defensive lineman) Jordan Guerad. He was harassing the quarterback, playing good technique. He’s grown up a lot over the past month.”