Huskies Report

QB Becomes Sixth UConn Decommit Since Jim Mora's Exit

UConn Football’s recruiting collapse deepens as a quarterback prospect becomes the sixth decommit amid Jim Mora’s exit and growing roster uncertainty.
Shivani Menon|
Oct 21, 2023; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Jim Mora on the field before the start of the game against the South Florida Bulls at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Oct 21, 2023; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Jim Mora on the field before the start of the game against the South Florida Bulls at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

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Connecticut Huskies

UConn’s recruiting class has taken another blow, and perhaps the biggest one yet. Three-star quarterback Carter Emanuel has backed away from his pledge and reopened his recruitment. The Huskies thought they had their future centerpiece locked in since June.

However, Jim Mora’s departure to Colorado State has shifted the ground under every recruit’s feet. And now, with a quarterback joining the exodus. Emanuel once chose UConn over offers from programs like Appalachian State, Arkansas, East Carolina, Liberty, Marshall, Pitt, Southern Miss, Troy, UCF, USF, and West Virginia.

Emanuel, after all, had 3,931 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, plus over 800 rushing yards in his high-school career. Interestingly, it was only 24 hours ago that Emanuel got an offer from Mora’s new team, Colorado State.

Not long after the offer was made, Emanuel took to X and wrote, “After careful consideration and conversations with my family, I’ve decided to reopen my recruitment. I am grateful to UConn for believing in me and for the relationships built throughout this process.”

Emanuel is the sixth prospect to decommit from UConn. It all started when Kallen Martinez became the first player to decommit after Mora’s move to CSU became public. There were those who moved before the announcement was made as well. One of them was running back Jayden Fox, who flipped to UNLV.

There was also wide receiver Quayd Hendryx, who committed to Minnesota. Meanwhile, edge rusher Jacquey Ferguson Jr., and corner Javion Romer reopened their recruitments and are still weighing their options. The Huskies' 2026 class has now shrunk to just 11 verbal commitments and sits No. 112 nationally in Rivals’ rankings.

To make things worse, decommitments are only part of the story. The Huskies were having a generational run and just had their second consecutive nine-win season. And now, even current players are planning to enter the transfer portal.

UConn Football Also Has 8 Players Likely Entering Transfer Portal

If the recruiting departures weren’t enough, UConn is bracing for another wave within its own roster. At least eight players are expected to enter the transfer portal. Running back Victor Rosa, after anchoring the Huskies’ offense, with one year of eligibility left, is planning on entering the portal.

Fellow running back MJ Flowers has also announced he will enter the portal, giving UConn one of its largest backfield shakeups in recent memory. Losing two experienced runners at once isn’t easy and comes at the worst time possible.

Meanwhile, the defensive side hasn’t escaped the wrath either. Oumar Diomande, one of the program’s most productive defenders with 111 tackles and three sacks this season, intends to enter the portal. Additionally, two defensive backs, Osiris Gilbert and Kolubah Pewee Jr., are also planning on entering the portal.

Cornerbacks Chris Hudson and Cam Chadwick are all expected to join him. Chadwick has been one of the best players on the roster. He has played in a total of 28 games and has made a total of 100 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 10 passes defended, and six interceptions.

Even the offensive line, one of UConn’s few stable units, takes a hit with Ben Murawski heading to the portal after starting 18 games over the past two seasons. And wide receiver John Neider, fresh off a 395-yard, three-touchdown season, will also likely test the market.

Suddenly, every position is facing uncertainty, and if history is testimony, this is exactly how a program slips into a deep crisis.

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Shivani Menon
SHIVANI MENON

Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.

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