UConn starting QB 2024: Who will start for Jim Mora in Week 1?

The UConn Huskies have picked their starting quarterback for the upcoming season. Coach Jim Mora made the decision on Tuesday, as the Huskies hope to improve on their record (3-9) from last year.

It was widely expected that Joseph Fagnano would be the starter this season. He was the starting QB for the first two games in 2023, but would then be ruled out of the season with a shoulder injury. However, Fagnano will not be the Huskies starter this year.

That role has been given to Nick Evers, who will lead the Huskies against the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday.

Nick Evers transferred from the Wisconsin Badgers in the offseason. His time with the Badgers did not go anywhere with Evers not playing a single snap with the team.

This is not the first time Evers has transferred to another program. During the 2022 offseason, Evers left the Oklahoma Sooners to join the Badgers. Unfortunately for him, his time with the Sooners was similar to his spell in Madison as he was only able to have one snap. It happened during the Sooners' 49-0 defeat to the Texas Longhorns.

The UConn Huskies will be the first program in which Nick Evers has a realistic chance to play football and has immediately been given the starting role. Now, it is up to him to show everyone that he is a good quarterback, who was just shafted by big programs who brought in more talented players.

Luckily, Evers has been given a good range of receivers, many of whom have transferred to the school. This, paired with the Independent Huskies schedule featuring a mixture of the weaker Power 4 teams and Group of 5 teams, could mean that an improvement on the three wins they had last year is more than possible.

Who could replace Nick Evers for UConn if needed?

If the inexperienced Evers struggles, Jim Mora does have a few more options in this position.

The most likely replacement for Evers is Joseph Fagnano. The former starter has returned from an injury, and now without Ta'Quan Roberson (the QB who replaced Fagnano when he was injured in 2023, who has transferred from the program), there is little competition to the role.

Fagnano only threw for 173 yards in 2023, but in 2022 threw for 2,231 yards for the Maine Brown Bears. This is still more experience than Evers has.

Additionally, UConn has a range of freshman QBs that could be used if needed but these players are unlikely to start if both Evers and Fagnano remain healthy.