UConn football adds QB Brayden Zermeno to the roster

With injuries piling up across the roster, UConn football head coach Jim Mora has added a new quarterback in Arizona transfer Brayden Zermeno.

Listed at 6-foot-4, Zermeno attended Loyola High School in Los Angeles, California and joined Arizona as a preferred walk-on over offers from FCS Ivy League schools and a previous commitment to Princeton. He entered the transfer portal at the end of last school year but had not yet signed with a team. It appears Zermeno has been in contact with Mora and the Huskies for a few weeks and attended the Michigan game as well.

With starter Ta’Quan Roberson suffering a season-ending knee injury in the first quarter of the first game of the season, UConn immediately had to scramble to fill the most important position on the field.

Tyler Phommachanh, last year’s starter, does not appear to be fully healthy. The staff has turned to true freshman Zion Turner, who has done about as well as anyone could reasonably expect given the circumstances. His offense and particularly the passing game have struggled mightily as the level of competition has increased over the last two weeks.

Zermeno could see playing time soon. The only other quarterback to see time so far this season has been transfer Cale Millen, but he has mostly been used to run option plays or designed QB runs. At the very least, the Huskies’ newest addition could spell Turner in games that are likely to be blowouts in the next two weeks. Perhaps spending some time watching from the sidelines, even if for a few drives, can aid in the true freshman’s development.

UConn visits No. 12-ranked North Carolina State for its fifth game of the season and second consecutive road contest against a ranked team. Last week, Michigan was ranked No. 4 going into the game.