The UConn football team will be without one if its top-performing offensive playmakers for a considerable amount of time, coach Jim Mora confirmed after practice on Tuesday.
Mel Brown, the Huskies’ second-leading running back, had surgery Tuesday afternoon on a broken clavicle (collarbone) he suffered during Saturday’s game at Delaware. UConn’s speedy compliment to Cam Edwards, Brown had two rushes in the overtime loss and stayed down on the turf after a 4-yard gain that opened the Huskies’ second offensive drive.
Brown recovered from surgery on the opposite shoulder this offseason.
“You don’t ever like to put a time limit on what it’s going to take a guy to recover but it’s a little different when you’re dealing with bone, there’s a little more clarity,” Mora said. “They say six-to-eight weeks, so I think the best-case scenario is we get him back for the last couple of games of the season and if we can get to a bowl. We’ll have to make decisions based on how much he’s played and what he thinks, whether it’s the right decision to play him or give him a chance to redshirt and save the year. But we’ve got a good group of running backs – we’ll certainly miss him, he’s an explosive player for us – but we’ve got guys who can go in there and get the job done.”
Brown had 16 carries for 169 yards and a touchdown on the year before he went down. A senior, redshirting would allow him to preserve his final year of eligibility since he hasn’t reached the four-game cutoff.
UConn’s Mel Brown crosses the goal line after running 45 yards for a first-half score at Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Courtesy of UConn)
“I be joking and stuff so at first I thought (Brown) was just being a baby and got a little dead arm, and after the game he came up and told me he broke his collarbone I’m like, ‘Man,’” receiver Raymello Murphy said. “That’s my guy. He’s always positive, he’s always one of those people who is inspirational through his play. He doesn’t talk a lot, especially on the field, he just goes out there and does things. When you lose somebody like that, it sucks because you know what type of effort and work they put into the game.”
Victor Rosa, the Bristol native who went the redshirt route after his own injury last season, is one of the running backs who will see an increased load in Brown’s absence. Rosa led the team in touchdowns in Mora’s first year at the helm in 2022 but has fallen back on the depth chart as he’s dealt with injuries the last two years. Without having more than three carries in a game this season, he has already accumulated 80 yards and two touchdowns on eight attempts.
“I think Vic’s done a good job this year. He hasn’t gotten a lot of touches but he’s made the most of them. He had a really nice run the other day (a 30-yard touchdown), a couple of them, gotta eliminate that fumble that got called back,” Mora said. “Victor is experienced, he runs hard, he’s a multi-talented guy in terms of he can run, he is good out of the backfield catching the ball and he’s a good pass protector. Very smart player, I think he gives us juice.”
The Huskies have also used Swedish freshman Oliver Lundberg-Coleman (5 carries, 36 yards) and Eastern Illinois transfer MJ Flowers (5 carries, 32 yards, TD) in the backfield. Wide receiver Terrence Smith, a speedster who had an 80-yard rushing touchdown called back in Week One, is also an option in the run game.
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“It’s a good room, but you’re always gonna miss a playmaker like Mel. Especially because he does things on offense and he’s a good kick returner as well,” Mora said. “But that’s the nature of the game and our thoughts and prayers are with him as he goes into surgery and we know he’ll recover fast and do all the work that he needs to do to get back. We know that he’ll be around the team and his infectious energy will help us.”
The medical tent on UConn’s sideline had a revolving door on Saturday.
The Huskies finished the game without tight end Juice Vereen, offensive lineman Carsten Casady and defensive back Tyrece Mills. Defensive lineman Vincent Carroll-Jackson reentered the game after hurting his hamstring.
“You walk off the field and you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re really beat up,’ but everyone was back at practice (Tuesday) except for Mel,” Mora said. “Everyone recovered well, we’ve got a great athletic trainer and doctors who do an amazing job with their commitment to these guys.”
Safety Malachi McLean, who missed the last two games after an injury in the season-opener, is expected to return to action on Saturday.
After back-to-back losses in overtime, the Huskies have turned their focus to this week’s matchup as they return to Rentschler Field to host Ball State. It should be an opportunity to get back on track as the Cardinals come in ranked as one of ESPN’s 10 worst teams in college football.
“I’m disappointed but not discouraged,” Mora said. “I feel like we’ve got the type of people around here that will make a commitment to get it done and we’ll get it done.”
