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Earlier this week, University of Connecticut running back Kenji Christian was named to the Shrine Bowl 1,000 Watch List, meaning he's been identified as one of the 1,000 NFL-caliber players currently playing college football across all levels.

It's certainly a nice compliment for Christian, who transferred in this offseason from Toledo, where he played for new Huskies head coach Jason Candle.

And Christian is an incredibly athletic player who should feature prominently in the new offense. He averaged five yards per carry last season, amassing 528 rushing yards and 193 more receiving yards. He's a dual-threat player who is capable of doing special things each time he touches the ball. 

However, the backfield is deeper than just him, and UConn could end up with a nice tandem as they work to replace the production of Cam Edwards, who transferred to Michigan State.

For instance, Cyncir Bowers, a transfer from West Virginia, also provides some optimism. He carried the ball 63 times for the Mountaineers last season, getting 249 yards and two touchdowns. He also had eight catches out of the backfield.

Speaking at Media Day on Thursday, new offensive coordinator Nunzio Campanile, who previously coached at Syracuse for three years, praised Bowers' speed, vision, and ability to pass protect. His versatility is certainly an important trait, according to Campanile.

In addition to Bowers and Christian, UConn has backs like Trey Cornist, Dashaun Reeder and Jaden Hart who can all contribute as well.

As we've said all along, given the uncertainty at the quarterback position, the running back room might be the best chance for UConn's offense to gain success this season.

What UConn is losing in Cam Edwards

A Connecticut native, Edwards played at nearby Norwalk High School. He became the first Huskies running back since 2019 to reach the 1,000-yard plateau, pairing with Joe Fagnano and receiver Skyler Bell to make up a dynamic offense in 2025. Bell was named an AP First Team All-American. The Huskies went 9-4 and lost in the Fenway Bowl to Army (41-16).

Edwards ran for 2,690 yards on 480 carriers in a Huskies uniform. In three seasons, he had 27 rushing touchdowns while also amassing 47 catches and four touchdowns.

Elsewhere in Huskies athletics

Tom Moore, a valued assistant coach during the tenures of both Jim Calhoun and Dan Hurley, announced his retirement from UConn men’s basketball on Thursday.

In all, Moore has spent nearly 40 years in coaching, including 21 with the Huskies, spanning the two eras.

He was part of four national championship teams (1999, 2004, 2023, 2024) as an assistant coach, the most of any assistant in what UConn called the “modern era” of college basketball.

In addition to working at UConn, he was also the head coach at Quinnipiac.

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