As a newcomer to college life, freshman Zion Turner is still figuring things out.

There’s a lot to deal with.

Oh, and he’s also the starting quarterback for the UConn football team.

“Let’s think about his week this week,” said coach Jim Mora on Tuesday. “He’s a true freshman. He’s just been handed the keys to the car. It’s his first week of class in college, so he’s got to manage his school load, he’s got to manage becoming the starting quarterback and the study and commitment it takes to do that.

So, there’s a lot of pressure on him.”

Mora believes that Turner, who led one of the best high school football programs in the country in St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) to three state titles, can handle it all.

“He’s a winner,” Mora said. “He’s one of those guys that seems unfazed by circumstance. He just stays in his lane and he just does his job. He has great poise and great focus. So, I think he feels that pressure, but I’m not sure that it affects him.”

Mora will find out a lot more about his young quarterback and football team on Saturday when UConn plays its home opener against Central Connecticut State University, a Football Championship Subdivision program. Kick-off is noon at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

It will be Turner’s first college start.

“It’s most definitely special,” Turner said. “I’ve been playing football all my life. College football has always been a dream. To be here my first year and see it all happen – and it happened so fast – it’s been a blessing. I’m just really thankful for everything that’s been given to me and I’ve earned as well.

“Being on the field this young is one of those things that I’ve earned. I worked real hard for it.”

Turner had significantly more time to prepare for Saturday’s game than for his debut in last week’s season-opening 31-20 loss at Utah State. He was called off the bench on UConn’s second series to replace injured starter Ta’Quan Roberson who suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Considering the difficult circumstances, Turner had a respectable showing, helping to keep the Huskies in the game into the fourth quarter. He finished 12 for 31 for 109 yards, throwing one touchdown pass and two interceptions.

His first career pass was picked off, but he rebounded nicely to throw a touchdown pass on his second attempt.

Still, Turner wasn’t happy with his play.

“I definitely was upset after the first game,” Turner said. “Certain things didn’t go our way and I definitely could have played way better. I know what I am capable of. And I know all the mistakes that I made. The situation, it doesn’t really matter to me. If I get on the field as a quarterback, I have to do my job. My job is to win football games.”

It was a valuable learning experience for Turner.

Mora expects Turner will play well in his second game.

“He’ll grow from that,” Mora said. “I think you’ll see a different player this week. I think you’ll see a more confident player. He doesn’t lack confidence. Maybe confidence is the wrong word. A better word is a more certain player. I think you’ll see a more certain player, more certain of what he’s supposed to do and he’ll play, I believe, more free, and he’ll make quicker decisions just because of the work he’s getting this week.”

Turner should be more comfortable with the offense after a week of practice. Offensive coordinator Nick Charlton can also build a game plan around Turner’s skill set.

The fact that the Huskies can run the ball will help lift some pressure off Turner. He’ll have the support of an offensive line that played well in the season opener and the benefit of a potent running game that features sophomore Nate Carter, who piled up a career-high 190 yards on 20 carries.

It also should help that UConn is playing a Football Championship Subdivision program. It will be the Blue Devils’ season opener and the first meeting between the in-state teams since 1995.

The Huskies took a step forward in the season opener, riding a fast start to a 14-point lead, then recovering after a rough second quarter during which they fell behind by 10 and then they closed the gap to four points in the final quarter.

Mora called it a bitter, rough and disappointing loss but he came away encouraged by his team’s overall play.

Their schedule will stiffen considerably in the upcoming weeks with games against Syracuse, at Michigan, at North Carolina State and against Fresno State.

But a program that won just one game last year certainly can’t afford to look past Central Connecticut. UConn lost to Holy Cross, another FCS team, in 2021.

“Our objective on Saturday is to go out and play to our standard against a team that’s going to come in here with probably a chip on their shoulder,” Mora said.

News and notes

Rahtrell Perry, a 6-foot-6, 332-pound freshman from New London, is listed second on the depth chart at offensive right tackle for CCSU. Perry attended Trinity-Pawling. Bacon Academy graduate Scott Fries, a senior, is the back-up long snapper. … Overall, CCSU has 37 Connecticut natives on its roster, including freshman cornerback D’Angelo Aristilde (NFA) and freshman wide receiver Max Pierre Louis (NFA). … UConn leads the series, 3-0, winning the last meeting 54-9 in 1995. … The parking lot of Pratt and Whitney Stadium will open up at 8 a.m. on Saturday, with the Husky Walk at 9:15 and gates opening at 10:30 a.m.. … The Blue Devils were picked to finish fourth in the Northeast Conference preseason coaches poll.

g.keefe@theday.com