Jason Candle is already making an impression at UConn, and the early signs around the program point to a coach who’s wasted no time building trust.
That matters for the Huskies, because this has been a noisy offseason. After back-to-back nine-win seasons, UConn watched head coach Jim Mora leave for Colorado State, quarterback Joe Fagnano head to the NFL, wide receiver Skyler Bell follow him there, and star running back Cam Edwards jump into the transfer portal and land at Michigan State.
The on-field answers for all of those departures are still taking shape at training camp. But the new man running the show is already earning strong reviews from the players around him.
Speaking after practice on Saturday, new UConn running back Kenji Christian said Candle genuinely cares about his players. Christian, who followed Candle from Toledo to Storrs, also pointed to Candle’s “next play” mentality, describing a coach who is always focused on how to help someone move forward.
Linebacker John Lista, who transferred in from Penn, was even more direct. He said he would “run through a brick wall” for Candle and added that the entire staff has “delivered at an unprecedented level.”
That’s the kind of feedback a program wants to hear in the middle of a transition. Nobody knows yet exactly how UConn will look on the field in 2026, but the foundation Candle and his staff are laying is already visible. The wins still have to come, but the culture piece appears to be moving in the right direction.
Candle’s resume helps explain why there’s confidence in the fit. He spent 10 seasons at Toledo and finished .500 or better every year.
During that stretch, he posted double-digit wins twice and added two bowl victories. He also built a reputation for getting players to the NFL, a product of both his recruiting and his development work.
That combination should serve UConn well as it tries to keep building on the momentum from those back-to-back nine-win seasons.
There was also a bit of former-UConn news on Saturday night. Fagnano made his NFL preseason debut and helped the Baltimore Ravens beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-7.
He completed 22 of 28 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown, though he also threw an interception. At UConn, that was a rarity; last season, he threw 28 touchdown passes against just one interception.
As for who takes over at quarterback this fall, UConn still hasn’t settled the competition. The two names that appear to be at the front of the line are Toledo transfer Kalieb Osborne and Tennessee transfer Jake Merklinger.
The Huskies open the season on Sept. 5 at home against Lafayette.
In Other News...
Dan Hurley Added A Veteran UConn Fans Will Appreciate Fast
Dan Hurley has added another experienced piece to the UConn roster in Isaiah Shaw, a veteran addition that fits the kind of culture the Huskies have built under their coach. Shaw has been around multiple college programs and comes from a notable basketball family, giving him a background that should help him settle quickly into a program that values toughness, adaptability and doing the little things the right way.
For UConn, the appeal goes beyond simply adding another body. Hurley sees Shaw as a player whose work ethic and versatility can help in practice and in the locker room, while his perimeter shooting gives him a clear way to contribute when he gets on the floor. Just as important, Shaw understands that part of his job is to help push younger players along, which is the kind of veteran presence UConn fans tend to appreciate right away. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Is Chasing A 5-Star Guard With A Complicated Fit
NaVorro Bowman Jr., one of the top 2027 guard prospects, is beginning to sort through a recruiting picture that already has five major programs involved, and UConn is in that mix. For a staff that has continued to target high-end perimeter talent, that alone makes Bowman worth watching, especially as the Huskies think ahead to how their backcourt could look in the seasons to come.
The fit question is where things get tricky. UConns appeal would likely hinge on how the roster settles over the next year, with the staff having to project what happens around Braylon Mullins and Silas Demary Jr., plus the possibility that at least one of Colben Landrew or Junior County eventually moves on. In other words, this is the kind of recruitment that could make a lot more sense later than it does right now, which is why the visits matter even before the picture is fully clear. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Fans Got An Early NFL Reminder To Feel Proud
Before the NFLs preseason even really gets rolling, a few former UConn players were already getting their chances to show they belong. Joe Fagnano turned in the busiest day of the group, working for the Baltimore Ravens and finishing 22 of 28 passing with a touchdown and an interception, while also connecting on a 16-yard scoring throw to JaKobi Lane. Elsewhere, Chris Freeman handled an extra point for the Houston Texans, a small moment but one that still counts when roster spots and special teams jobs are in play.
The Texans connection to Storrs only grew from there, too. After a minicamp workout, Houston signed former UConn tight end Louis Hansen, keeping another Huskies name in the mix as teams continue sorting through the edges of their offseason rosters. For UConn fans, it was an early reminder that the programs footprint is still showing up on NFL fields, even before the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]