The UConn football program is making waves in the transfer portal, and Thursday might’ve brought the biggest splash yet. Former Tennessee quarterback Jake Merklinger has committed to the Huskies, giving new head coach Jason Candle a major piece to build around in his first season at the helm.
Merklinger, a redshirt freshman last season, brings three years of eligibility to Storrs. And while he didn’t get a ton of snaps in Knoxville, what he showed in limited action-and more importantly, what he showed before he ever stepped on a college field-paints the picture of a player with real upside.
Let’s back up. UConn needed a quarterback.
Joe Fagnano, who threw for over 3,400 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, just wrapped up his seventh and final year of eligibility. That left a void under center, and the Huskies’ QB room took some hits when Nick Evers, Tucker McDonald, and Ksaan Farrar all entered the transfer portal.
Evers is reportedly headed to Missouri, Farrar is following former head coach Jim Mora to Colorado State, and McDonald has since decided to return to UConn.
Still, the depth chart needed a boost-and that’s where Merklinger comes in.
The Georgia native was a high-profile recruit coming out of Calvary Day School. A consensus four-star prospect, he was ranked among the top 25 quarterbacks in the 2024 class and cracked the top 300 overall by Rivals, ESPN, and 247Sports.
Rivals had him as high as No. 6 among QBs. His high school résumé is what you’d expect from a recruit of that caliber: a 42-10 record as a four-year starter, nearly 10,000 passing yards, 145 total touchdowns, and three straight regional titles.
His senior year alone? Over 3,000 passing yards, 38 touchdowns, just two picks, plus 450 yards and 12 scores on the ground.
At Tennessee, Merklinger was brought in as part of a deep quarterback room. He redshirted his freshman year, seeing limited action to preserve eligibility, and served as the backup last season.
Even in a crowded depth chart that included Nico Iamaleava and Joey Aguilar, Merklinger held his own in camp. He completed 13 of 24 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns last season, with no interceptions-a small sample, but a clean one.
Now, he gets a fresh start at UConn, and it’s a big opportunity for both sides. For Merklinger, it’s a chance to compete for a starting job and finally show what he can do with meaningful reps. For the Huskies, it’s a potential long-term answer at quarterback-something that’s been elusive in recent years.
Candle, who arrived from Toledo, has been aggressive in reshaping the roster. One of his first moves was flipping three-star QB Bo Polston, who had originally committed to Toledo, to UConn.
But Candle hasn’t just leaned on familiar faces-he’s gone after talent from major programs, too. In addition to Merklinger, UConn has brought in transfers from Michigan State, Duke, Texas, NC State, Syracuse, Wisconsin, USC, Rutgers, Boston College, Oregon State, West Virginia, and Oklahoma State.
It’s clear Candle is building with urgency. The Huskies are coming off a season that had its moments but left room for growth.
With Fagnano gone and the quarterback room in flux, landing a player like Merklinger gives the program a potential cornerstone. He’s got the pedigree, the arm talent, and now-finally-the opportunity.
This is a quarterback room that’s starting to take shape. And with Candle’s aggressive approach in the portal, UConn is signaling it’s ready to compete-not just rebuild.
Keep an eye on Merklinger. If he lives up to the billing, the Huskies might have just found their guy.