Jason Candle’s Relentless Start at UConn: Building a Program on the Fly
STORRS - Jason Candle didn’t just hit the ground running when he took over as UConn’s head football coach-he basically sprinted through a hurricane. Just 58 days into the job, Candle has already signed 71 players and hired 32 assistant coaches and staffers. That’s not just a fast start-it’s a full-blown program overhaul, executed at warp speed.
And yet, this isn’t some reckless teardown. Candle wasn’t brought in to blow up what Jim Mora built.
After back-to-back nine-win seasons, the foundation was solid. The mission now?
Keep the momentum rolling, reload smartly, and replace strategically-all while navigating one of the most chaotic and unpredictable eras in college football history.
“To get here, get moving, get rolling in a very challenging time in college athletics,” Candle said Wednesday, speaking to local reporters for the first time since his introduction. “You have so many moving parts you have to get in place, having to put together a roster in a short amount of time.”
He even joked, “This is the first time I’ve ever had to do this, and it’s the last time I’ll have to do it, too.”
It’s no exaggeration to say Candle’s first two months have been a logistical gauntlet. He’s pulled talent from every direction-diving deep into the transfer portal, bringing over coaches and recruits from his decade-long run at Toledo, and supplementing with fresh faces.
The result is a roster that includes 57 transfer players, 21 of whom come from Power Four programs. That’s not just plugging holes-that’s reshaping the DNA of a team in real time.
But Candle’s not treating this like a one-time talent grab. He’s looking to build something sustainable.
“Roster construction is more an art than a science,” he said. “Something that works at one place doesn’t necessarily work somewhere else.
There’s only one portal window, one crack at this. There’s no going back-this is our team.”
That sense of urgency has defined every move he’s made so far. January was all about intentionality-knowing exactly what he needed and going after it with laser focus. And now, with a coaching staff and roster in place, UConn fans can start to feel something they haven’t had in a while: anticipation.
Candle, 46, isn’t the type to make a big scene. No grandstanding.
No performative speeches. When he showed up at UConn men’s and women’s basketball games this week, he was just there to take it in-watching the men grind out an OT win over Villanova, and the women storm past Tennessee after a tight first half.
But quietly, you get the sense he’d love to bring that same energy to Rentschler Field.
“There are some things I have a high level of respect for that I’ve come across,” Candle said. “Inside out on this campus, there are a bunch of highly intelligent people who are very passionate about their place.
You go through our athletic department, there are coaches who expect greatness out of their individual sport. That’s encouraging to be around.”
That winning culture matters. Candle wants to be part of a program where nobody settles for second-best, where everyone is pushing to be the strongest link in the chain. That mindset is already baked into UConn’s basketball programs, and he’s looking to bring that same standard to the football field.
The transfer portal may have been Mora’s go-to tool, but Candle’s approach is a little more balanced. At Toledo, he built with high school prospects and emphasized retention and development.
That philosophy is still in play, even if the portal has become a necessary part of the equation. He’s not just stacking experienced players-he’s laying the groundwork to develop younger guys behind them, aiming to avoid the constant churn that can come with a portal-heavy strategy.
That long-term thinking also shows in his coordinator hires. Rather than sticking with familiar faces, Candle went outside his circle, bringing in Nunzio Campanile (most recently at Syracuse) to run the offense and Ryan Manalac (from Pitt) to lead the defense. It’s a sign he’s not afraid to evolve, to adapt, to build a staff that fits the program’s needs rather than his comfort zone.
And yes, quarterbacks Jake Merklinger (Tennessee) and Kalieb Osborne (Toledo) will be in the spotlight as they battle for the starting job. But make no mistake-this isn’t just about who’s under center. It’s about culture, identity, and building something that lasts.
“Ultimately, this is a job for you, this is a passion of yours,” Candle said. “When it stops being a passion of mine, I won’t be doing it.
You get up every day and try to add value, put energy in the right place. I’m a firm believer-whatever you’re chasing, if you continue to add value to it, it can’t be kept from you.”
That’s not coach-speak. That’s a guy who’s all-in.
Candle knows how easy it is to get caught up in early success. He’s not interested in patting himself on the back. The real work is just beginning.
“Can you win big yet remain small?” he asked.
“Can we stay humble enough to stay in our lane and do our thing? We’re trying to create a championship culture, championship team here.
We did a good job, but I learned a long time ago, the easiest path to failure is to be impressed by your successes.”
So far, Candle’s first chapter at UConn has been a blur of hires, signings, and nonstop movement. But if this whirlwind start is any indication, the Huskies may have found the right man to steer them through the storm-and into something special.