Larry Kehres built a dynasty at Mount Union, and the numbers speak for themselves: 332 wins, 11 Division III national titles, and the highest winning percentage in NCAA history. But what truly set his program apart wasn’t just the trophies - it was the coaching tree he cultivated along the way.
And at the heart of that tree? Jason Candle.
Candle’s football journey is rooted in Mount Union’s culture of excellence, a culture Kehres didn’t just preach - he lived it. Over 27 years, Kehres surrounded himself with sharp, hungry minds, many of whom were former players stepping into coaching roles.
That 2005 staff alone reads like a who's who of football minds: Nick Sirianni (now the Eagles’ head coach) was handling the defensive backs, Matt Campbell (now leading Penn State) was coordinating the offense, Matt Caponi was coaching linebackers, and Kehres’ son Vince - now at Syracuse - was running the defense. Candle, meanwhile, was guiding the wide receivers.
Kehres, who retired in 2012, remembers that era fondly: “It was a time of young guys enjoying learning about the game and growing as coaches,” he said. “I gave them a lot of responsibilities to see what they would do with it.
They enjoyed that and did quite well with it while sharing ideas.” That collaborative environment became a proving ground for future head coaches, and it’s where Candle began shaping his own football philosophy.
Candle didn’t just win at Mount Union - he dominated. As a player, he went 28-0, including back-to-back 14-0 national championship seasons.
As an assistant coach, he helped guide the team to an 83-4 record. He caught 62 passes for 1,277 yards and 12 touchdowns his senior year, including a standout five-catch, 120-yard performance in the national title game against Bridgewater.
His precision as a receiver left a lasting impression on Kehres.
“He was extremely detail-oriented in how he played that position,” Kehres said. “His routes were so precise that I used them in teaching tapes for clinics and new players.” That attention to detail, Kehres noted, often signals a future coach - and Candle was already showing those signs.
After his playing days ended, Kehres asked Candle to stick around as a graduate assistant. He did - and then some.
Candle spent six years on staff, first coaching wide receivers (2003-06), then taking over as offensive coordinator (2007-08). During that time, he was coaching a young Nick Sirianni while working alongside Matt Campbell and Vince Kehres.
“To use the word ‘fun’ is kind of a stretch because of how much work it was,” Kehres joked, “but we kind of enjoyed what we were doing.”
That same group would later reunite at Toledo, where Campbell became head coach in 2012 and Candle took over the reins in 2016 when Campbell left for Iowa State. The transition was seamless - just like it had been at Mount Union. Candle had taken over play-calling duties when Campbell became head coach, and he kept the offense humming when he stepped into the top job.
Under Candle’s leadership, Toledo has been remarkably consistent. In 10 seasons, his teams have posted a winning record every year.
Offensively, they’ve averaged 400+ yards per game in nine of those seasons and scored 31+ points per game in eight. That’s not a fluke - it’s the product of sharp situational play-calling and a deep understanding of the game.
Kehres, who called his own plays for years before handing the keys to Campbell and Candle, said Candle earned that trust. “You can be running some hair-brained scheme that looks different from what everyone else is doing, but if you’re losing every game, you’re not going to have much credibility,” he said. “Jason has credibility, because he has earned it.”
But for all the praise about Candle’s offensive acumen, Kehres believes his greatest strength lies elsewhere: recruiting. It’s a skill that will be critical at UConn, where Candle now takes over a program looking to climb the college football ladder.
Back in the day, Mount Union’s conference followed Ivy League-like restrictions - no off-campus recruiting. When those rules changed, Kehres leaned on Candle to lead the charge.
“He was the first Mount Union coach to go to Florida, and he developed great relationships down there that are still productive for him and us,” Kehres said. “That was like 2007, so for the last 18 years if you check the rosters of the teams Jason worked with, you will find a group of Florida guys who were outstanding.”
There’s no magic formula to recruiting, Kehres added - just relentless effort. “You are only successful if you work very hard at it. You have to be tireless and be able to keep at it, and he has always done that.”
Candle’s résumé checks all the boxes: championship pedigree, offensive expertise, recruiting chops, and the ability to build - and sustain - a winning culture. That’s exactly what UConn is betting on.
As Kehres put it, UConn is a place that understands what excellence looks like. With legends like Geno Auriemma, Jim Calhoun, and Dan Hurley having built powerhouse programs in Storrs, the bar is high - and the blueprint for success is already in the building. Kehres believes that’s the perfect environment for Candle.
“UConn knows what excellence looks like, sounds like, smells like and feels like,” Kehres said. “They just do.
When you have a sense of what that is in an athletic department, that can get catchy. That can be like the measles.
It can be infectious and spread.
“So, I think UConn is great for Jason, because it is a place that knows what excellence feels like.”
Now, it’s Candle’s turn to bring that feeling to the football field.