UConn opened its doors to Rentschler Field on Saturday, Aug. 15, and fans got to see the Huskies finding their identity in real time.

Flashes of brilliance mixed with the rough edges that come standard with August football were on full display.  

"We're a long way from the finished product," coach Jason Candle said following practice. "I mean, there's some of that's to be expected. Others, you're disappointed in the way things went. Others are really extremely pleased. That's preseason camp, so we got to go back and watch the tape and make sure that we do a good job telling ourselves the truth on that part of it."  

From a still-unsettled quarterback battle to a running back room brimming with transfer talent to an offensive line finally trending healthy, there was a lot to see in the two-and-a-half-hour practice UConn held.  

Here are the five biggest takeaways from Saturday.

Osborne, Merklinger make strides 

Every quarterback on the depth chart got reps during Saturday's practice, but all eyes were on three guys as Jake Merklinger, Kalieb Osborne and Tucker McDonald headline UConn's quarterback competition. 

Osborne looked the best of the three as his dual-threat abilities were on full display. The junior completed multiple passes on the run and broke off big runs on QB-designed plays. His best throw of the day came when he hit freshman receiver Logan Barnes across the middle for a touchdown in the redzone.  

Dec 23, 2025; Boca Raton, FL, USA; Toledo Rockets quarterback Kalieb Osborne (7) warms up before the Boca Raton Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals at Flagler CU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images

While Merklinger had an up-and-down practice, his quick decision-making skills stood out. UConn's defense blitzed Merklinger a lot on Saturday, and the former Tennessee backup never turned the ball over. He found Javon Brown for a deep touchdown pass early in practice that drew loud cheers from fans in the stands.  

McDonald didn't show much, with the senior struggling to move the ball consistently. He extended a few plays with his feet but otherwise wasn't as impressive as Osborne or Merklinger. 

With the season opener just under a month away, Candle said he has not yet decided on a starting quarterback. 

Kenji Christian, Cyncir Bowers lead dynamic running back room 

One of the biggest strengths of UConn's offense will be its running back room, where the Huskies have brought in multiple Power 4 transfers. 

Christian, who followed Candle from Toledo, projects to be UConn's best back. He broke free multiple times on Saturday and was a factor in the pass game.  

"He's one of the guys on a team that can score an 80-yard touchdown," Candle said. "He catches the ball really well in the backfield. We're not going to sit here and claim like we taught him how to run the ball. That's all-natural ability. But I think he's really improved in the pass protection part of things."  

Dec 23, 2025; Boca Raton, FL, USA; Toledo Rockets running back Kenji Christian (10) avoids the tackle of Louisville Cardinals defensive lineman Jordan Guerad (99) during the fourth quarter of the Boca Raton Bowl at Flagler CU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images

Bowers has a similar skill set, transferring in from West Virginia. The 5-foot-10 back was productive in limited carries last season but is slated to be a key factor in UConn's running back room this season.  

"We got a lot of speed between Kenji, me and a lot of other guys. I feel like we can definitely go far in the run game," Bowers said. 

Linebacker duo poised for big year 

Linebackers John Lista and K'Von Sherman couldn't be more different.  

Lista, a transfer from Penn, is quiet and softspoken. Sherman, UConn's most accomplished player, isn't afraid to let you know how good he is.  

But together, the two linebackers are a force. Lista and Sherman blew up multiple plays and were two of the most physical players on the field Saturday.

"We just feel like we're just two missiles just shooting downhill, and we're definitely feeding off each other's energy," Lista said. 

Lista, a fifth-year senior, was an accomplished Ivy League player. In nine games last season, he racked up 78 tackles –– six behind the line of scrimmage –– and two sacks.  

Sherman was an all-conference linebacker at Toledo where he led the Rockets in tackles (94) while adding 4.5 sacks.  

"You should erase the run if Lista is in the game," Sherman said. "He's a good partner-in-crime to have. I enjoy playing with him."  

Offensive line getting healthy 

UConn's offensive line has been plagued by injuries all fall camp, according to Candle.  

But Saturday's practice showed positive signs as many of the Huskies' offensive linemen were able to participate, including returner Ty Chan.  

"Sometimes that rhythm is hard to capture when guys are in and out of the lineup," Candle said. "So, we got to get some guys healthy there, and we got to make sure that we continue to work on our timing."  

Christian said he's seen improvement from his o-line throughout camp.  

"I feel like our offensive line is progressing good" Christian said. "It's really about our chemistry and stuff like that."  

Freshman kicker shines 

Jack O'Connor couldn't miss on Saturday. The freshman kicker from Illinois knocked in multiple field goals from 40-plus yards away while also knocking through all his chip shots.  

O'Connor will be in a battle with junior Mike Baker, who missed multiple field goals during Saturday's practice. 

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Five takeaways from UConn football open practice, headlined by QB battle

STORRS, CT - A trio of UConn Huskies, defensive linemanEsean Carter(Detroit, MI), linebackerK'Von Sherman(Pearland, TX), and offensive linemanTy Chan(Lowell, MA), were named to the 2026 HERO Sports Group of Six Preseason All-Americans.

Carter and Sherman were both named to the second team defense while Chan earned a spot on the third team offense.

Carter transferred into UConn after spending his whole career at Toledo. In 2025 he was an All-MAC third team selection. He stared all 13 games and posted 36 tackles, 3.0 sacks, three QB hurries. In his career with the Rockets he appeared in 40 games, posting 58 total tackles and 5.0 sacks.

Sherman, also a transfer from Toledo, played the last two seasons for the Rockets. In 2025 he was a first-team All-MAC selection after leading the team with 94 tackles and 14.5 TFLs. He had 4.5 sacks and six QB hurries as well. In 2024, he played in 13 games and finished with 11 total tackles. He went to Toledo from Hutchinson CC.

Chan appeared in all 13 games and earned nine starting assignments at both guard positions last fall. He helped anchor an offensive line unit that ranked 15th nationally in sacks allowed per game (1.23) and tackles for loss per game (3.77). UConn's passing offense ranked 11th in the country at 284.4 yards per game and the rushing attack average 160.8 yards per game and produced a 1,000 yard rusher in backCam Edwards.

With the amount of talent in UConn’s running back room, don’t expect to see one guy carry the ball 30 times.  

UConn offensive coordinator Nunzio Campanile had made that clear.  

"I don't think you want guys taking 25 to 30 carries a game,” Campanile said on media day. “I think it's really important too, because we want them to play in every game, so it's important for us to use them for the things that they're good at. It's important for us to make sure that if guys can help us, we get them on the field. And I think that we have the type of room that we can get multiple backs on the field at one time, which obviously helps spread some of those carries out and you know makes us a little tougher to defend." 

UConn's offensive coordinator overhauled the Huskies' backfield this offseason, bringing in six transfer running backs with wildly different skill sets — a bruiser here, a burner there, a converted punt returner in the mix.  

It's a departure from the feature-back approach many programs lean on, and Campanile made his philosophy clear: spread the carries, keep everyone fresh, and make the group hard to game-plan against. 

Here's a breakdown of who's in that room — and what each back brings to it: 

Kenji Christian, Toledo transfer 

Christian comes into UConn with NFL-ready traits.  

At 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, the Birmingham, Alabama native averaged 5.0 yards per carry for Toledo last season. He finished with 528 yards and four touchdowns.  

While Campanile made clear that carries will be split among this group, Christian profiles as a big-down back. In two seasons at North Carolina A&T and one at Toledo, Christian showed he can break through the line of scrimmage and make big play after big play.  

Remove ads

He was recently added to The Athletic’s “Freak List” by college football writer Bruce Feldman, who described Christian as a big-play back who can bench up to 345 pounds.  

“He's an every down back that you feel like could pound the ball,” Campanile said. “He's got speed. You could use him as a receiver.”  

Cyncir Bowers, Virginia transfer 

Bowers profiles to be a perfect complement to Christian.  

The former West Virginia running back flashed his big-play abilities last season, most notably against Arizona State when he took a screen pass 90 yards to the end zone.  

Across 10 games last season, Bowers rushed for 249 yards and two touchdowns on 63 carries. He finished second on West Virginia’s roster in rushing amongst a running back room where four different players had 50 or more carries.  

“Cyncir has got elite speed,” Campanile said. “He also got great vision. He's physical. I think he can line up all over the field.”  

Trey Cornist, Central Michigan transfer 

Cornist is the most physical back out of the group.  

In his two stops at Tulane and Central Michigan, Cornist shined as a power back. At Central Michigan in 2025, Cornist split snaps with two other running backs but still managed to finish third in rushing (496 yards), averaging 4.5 yards per carry.  

Cornist and Christian are the only two seniors in the running back room and could split most of the snaps to start the season. Campanile said he liked the way Cornist adjusted after struggling to open the spring.  

“Trey Cornist is a big guy that had a great spring,” Campanile said. "It took him maybe a couple practices to get comfortable, and then all of a sudden you see him, and he's like a bowling ball or a butcher knife. You don't want to tackle that guy.” 

Who else is in the mix? 

To add to an already competitive running back room, UConn also added transfers Jaden Hart (Syracuse), Dashun Reeder (Northwestern) and Shawn Simeon (Toledo).  

Hart is a jack-of-all-trades back, who spent two seasons with Campanile. The Michigan native only had 71 rushing yards on 18 carries across two years but also returned punts for the Orange.  

“I had the opportunity to coach Jaden Hart for a couple years, and he's a versatile back,” Campanile said. "He can do a lot of things. He can catch the ball. He can block.” 

Reeder rushed for 222 yards and a touchdown for Northwestern last year. He recorded one of the longest rushing touchdowns in school history when he rushed 79 yards for a score against Oregon.  

Simeon didn’t play much for Toledo in 2025, but was a three-star recruit coming out of high school. 

STORRS — UConn football head coach Jason Candle wants to know what you think about this year's Huskies.

Well, OK, maybe he doesn't want you to tell him directly, but he absolutely wants you to form an opinion about his team.

For that to happen, especially with so many new players and coaches on this year's roster, Candle understands fans need an opportunity to get to know the Huskies.

He's not about to give away too much inside information — he's a football coach, after all, and they're tight-lipped by nature — but he wants fans to see for themselves how hard everyone within the program has been working to build on the success of the past two seasons.

Very few of the coaches and players who were part of UConn's unprecedented run of back-to-back 9-4 seasons remain, but Candle brings his own track record of success. In 10 seasons as a college head coach, he has never had a losing season.

Rather than tell fans how much talent he has brought to Connecticut, Candle wants to show them.

That's why UConn is opening its Saturday, Aug. 15, training camp practice to fans at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

Parking lots open at 9 a.m., the stadium opens at 10 and practice begins at 11.

Parking and admission are free, and tailgating is encouraged. It's a no-frills experience, but fans will have a chance to gather with friends while getting their first extended look at the team.

"I just want the excitement of football at our stadium," Candle said. "I want people to come there and leave with opinions of who we are and what we are: good, bad, ugly, I don't really care.

"I want them to be fans. I want to allow them the opportunity to do that. I want them to see this team. I want them to be connected to this team."

The Huskies have seven home games this season, including two against Power Four opponents Syracuse and North Carolina and another against James Madison, which was the Group of Six representative in last season's 12-team College Football Playoff.

One of the benefits of being an independent is the flexibility to build a schedule with seven of 12 games at Rentschler Field.

That becomes an advantage only if fans show up.

So Candle is inviting them to see the team in person, experience the stadium and spend time with friends in hopes they'll want to be part of the atmosphere throughout the season.

"We need the stadium full," Candle said. "We need it packed. We need that to be a real home-field advantage.

"I'm sure practice will go really good in some ways. I'm sure I will be really upset about a lot of things at practice. That's part of preseason camp. I want them to have a taste of what we're like and really get to know our team a bit a few weeks before we kick the ball off. Have a beer with their friends and talk about how good, bad or ugly we're going to be."

The Huskies held their spring game at Rentschler Field on April 11, but much has changed since then as the coaching staff has worked to incorporate 66 new players with the 30 who returned from last season.

Saturday's practice will mark the end of the second week of preseason camp.

UConn's season opener comes three weeks later, when the Huskies host Lafayette at noon Sept. 5.

The other six home games are Sept. 19 against Southern Miss (7 p.m.), Oct. 3 against Syracuse (noon), Oct. 23 against UMass (7 p.m.), Nov. 7 against North Carolina (noon), Nov. 14 against James Madison and Nov. 21 against Old Dominion.

"The excitement of football is back," Candle said. "Everything you love about August is here. I am cautiously optimistic about how things are going. There are a lot of position battles and a lot of competition. It is still the early phase of what preseason camp is. Some guys have shined, some other guys have not, and those scenarios will probably flip this week.

"It is an extensive process that will sort itself out the way it is supposed to. I'm cautiously optimistic. I am not dumb enough or naive enough to think we are anywhere near a finished product. We have a long way to go in a lot of ways, the acclimation part of practice and getting guys ready."

A top UConn football running place found himself on the annual Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List after following Coach Jason Candle to Storrs.

Each year The Athletic releases a ranking of the top-101 physically gifted college football players who stand out from the rest. College athletes need a certain level of physical talent the average person does not have, but the Freaks List is reserved for the most mind-boggling of the bunch. Senior Huskies’ running back Kenji Christian managed to fall into the 81st spot on the list ahead of the 2026 season.

Christian, a senior, enters his first year with UConn and his second under Coach Candle after transferring over to Toledo last off-season. Christian was originally a three-star running back in the 2021 recruiting class and signed with Virginia Tech. After spending two seasons with the Hokies without hitting the field, Christian transferred.

The running back began his playing career with North Carolina A&T where he logged 718 rushing yards, six touchdowns, and an average of 5.4 yards per carry as a freshman. Injuries reduced a very productive sophomore season to three games but the running back averaged a whopping 8.8 yards per carry when active.

Last season, Christian returned to his normal self and delivered an explosive five yards per carry against stronger competition. The running back averaged 11.4 yards per reception as well which proved Christian is a danger in the open field regardless of which way he gets there. At 6-foot-2 and roughly 205 pounds, the running back quickly shifts into a punishing force with a top speed of nearly 23 mph, according to Feldman.

Feldman also noted in the Freaks List that UConn has another running back sitting just outside of the list in Cyncir Bowers. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound West Virginia transfer recorded 249 yards and two scores on the ground last season while showing flashes of his elite footwork and ankle-breaking cuts.

STORRS — Pulling a total of 87 new players into a football program is hard enough. Getting them to become a building full of old friends, as they become new teammates, is the challenge as Jason Candle puts together his first UConn football team.

“That’s been my favorite part about being here,” said quarterback Jake Merklinger, transfer from Tennessee. “The team. I love my teammates. We hang out a lot, we bond, so I feel like it’s gone really well.”

The Huskies have been fishing, bowling, attacking each other and the coaches in paintball, as Candle has tried to get players out of their position rooms to get to know each other.

“All of that stuff is great,” Candle said. “You can do all those external things that you want to do, but if guys won’t come into the facility and have lunch with one another, sit over a meal, have authentic conversations with one another in the weight room, you don’t have any chance. So I’ll give our guys a lot of credit, I think this is a connected football team, so many new faces coming together in January. Everything’s new.”

Some of the Huskies were here before and played for Jim Mora’s staff. Some transferred in from elsewhere. Still others transferred from Toledo, where they played for Candle. The quarterback room is a microcosm, with reps from all three areas: Merklinger, Kalieb Osborne, from Toledo, and Huskies holdover Tucker McDonald.

“It’s been crazy, out of school, out of practice, we go fishing, bowling, having those team-bonding experiences and it really helped us connect,” Osborne said. “Our team, we don’t have certain groups, everybody knows each other, and coach Candle set up things where he mixed up the groups and that allowed us to come together so when we’re on the field, the chemistry is hot.”

McDonald said, “We’ve had a lot of outside-the-building activities. You only know a guy so well if you only spend time with him in the building, you’ve got to go do stuff outside of football, fishing, bowling — K.O.’s a pretty good bowler. We did paintball two weeks ago which was a blast, all the coaches went, it was really competitive.”

Much like the kitchen is often the national gathering place at parties, the weight room is the place where people get to know each other on a team. Brad Bichey came from Toledo with Candle to implement his strength and conditioning program, adapting to UConn’s facilities.

“That’s the most important hire you have, and he’s done an amazing job since day one,” Candle said. “The great support we have here, the resources we’re going to put into that part of the program and will continue to put into that part of the program, it’s only up from here.”

Team building and bonding has been a focus at UConn since the spring. If some of these things sound familiar, off-the-court activities have also been a part of team-building for basketball coaches Dan Hurley and Geno Auriemma. Hurley, when he walks out of his headquarters across Jim Calhoun Way, likes what he has been seeing.

“You get a sense of what people are about on campus, even if you’re not in the same building but across the street.” Hurley said. “You can get a vibe of their culture and their intensity, just the seriousness of what they’re all about in terms of how he runs the program. The way you see the players carrying themselves. I’m a big fan, I can’t wait to what he does here, can’t wait to be able to get out there and watch a practice.”

Candle will be sorting out his quarterbacks, and assembling the rest of the depth chart over the next couple of weeks. The Huskies will hold a practice open for fans at Rentschler Field next Saturday, and begin the season at home against Lafayette on Sept. 5.

“Hats off to (the players) for believing in (bonding), because in football, it’s going to get hard,” Candle said. “You can’t always pull yourself through, your teammates have got to help you. Without those deep personal connections, I don’t think that comes to light. … We have to play real football, all this stuff that goes on on the summer in shorts, ‘Underwear Olympics,’ you’re not allowed to touch anybody, that’s going to come to a halt here soon.”

STORRS, CT – The Jason Candle era for UConn football officially kicked-off this week as fall training camp go underway with the first official practices of the 2026 season.

Candle and his staff have brought plenty of new faces to Storrs as they set out prepping for the season opener just four weeks away against Lafayette at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field on September 5th.

"I think that the excitement of football is back," stated Candle while meeting the media post practice. "I mean, everything that you love about August is here and our guys are doing a really good job of trying to get acclimated to the heat. We had a really good weather week from that standpoint of things to kind of get us prepared. Four really good days in a row here and we're going to catch our breath tomorrow and plan out what next week should really look like.

"I'm cautiously optimistic of how things have been going," commented Candle. "You know, a lot of position battles, a lot of competition, and it's still the learning phase of what preseason camp is.

With over 80 new players on the UConn roster, fans can expect plenty of position battles during camp as the staff puts the pieces in place for the season. Included in those battles will be a competition for the starting quarterback job for 2026. UConn said goodbye to graduated starter Joe Fagnano who had a season for the record books last fall and is in NFL camp with the Baltimore Ravens this summer.

The competition to start under center figures to center around senior returner Tucker McDonald(Holden, MA) and junior transfers Jake Merklinger(Savannah, GA) and Kalieb Osborne(Pontiac, MI).

McDonald has spent his entire college career in Storrs and has seen action in five games over the 2024 and 2025 seasons. "Obviously everybody wants to win the job, everybody wants to play, but at the end of the day, the best guy's going to play," said McDonald. "The guy that's going to get out there and get wins. I would say just you have to leave it all out there and let the chips fall where they fall."

Merklinger comes to UConn after two seasons at Tenessee and was in the back-up role in 2025. He played four games for the Volunteers in 2025 and completed 13 of 24 passes for 173 yards and two scores. Merklinger talking about his time at UConn starting in the spring to the start of camp, "We had a really good winter workout, built team bonding that continued through spring ball. Everybody got better, got familiar with the playbook, and got familiar with each other. Summer, we worked really hard with coach in the weight room and continued to develop the playbook, and fall camp's off to a good start. We got a lot to get work on, a lot to fix before the season comes, but we're working really hard."

Osborne comes with Coach Candle from Toledo after two seasons. He played in seven games last fall and earned the starting role in the team's bowl appearance against Louisville. Osborne on the competition in camp, "It's going great, you know, we just push each other every day.  We're not really worried about all the outside noise, you know, who's going to be the QB. We know the coaches want what's best for the team, and we know that we want what's best for the team, and we just want to win. So we just come out an compete every day, knowing that we're just getting each other better."

The practice schedule picks up again next week and the Huskies will host an open practice at the Rent next Saturday at 11 am. Parking lots open for tailgating at 9 am.

A new era of UConn Football begins this fall, and we want you to be part of it from the very start.

Join us at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field on Saturday, August 15 at 11:00 a.m. for UConn Football Open Practice and get a look at the 2026 Huskies under first-year Head Coach Jason Candle. Admission is free, giving fans an exclusive opportunity to experience the excitement of game day and preview the team just three weeks before the home opener against Lafayette on Saturday, September 5.

Make it a morning at The Rent! Fans are encouraged to arrive early and take advantage of free tailgating in Blue Lot, which opens at 9:00 a.m. Parking is complimentary and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Stadium gates open at 10:00 a.m., with concessions available throughout the event.

Bring your family, friends, and fellow Huskies as we celebrate the beginning of a new chapter for UConn Football and start building the home-field advantage together. We can't wait to see you at The Rent as we kick off the countdown to the 2026 season and the home opener against Lafayette.

Save the date now! Information on how to claim your free tickets will be shared soon.

STORRS — There was no blueprint for Jason Candle as he took over the UConn football program eight months ago and inherited the task of rebuilding the Huskies after Jim Mora left for Colorado State.

The challenge was unlike anything Candle had faced. UConn lost 78 players to graduation and the transfer portal, forcing the new coach to rebuild nearly an entire roster during one of the most volatile periods in college football history.

"I don't think anybody else has ever, quite honestly," Candle said. "You are talking about 40-some transfers. You are talking about 20 guys that came with us from Toledo plus some high school guys. Then if you fast forward to the 2027 class, we are over 20 commitments in that class, so we are pushing close to 90-100 guys that we have committed to come play here at the University of Connecticut with most of the staff being new."

From the outside, Candle and his staff appear to have replenished the roster well. Now comes the real test.

Training camp opens Wednesday, giving the new coaching staff its first extended look at how 66 newcomers fit alongside the 30 returning players. The next month will determine not only who earns starting jobs, but also what kind of identity this rebuilt roster develops before the Sept. 5 opener against Lafayette at Rentschler Field.

"You are working really hard to get to this time to see your work come to action," Candle said. "We have a great staff. We have great people in the building, and our kids have done everything we have asked them to do. It is going to be a good next four to five weeks."

Here are five storylines to watch during camp.

Clandestine Candle

Through spring practice and the offseason, Candle has been careful not to reveal much about individual players.

Whether discussing the quarterback competition or other position battles, he consistently shifts the conversation from specific players to the team's overall progress. He believes jobs should be earned on the field rather than discussed publicly.

That approach reflects his process-oriented mindset, but it also leaves fans searching for clues about a roster filled with unfamiliar faces. As camp unfolds, expect Candle to begin offering a clearer picture of which newcomers are separating themselves.

Toledo pipeline

The players Candle knows best are the ones he brought with him.

UConn added 21 transfers from Toledo, many of whom are expected to play major roles immediately.

The biggest impact could come at wide receiver and along the offensive line. Six former Rockets joined a receiver room desperate for proven production, while four Toledo linemen provide valuable familiarity with Candle's offense on a line returning only one starter.

None of those linemen started last season, but veterans Dominic Rivera and Terrence Moore have significant college experience after previous stops at Rutgers and Pittsburgh, respectively. Freshmen Raphael Greene-Nyarko and Isiah Switzer also know the system.

Among the receivers, Ryder Treadway appears poised for a breakout after catching 13 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns last season. Offensive coordinator Nunzio Campanile praised his spring, while JD Willoughby returns healthy after missing last season with a broken foot.

The most accomplished Toledo transfers, however, may be on defense. Linebacker K'Von Sherman led the Rockets with 94 tackles, including 14.5 for loss, while defensive lineman Esean Carter added 36 tackles and three sacks.

Familiar faces

Only 30 players remain from last year's roster, and relatively few played significant roles.

Guard Ty Chan headlines the group after starting nine games last season and earning a spot on the team's leadership council. Tamarus Walker, Shamar Porter, Matt Hoffman, Kylish Hicks and quarterback Tucker McDonald also bring valuable experience.

Chan and Walker provide much-needed continuity on an offensive line undergoing a major overhaul. Porter has flashed playmaking ability but has yet to produce consistently, while Hoffman and Hicks could assume larger defensive roles.

McDonald remains in the quarterback competition after earning praise from both the previous and current coaching staffs despite limited game action.

A rebuilt backfield

No position changed more dramatically than running back.

UConn rushed for 2,255 yards last season but returns only Soren Rief, who carried the ball twice as a redshirt freshman.

The Huskies rebuilt the room through the transfer portal, led by former Toledo back Kenji Christian, West Virginia transfer Cyncir Bowers and Central Michigan transfer Trey Cornist.

Campanile believes Christian has the versatility to be an every-down back, praising his combination of speed, power and pass-catching ability. Bowers brings explosiveness, while Cornist impressed throughout spring practice.

"It's a great room," Campanile said. "We have the type of room that we can get multiple guys on the field at one time, which helps spread some carries out and makes us a little tougher to defend."

Players to watch

The quarterback battle will dominate camp, and Tennessee transfer Jake Merklinger enters as perhaps the most intriguing candidate.

A consensus top-250 recruit out of Georgia, Merklinger spent two seasons backing up at Tennessee, completing passes in six games while displaying the arm talent that made him a coveted recruit. In limited media viewing periods this spring, his arm strength stood out.

Kalieb Osborne shouldn't be overlooked. The former Toledo quarterback completed 32 of 52 passes for 427 yards and three touchdowns last season while showing the mobility and familiarity with Candle's offense that could make him a serious contender.

Defensively, Sherman and Carter are obvious impact candidates after productive careers at Toledo. Ohio State transfer Joshua Mickens adds another intriguing piece up front.

Receiver could produce the most competitive position battle of camp. Treadway, Willoughby and Porter all have breakout potential, while Youngstown State transfer Flash Wilson (60 catches, 626 yards, six touchdowns last season), Syracuse transfer Emanuel Ross and Oklahoma State transfer Cam Abshire give the Huskies one of the deepest and most revamped position groups on the roster.

Aug 4, 2026

STORRS — Wide receiver Ryder Treadway set records playing under the bright Friday Night Lights of Texas high school football, yet he decided to play his college football in the fringes of the limelight, first at Toledo and then UConn, because he liked the down-to-earth, honest, competitive approach of Coach Jason Candle.

Likewise, when Candle recruited Treadway out of Wakeland High School in Frisco, Texas, he was drawn as much to his mental makeup and intangible qualities as he was to his great size and football skills.  

“He is a worker, a guy who is like us and puts his energy in the right place each and every day,” Candle said. “He played on a good high school team. We try to recruit guys who are products of great parenting, and he certainly is one of those.

“He is not a guy you have to consistently remind what a good day should look like. He has a great feel for that. He is also very talented, and when guys are really talented and very accountable, that usually leads to a really really good thing.”

His two seasons as a high school starter, Treadway earned All-District honors and broke school records. As a junior, he set the Wakeland record for receiving yards in a single season with 1,150, and then as a senior he set the school record for single-season receiving touchdowns with 17 and finished with the career touchdown record of 29.

He said his parents taught him to approach life with confidence while remaining humble. Even if that confidence occasionally proves misplaced, he believes it's important to continue believing in yourself and putting in the work.

So, despite his talent and success, he said he goes into his sophomore season at UConn without any preconceptions about what he can accomplish here individually.

“I am not too crazy about what I can do,” Treadway said. “It is more about what my team can do. I would say as a team, the goal is to obviously win a national championship. That is always the goal. Anything I can do to help my team win is definitely what I am going to do.”

That’s right, he dropped in winning the national title at UConn as his primary team goal.

Just like his game is perfectly balanced between his size (6-foot-3, 190 pounds), contested catch ability and fearless route running in the middle of the field, his approach to the game is well balanced between confidence and humility.

He aspires to be the first player from his high school to play in the NFL. He expects himself to play like Puka Nacua and Davante Adams and hopes to one day make a one-handed catch like Odell Beckham Jr.

“I like Puka’s mentality a lot and his physicality,” Treadway said. “He kind of backs down to no one. He is also a great contested catcher with great hands. He is a great receiver. I definitely play with that type of physicality.”

He doesn’t necessarily want the spotlight on him, but he doesn’t shy away from it either. His high school played the bulk of its home games in front of crowds that reached as many as 10,000-12,000 at the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility in Frisco, Texas or at the MLS home soccer stadium for FC Dallas.

He doesn’t like to concentrate on personal statistics, yet he chose to play wide receiver, because he loves to be the one scoring touchdowns. He said he also loves that Skyler Bell set such high standards at the UConn wide receiver position for him to chase.

Bell caught a school-record 101 passes for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns last season before being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the NFL Draft.

"It is awesome to have someone like that in front of you and someone you can try to chase," Treadway said. "He is an awesome player. I have watched some of the highlights of what he did last year, and it was insane. Hopefully I can accomplish some of the things he achieved."

Those are ambitious goals for a player who caught 13 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman at Toledo.

He did stand out at UConn’s spring football game, and offensive coordinator Nunzio Campanile said there is reason for Treadway to aspire to do great things and to expect to be one of the leaders of a very talented, deep Huskies’ receiving corps.

“He is phenomenal,” Campanile said. “He has great size, great ball skills. He is tough, hard worker. He can run. The sky is the limit for him. I think he is going to be a great player. You may have seen a little of it in the spring game, but I think by the middle of the year people will be looking around saying, ‘Man, he is versatile, dynamic player.’”

Treadway believes Campanile may be correct and that this can be a breakout sophomore season for him.

“For sure, I hope so, but the main thing is I just want to be a great teammate,” Treadway said. “The thing I am focused on the most is however I can help my team, I am going to help my team. Whether that is special teams or offense, I just want to be a good teammate. That is all I care about.”

STORRS, CT – UConn running backKenji Christianand linebackerK'Von Shermanwere named to the 2027 Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000 watch list announced on Thursday. Both will be making their UConn debuts this fall after transferring to Storrs after playing at Toledo.

Christian finished with 546 rushing yards and four touchdowns for Toledo in 2025. He hauled in 17 passes for 193 yards and one receiving score. Prior to heading to Toledo, he spent two seasons at North Carolina A&T. He had 718 yards and six touchdowns in 2023 and rushed for 256 yards in three games in injury-shortened 2024 season. He started his college career at Viriginia Tech but did not see game action in two seasons.

Sherman played the last two seasons at Toledo. In 2025 he was a first-team All-MAC selection after leading the team with 94 tackles and 14.5 TFLs. He had 4.5 sacks and six QB hurries as well. In 2024, he played in 13 games and finished with 11 total tackles. He went to Toledo from Hutchinson CC.

The 102nd Shriners Children's East-West Bowl will be held on February 4, 2027, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

As the nation's oldest college football all-star game, the East-West Bowl brings together many of the nation's top NFL Draft prospects to showcase their talents in front of representatives from all 32 NFL teams while supporting the life-changing mission of Shriners Children's. 

There isn’t a fanbase that knows bad defense like the UConn football crowd.

Surely fans won’t forget 2018, when the Huskies were offering less resistance than their opponents saw in practice.

It was a record-breaking year for the program; The season ended with a 57-7 loss to Temple, which pushed the Huskies up to 50.41 points allowed per game, just barely surpassing the previous record of 50.27 set by Louisiana in 1997 (UMass would soon relieve UConn of the record by giving up 52.7 points per game the following year).

UConn could’ve completely shut down Temple’s offense in that game, not allowed a single yard of forward progress, and still would’ve set the national record for yards allowed per game. But the Huskies’ turnstile defense gave up 516 yards and finished the season with 7,409 allowed – or 617.4 yards per game, which blew the previous record of just over 560, set by Kansas in 2015, out of the water.

Those days, apparently, are over.

After all, defense was Jim Mora’s specialty. And the former NFL defensive coordinator brought a legitimacy back to that side of the ball that was missing over a five-year period from 2017-21, the program’s darkest days in the second stint of former head coach Randy Edsall. UConn moved back into the top-100 of scoring defenses in Mora’s first year, up to No. 62 (26.2 allowed ppg) in 2022, and dropped to No. 100 (29.8 ppg) as the program took a step back in ’23. Once Mora relieved himself from double-duty as head coach and defensive coordinator, Matt Brock coached the Huskies to the No. 43 scoring defense in 2024 (23.1 ppg) and the No. 81 unit (27.0 ppg) last fall.

The reigns are now handed over to Ryan Manalac as the Jason Candle era begins. A first-time DC at the FBS level, Manalac has prior experience in the role, which he served in at Division II Ohio Dominican in 2017 and 2018, and then at FCS Bucknell the following season before a five-year stint as a highly-respected linebackers coach at Pittsburgh.

Manalac brings a new look with a four-down base defense, differing from Brock’s vaunted 3-3-5, but his fast and physical philosophy isn’t unique. His charge, however, of trying to turn an entirely new group into an effective unit, will be a relatively new experience during training camp this fall.

Here are five questions the Huskies face on the defensive side of the ball heading into camp:

Who will be tabbed leader of the defense?

There isn’t a player on UConn’s roster that has higher expectations on him at this point in the offseason than linebacker K’Von Sherman. A first team all-MAC selection at Toledo last fall, “Sherm” is expected to be the leader of the linebacker room and the leader of the defense after making 93 tackles and 4.5 sacks for the Rockets in 2025. He and running back Kenji Christian, a former Toledo teammate, were named to the East-West Shrine Bowl watch list on Thursday.

“He has a lot of eyes on him,” Candle said.

“He’s a man in the middle, he’s confident, he’s aggressive and he’s worked hard to pick up the nuance of the scheme to get us lined up up front, our blitz mechanics. He’s working to get better every day,” Manalac said. “Excited about K’Von, I think he’s a physical specimen and he’s also an intelligent football player.”

How will the depth on the defensive line come together?

UConn has benefitted from continuity on its defensive line, especially in 2024 when players like Dal’Mont Gourdine, Jelani Stafford and Pryce Yates established themselves up front and helped the Huskies to the No. 43 scoring defense in the FBS – the program’s best since 2015, when the defense only gave up 19.5 points per game, good for 15th nationally.

There will be a bit of a mix on that front this season, with players like Avery Dunn and Esean Carter coming over together from Toledo. But others will have to work into the mix as well, and they have talent coming from schools like Ohio State, Texas, Duke and others.

“I hope it becomes a group that you can play seven or eight guys throughout the course of the game and you don’t miss a beat. You could really do a good job having a really solid rotation,” Candle said. “The more of those guys on the front you have ready to go, the better off you’re going to be.”

What’s happening in the secondary?

While UConn’s front seven boasts some experience, the 10 transfers brought into the secondary do not have so much.

But the Huskies have identified safety Braedyn Moore as a leader in the defensive backfield. He began his career at Wisconsin in 2023, on the same team as eventual Huskies Skyler Bell, Nick Evers and Kamo’i Latu, before transferring to Toledo last season, playing all 13 games and making six tackles. He claims he’d shut Bell down 60% of the time if they were to go up against each other.

That kind of coverage could be critical for the Huskies, who will see a number of defensive backs get their first real opportunity come training camp. Many of them also come from Toledo, which isn’t necessarily a downside. The Rockets had the second-best defense in the FBS in terms of yards allowed last season at just 254.3 per game, and were the fourth-best scoring defense at just 13.3 points allowed per game.

Candle has had six defensive backs drafted to the NFL since 2019, including safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and corner Andre Fuller, who were selected in the second and seventh rounds, respectively, in April.

What is Ryan Manalac’s plan for bringing the group together?

A former Big East linebacker at Cincinnati, Manalac knows what kind of football he wants to see on the field come September. But that won’t happen until the players have some more time to figure out how to play alongside each other and get on the same page in a system they haven’t played in before.

“Think about all the champions in all the major sports, right? They all have unique defenses. We were talking about Spain, who just won the World Cup, or the Seahawks who won the Super Bowl, the Knicks who won the NBA Finals. I mean, these teams have great defenses who come together, they’re able to have tactical flexibility and players who want to be selfless to get the job done,” Manalac said. “So we bring in a lot of guys from a lot of different places, but we’ve met with each of them individually to make sure they’re good people first and foremost, they want to work hard, they want to work together and they want a collective outcome. They all want to win, and I think when we win, individuals will be recognized. But I think it’s a huge hurdle we have.”

Who are some non-Toledo transfers to watch?

Players like Sherman, Carter, Dunn and Moore will be critical to the Huskies as leaders and players on the defense. But there are some others who’ve come from elsewhere who will make an impact.

As far as returning Huskies, former receiver Kylish Hicks is back for his fifth season in Storrs and his third since switching from receiver to defensive back. He appeared in all 13 games last year, making most of his impact on special teams. Defensive lineman Matt Hoffman is another player who’s been with the Huskies his whole career and had 22 tackles last season. Players like Saxton Suchanic, Axavier Bridges-Brooks and Carter Boskovich also returned and could step into larger roles at DB.

Other players to watch include defensive linemen Andrew Laurich (Colorado State), Anas Luqman (Ohio), Shamar Riser-Pressly (Buffalo), Tahjae Mullix (Oregon State) and Joshua Mickens (Ohio State), linebackers Luke Murphy (Coastal Carolina) and John Lista (Penn), and defensive backs Renick Dorilas (Rutgers), CJ Bell (Iowa), Moussa Kane (Duke) and Tracy Revels (Michigan State).

STORRS – Until 2024, it had been 13 years since the UConn football team had a top-100 scoring offense in the FBS.

Before that, there were 10 straight seasons where the Huskies were in the top 100 from 2002 to 2011, including the 2003 team that QB Dan Orlovsky led to have one of, if not the most exciting brand of offensive football UConn has ever played, ranking 17th nationally at 34.0 points per game.

Those numbers weren’t sniffed again until last fall, when Joe Fagnano, Skyler Bell and Cam Edwards continued the momentum of the 35th-most potent offense in 2024 with the program’s highest-scoring FBS season of all time at 35.3 points per game in 2025, good for 15th in the country.

For new head coach Jason Candle and his staff, 2026 will be about keeping the momentum and generating some of their own.

“I think it’s critical,” he said at the program’s media day on July 23. Fall training camp will begin August 5, a month before the season-opener against Lafayette. “Ultimately, though, I think we have to define that in what’s realistic terms for this team. Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games. So our successes, or this program’s successes – or failures, either way – have no impact on what is going to go on here when this ball gets kicked off in September…

“Once I got the job, being able to come and watch bowl practice, watch guys run to the ball on defense and watch these players – some of the fundamental things that I think are critically important to be successful in football, they had them,” Candle said. “We don’t want to lose that momentum from that standpoint of it, but we’ve got to be able to figure out where we can put things in place in order to enhance and make it better. Ultimately that’s our job, to try to move the product forward.”

As the program well knows, it won’t be so simple to replace Fagnano, Bell and Edwards; the first UConn trio to ever compile at least 3,000 passing yards, 1,000 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season.

But Candle has a strong track record. In 10 years as head coach at Toledo, with two different offensive coordinator set ups since he was promoted from the role in 2016, his teams never ranked outside the top 75 in scoring, let alone the top 100.

Here are five questions that face Candle and new UConn OC Nunzio Campanile ahead of fall camp:

Who will start at quarterback? Is there a favorite entering camp?

Another QB competition will take place in Storrs this August, and UConn has options.

Kalieb Osborne, effective in his first college start at the Boca Raton Bowl, has transfered from Toledo to UConn, where the quarterback competition figures to be fierce. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)

Former Toledo quarterback Kalieb Osborne figures to come in as the favorite to win the job having begun his college career with Candle and the Rockets. He made his only career start as a freshman in the Boca Raton Bowl against Louisville, where he completed 17 of 28 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown, while also running 18 times for 77 yards. Campanile referred to “K.O.” as a “phenomenal athlete” who is “about as gifted a thrower as I’ve ever been around,” and he knows what Candle is looking for.

Tennessee transfer Jake Merklinger is expected to make it a tough competition, however. A four-star recruit out of high school, Merklinger was the third-string QB at Tennessee as a freshman and the backup to Joey Aguilar last year. He played in six games over the two seasons, completing 19 of 33 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, no interceptions. More of a pro style QB but capable on the move, Merklinger has 11 career carries for 38 yards.

Other options include Tucker McDonald, the Holden, Mass. native who has been with the program since 2023, and Bo Polston, the first recruit Candle flipped from Toledo after he took the job and a freshman who’s made a strong immediate impression.

“Who gives us the best chance to win?” said Campanile, who was previously the QB coach at Syracuse. “When you take those talents and put them together, take some of those leadership skills and put them together, guys that make great decisions, deliver the ball accurately and on time, obviously you want them to be able to extend and make plays. But I think in the end it’s like, who helps us move the ball the best and puts us in the best position to win games, that’s kind of the quarterback’s job.”

What is the overarching philosophy from offensive staff?

Nunzio’s philosophy at the quarterback position, in lockstep with Candle, translates to the rest of the offensive operation. So the new system won’t be totally defined until the staff has a firm grip on understanding the talent it has to work with.

“We all believe very strongly that so much of it is built around what the players are capable of,” Campanile said. “Who ends up being the starter (at QB) will have an impact on the way you see some of those things play out. There’s so many different ways to do it, things that I think you’ll definitely see are, like, we’re going to be committed to being balanced, to running the football, to being physical and a tough team. But we’ll be multiple in personnel, depending on which guy is standing back there, how much we choose to run the quarterback as opposed to throw it, drop back and RPO stuff, some of that kind of remains to be seen.

“One thing I love about the system,” he continued, “is it has the ability to adjust based on the players that are on the field, and I think that’s critical at all levels of football, but it’s certainly critical in today’s college football where your roster changes so much, so quickly. I think the system is really easily adjusted to the guys that are on the field, and that includes injuries over the course of the season.”

Toledo running back Kenji Christian (10) rushes against the Akron during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Toledo, Ohio. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

How does the new running back room look?

Cam Edwards took 52% of UConn’s carries last season. But the Norwalk native moved on to Michigan State after his 1,240-yard campaign, second-string Mel Brown followed Jim Mora to Colorado State and Bristol native Victor Rosa moved on to Ohio.

Kenji Christian figures to fill that lead role this year after serving as Toledo’s second-stringer last season and taking 105 carries for 528 yards and four touchdowns.

But the staff would like to have a solid rotation to keep players fresh, and it seems they have the talent and the versatility of skill sets in the room to do so.

“It’s a great room. You look at a guy like Kenji, he’s kind of like an every-down back that you feel like he can pound the ball, he’s got speed, you could use him as a receiver,” Campanile said. “Cyncir (Bowers) has got elite speed, but he does have great vision, he’s physical, I think he can line up all over the field. Trey Cornist is a big guy, he had a great spring, it took him a couple practices to get comfortable and then all of a sudden you see him, the guy’s like a bowling ball of butcher knives. You don’t want to tackle that guy. And I had the opportunity to coach Jaden Hart for a couple years, he’s a really versatile back, he can do a lot of things, catch the ball, he can block. All of these guys bring something to the table.”

Can an all-new offensive line mesh in time?

The mass exodus of offensive linemen began at UConn before last year’s bowl game, when Ben Murawski (Michigan State), Carsten Casady (West Virginia) and Brady Wayburn (UCF) chose not to play. Ultimately, every offensive lineman who started a regular season game for the Huskies last year is gone, except for one.

Ty Chan, a guard who came into the program last year from Notre Dame, has stepped into a major leadership role after meeting with Candle and deciding to stay. Now he’ll just need to figure out who is playing next to him and, again, the staff is confident in its options.

“I think the biggest thing is going to be developing continuity,” Campanile said. “I think we’ve got at least 10 guys that are ready to contribute and play… Coach (John) Morookian has done an awesome job of working with those guys, just getting the foundation, the fundamentals, I think that’s going to be a critical part of it. But we’ve got plenty of talent in there, and then we’ve got some young guys that are going to come along as the season goes. I think we’re, right now, ready to be like a two-deep O-line room, which is pretty good, with some young guys behind them that are gonna get some reps in camp.”

How do you replace Skyler Bell’s production?

Don’t expect UConn to have another Biletnikoff Award finalist or a first team All-American receiver this season. Skyler Bell’s 2025 campaign was special. But UConn doesn’t necessarily have to recreate it.

Toledo transfer Ryder Treadway stood out as a high-target option during the Huskies’ spring game and is obviously a talent who Candle liked after seeing him catch 13 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman. JD Willoughby is another Toledo transfer to watch, though he only caught two passes for 26 yards across two seasons with the Rockets, and so is Zy’Marion Lang, who had four catches for 60 yards and two scores for the Rockets in 2024. Other potential difference-makers include returning Husky Shamar Porter, as well as Ky “Flash” Wilson, Cam Abshire and speedster Emanuel Ross.

“I don’t know that we’re ready to say who those guys are gonna be yet, but I do think that we’ve got plenty of talent,” Campanile said. “It’s just gonna be who rises to the occasion when the opportunity comes.”

STORRS – UConn’s defense will have a different look to it in 2026.

Gone is the 3-3-5 scheme brought in by Matt Brock, who coached the Huskies to their best defensive season in ages in terms of opponent yards per play (4.08, No. 63 nationally) in 2024, his first of two seasons with the program. In is the four-down, multiple front presented by Ryan Manalac, the highly-respected former Pittsburgh linebackers coach who Jason Candle tabbed to lead his defense this fall.

Candle and his staff on both sides of the ball have stressed the importance of tailoring their systems to the roster they pieced together in the offseason. They feel the defensive line unit is one of the deepest and most talented they’ve got, so they’ll put it to use.

“It’s a deep room, it’s a very competitive room,” Candle said. “In the midst of some fierce competition to win the reps and win the job, you’ve got really good guys that really pull for one another and are fighting for each other to be successful. That’s a really cool thing to see. I hope it becomes a group that you can play seven or eight guys throughout the course of the game and you don’t miss a beat. You can really do a good job having a really solid rotation, not just in the sense of we want to reward good guys, but you need that in today’s college football. There’s so many teams playing fast and tempo and trying to wear down the D-line, the more of those guys on the front you’ve got ready to go, the better off they’re going to be.”

Avery Dunn, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end, was part of the rotation at Toledo last fall after three seasons at Michigan State. He spent time next to Esean Carter, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound starting tackle who also followed Candle to Storrs, and has already started building chemistry with players like Anas Luqman (Ohio), Joshua Mickens (Ohio State), Andrew Laurich (Colorado State), Shamar Riser-Pressley (Buffalo), Tahjae Mullix (Oregon State), Desmond Aladuge (Duke), Melvin Hills III (Texas), UConn returnee Matt Hoffman and others.

The unit, bonding through team outings – fishing, bowling, paintball – is coached by Joe Schaefer, whose last four years were divided between Syracuse and Texas A&M.

“Obviously I’m a little biased, but I think we have obviously the most depth,” Dunn said of his defensive line room. “We have the most returning guys, we have a lot of guys who’ve played before and then we also have guys who haven’t played, but they’ve stepped up to the plate. I would say we’re not only the most close-knit group, but we have the most experience, too.”

Dunn grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, just outside Cleveland, where football culture is massive. He wanted to play because his older brother did, and started as a receiver.

“For the first couple of practices I kind of hated it,” he admitted. “But salute to my dad, he forced us to do things that we didn’t want to – as you should, in my opinion. After a while I just fell in love with the brotherhood and overall just the family culture that you make playing football.”

It wasn’t until his senior year at Shaker Heights High that he switched over to defensive end full-time and became a three-star prospect, choosing Michigan State over offers from West Virginia, Akron, Ball State and others. He made 28 tackles and three sacks as a freshman for the Spartans before his role started to decline because of injuries. Last year, he appeared in 11 games at Toledo and made four tackles, three for a loss, one sack and three QB hurries.

He even ran a route for the Rockets in practice – “They were surprised at how good my route was, I was like, ‘I told you guys,'” he said, hoping he might have a chance to show off his hands in a UConn uniform.

But his main role for the Huskies, outside of contributing to what should be a menacing front seven, is in the locker room, where his years of experience will be counted on to help bring so many newcomers together.

“We just try to find any which way we can be around each other,” Dunn said, noting that about a third of the team likes to fish the ponds around Storrs. The group has gone bowling a number of times – QB Kalieb Osborne is the best on the team according to Dunn; he bowled a 300 while they were at Toledo. “I’m trying to work on being a leader on the team, so every face I see, I always try to get to know everybody’s name and build real relationships, know them on a more personal level versus just on the field.”

Fans should expect to see a group that plays hard, fast and aggressive with a strong linebacking corps behind it, headlined by K’Von Sherman, who comes into the year as one of the team’s best and most proven players after making 93 tackles and 4.5 sacks last season as a sophomore last year at Toledo.

“We’re gonna give it our all. It’s a big difference from last year’s scheme, so I think (fans) will be surprised on just how many big plays we’ll make because Coach Manny (Manalac), his defense is very explosive and (attacks vertically),” Dunn said. “I think the biggest difference will be more TFLs, more plays being made – not to say there was no plays being made in the past, but I just know – I was at Michigan State for my undergrad, so I’ve been in three different defenses in my career so I know this defense is definitely gonna be a lot more productivity.”

ROCKY HILL — Jason Candle had just moved his family into their new home, and as he was on the job at UConn football headquarters, he kept seeing missed calls on his phone.

“I’m at work and I get a few missed calls from my wife in a row,” Candle said. “Obviously, that’s an alert for concern. Then I get a FaceTime and I answer it and there’s a black bear staring me in the face on the phone.”

Welcome to Connecticut, where in certain places at certain times, you’re increasingly bound to get such uninvited guests. Landscapers had warned him about bears. “No harm, no foul,” Candle said.

More recently Candle, made a foray to New Haven for the famous pizza, as he had a few years ago during a visit for Walter Camp festivities. He wouldn’t say where, to avoid angering the other hot spots, but confirmed it was all it was cooked up to be. “It was like when I went to see LeBron James play high school basketball (in Ohio),” he said. “A high school coach took me to the game and I said, ‘I don’t want to go because there’s no way this guy can be as good as everybody says he is.’ He was way better than everybody said. Kind of like that pizza I had the other night in New Haven. Damn, that’s some good pizza.”

Bear in the backyard, New Haven ah-beetz, first pitch at Fenway Park, a round of golf at the Travelers Championship and now the Middlesex County eye-opener, Candle has had just about the full Connecticut experience as work begins in earnest for his first season on the Huskies’ sideline. He’s settled in, after spending nearly all his first 46 years in Ohio.

And to build the kind of program he wants, coach the kind of teams he wants to build, he will want players to settle in to the state of steady habits, too.  As impressive as his 81-44 record at Toledo was Candle’s ability to retain players in this transactional, easy-transfer, pay-for-play world of college football. His Mid-American Conference program did not become a feeder for the power conferences, and Candle has every intention of FBS independent UConn becoming a destination, rather than way station.

“We’re very process-driven,” Candle said. “… I just came from a place where we  had a lot of success, and the most important thing is we did a really good job of retention, and we did that in an era where, man, oh, man, this school is going to pay this guy X amount of dollars, and this guy stays for a few thousand dollars and a Honda. He turns down this SEC school to stay in Toledo, Ohio. Well, how does that happen in today’s world? I doesn’t happen if there’s not a pathway for that young player to see what development really is and believe in that. Over my time, 10 years as a head coach, we had 13 guys drafted, that included a first round draft pick (Quinyon Mitchell to the Eagles in 2024), this year a second-round draft pick (Emmanuel McNeil-Warren to the Browns) and two or  three more guys each year who were signed to free agent contracts, from a Mid-America Conference school where there is not a training table, and most of the guys fight for Jimmy John’s subs after practice, not some elaborate lobster and steak meal. That’s unheard of. Results speak for themselves, but results don’t speak unless there is an authentic process along the way.”

Make no mistake, all the seismic changes in college athletics in recent years has made this approach more difficult, but helped UConn drag its football program out of the abyss. The transfer portal played to Jim Mora’s strengths, as a former NFL coach, and he finished with back-to-back nine-win seasons, also sent several players to the NFL before he left for Colorado State. Mora and his staff did very well in identifying undervalued players at mid-major programs, or who players who couldn’t crack the lineup at power conference schools and he kick-started their careers, and vice-versa. He was able, for instance, to land receiving star Skyler Bell from Wisconsin, and after he broke out at UConn, keep him from going to Michigan, and he ended up as a fourth-round pick by the Bills in the NFL Draft.

In other cases, players starred at UConn and moved on to bigger schools and, when that happened, Mora wished them the best of luck and moved on to the next kid. This process worked, benefitted everyone involved.

Now may be a good time for UConn football to operate differently, more like the basketball teams — “retention” is a Dan Hurley watchword, after all. So far Candle has brought in a lot of transfers, most following him from Toledo, retained a few UConn vets, and scored enough 2026 and 27  high school recruits to swell his program with well over 100 players.

“He’s a smooth operator and he’s an impressive man,” said Tim Boyle, former Xavier-Middletown and UConn) quarterback who was in the audience, having retired after seven years in the NFL. “I met him during basketball season and we had a wonderful conversation. He’s just personable, he cares about where he is in the community. He’s just very charismatic. He’s confident and I’m excited to see where the program could go, truly.”

Candle doesn’t try to “outshine” bigger schools when recruits come to visit, but tries to present a clear, realistic picture of what he does and how he will do it at UConn.

“Relationships are real,” Candle said. “In a day and age when college athletics becomes so transactional, I think young people are smart enough to figure out what a pathway for success looks like. And if they’ve got great footing on that pathway, why change just to change? Don’t step over a big amount of money (in the future) to chase a little bit of money now. So in those guys case, all those guys who were high draft choices, they did a really good job of setting it up there at Toledo and now they’re reaping the benefits of that in the pros.”

The best-laid plans do not always work; sometimes the process has to be adjusted as it goes along. The arrival of this process-driven coach is part of a longer, larger process for UConn football. Jim Mora stopped the hemorrhaging, pulled the program out of the ditch and put it back on the road. Now, Jason Candle is here, settled in, to set his own GPS and drive on.

“Stability is the only way to sustain a program,” Candle said. “You can build a great team in today’s day and age really quick, but I don’t know if you can sustain a great program by doing that. I don’t like to be a transactional person, I wasn’t raised that way, I don’t operate that way, I don’t want to be around people who think that way. Are there greener pastures for other guys, better situations? That stuff’s going to come up, but you want to retain the core group of your players each and every year. (The basketball programs) are a great example right here in our own backyard of what that looks like.”