UConn Football Still Doesn't Have a Starting Quarterback

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The University of Connecticut football team is just days away from its season opener (Saturday vs. Lafayette) and new head coach Jason Candle still doesn't know who his starting quarterback is going to be.

Reporting suggests that it's been a true three-player battle for the position, but we still have to believe the decision will come down to Tennessee transfer Jake Merklinger or Toledo transfer Kalieb Osborne, who played for Candle at his last stop. Tucker McDonald is the third player in the mix.

This competition has been going on throughout camp, with Candle saying on Aug. 10 that he wasn't really worried about the battle and that it would sort itself out. Well, on Monday, he indicated that none of the three players have eliminated themselves from the conversation. Regardless, he said the team was close to a decision.

A rising redshirt junior from Massachusetts, McDonald played in three games last season, attempting just two passes. He completed one of them for 45 yards against Central Connecticut. He comes in with the least amount of overall game experience, but he's had experience at UConn.

A rising redshirt sophomore who appeared in four games for the Tennessee Volunteers in 2025, Merklinger hails from Savannah, Ga. He went 13-of-24 for 173 yards for two touchdowns and no interceptions last season, and he has three years of eligibility left.

Given his SEC pedigree and his former status as a top high school recruit, he seems to have a strong case for this job.

Osborne was a three-star recruit out of Waterford Mott (Mich.) High School in the Class of 2024 and redshirted that season. In 2025, the 6-foot-3, 204-pound Osborne appeared in seven games with the Rockets, completing 32 of 52 passes (61.54 percent) for 427 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Osborne has three years of eligibility remaining as well, and his familiarity with Candle is a major benefit to him.

Obviously, Candle will name a starter soon, and it's imperative that he does. It sounds like all three players have played well, but the team needs to know who the leader is so they know who to rally behind. Furthermore, all quarterbacks play in their own unique style, and you want each player on the same page with the winner's style.

Our own Jami Leabow wrote a preview on Lafayette that you may be interested in.

Saturday's game is at noon ET.

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