Huskies Football Coach Jason Candle Gets a Lot of Love from His Former School

Huskies Football Coach Jason Candle Gets a Lot of Love from His Former School

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Huskies Football Coach Jason Candle Gets a Lot of Love from His Former School

The people at the University of Toledo seem very nice, very appreciative of their staff.

And they sure do love their billboards.

Drivers and passengers along eastbound Interstate 84 on Monday saw a sincere gesture from Toledo aimed at their former head football coach, Jason Candle, as he prepares to make his UConn coaching debut on Saturday against Lafayette.

The university had a message of support put on a billboard that read, line by line:

“Thank You
Go Huskies
Jason & Nicole Candle
10 Years of Great Memories
Always a Rocket”

Candle, an Ohio native, was hired by UConn in early December to replace Jim Mora, who spent four seasons leading the Huskies before embarking for the head coaching job at Colorado State. 

Candle was the head coach at Toledo for 10 seasons, and with 81 victories, its winningest coach. With Candle in charge, the Rockets won Mid-American Conference championships in 2017 and 2022 and appeared in seven bowl games. He was named the MAC Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2023. Toledo finished 11-3 (8-0) in the latter season.

When Candle departed, Toledo wished him well, also with a billboard that simply included his photo and the words "Thank you, Coach Candle."

Candle's immediate task

UConn fans have been waiting to learn whp will start at quarterback for the Huskies, and Candle has yet to name one.  

If Candle has decided who will take the first snap of the season, he hasn't shared the information.

It reportedly has been a three-player competition between Tennessee transfer Jake Merklinger, Toledo transfer Kalieb Osborne and Tucker McDonald, who backed up
Joe Fagnano last season.

Osborne played for Candle at Toledo.

This competition has been going on throughout camp, with Candle saying on Aug. 10 that he was letting the battle play out. On Monday, he indicated that none of the three quarterbacks had been ruled out.

Quarterback Jake Merklinger is a transfer from Tennessee. Saul Young/USA TODAY Network
Quarterback Jake Merklinger is a transfer from Tennessee. Saul Young/USA TODAY Network

The opponent

Game time is noon on Saturday at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. Tickets are still available.

Lafayette is the only FCS team on the calendar for the Huskies, whose ambitious schedule includes three Power 4 opponents — all on UConn's home field. Those opponents are Maryland, of the Big Ten (Sept. 12), and Syracuse (Oct. 3) and North Carolina (Nov. 7) of the Atlantic Coast Conference..

Based in Pennsylvania, Lafayette doesn't have the name that Maryland, Syracuse and UNC have. Still, it has one of the oldest college programs in the nation, and the Leopards have made a couple of major contributions to the game, UConn Roundtable shared them earlier.

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