The UConn Huskies football team enters the 2026 season under new leadership, marking a fresh chapter for the program as it continues to compete as an independent in Division I FBS. First-year head coach Jason Candle takes the helm following the departure of Jim Mora. With an exciting non-conference schedule that features six home games—including visits from Maryland, Syracuse, UMass, North Carolina, James Madison, and Old Dominion—the Huskies are focused on establishing a physical, playmaking brand of football. Backed by new offensive coordinator Nunzio Campanile and defensive coordinator Ryan Manalac, Connecticut brings a refreshed roster loaded with emerging talent and key transfer portal additions looking to leave their mark on East Hartford. 

As the University of Connecticut football program turns the page to a new era, head coach Jason Candle stepped up to the microphone at the facility on the Storrs campus on Thursday to set expectations for his inaugural season.

Arriving after a decorated decade at Toledo, where he left as the winningest coach in program history, Candle brings a distinct philosophy centered on process, internal accountability, and physicality. While outside observers may ponder how quickly a transformed roster can gel, the atmosphere inside the building reveals an immediate focus on building a winning standard from day one.