Dan Hurley praised Jason Candle as UConn introduced him as the new leader of its football program. Candle steps in after Jim Mora departs for Colorado State, a move that ends a run of back-to-back 9-3 seasons and two Fenway Bowl trips. Candle, 46, comes from Toledo, where he delivered 10 straight winning years and turned the Rockets into one of the MAC’s most reliable teams.
Dan Hurley Weighs In on Jason Candle’s Arrival as UConn’s New Football Coach
Hurley offered a strong endorsement of Candle as UConn introduced its next football coach, describing the longtime Toledo leader as someone he believes can elevate the program. Hurley explained that he had reached out to Candle before the announcement and wished he could have attended the introduction, saying his team had a game the following day.
Hurley pointed to Candle’s long track record as a player and head coach, referring to him as “a serious ball coach” and adding,
“I think he’s going to be awesome. A serious ball coach that the entire state and university needs to just support and get behind.”
Hurley emphasized that Candle deserves complete backing from the community and the university. He referenced programs like James Madison and Tulane, which have reached the playoffs, and asked, “Why can’t we become that in football?”
Hurley said he wants to build a relationship with Candle, learn from him, and support him as he begins this new role. Candle steps into a position shaped by Jim Mora’s recent turnaround. Mora guided the Huskies to consecutive 9-3 seasons and earned two Fenway Bowl appearances, pushing the team into national relevance.
During his 11 seasons leading the Rockets, Candle went 81-44, becoming the winningest coach in the school’s history. He recorded 10 straight winning seasons, delivered two MAC Championships, and produced squads that reached at least eight victories in six campaigns, including each of the last four years.
His teams appeared in nine bowl games during that stretch, starting with the 2015 postseason matchup he coached after Matt Campbell’s departure to Iowa State.
The university made Candle’s hire official Saturday morning, and he will formally meet the media Monday. His contract lists a salary of $2.515 million, not including performance incentives.
The number marks an apparent increase from UConn’s original agreement with Mora, who earned $1.5 million in his first season and received annual raises of $100,000 before signing an extension in 2024 that lifted his base pay to $2.1 million.
Candle steps into a program with momentum and the full backing of its most prominent coach on campus, and he now begins the work of matching the standard set in recent years.
