I’d love to know how Candle so easily recruited 4* players to Toledo

[Kolumbo]

you guys are more optimistic than me, about the motivations of up-and-coming coaches in this NIL/revshare era, who choose to make a pit stop at UConn. I see Candle as a Bob Chesney type. starting small (chensey was at Johns Hopkins, Candle at Mount Union), taking his time and building his resume right, taking a better job (us) along the way, and if that trajectory goes well, he speeds up his job switches (a-la chesney) till he lands a B1G gig.

Though, I will concede that he spent 2009-2025 at Toledo, including all his smaller roles. That is INSANELY long at one place.

first things first, I hope he does AMAZING here and one of these years soon we get into the CFP conversation (one can dream).

If he ends up sucking, none of this debate matters, we'll all want him gone.

If he gets a Chesney type offer, that means UConn is doing exceptionally well which is the ultimate strategy for our program regardless of who is at the helm. All schools are stepping-stones in some way shape or form.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

you guys are more optimistic than me, about the motivations of up-and-coming coaches in this NIL/revshare era, who choose to make a pit stop at UConn. I see Candle as a Bob Chesney type. starting small (chensey was at Johns Hopkins, Candle at Mount Union), taking his time and building his resume right, taking a better job (us) along the way, and if that trajectory goes well, he speeds up his job switches (a-la chesney) till he lands a B1G gig.

Though, I will concede that he spent 2009-2025 at Toledo, including all his smaller roles. That is INSANELY long at one place.

first things first, I hope he does AMAZING here and one of these years soon we get into the CFP conversation (one can dream).

If he ends up sucking, none of this debate matters, we'll all want him gone.

I believe you've been following the Jets too long.

Not everything ends in failure.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Just being realistic. He had a good and comfortable life in Toledo. He likely loves it there and wasn’t punished for being there so long. Lake house in MI. Hopefully he will have double digit and even an undefeated season here at UConn giving positive attention to UConn football.

 

[Jax Husky]

Well top teams are shopping cream of the crop in the portal and 5 star high 4 start these days. That is inevitably going to push some 4 star kids down to other schools. If you have a top recruiter like Candle appears to be, he's gonna land some. I'd put Fran Brown in there also.

THis is exactly what will happen. A portion of higher rated HS kids will get pushed down to "lesser" programs. That is awesome. The downside though, is that you only get them for 2, maybe 3 years if they end up being contributors.

 

[giddyup]

Just being realistic. He had a good and comfortable life in Toledo. He likely loves it there and wasn’t punished for being there so long. Lake house in MI. Hopefully he will have double digit and even an undefeated season here at UConn giving positive attention to UConn football.

Some people are actually motivated and find satisfaction in their quality of life, family, stability and desire to build in a community. Hurley could have been gone 20x over on any day of the week with a more glamorous gig. Same thing with Geno. Money matters a lot but I believe it isn’t everything for guys that have a real mission to build and create a durable legacy in a place they call home. I hope Candle has success and his mission is to be the guy with a statue built out front.

 

[Waquoit]

Counterpoint- he kills it here, likes raising his young kids in CT, basketball programs are still crushing it and we have P4 conferences at our doorsteps fighting for us in the next wave of realignment and he ushers us into power conference football.

I can see that if we ever get a seat at the table. Not realistic to expect a young coach who kills it to stay here if we aren't.

 

[Jetskies]

I believe you've been following the Jets too long.

Not everything ends in failure.

bringing up the jets means you misread my post. my optimism or lack thereof has nothing to do with candle's W/L record potential at UConn. it's solely about my confidence on his desire to stay in connecticut IF he does well and builds a resume that earns him a phone call from a B1G school. I am not confident in him staying long term in that scenario, though others here are more so.

I never said I believe he will fail here.
I said I HOPE he succeeds, but IF he fails, then this argument about him staying is moot - we'll want him gone, and quickly.


people here keep using the jets as a dig at me, but it's irrelevant. i get it, it's an easy opportunity for laughs/likes. you're like the 5th person to do it lol, no harm.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

No harm was intended but the doom and gloom shouldn't be what someone leads with.

He lasted quite a while at Toledo and I imagine that his view of UConn is that it is a place he can succeed at for a very long time. I've seen nothing about this man that indicates he would take a job as a few year steppingstone for his next move. If that was what he was about, I imagine he could have left Toledo a few years back, and currently be a year or two away from his next move.

If remaining in the Midwest was that important, he could have remained at Toledo until a midwest step up appeared.

He's ours and he will be ours for a while. Enjoy it, it is actually a good thing.

 

[FightOnCT]

bringing up the jets means you misread my post. my optimism or lack thereof has nothing to do with candle's W/L record potential at UConn. it's solely about my confidence on his desire to stay in connecticut IF he does well and builds a resume that earns him a phone call from a B1G school. I am not confident in him staying long term in that scenario, though others here are more so.

I never said I believe he will fail here.
I said I HOPE he succeeds, but IF he fails, then this argument about him staying is moot - we'll want him gone, and quickly.


people here keep using the jets as a dig at me, but it's irrelevant. i get it, it's an easy opportunity for laughs/likes. you're like the 5th person to do it lol, no harm.

You got the dig because you’re first instinct was to put a negative spin on an unrelated topic, which is considered on-brand for a Jets fan.

No point in even worrying about Candle leaving or any worst case scenario, might as well engage in what he’s doing right now before he’s even coached a game for us.

 

[Jetskies]

No harm was intended but the doom and gloom shouldn't be what someone leads with.

He lasted quite a while at Toledo and I imagine that his view of UConn is that it is a place he can succeed at for a very long time. I've seen nothing about this man that indicates he would take a job as a few year steppingstone for his next move. If that was what he was about, I imagine he could have left Toledo a few years back, and currently be a year or two away from his next move.

If remaining in the Midwest was that important, he could have remained at Toledo until a midwest step up appeared.

He's ours and he will be ours for a while. Enjoy it, it is actually a good thing.

heard.
i hope to death, you and the other optimists are right.
I hope he is the next cignetti, we string some 13-1 seasons together, and we find money from under the couch to keep him forever.

 

[NobodyKnows]

I have a question for the people who are fearful of him jumping ship if he’s successful, If he has a few great seasons and a Big Ten school offers him $6 million dollars…you want him to turn that down?

We have to be well aware of the limitations that comes with UConn football and appreciate any coach that adds value to the brand.

Unless UConn is able to match his market value if he is successful…I will understand if he leaves for a school that provides him more resources.

We have to stop romanticizing these coaches. They’re human just like you. And 95% of the Boneyard community would take the job that offers them more millions of dollars.

Let’s just appreciate the moment we are in!!

 

[FightOnCT]

I agree to your point but yes, I would like him to turn down $6M from a B1G school if it meant he continues to thrive here.

 

[psilotic]

Then the frosting on the cake he had no list of who next to lead the football team. He bought in to fishcakes banter and fed us Diaco.

Not to defend Warde but Diaco's resume up until that point (including the dreaded Broyles award) didn't indicate that he was batsh***t crazy. If the stars aligned better Narduzzi would have ended up here, and he's solid.

 

[Jetskies]

I have a question for the people who are fearful of him jumping ship if he’s successful, If he has a few great seasons and a Big Ten school offers him $6 million dollars…you want him to turn that down?

We have to be well aware of the limitations that comes with UConn football and appreciate any coach that adds value to the brand.

Unless UConn is able to match his market value if he is successful…I will understand if he leaves for a school that provides him more resources.

We have to stop romanticizing these coaches. They’re human just like you. And 95% of the Boneyard community would take the job that offers them more millions of dollars.

Let’s just appreciate the moment we are in!!

I assume youre directing your question at me, among others.

i think your question should be directed at the people who are confident he WILL stay if he's successful. Do THEYY expect him to turn that B1G offer down. I'm with you in that UConn is still in a building phase and that Candle, like all coaches, is just a person... and hence i don't have an expectation of candle's loyalty IFFF he kicks ash here.

We have proven we're not UMass, and that we can bully bad G5 teams (while still losing headscratchers to Rice and Delaware), and occasionally sneak out a P4 win. All of which was necessary (thank you HCJM forever) - but we have not done much else (yet).

He may or may not stay - But AGAIN - let's be successful first. that's a good problem to have; I would bet anyone here would exchange JMU's 2025 season for our actual 2025 and keeping JM. We are not the pitiful UConn of 2021 when JM was hired, and hopefully we won't be the UConn of 2025 if/when Candle leaves us.

onward and upward.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Either way, if he gets to a point here where P4 schools want him, then we are in very good shape as a football program and there is not much to be worried about other than finding the next Candle-type to sustain our success and keep us in a position if the p4 golden ticket ever comes our way, whether that’s this summer, or 15 years from now.

It may never happen but the best we can do is sustain winning football to be ready if that opportunity ever comes.

 

[Bandito2025]

I’m stoked I feel that the recruiting will just get better and better. Just wondering though what happens if Candle does such a great job he gets poached. I know it’s early but you never know. Personally he is a coach to spark the chances of getting football into a conference.

 

[Kolumbo]

OK I've had it with the Candle leaving discussion. He hasn't even run a single practice yet!! The Coaching Carousel is spinning like the Tasmanian Devil these days so let's just look forward to some UConn Football Games and Best of Luck to HCJC!!

 

[TheDrifter75]

heard.
i hope to death, you and the other optimists are right.
I hope he is the next cignetti, we string some 13-1 seasons together, and we find money from under the couch to keep him forever.

See, there you go with the negativity. One loss, really?

 

[uconnbill]

bringing up the jets means you misread my post. my optimism or lack thereof has nothing to do with candle's W/L record potential at UConn. it's solely about my confidence on his desire to stay in connecticut IF he does well and builds a resume that earns him a phone call from a B1G school. I am not confident in him staying long term in that scenario, though others here are more so.

I never said I believe he will fail here.
I said I HOPE he succeeds, but IF he fails, then this argument about him staying is moot - we'll want him gone, and quickly.


people here keep using the jets as a dig at me, but it's irrelevant. i get it, it's an easy opportunity for laughs/likes. you're like the 5th person to do it lol, no harm.

Your post are the reason for the comments. You seem to be a half empty guy. We have seen those terrible days for years but now we have hope after back to back nine year years.
Things even with a new coach are looking good, thats all.

Go Huskies