Jason Candle sent the Super Bowl winning coach a box of swag to open.
The University of Connecticut football program went viral on Monday night because of a video featuring former Super Bowl winning head coach Jon Gruden.
As has become popular in all sports, Gruden, who is now working for Barstool Sports, was sent a box full of swag to open on camera. While opening a box full of everything from t-shirts to shorts to polos to hats to visors to stickers, Gruden complimented the history of the Huskies' program and the addition of new head coach Jason Candle.
Gruden included a note that Candle was the first person to ever send him a box, back when he was the previous head coach at Toledo.
"Jason Candle of the Connecticut Huskies, we are rooting for you. There is no better guy than Jason Candle. He's going to do a hell of a job. If you're a young player, let's go Huskies... let's freakin' go man!"
In addition to shouting out several former UConn football players, including Dan Orlovsky, Donald Brown and Byron Jones, Gruden also had some fun with the women's basketball program and head coach Geno Auriemma. He said that he'd be a great coach too if he got to coach the likes of Rebecca Lobo, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and Paige Bueckers.
A smart move
Gruden's "box reveal" videos have become immensely popular, so it's a smart move for Candle to continue the trend at Connecticut. Any way that he can increase visibility and reach young people - prospective players - is a smart marketing tactic. Creating awareness about the program is a good thing, and generating buzz is a good thing.
It's all part of program building.
Need to know
The transfer portal is open until Jan. 16 and Candle is hard at work trying to put the finishing touches on his 2026 roster. UConn has already secured the commitments of multiple skill position players and will continue to add over the next few days.
The Huskies just added former Syracuse wide receiver Emanuel Ross on Monday. He played for new UConn OC Nunzio Campanile with the Orange.
The Huskies are set to lose quarterback Joe Fagnano and receiver Skyler Bell to graduation. Top running back Cam Edwards also left for Michigan State via the portal.
Also on campus
The No. 3 ranked UConn men's basketball team is in action on Tuesday night at No. 25 Seton Hall. Tip-off is 8 p.m. ET. Seton Hall has beaten UConn in four straight home matchups.
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