The crossover on the two staff's will be fascinating to watch.
The college football transfer portal opens up later this week, and as always, it's expected to be a turbulent time for programs around the country.
Whether you like the idea of the portal or not, its impact on college football is undeniable. Some programs will be completely remade in the portal and others will be completely decimated.
The portal could be more chaotic than usual for the University of Connecticut given that former head coach Jim Mora just left for Colorado State. Some current players could elect to follow him and some commits have already backed out. Furthermore, new head coach Jason Candle has his own relationships which should help re-stock the cupboard of talent.
One under the radar story that bears watching as the portal opens up? The possible battle for talent between UConn and Syracuse of all teams.
Let's explain:
The Toledo factor
Toledo is a power in the Mid-American Conference. Any time you have a power in a mid-major league, you assume that players are going to transfer out of that program. Going to a bigger program allows more notoriety, better NIL opportunities and better NFL opportunities, in addition to a greater football challenge.
Furthermore, considering the coaching turmoil at Toledo, it would make sense if players wanted to jump ship.
Where the battle comes into play
Candle just spent the last decade as the head coach at Toledo. The assumption would be that he could grab as many of his former players as he wants in order to bring them to UConn, however, that may not be the case here.
Why? Because his old defensive coordinator Vince Kehres was just hired as the new defensive coordinator at Syracuse. Can he help sway some players to the Orange? How about former Toledo defensive backs' coach Perry Eliano, who is now the DB coach for the Orange? Can he help sway some players to Central New York?
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The sales pitch for UConn
Let's just be realistic for a second:
Syracuse plays in the Atlantic Coast Conference, offering players a chance at a better schedule and a path to the College Football Playoff. SU should, conceivably, have more NIL money for football than UConn does.
Those are hard things to beat, but UConn does have something up its sleeve: Candle. As well-liked as Kehres and Eliano might be, they are not the head coaches that recruited players to Toledo, and they are not the head coaches in Syracuse. Fran Brown has no loyalty to Toledo players - Candle does - and that should go a long way.
Furthermore, Syracuse went 3-9 in 2025. Connecticut went 9-4. The chance to win games, even if not at CFP level, is still greater in Storrs.
The Nunzio factor
On the non-Toledo front, it should be noted that UConn just poached Nunzio Campanile from Syracuse. The former quarterbacks coach with the Orange, he will be the offensive coordinator for Storrs. Perhaps some current SU players will be attracted to his hiring as well.
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