Huskies Report

UConn Adds Toledo Disruptor to Defensive Front

After major roster turnover, the UConn Huskies add proven defensive tackle help with ties to the new staff.
Shivani Menon|
Sep 2, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Toledo Rockets head coach Jason Candle directs his players during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Sep 2, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Toledo Rockets head coach Jason Candle directs his players during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Connecticut Huskies

When Jim Mora left Storrs for Colorado State, it changed the program. The UConn Huskies were coming off a historic nine-win season, and then all of a sudden, momentum shifted. However, soon, the Huskies hired Jason Candle to steady the class. And now, Candle has added a former Rockets player to the Huskies roster.

Not so long ago, former Toledo defensive tackle Esean Carter took to X and wrote, “It's lit 🕯️!! #LetsgoHuskies.” Carter is a former three-star recruit from Martin Luther King High School in Michigan.

Carter initially signed with the Toledo Rockets in the 2021 cycle after drawing interest from several Mid-American and AAC programs. After playing limited minutes, Carter in 2023 played 14 games and posted six tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble.

The year after, saw Carter make 16 tackles, another sack, and two fumble recoveries. However, his most recent season is his most disruptive yet. Carter finished with 36 tackles, three sacks, a pass breakup, and earned third-team All-MAC honors.

After losing players like Vincent Carroll-Jackson, this move matters for UConn. And for Candle, this moment is a reunion. Additionally, Candle’s track record at Toledo makes this transfer move more interesting.

Over a decade at Toledo, Candle went 81–44 and won two MAC titles. His Rockets went 8–4 last season, and his teams rarely lacked physicality in the trenches. Carter will also reconnect with defensive tackles coach LaTroy Lewis, another familiar voice from Toledo. However, that’s not all the Toledo blood in Storrs this season.

Jason Candle’s Toledo Pipeline Starts Taking Shape at UConn

Carter isn’t the only Rocket making the trip east. Candle recently signed three-star cornerback Shmar Akande, who committed to UConn’s 2026 class after initially signing with Toledo.

At 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, Akande finished his high school career with 65 tackles, five interceptions, 40 pass breakups, and three forced fumbles across 34 games. Among those joining him is Makijah Latiker, a 6-foot-6 defensive lineman, who will also be in Storrs.

Quarterback Bo Polston, after accounting for more than 6,400 passing yards, 1,500 rushing yards, and 66 total touchdowns while leading his program to two state titles, has committed to the Huskies.

Logan Barnes and linebacker Tyrique Harris arrive with production. Tyrique is coming in after a senior season that saw 113 tackles and nine tackles for loss. Then there’s also tight end Jackson Mangham, a 6-foot-8 target who posted 32 catches for 412 yards and four touchdowns.

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Shivani Menon
SHIVANI MENON

Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.

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