UConn TE Joins Transfer Portal After Big Season
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The UConn Huskies’ unexpected nine-win run in 2025 has already met its first major roster change.
Tight end Juice Vereen, a redshirt sophomore who emerged as a key offensive piece, announced his decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal on Dec. 22. The move follows a season that marked both personal progress and program-wide momentum under head coach Jim Mora.
Vereen’s departure comes shortly after UConn closed the year with a bowl victory, underscoring how quickly success and turnover can intersect in the modern college football landscape.
Breakout Season Ends With a Sudden Shift
Vereen’s rise during the 2025 campaign was one of the quieter success stories in UConn’s offense. After transferring from NC State, where he spent two seasons developing, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end found an immediate role in Storrs.
In his lone season with the Huskies, Vereen recorded 22 receptions for 310 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 14.1 yards per catch. Those numbers placed him among UConn’s most reliable red-zone options and highlighted his ability to create mismatches against smaller defenders.
UConn tight end Juice Vereen is entering the transfer portal, his rep @iKingGreen tells @PeteNakos.
— UConn Huskies | UConnReport.com (@UConnOn3) December 23, 2025
He hauled in 22 catches for 310 yards and 5 TDs in 2025 and previously played at NC State.
👉 https://t.co/OxtuiNQYUn pic.twitter.com/GakEyWe0Kx
His momentum, however, stalled late in the regular season. Vereen missed the final two games because of an undisclosed injury, cutting short what had been his most productive stretch of college football.
While the absence did not erase his impact, it limited his opportunity to further build on his breakout year. With two seasons of eligibility remaining, Vereen now enters the portal carrying proven production rather than projection, a distinction that matters in today’s transfer market.
The timing of his decision is notable. Players coming off career-best seasons often look to extend that success where they are, but Vereen chose a different path.
As a redshirt sophomore with college tape and defined statistics, he becomes an attractive option for programs seeking immediate tight end help rather than long-term development.
Program Change and the Portal Reality at UConn
Vereen’s exit also reflects broader changes surrounding the UConn program. The Huskies finished 9-3 in 2025, only their second winning season since 2010, and capped the year with a bowl win over North Carolina at Fenway Park.
The season validated the aggressive rebuild led by Jim Mora, who relied heavily on transfer additions and targeted recruiting to accelerate progress.
That stability shifted quickly after the season ended. Mora departed for Colorado State, and UConn turned to Jason Candle, previously the head coach at Toledo, to guide the next phase.
While Candle brings a track record as a program builder, the coaching transition introduces uncertainty for players weighing their futures. For Vereen, the change may have influenced his evaluation of fit, development resources, and long-term opportunity.
His decision also underscores how the portal functions as a two-way street. UConn benefited from transfer additions like Vereen, but success increases the likelihood that developed players draw outside interest.
In that sense, his departure serves as evidence of progress as much as loss. The Huskies now face the challenge of replacing his production or redistributing targets while maintaining the offensive balance that fueled their nine-win season.
For Vereen, the move represents a calculated step. With documented output and remaining eligibility, he enters the portal positioned to compete for a larger role or greater exposure.
For UConn, it marks the next test of roster management in an era where retaining talent can be as demanding as acquiring it.
Aman Sharma is a sports writer who covers college, professional football, and basketball with an eye for detail and storytelling. With over two years of experience writing for outlets like The Sporting News, Pro Football & Sports Network, Sportskeeda, and College Football Network, he’s covered from the NFL and NBA to the NCAA and breakout athletes with a fan’s instinct and depth. Off the field, Aman is a gym and badminton enthusiast.