Huskies Report

UConn Nabs Pair of Transfers from Oregon State

The UConn Huskies land two highly regarded defensive transfers, adding pedigree and upside to an evolving roster.
Shivani Menon|
Dec 2, 2023; Detroit, MI, USA; Toledo Rockets head coach Jason Candle puts on his head set before the MAC Championship game against the Miami RedHawks at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Dec 2, 2023; Detroit, MI, USA; Toledo Rockets head coach Jason Candle puts on his head set before the MAC Championship game against the Miami RedHawks at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

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Connecticut Huskies

With Jim Mora out and Jason Candle stepping in, the UConn Huskies haven’t waited around to rebuild. Instead, they have attacked the transfer portal. The Huskies and Candle have managed to bring in players from names including Texas, Oklahoma State, Central Michigan, Penn and NC State.

The Huskies have players like defensive lineman Melvin Hills, Desmond Aladuge, Cam Abshire, receiver Ky Wilson, running back Cyncir Bowers, runner Trey Cornist, linebacker Rickey Williams, John Lista, Dominic Rivera and more coming in.

And now, the Huskies are adding two more players, this time from Oregon State.

Zakaih Saez | LB

Zakaih Saez arrives in Storrs with a pedigree and upside. He is a former three-star player from St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida and entered college football as a sought-after edge defender. He had offers from Florida State, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Louisville, and Mississippi State before choosing Oregon State.

After a redshirt year, Saez showed exactly why he was recruited the way he was. In 2024, Saez had 24 tackles, a sack, and an interception returned for a touchdown across nine games. Even as his numbers dipped in 2025 with 13 tackles, one sack, and two pass defenses in seven games, the pieces are still there. With two years of eligibility remaining, he will now be playing for the Huskies.

Tahjae Mullix | DL

Tahjae Mullix is a senior defensive lineman who had a winding path from Western Illinois to Western Carolina before stepping up to the FBS level at Oregon State. In limited action during the 2025 season, Mullix recorded six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a sack, including a 16-yard takedown at Texas Tech.

Mullix also had 49 tackles over two seasons at Western Carolina, with steady week-to-week production. His junior saw him make 27 tackles while chipping in two TFLs and a sack. As a sophomore in 2023, he logged 22 tackles, notched a half-sack against Charleston Southern, and capped the year with four tackles at Eastern Kentucky.

Before that, he played for Western Illinois, where he played eight games as a true freshman and had 10 tackles with three tackles for loss and half a sack. Now entering his final year of eligibility, Mullix is the experienced piece UConn needs.

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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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