Huskies Report

UConn Remains After Toledo Linebacker Cuts List to Three

Coaching change and portal movement set the stage as the UConn Huskies stay in the hunt for an experienced linebacker.
Shivani Menon|
Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Toledo Rockets head coach Jason Candle walks the side line against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Toledo Rockets head coach Jason Candle walks the side line against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

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Connecticut Huskies

Before a historic nine-win season had settled, former UConn Huskies head coach Jim Mora left for Colorado State. Despite a 9–3 season that included wins over Duke and Boston College and zero regulation losses, the transfer portal was flooded with movement.

However, UConn moved quickly, handing the keys to Jason Candle. Now, that transition has pulled the Huskies into the final three for a proven defensive piece who knows Candle’s system well.

Former Toledo linebacker K’Von Sherman has narrowed his recruitment to UConn, UCF, and San Diego State, according to his agent. With roster turnover accelerating and linebacker Oumar Diomande entering the portal, if the Huskies manage to land Sherman, it would be a big win.

Sherman is 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds. He put together a breakout 2025 season for the Toledo Rockets, making 80 tackles with 52 of them solo, adding 4.5 sacks, and consistently disrupting opposing backfields. He played all 13 games and became one of Toledo’s most reliable defenders.

With one year of eligibility remaining, he is a plug-and-play option rather than a long-term project. Additionally, the connection to Candle carries mettle. Candle spent a decade building Toledo into a consistent winner, compiling an 81–44 record with two MAC titles. In Storrs, that Rockets' pedigree might be key to keeping the program alive.

Jason Candle Re-Building UConn Football One Player at A Time

Sherman’s recruitment fits a larger pattern that is already taking shape under Candle. Recently, multiple players have decided to follow Candle to Storrs. Wide receiver Jediyah Willoughby followed Candle from Toledo with two years of eligibility left.

Along the line, Isiah Switzer and Raphael Greene-Nyarko add size and flexibility at a time when UConn is replacing multiple departing starters up front. Switzer brings a developmental ceiling with four years to play, while Greene-Nyarko arrives as a physically imposing interior presence.

Defense has seen similar moves. Defensive tackle Esean Carter, another former Rocket, joins UConn after his most disruptive collegiate season yet, earning All-MAC recognition. His arrival matters even more after losses like Vincent Carroll-Jackson.

The pipeline extends beyond transfers. The Huskies have also secured commitments from players such as cornerback Shmar Akande, defensive lineman Makijah Latiker, quarterback Bo Polston, linebacker Tyrique Harris, and tight end Jackson Mangham.

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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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