Huskies Report

UConn Targeting Division II Corner in Transfer Portal

As departures pile up, the UConn Huskies look to the transfer portal for a cornerback who fits a rapidly changing defense.
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

With the Huskies hiring Jason Candle, the program finally found some stability. However, by the time Jim Mora left, the hire had occurred, multiple players had decommitted, and many had decided to enter the transfer portal.

Now, the program is stabilizing, and the Candle has decided to extend an offer to a player in the transfer portal. Not so long ago, Shepherd University’s cornerback Damier Minkah took to X and wrote, “Blessed to receive an offer from UConn!” 

Minkah is a 6-foot-1, 183-pound, he started all 11 games plus two appearances during the 2024 season and served as a team captain before redshirting. He also appeared in two games during the 2023 season.

Before committing to Shepherd, Minkah attended Battlefield High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete. During his time in high school, Minkah recorded seven interceptions and did not allow a single touchdown, earning All-State, All-Region, and All-District honors along the way.

Minkah has an undeniable upside, and of course, UConn is not the only program to see that. Minkah has also received offers from Utah State University, Troy University, Mercer University, East Texas A&M, San José State University, South Alabama, James Madison University, and Miami of Ohio. He will also be visiting Buffalo on January 2 and Arkansas State on January 6. 

Each program offers a different path, but UConn’s pitch is rooted in opportunity. With several cornerbacks already in the portal,  including Chris Hudson, Cam Chadwick, Kolubah Pewee Jr., and Osiris Gilbert, early playing time is no longer just theoretical. And just as that process unfolds, UConn’s attention briefly shifts from the future to the present.

Before Another Storm of Change Strikes, Huskies Head to Fenway Bowl

Before the next portal decision drops, the Huskies are headed back to one of college football’s most unique stages. UConn goes to Boston to face the Army West Point Black Knights in the 2025 Wasabi Fenway Bowl. It marks the Huskies’ ninth bowl appearance and third game played at Fenway Park.

UConn earned its first bowl win since 2010 at Fenway last season with a 27–14 victory over North Carolina, and this trip offers a chance to push the program into rare territory. The Huskies are 9–3 and chasing a 10th win,  something they’ve achieved only once before, back in 1998. 

To make things more special, the Huskies have not lost a game in regulation since November 23, 2024, joining top-ranked Indiana as the only teams in the country with that distinction entering bowl season. It’s a marker of consistency, one that contrasts with the roster churn happening behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, Army brings its own identity to Fenway. The Black Knights run the ball at one of the highest rates in the nation, control the clock better than anyone, and arrive as the least penalized team in college football.

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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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