It took the UConn Huskies only 10 days to find their next leader. Toledo’s steady hand, Jason Candle, is on the verge of heading to Storrs after compiling an impressive 81–44 record and winning MAC titles in 2017 and 2022. His arrival comes at a pivotal moment: Jim Mora’s move to Colorado State, after consecutive nine-win seasons and three bowls in four years, left the Huskies scrambling in the middle of transfer-portal turbulence.

Now, UConn’s zeroing in, hammering out a six-year deal that could double Candle’s salary, with a Toledo team meeting set for Saturday morning as talks heat up fast. But before we jump into the financial side of this deal, let’s get to know the 46-year-old a little better.

Who is Jason Candle?

Jason Candle’s football story starts in Salem, Ohio. He played at Geneva College and then Mount Union, where he helped win back-to-back D-III national titles in 2000 and 2001. As a wide receiver, he pulled in 57 catches for 1,037 yards. After graduating in 2003, he stayed at Mount Union to coach the wideouts. By 2007–08, he took over as offensive coordinator.

Jason Candle’s coaching career

Jason Candle’s coaching saga starts right after snagging his Mount Union degree in 2003. He got bumped to OC, leading the team to a 29–1 run, three more titles, and produced nine All-Americans, including Gagliardi Award winner Greg Micheli. By 2009, Candle chased bigger lights at Toledo, joining Tim Beckman’s staff as slot receivers/tight ends coach, linking back up with Matt Campbell. He quickly rose in ranks, becoming the wide receivers coach in 2010. He molded All-American Eric Page (82 catches, nation’s top freshman). Campbell grabbed the head job in 2011, kept Candle as OC, and then promoted him as the associate head coach by 2014.

Campbell’s departure for Iowa State in December 2015 handed Candle the keys at just 36 years old. He opened his head-coaching career with a 32–17 Boca Raton Bowl win over Temple. From there, it was full steam ahead: a 9–4 season in 2016 (with a narrow Camellia Bowl loss), followed by an impressive 2017 run that brought a MAC West title, an 11–3 finish, a 45–28 championship win over Akron, and a spot in the Dollar General Bowl. There were even some bad times, like the 2019 season when Toledo posted a 6-6 record. However, Candle didn’t budge.

In 2022, Toledo reclaimed MAC glory with a 9–5 record. Then won 17–7 over Ohio in the title game, and a Boca Raton Bowl victory over Liberty. The momentum carried into 2023, when Candle delivered a perfect 8–0 conference slate. He even earned MAC Coach of the Year, and finished 11–3 despite a championship game upset and an Arizona Bowl loss. That season tied him with Frank Lauterbur for multiple 11-win campaigns. Now the story for last year was an 8–5 record capped by a 41–17 road beatdown of Mississippi State and a wild six-overtime bowl win over Pitt (48–46).

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Now sitting at 79–44 overall (51–25 in the MAC), Candle even passed Gary Pinkel’s program win record after a 2025 victory over Western Kentucky.

What is Jason Candle’s net worth?

Jason Candle earns $1.15 million in 2025, keeping him the MAC’s highest-paid coach. His 2023 extension runs through 2026 after Toledo’s 2022 title and sets his base salary at $1.1 million. It was slightly less than the $1.2 million he made after the 2017 championship. The contract included win bonuses: $75K for six wins, $135K for seven, $265K for eight, and $325K for nine or more, a mark he has routinely hit outside the COVID year.

Candle’s steady winning with 65% overall, with no losing seasons, has made him a strong value. That’s why his 2025 pay is a small bump from the $1.125 million he earned in 2024. If he leaves for another job in 2024 or 2025, he owes Toledo an $850,000 buyout that decreases over time.

His exact net worth isn’t public, but he has earned more than $1 million annually since at least 2018.

Jason Candle’s ethnicity, nationality, family, wife, and children

Jason Candle was born in Salem, Ohio, and there’s nothing in his background that points to any specific ethnicity beyond being American. His background ties him directly to Ohio and doesn’t mention any more diverse heritage. Even his personal life is private, and he has been married to Nicole Hackbarth since 2014. They have three kids together. A daughter named Avery, and two sons named Cameron and Colton.