ALLIANCE — It was an interesting weekend for a trio of former Mount Union players and coaches.

The day after Matt Campbell was named the new Penn State head coach, Toledo head coach Jason Candle and defensive coordinator Vince Kehres were announced at their new schools Saturday.

Candle, a 1998 graduate of West Branch High School, is replacing Jim Mora as head coach at Connecticut. Candle and UConn agreed to a six-year deal through the 2031 season. He will be officially announced at a press conference today.

Candle concluded his 10th season as Toledo’s head coach, guiding the Rockets to an 8-4 record in 2025.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jason Candle as the next head coach of UConn Football,” UConn athletic director David Benedict said. “Jason’s track record speaks for itself–he is the winningest coach in Toledo history with 81 victories, two MAC Championships, and a program that has consistently competed at the highest level. He has built a culture of excellence both on and off the field, developing young men who succeed at the next level. Jason’s ability to recruit elite talent, develop players, and win championships makes him the ideal leader for our football program.

Candle already has started his new job and will not coach Toledo in the Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 23.

Kehres will be defensive coordinator at Syracuse after six years in the same position at Toledo. There were reports Kehres interviewed for the Nebraska defensive coordinator opening.

A Broyles Award nominee, which honors the nation’s top assistant coach, Keheres’ defense has held its opponents to 14 or fewer points in eight of their 12 games this season.

“Vince has a championship pedigree and has consistently led some of the top defenses in college football,” Syracuse head coach Fran Brown said. “In talking with him for the last month and a half, I’ve learned our vision about football and the development of young men align. We see the game very similarly and are both extremely competitive.”

Kehres, a 1994 graduate of Alliance High School, was a player or coach in 12 in Mount Union’s 13 NCAA Division III national championships.