Head Coach Jason Candle

At the heart of the of success of the Toledo Football program over the past 12 years has been one man ­— Head Coach Jason Candle.

Candle has played a major role in the consistent excellence of the Rockets in recent years, first as an assistant coach from 2009-15, and then as head coach for the past five seasons. He assumed the head coaching role in December of 2015 following a highly successful seven-year stint as a position coach and offensive coordinator. He has since embarked on a quest that has taken an already outstanding program to even greater heights.

In five seasons as Toledo’s head coach, Candle’s record is 38-21 with four bowl appearances. In addition, a record six Rockets have been selected in the NFL Draft since 2017, and Toledo has had the No. 1 recruiting class in the MAC in each of the past five years.

In 2017, the Rockets achieved an 11-3 record and won the Mid-American Conference Championship with a 45-28 victory over Akron in the MAC title game. Candle was named MAC Coach of the Year, leading the Rockets to their first outright MAC West Division crown since 1998 and first league championship since 2004.

Prior to assuming the helm of the Midnight Blue and Gold, Candle had been serving as the program’s associate head coach/offensive coordinator. In that time, Toledo went 56-31, won three MAC West Division co-championships and appeared in four bowl games.

Candle moved into the corner office on Dec. 2, 2015, when Athletic Director Mike O’Brien chose him to become the 27th head football coach in the storied history of Toledo football.

Following his introductory news conference, Candle had less than three weeks to put together a coaching staff and prepare his team for the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl. Twenty days later, Candle and the Rockets celebrated a 32-17 victory over No. 24 Temple in the rain of south Florida. The triumph capped a 10-2 season for the Rockets and gave Candle a head coaching debut to remember.

In his first full season as Toledo’s leader in 2016, Candle led the Rockets to a 9-4 season and a berth in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. Candle’s second season was even better as the Rockets followed up with the 2017 MAC Championship title.

A Smashing Debut as Head Coach in 2015
Candle’s debut as head coach was a memorable one. Despite having only a partial coaching staff and less than three weeks to prepare for No. 24 Temple, the Rockets pulled off a 32-17 victory in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl. Toledo held the Owls to just three points and 67 yards of offense in the first half and dominated the fourth quarter, too, outscoring Temple, 20-8, in the final 15 minutes.

Next on Candle’s agenda was completing his coaching staff and signing the next generation of Rockets. Candle added eight assistants to the staff, as well as a strength and conditioning coach, a director of high school relations and a director of football operations. The newcomers­ helped Candle put the finishing touches on a recruiting class that was ranked second in the MAC by ESPN.com.

Gaining National Attention  in 2016
In Candle’s first full season as head coach, Toledo won nine games and earned a berth into the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl, its sixth bowl berth in the previous seven years. The Rockets also gained national attention with a record-setting offense and three players selected in the NFL Draft following the conclusion of the season.

The 2016 Rockets featured one of the top offenses in the country, ranking in the top 10 in five offensive categories, including passing efficiency (second), third-down conversions (fifth), total offense (seventh) and passing offense (10th). Toledo set the school record with an average of 517.8 yards per game.

The Rockets’ 2016 roster housed a record nine players who were on the official watch lists for national awards. Twelve Rockets made All-MAC, including a league-high seven first-team selections. Junior quarterback Logan Woodside led the nation with 45 touchdown passes and was named a contender for the Heisman Trophy by the Heisman Trophy Trust. Senior tight end Michael Roberts led the nation’s tight ends with 16 TD catches and was named first-team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America. Senior running back Kareem Hunt finished his career as UT’s all-time leading rusher with 4,945 yards. Roberts and Hunt were chosen to play in the 2017 Senior Bowl, while offensive lineman Storm Norton and defensive tackle Treyvon Hester joined Roberts as selections for the East-West Shrine Game.

Following the 2016 season, a record eight Rocket seniors were either selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, signed as free agents or invited to mini-camps. Three Rockets — Kareem Hunt, Michael Roberts and Treyvon Hester — were drafted, the most since the NFL went to its current seven-round format in 1994. Hunt was a third-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. Roberts (tight end) was taken in the fourth round by Detroit, while Hester (defensive tackle) was chosen by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round. Hunt went on to lead the NFL in rushing as a rookie.

2017: Building Champions!
Candle took the Rockets to even greater heights in his second season as head coach. Toledo went 11-3 and won its first MAC Championship in 13 years. UT earned a trip to the MAC Championship Game by winning the MAC West Division with a 7-1 mark.

Toledo’s offense dominated once again, leading the MAC in total offense (483.9) and finishing second in scoring (36.4). Candle was honored as the MAC Coach of the Year.

Six Rockets earned a total of seven first-team All-MAC honors, including senior quarterback Logan Woodside, who also was honored with the Vern Smith Award (league MVP) and was named the MAC’s Offensive Player of the Year. He was also named a contender for the Heisman Trophy by the Heisman Trophy Trust for the second consecutive season. Along the way, Woodside set the school record for career passing yards and touchdown passes.

Toledo also earned an invitation to the Dollar General Bowl, its seventh bowl appearance in the previous eight years.

After the season, Woodside was chosen to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and the State Farm All-Star Football Challenge. He was drafted in the seventh round by the Cincinnati Bengals, becoming the fourth Rocket in two years to be selected in the draft. Five other Rockets signed free-agent contracts immediately following the draft, the most in school history.

Another Bowl Berth in 2018
In 2018, Candle led the Rockets to their eighth bowl berth in nine years, four with Candle as the head coach, when Toledo was invited to play FIU in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl.

Toledo won four of its last five games to finish the regular season with seven wins, making the Rockets one of only nine FBS schools to have had a winning record in each of the previous nine seasons.

Toledo relied on its high-powered offense, cracking the 50-point barrier a school-record six times. The Rockets ranked first in the MAC in scoring offense (40.4) and second in total offense (443.8). UT featured a balanced attack, with three running backs gaining over 500 yards rushing and three receivers surpassing 500 yards receiving. Junior Diontae Johnson, who earned first-team All-MAC at wide receiver and punt returner, and second-team at kickoff returner, was named the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Senior wide receiver Cody Thompson also was a first-team All-MAC pick for the second time.

Following the season, a pair of Rockets were chosen in the 2019 NFL Draft. Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh-third round) and cornerback Ka’dar Hollman (Green Bay - sixth round) became the fifth and sixth Toledo players to be selected over the previous three drafts. Four other Rockets signed free-agent contracts immediately following the draft, bringing the total number of Toledo players who were drafted or signed as free agents to 15 over the previous three years.

In 2019, the Rockets earned bowl eligibility for the 10th consecutive season. Highlights included a pair of thrilling non-conference victories over Colorado State and BYU.

Toledo had four players make All-MAC in 2019. Juniors Bryant Koback and Bryce Mitchell made second team, while redshirt freshman Nick Rosi and sophomore Jamal Hines earned third-team honors. Koback’s 1,187 yards rushing was the 13th-highest season total by a Rocket. As a team, the Rockets finished second in the MAC in rushing (224.5) and fourth in total offense (434.1).

Big Changes Pay Off in 2020
Prior to the start of the COVID-abbreviated 2020 season, Candle added four new coaches to his staff.

Craig Kuligowski (co-defensive coordinator/outside linebackers) and Vince Kehres (defensive coordinator/linebackers) were added to the defensive side of the ball, while Robert Weiner (co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) and Mark Staten (tight ends/offensive tackles) joined the offensive staff.

The Rockets finished the 2020 season with a 4-2 mark, the program’s 11th consecutive season without a losing record. Their only losses were by three points each to Western Michigan and eventual MAC champion Ball State.

A positive trend for the Rockets in 2020 was their improved defense. Toledo ranked first in the MAC in total defense (362.2) and opponent third-down conversions (27.4%), and second in rushing defense (129.2). On offense, the Rockets ranked third in the MAC in total offense (494.0) and first in passing offense (325.8).

Six Rockets earned All-MAC selections in 2020. Senior center Bryce Harris earned first-team honors. Senior safety Tycen Anderson, sophomore safety Nate Bauer, junior outside linebacker Jamal Hines and junior defensive tackle Desjuan Johnson took second team honors, while junior wide receiver Isaiah Winstead made the third team.

Candle Made his Mark as Receivers Coach
Candle began his career at Toledo in 2009, coaching the slot receivers and tight ends. Among the players in his meeting room was one of the most decorated receivers in Rocket history, freshman Eric Page. Page would go on to catch 306 passes in his career, the most ever by a Division I-BCS receiver in three seasons. A three-time All-MAC player, Page broke virtually every UT receiving record and tied the MAC record for career receptions. Candle helped guide Page to an outstanding freshman season. Page led all freshmen in the nation in receptions (82) and yardage (1,159) and was named first-team Freshman All-America by Phil Steele Magazine and the College Football News.

In 2010, Candle became the receivers coach, helping the Rockets go 8-5 and gain their first bowl appearance in five seasons. Page caught 99 passes and was a first-team All-MAC honoree at wide receiver, earning All-America honors as a kickoff returner as well.

In 2011, the Rockets went 9-4 and won their first bowl game in six years, a 42-41 victory over Air Force in the Military Bowl. Sophomore wide receiver Bernard Reedy caught three touchdown passes and was named the game’s MVP. Page caught a school-record 125 passes for the season and earned first-team All-MAC honors.

Guiding the Rocket Offense as Coordinator
Candle became the offensive coordinator in 2012, ushering in a record-breaking era for the Rocket offense. In his debut season as the OC, Candle helped Toledo rank No. 3 on offense in the MAC with an average of 445.2 yards per game. The Rockets had five offensive players make the All-MAC team, propelling them to a 9-4 mark and a trip to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

In 2013, the Rockets averaged 33.0 points and 447.3 yards of total offense per game. Toledo’s running game was especially effective, ranking second in the Mid-American Conference with 240.6 yards per contest. In addition, seven players on the offensive side of the ball earned All-MAC honors, including two-time first-team running back David Fluellen.

In 2014, UT led the MAC in just about every major offensive category, including scoring offense (36.6), total offense (490.5) and rushing offense (256.4). The 2014 season culminated with a nine-touchdown outburst in a 63-44 victory over Arkansas State in the GoDaddy Bowl for the 9-4 Rockets.

Six Rockets earned All-MAC recognition on offense in 2014, with senior center Greg Mancz snagging second-team All-America honors and the Vern Smith Leadership Award, given annually to the top player in the MAC. Sophomore running back Kareem Hunt ranked 10th in the nation in rushing (1,631 yards) and second in yards per carry (7.96). Candle also skillfully guided the Rocket quarterbacks through a challenging season in which the top three signal-callers were all injured at the same time late in the season.

Candle’s final season as the offensive coordinator in 2015 may have been his best. The Rockets were 10-2 that year, and ranked third in the Mid-American Conference in scoring offense (35.0) and total offense (460.9 yards per game). Four Rockets earned All-MAC honors on offense, including first-team honoree Storm Norton (OL). Junior running back Kareem Hunt came back from injuries to lead the MAC in rushing with 108.1 yards per game. Toledo led the MAC in rushing, averaging nearly 208 yards per contest, and ranked No. 2 in the nation in fewest sacks allowed (five). UT went on to beat No. 24 Temple in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl.

Guiding Players to the Next Level
Going back to his days at Mount Union, Candle has had a tremendous track record of mentoring players who have gone on to play in the NFL. A total of 25 players who Candle coaches as either and assistant or head coach made it to the professional ranks.

At Mount Union, Candle coached a pair of receivers Pierre Garcon and Cecil Shorts, who had outstanding NFL careers. Garcon played 11 seasons in the NFL with Indianapolis, Washington and San Francisco. He caught 628 passes, including an NFL-best 113 for the Redskins in 2013. Shorts had 229 receptions in six NFL seasons.

Candle has coached 23 Rockets who have made it to the NFL, including six who were selected in the NFL Draft between 2017-19. Kareem Hunt (Kansas City-third round), Michael Roberts (Detroit-fourth round) and Treyvon Hester (Oakland-seventh round) were all selected in the 2017 draft. Logan Woodside (Cincinnati-seventh round) was taken in 2018, while Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh-third round) and Ka’dar Hollman (Green Bay-sixth round) were selected in the 2019 draft. Hunt led the NFL in rushing with 1,327 yards as a rookie in 2017. Johnson caught 59 passes as a rookie for the Steelers in 2019 and was named All-Pro second-team as a punt returner. In 2020, Johnson caught 88 passes with seven TD receptions, while Hunt rushed for 841 yards for the Cleveland Browns.

Emphasis on Academic Excellence
Academic excellence will always be a top priority for Candle and his staff. In the spring of 2021, the Rockets earned a 3.046 grade point average, the fourth time that the Toledo football team has surpassed the 3.0 GPA mark since Candle became the head coach. The all-time mark came in the spring of 2020, when the Rockets earned a team-record 3.270 grade point average during the first semester of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rockets also have led the Mid-American Conference in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR) in six of the past seven years in which the data was released to the public, with marks of 983, 981, 975, 981 and 977 in each of the past five years.

Strong APRs are a good indicator that a program is graduating its student-athletes. A total of 78 Rockets have earned degrees in the past four years, and at least 17 active players will enter the 2021 season with their bachelor’s degree already in hand.

Recruiting the Best in the MAC
Candle and the Rockets have been consistently excellent in adding talent to the program as each of Toledo’s last five recruiting classes have been ranked No. 1 in the Mid- American Conference by 247 Sports.

Recruiting excellence is nothing new for Candle, who has a long history of recruiting success. As an assistant coach, Candle was regularly mentioned among the nation’s top recruiters, including being nationally recognized by Rivals in 2010. He was one of only nine coaches in the country from Group of Five conferences to be named to the list and the only coach from the MAC. Candle also was named the Mid-American Conference “Recruiter of the Year” by Scout.com in both 2011 and 2012. Toledo’s 2011 recruiting class was ranked No. 1 in the MAC by both Scout and Rivals. In 2014, Candle was named one of only two MAC assistants to be named among the top recruiters in the Group of Five conferences by Rivals.  
 

Candle’s first recruiting class as Toledo’s head coach in 2016 was rated No. 2 in the MAC by ESPN.com despite the fact that he assumed the head coaching job just two months before Signing Day. Even more impressive is the fact that all but two of Candle’s assistant coaches were new to the program during the critical final two months of the recruiting season.

Coaching Origins at Mount Union/Family
Candle joined the Rockets’ staff in 2009 after spending both his playing and coaching career under head coach Larry Kehres at Mount Union. In Candle’s six years as an assistant at Mount Union, the Purple Raiders went 83-4 and won NCAA Division III national championships in 2005, 2006 and 2008. The 2003 and 2007 teams lost in the national championship game.

A 2003 Mount Union graduate, Candle was an All-Ohio Athletic Conference first-team selection in 2001 as he led the team in receptions (41), yards receiving (778) and touchdowns (9). He was a key member of the 2000 and 2001 national championship teams and finished his career with 57 grabs for 1,037 yards and 11 scores.

Candle, a native of Salem, Ohio, began his coaching career at Mount Union in 2003 as the receivers coach. In the 2004 and 2005 seasons, he worked with Matt Campbell, who was the Purple Raiders’ offensive coordinator at the time. Candle took over the post of offensive coordinator in 2007, and also assumed the duties as the program’s recruiting coordinator.

In Candle’s two seasons as offensive coordinator, the Purple Raiders went 29-1, winning the national championship in 2008 and finishing as runners-up in 2007. Mount Union offensive players earned nine All-American honors in Candle’s two seasons running the offense. QB Greg Micheli was honored in 2008 with the Gagliardi Trophy, given annually to the best NCAA Division III player in the nation. Candle also helped guide two Purple Raider receivers to All-American status during his time as the receivers coach from 2003-08. One of those All-American receivers, Pierre Garcon, is a starting wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. The other was Cecil Shorts, a fourth-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011.

Candle and his wife Nicole have a daughter, Avery (3) and two sons, Cameron (2), and Colton, born in February of 2021.