Football coach signs contract extension through 2021

March 23, 2017 | Athletics, News
By Paul Helgren



The University of Toledo and Head Football Coach Jason Candle have agreed to a contract extension through the 2021 season.

Candle led the Rockets to a 9-4 record and an appearance in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl in his first full season as Toledo’s head coach in 2016. He took over the head coaching position at the end of the 2015 regular season, leading UT to a 32-17 victory over No. 24 Temple in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl. Before assuming the head coaching position, Candle had been an assistant at Toledo for seven years, the last four as the program’s offensive coordinator.

Candle

“We are very pleased to announce the extension of Jason Candle’s contract through the 2021 season,” Vice President and Athletic Director Mike O’Brien said. “Jason has played a very important part of the success of our football program over the last eight years, first as an assistant coach and now as head coach. He is a tremendous leader and teacher of young men, and has a great desire to elevate our football program to even greater heights. We look forward to his leadership for many years to come.”  

“I’m very appreciative of the support and confidence that President Gaber and Mike O’Brien have in me and my staff,” Candle said. “Our program is built on a strong foundation of success, and we are focused on bringing a Mid-American Conference Championship to this great University.”

Candle, a native of Salem, Ohio, began his coaching career at his alma mater, Mount Union, in 2003. He was a part of four NCAA Division III national championships with the Purple Raiders, two as a player and two as an assistant coach.

He joined Toledo in 2009 as a receivers coach and moved into the offensive coordinator position in 2012. Under Candle’s guidance as offensive coordinator, the Rocket offense was prolific. In 2014, UT led the MAC in just about every major offensive category, including scoring (36.6), total offense (490.5) and rushing offense (256.4), en route to a 9-4 record and a victory over Arkansas State in the GoDaddy Bowl. In 2015, the Rockets were 10-2 and ranked third in the MAC in scoring (35.0) and total offense (460.9).

Candle was named one of the top recruiters in the nation by Rivals in 2010. He was named the Mid-American Conference “Recruiter of the Year” by Scout.com in 2011 and 2012. In 2014, Candle was one of only two MAC assistant coaches to be named by Rivals as being among the top recruiters in the Group of Five football conferences.

Since taking over as head coach, Candle’s recruiting success has continued. Despite having just weeks to put together a staff at the conclusion of the 2015 season, Toledo’s 2016 class was ranked No. 2 in the MAC by ESPN. This past February, the 2017 Rocket recruiting class was rated No. 1 in the MAC by every major recruiting service.

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