UConn’s about to hit the road for Oxford, Ohio, this Saturday to play Miami (Ohio), but for first-year Huskies coach Jason Candle, this is anything but a fresh start. He’s seen this program four times in the last three years already, all while he was the head coach at Toledo, giving him an intimate knowledge of what’s coming.
Candle’s Deja Vu: A Familiar Foe on the Horizon
This Saturday might be the first-ever meeting between the UConn Huskies and the Miami RedHawks as programs, but come on, nobody can say it’s unfamiliar territory for Candle. The guy went up against them four times in three years when he was at Toledo. He nabbed three wins, yeah, but Miami also snatched that 2023 Mid-American Conference championship game, so you know there’s some history there. It’s not just Candle feeling that vibe either; 21 players followed him from Toledo to Storrs. Wide receiver Ryder Treadway, who played against Miami just last season, totally gets it. He told us, “They play really hard. They’re a great team, and it should be interesting.” You know that locker room has a real sense of what’s coming.
Momentum vs. Grit: UConn’s Offense Meets Miami’s Challenge
The Huskies are rolling right now at 2-1, riding high after a massive 48-20 blowout win over Southern Mississippi last week. The offense was buzzing, racking up 436 yards. Quarterback Kalieb Osborne, the Michigan native, was just dropping dimes, completing 16-of-22 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Oh, and he also ran for two more scores, making it his second four-touchdown performance this season. What a stud! The defense wasn’t sleeping either, forcing their first two takeaways of the year with safety Braedyn Moore and defensive lineman Anas Luqman each grabbing an interception. Luqman even took his to the house for a touchdown. But Coach Candle knows this Saturday is a whole different beast. Miami (Ohio), even at 1-2, just took a gut-wrenching 35-31 loss to Cincinnati, a game where they led by a huge 21 points at halftime before it slipped away. Quarterback David McComb is a legit threat, tossing for at least 225 yards in all three games this season, including 334 yards against Cincy with a passing and rushing touchdown. Candle himself said McComb has “good playmakers around him” and is “very accurate with the ball,” making “good decisions” thanks to their staff. So, yeah, this isn’t Southern Miss.
So when UConn heads to Oxford on Saturday, they’re not just playing a team; they’re stepping into a chess match their coach knows all too well. It’s a chance to build on that momentum, but they’ll need to be locked in from the jump. This Miami (Ohio) team, especially with McComb at the helm, is tough and will be hungry to bounce back after that Cincy heartbreaker. Get ready for a serious battle, folks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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