University of Toledo Men's Football

Candle has played a major part of the success of Toledo Football since 2009. Last December, he assumed the lead role with the program, accepting the head coaching position after seven years as an assistant.     Candle was  named head football coach on Dec. 2, 2015, giving him exactly 20 days to put together a coaching staff and prepare his team for the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl.     Twenty days later, Candle and his team celebrated in the rain of south Florida, 32-17 victors over No. 24 Temple. The triumph capped a 10-2 season for the Rockets and gave Candle a head coaching debut to remember.     Candle, 36, was serving as associate head coach/offensive coordinator when UT Athletic Director Mike OBrien chose him to replace Matt Campbell, who resigned his post after four seasons as the Rockets leader to become the head coach at Iowa State University. Candle became the 27th head football coach in the 95-year history of Toledo football.     We are very pleased that Jason Candle has agreed to become the head football coach at the University of Toledo, OBrien said at the time. Jason has done a terrific job in his seven years with the Rockets, first as our receivers coach, then as our offensive coordinator. During that time, our offenses have been among the best in the Mid-American Conference, and in some cases, the entire country.     I have also been very impressed with Jason as an individual and as a leader of young men. After careful consideration, I came to the conclusion that he  is the best person to lead this program going forward. Our football program is in capable hands. We are very excited for the future of Rocket Football under Jasons guidance.         Im very excited to have the opportunity to be the head football coach at the University of Toledo, Candle said. A lot of great coaches have walked through these doors. A lot of players and coaches have built the outstanding tradition of success at Toledo, so Im very honored and humbled to lead this program. First Months on the Job        Candles first two months on the job were a whirlwind of activity. First, he had to prepare his team for a battle with a very strong Temple team in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl. Despite being short-staffed, the Rockets were ready for the Owls, holding them to just three points and 67 yards of offense in the first half. Toledo dominated the fourth quarter, too, outscoring Temple , 20-8, in the final 15 minutes.     Next up on Candles agenda was completing his coaching staff and signing the next generation of Rockets. Candle added seven 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 newcomers­along with current assistant Derek Sagehelped Candle put the finishing touches on a recruiting class that was ranked second  in the Mid-American Conference by ESPN.com. Guiding the Rocket Offense       Under Candles guidance as offensive coordinator, the Toledo offense was prolific, and 2015 was no exception. The Rockets were 10-2 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).     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.     In 2013, the Rockets averaged 33.0 points and 447.3 yards of total offense per game. Toledos 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 his debut as offensive coordinator in 2012, Candle helped guide the third-ranked offense in the MAC, as UT averaged 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. Making his Mark as Receivers Coach     As the receivers coach from 2009-11, Candle mentored one of the most decorated receivers in Rocket history, Eric Page. Page caught 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.     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 games MVP. Page caught a school-record 125 passes for the season and earned first-team All-MAC honors.     In 2010, the Rockets went 8-5 and made 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 2009, Candle coached the slot receivers and tight ends. He helped guide Page to an outstanding freshman season. Page led the nation in receptions (82) and yardage (1,159) by a freshman and was named first-team Freshman All-America by Phil Steele Magazine and the College Football News.     Candle has earned some national accolades of his own. In 2010, he was named one of the top recruiters in the nation by Rivals.com. He was one of only nine coaches in the country from non-automatic BCS qualifying 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. Toledos 2011 recruiting class was ranked No. 1 in the MAC by both Scout.com and Rivals.com. Coaching Origins at Mount Union     Candle joined the Rockets staff in 2009 after spending both his playing and coaching career under head coach Larry Kehres at Mount Union. In Candles 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, OH, began his coaching career at Mount Union in 2003 as the receivers coach. In the 2004 and 2005 seasons, he worked with 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 programs recruiting coordinator.         In Candles 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 Candles 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 Washington Redskins. The other was Cecil Shorts, a fourth-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011.     Candle and his wife Nicole were married in June of 2014. Jason Candle Information Age: 36 (born Nov. 12, 1979) Hometown: Salem, OH High School: West Branch Alma Mater: Mount Union '03 Family: Wife - Nicole College Coaching Experience: 2015-present: Toledo - Head Coach 2014-15: Toledo - Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks 2012-13: Toledo - Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers 2010-11: Toledo - Receivers 2009: Toledo - Slot Receivers/Tight Ends 2007-08: Mount Union - Offensive Coordinator 2003-06: Mount Union - Receivers College Playing Experience: 2000-01    Mount Union 1998-99    Geneva (PA) College Bowl Games Participated in as a Coach 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl 2011 Military Bowl 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl 2015 GoDaddy Bowl (2014 season) 2015 Marmot Boca Raton Bowl NCAA Division III National Champions Participated in as a Coach 2006 Mount Union 2008 Mount Union NFL Players Coached by Jason Candle David Fluellen (Toledo 2010-13): Tennessee. Pierre Garcon (Mount Union 2004-07): Indianapolis, Washington. Danny Noble (Toledo, 2008-11): Tampa Bay, Jacksonville. Eric Page (Toledo 2009-11): Tampa Bay. Bernard Reedy (Toledo 2010-13): Atlanta, Tampa Bay. Cecil Shorts (Mount Union, 2006-10): Jacksonville. Stephen Williams (Toledo, 2006-09): Arizona, Seattle, Jacksonville, Miami. College Football Playing Career Wide Receiver, Mount Union 2000, 2001 First-Team All-OAC 2001 NCAA Division III National Champions Participated in as a Player 2000 Mount Union 2001 Mount Union     Jason Candle  Jason Candle Information Age: 36 (born Nov. 12, 1979) Hometown: Salem, OH High School: West Branch Alma Mater: Mount Union '03 Family: Wife - Nicole College Coaching Experience: 2015-present: Toledo - Head Coach 2014-15: Toledo - Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks 2012-13: Toledo - Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers 2010-11: Toledo - Receivers 2009: Toledo - Slot Receivers/Tight Ends 2007-08: Mount Union - Offensive Coordinator 2003-06: Mount Union - Receivers College Playing Experience: 2000-01    Mount Union 1998-99    Geneva (PA) College Bowl Games Participated in as a Coach 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl 2011 Military Bowl 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl 2015 GoDaddy Bowl (2014 season) 2015 Marmot Boca Raton Bowl NCAA Division III National Champions Participated in as a Coach 2006 Mount Union 2008 Mount Union NFL Players Coached by Jason Candle David Fluellen (Toledo 2010-13): Tennessee. Pierre Garcon (Mount Union 2004-07): Indianapolis, Washington. Danny Noble (Toledo, 2008-11): Tampa Bay, Jacksonville. Eric Page (Toledo 2009-11): Tampa Bay. Bernard Reedy (Toledo 2010-13): Atlanta, Tampa Bay. Cecil Shorts (Mount Union, 2006-10): Jacksonville. Stephen Williams (Toledo, 2006-09): Arizona, Seattle, Jacksonville, Miami. College Football Playing Career Wide Receiver, Mount Union 2000, 2001 First-Team All-OAC 2001 NCAA Division III National Champions Participated in as a Player 2000 Mount Union 2001 Mount Union

Sage is in his third season as the Rockets wide receivers coach. In his two seasons at Toledo, Sage has mentored an outstanding receiving corps that has helped make UTs offense one of the most explosive in the Mid-American Conference. In 2014, Sage coached a pair of All-MAC receivers, sophomore Corey Jones (second team) and junior Alonzo Russell (third team). Jones caught 68 passes and ranked sixth in the MAC in receptions per game. The Rockets were No. 1 in the MAC in scoring and total offense, powering UT to a 9-4 record and a victory in the GoDaddy Bowl. Last season, Russell earned second-team all-league honors, while Jones caught 55 passes and sophomore Cody Thompson finished third in the country in yards per reception (22.3). The Rockets averaged 35.0 points per game on their way to a 10-2 season that included victories over then-No. 18 Arkansas and then-No. 24 Temple in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl. Sage came to Toledo following a four-year stint as the receivers coach at Wyoming. In 2013, Sage mentored Cowboy wide receiver Robert Herron, who finished his career as the schools No. 4 all-time leader in touchdown catches with 20. He also tied the Wyoming and Mountain West Conference record for TD catches in a game with four vs. Hawaii. Herron played in the 2014 Reeses Senior Bowl and earned honorable mention All-MWC honors. Under Sages guidance, the Cowboys ranked second in the MWC in passing offense in 2012, averaging 265.4 yards per game. Sage mentored wide receiver Chris McNeill to second-team All-MWC honors in both 2011 and 2012. McNeill ranked No. 2 in the MWC in receptions (5.73 per game) and No. 3 in receiving yards (65.6 yards per game) in 2012. In 2010, Sage coached former Cowboy wide receiver David Leonard, who concluded his career ranked No. 8 in career receptions at UW with 153. Leonard ranked No. 4 in the Mountain West in receptions in 2010, averaging 3.9 catches per game. Prior to his stint at Wyoming, Sage was the wide receivers coach at New Hampshire from 2005-09. UNH earned bids to the FCS playoffs in each of Sages five seasons with the program, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 and making it to the first round in 2007. While at New Hampshire, Sage coached some of the greatest receivers in school history, including All-American David Ball. Ball set New Hampshire receiving records for career receptions (304) and career receiving yards (4,655). He also became the NCAA career leader in TD receptions with 58, breaking Jerry Rices previous record of 51 at Mississippi Valley State. Sage also coached 2007 first-team CAA selection Keith LeVan, who ranks second on UNHs career reception list, with 201, and led the CAA in touchdown receptions in 2007. In 2008, Sage mentored first-team CAA selection Mike Boyle, who led the league in touchdown receptions. Sage arrived at UNH from the University of Nevada, where he helped coach the defensive backfield as a graduate assistant in 2003 and the wide receivers as a graduate assistant in 2004. Nevada receiver Nicheron Flowers ranked sixth in the nation in receiving with 91 catches for 1,136 yards and six touchdowns in 2004. A native of Sparks, NV, Sage played tight end for Sacramento City College for two years (1998-99), helping win conference and bowl championships at the junior college level. He completed his college career at Cal State Northridge, where he won two letters at tight end in 2000 and 2001. Sage earned his bachelors degree in kinesiology from Northridge in 2002. While completing his undergraduate degree, he also helped coach at Moorpark Community College (CA), working with the offensive line and tight ends. Moorpark won a conference title and a bowl championship that season. Sage and his wife Mandy have two children, daughter Piper (5), and a son, Casen (3).   Coaching Experience:  2014-15 Toledo - Wide Receivers 2010-13 Wyoming - Wide Receivers 2005-09 New Hampshire - Wide Receivers 2003-04 Nevada - Graduate Assistant