Tennessee transfer QB Jake Merklinger commits to UConn

Former Tennessee quarterback Jake Merklinger has committed to UConn, via the NCAA Transfer Portal, On3 has learned. He spent two seasons with the Volunteers.

Merklinger made four appearances for Tennessee this past season. In his limited action, he completed 13-of-his-24 pass attempts for 173 yards and two touchdowns, without throwing an interception.

Merklinger only played in two games as a true freshman in 2024. He completed 6-of-his-9 pass attempts for 48 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown or an interception and ultimately redshirted.

Merklinger played high school football at Calvary Day (GA), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 201 overall player and No. 12 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

UConn is entering a new era after head coach Jim Mora left the program to take over at Colorado State. In December, UConn officially named Jason Candle its next head coach.

Candle was Toledo’s head coach from 2016-25. During his tenure, Candle led Toledo to an 81-44 overall record, a 53-25 mark in conference play and two conference titles. He is excited to bring a winning tradition to UConn.

“I am honored to be named the head football coach at the University of Connecticut,” Candle wrote in a statement. “UConn is a prestigious institution and I’m grateful to David Benedict and the leadership team for entrusting me with this opportunity. Nicole, Avery, Cameron, Colton, and I are excited to join the Husky family and become part of the Storrs community.

“UConn has all the ingredients for success—outstanding facilities, passionate fans, and a commitment to excellence. I look forward to building on the incredible momentum here and developing a program that builds young men of character and makes our fans and alumni proud. I can’t wait to get to work with our student-athletes and staff. Let’s go Huskies!”

With Huskies QB1 Joe Fagnano out of eligibility, the starting spot behind center is open at UConn. Backup QB Tucker McDonald is returning to UConn next season and will compete with Merklinger for the starting spot.

Toledo transfer Kalieb Osborne will also be in the hunt for the QB1 title. Osborne started in Toledo’s loss to Louisville in the Boca Raton Bowl.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.