University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Wrap Week Two of Camp with Open Practice at The Rent
8/15/2026 7:54:00 PM | Football
STORRS, CT – The Huskies wrapped up their second week of fall camp with an afternoon open practice at their off-campus home, Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field on Saturday.
The practice was open to the public who had a chance to get a first glimpse of what the Huskies are building toward as they are three weeks out of the 2026 season opener against Lafayette on September 5 in East Hartford.
Morning at the Rent! pic.twitter.com/a5DQiJPISf
— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) August 15, 2026
The Huskies put the pads on for the first time this week and head coach Jason Candle assessed where the team is at after two weeks of practice. "I think today a lot of different scenarios in practice, a lot of contact, a lot of real football," said Candle "We're a long way from the finished product. Some things, really extremely pleased and others disappointed in the way things went. That's preseason camp. We've got to go back and watch the tape and make sure that we do a good job telling ourselves the truth on that part of it and really start to buy into that process because some days it's not going to go your way on game day and ultimately you've got to fix it. So that's where we're at right now."
Two areas the Huskies have brought in plenty of talent is at the running back and linebacker positions. Linebackers K'Von Sherman and John Lista are expected to be leaders on the defensive unit and met with the media after practice.
Sherman followed Coach Candle from Toledo where last season he was a first-team All-MAC selection after leading the team with 94 tackles and 14.5 TFLs. He had 4.5 sacks and six QB hurries as well. He recently was named a HERO Sports Group of Six Preseason All-American.
"I think he brings an emotional piece to the game" stated Candle about Sherman. "He's obviously a really good player, you know, statistically and accolades in the postseason last year would reflect that. I just think that his best football is ahead of him. He's just trying to just now scratch the surface on what it could be, so I'm excited for what it's going to look like for him."
Sherman spoke on the how he's seen the Huskies have developed from last spring into camp. "Oh yeah, we came along far, building relationships by going out with each other. Coming back for extra work, yeah, I think we took a lot of big steps in that aspect."
On the practices ramping up with physicality, Sherman said "I feel like the defense responded great to that, you know, we had a bunch of young guys in the linebacker room make plays, that's always good to see. We're a young team, and those are going to be the guys that we depend on, you know, because we can't just depend on our starters to be good."
Lista joins the UConn linebacking corps after transferring in from Penn last spring, and is adjusting well to his new surroundings. "The biggest adjustment I would say probably learning the new scheme. My old defense was more of like a bend, don't break defense, and, and this one is like a new aggressive, like super downhill for a linebacker especially."
Lista spent the last four seasons at Penn. In 2025 he played nine games and finished with 78 tackles (47 solo tackles), adding six tackles for loss and two sacks. He had five hurries, five pass breakups and one fumble recovered. Over his Penn career he played in 26 games, totaling 183 tackles, 14.5 for loss, with seven sacks.
He talked about bringing his Ivy League experience up a level, "I think we had at least 6 or 7 guys from Penn go to the next level playing on FBS level, P4 level. So I think, we're trying to improve our reputation and show that guys like us can play and not only are we physically capable, but that mental side of it too. I also like learning a ton, moving up from that level to this level. The coaches here and their resources and everything, they've done a huge job and they've done a great job of showing more of the game and it's been awesome"
On the offensive side of the ball, the Huskies have a wealth of new playmakers as well and a pair of running back who can be game breakers in Kenji Christian and Cyncir Bowers.
Christian comes from Toledo where last season he finished with 546 rushing yards and four touchdowns while bringing down 17 passes for 193 yards and one receiving score. This preseason he was named to the East-West Bowl 1000 Watch List and to The Athletic's 2026 College Football Freaks List.
He talked about his decision to come to UConn, "It was really about loyalty with me. They stuck with me. They gave me a chance to come play for them at Toledo when I left North Carolina A&T, and I just felt like I developed more when I was with Coach Cole and Coach Candle. So that's just what I made my choice to come with them and play to finish out my senior year."
"I mean, Coach Candle just really cares about you. Like he's just got a next play mentality, even if you mess up on a play, he's back coaching you hard, like just to coach you just so you can get it right the next play, get it right the next time."
Bowers took a different path to Storrs, by way of West Virginia. Last fall for the Mountaineers, he played in 10 games, rushing for 249 yards and two touchdowns and caught 8 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. He described himself as a runner and what UConn fans can expect to see, "I would say explosive, like a home run hitter type. Really just a one cut go, and I might give a little move sometimes, but you know I use one cut go."
Bowers talked about the offenses development during camp, "I feel like of course it's early, so you know a lot of mistakes we've had, but I feel like we're not making the same mistakes twice. So I feel like that's good and you know, we're moving fast. Coach Candle moves fast, so I feel like right now we're good."
The Huskies will be back on the practice field come Monday as they continue to meld all of the brand new pieces together heading toward the season opener. One thing is for sure, the team is already buying in to the Jason Candle era of UConn football.
"I think it's because Jason Candle, I'd run through a brick wall for that guy," said Lista. "My main objective when I was recruiting to come to another school was I wanted a good head coach and I wanted a good staff, and this staff has delivered at an unprecedented level. The resources, what they've taught us, and also the culture they laid down, it's been great since day one. You got guys from all different types of places, so they've done a great job of cultivating the right culture and bringing in the right guys. They've brought a different energy and like I said, we step on this field and guys want to make plays. Guys want to play fast, so you can definitely expect that this year."
