TOLEDO - University of Toledo head coach Tim Beckman announced the appointment of Jason Candle and Patrick Graham to the Rockets' football staff.

Candle, who will coach the Rocket inside slot receivers and running backs, comes from Mount Union College, where he has been part of three NCAA Division III national championship teams in his six seasons as an assistant coach. He also played on two national championship teams for the Purple Raiders as a player.

Graham, who will coach the defensive line for the Rockets, was a graduate assistant at Notre Dame for the past two seasons, working with all aspects of the Fighting Irish defense.

Candle and Graham are the latest additions to a staff that includes Mike Ward (assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator); Matt Campbell (co-offensive coordinator - running game); Alex Golesh (tight ends/recruiting coordinator); and Paul Nichols (co-defensive coordinator).

"Jason Candle and Patrick Graham are excellent additions to our staff," said Beckman. "Just like the four coaches we hired previously, Jason and Patrick are quality individuals who have been important parts of winning programs."

Beckman added that additional coaching hires will be announced soon.

Jason Candle - Inside Slot Receivers / Running Backs

Jason Candle joins the Rockets' staff after spending both his playing and coaching career with head coach Larry Kehres at Mount Union College. In Candle's 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.

"Jason Candle has been involved in five national championship teams as a player and as a coach. He knows what it takes to win," said Beckman. "We want to surround ourselves with winners, and Jason is a winner."

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 began his coaching career at Mount Union in 2003 as the receivers coach. In the 2004 and 2005 seasons, he worked with current Rocket assistant Matt 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 program's recruiting coordinator.

In Candle's two seasons as offensive coordinator, the Purple Raiders went 29-1, winning the national championship in 2008 and finishing runners-up in 2007. Mount Union players on the offensive side of the ball earned nine All-American honors in Candle's two seasons running the offense. Quarterback Greg Micheli was honored this past season with the Gagliardi Trophy, given annually to the best player in the nation at the NCAA Division III level. Candle also helped guide two Purple Raider receivers to All-American status during his time as the receivers coach from 2003-06. One of those All-American receivers, Pierre Garcon, was a fifth-round NFL draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts.

Jason Candle's Coaching History
2009: Toledo - Slot Receivers/Running Backs
2007-08: Mount Union - Offensive Coordinator
2003-06: Mount Union - Receivers

Patrick Graham - Defensive Line

Patrick Graham joins the Rockets' staff as the defensive line coach following a two-year stint as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame. Graham brings with him seven seasons' worth of coaching experience at the collegiate level, as well as a degree from Yale University.

"Patrick is an excellent young coach who had a great experience at Notre Dame the past two seasons," said Beckman. "He has a great academic background, and is very eager to make a big contribution to our program. Patrick was highly recommended to me by Jon Tenuta (assistant head coach at Notre Dame), so that says a lot to me."

Graham worked with the Irish defensive coaching staff the past two seasons, assisting with all aspects of the defense. He recently finished his tenure at Notre Dame with a 49-21 victory over Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve.

A native of Waterbury, CT, Graham came to Notre Dame after spending three seasons coaching at the University of Richmond. In his last two years at Richmond, Graham was in charge of the tight ends and also directed the kickoff return unit on special teams. He was responsible for offensive film breakdown and game planning, specifically short-yardage and goal-line situations. Prior to being named tight ends coach, Graham was the Spiders' assistant defensive line coach in 2004 and worked primarily with the defensive ends. He also assisted with the video editing system and was responsible for defensive film breakdown.

Prior to his stint at Richmond, Graham served the 2002 and 2003 seasons as a graduate assistant at Wagner College in New York while he pursued an MBA with a concentration in finance. Graham instructed the tight ends and assisted with the offensive line one season and worked with the defensive tackles and assisted on special teams the other season. While working with the defensive tackles, he helped one student-athlete become a Sports Network All-American. Graham coached the junior varsity football team to an undefeated season and served as strength and conditioning coach and academic coordinator at Wagner.

As a player at Yale, Graham played on the defensive line, seeing playing time as a junior and senior. He earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Yale in 2001 and had a concentration of studies in economics and African-American Studies.

Patrick Graham's Coaching History
2009: Toledo - Defensive Line
2007-08: Notre Dame - Graduate Assistant
2005-06: Richmond - Tight Ends
2004: Richmond - Defensive Line
2002-03: Wagner - Graduate Assistant