Sophomore linebacker for UConn. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 230 lb · Lake Worth, FL · Saint Thomas Aquinas HS
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Lafayette
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Sophomore linebacker for UConn. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Zakaih Saez
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Zakaih Saez has played for two head coaches across three seasons and two programs. One game to point at: 2 tackles against Southern Miss — Week 3, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Jim Mora, Gordon Sammis, and Jason Candle. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to UConn
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UConn | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Oregon State | 13 | 6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Oregon State | 24 | 11 | 2.5 | 1.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| Career | 42 | 20 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-7vs Lafayette | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 14-38vs Maryland | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 48-20@ Southern Miss | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–7
vs Lafayette
2 tackles · 1 hurries · 1 solo tackles
Dominant 49-point win at home against Lafayette.
With K. Osborne — 265 yds · 2 TD · 1 INT · 90 rush yds (8 car) · 2 TD · T. Warner — 43 yards per punt · 2 punts · 1 inside the 20
Since week 2: +2 tackles.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road1g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jason Candle
Pass share
40.3%
79 pass / 117 run
Plays / game
65.3
3 games
Team sack rate
8.3%
96 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Player standing · 2024
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Production · CFB Index Score
Three-star recruit. Now #374 at the position.
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 1,142 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the FBS Independents as a sophomore.
Player DNA
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Cory Stover’s 2023 season.
Matches Cory on
Differs from Cory on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Rylan Barnes's freshman season at Iowa State (2024).
Matches Rylan on
Differs from Rylan on
Player DNA
10 more on the roster · UConn team page