RE2.0 was an unmitigated disaster. It also had nothing to do with the state of the program, anymore than any other lousy coach would have done. At the time, the AD was in deep financial straits. Randy was by far the best "name" available at the available budget. AD talked up the discount we were getting. Those who wanted an unknown at the time had a fair point, especially in hindsight but, they ignored then and the revisionists ignore now, the fact that RE was rehired to lend credibility to a program that went from BCS/P6 to AAC bottom feeder.
Like PP, RE no longer had the stomach for the college game after being away from it, especially after it didn't come together immediately. It is very difficult to hold the same level of commitment and ambition the second time around once you've done a thing once. The greats can do it, that's why they are great, RE was obviously never great.
And guess what, Mora is just a better version of the RE2.0 strategy. The best name at the lowest price. year one exceeded all expectations. This year, the schedule demands improvement, which I think we will see because Jim Mora is a professional and understands that going 6-7 against marginal D1 opponents isn't something to be celebrated, going 8-5 against a similar slate may not either. The proof will be in year 3 or 4 when the expectation will be to win bigger games and the novelty of reviving a moribund program back to a top 60 program wears off and the AD has to hire a new coach that will be judged on wins alone without the stanning of having a legit NFL coach running the program.
All of the above is why FB centric AD's look down on UConn FB and by extension the entire AD, BB championships and all because FB brings in the money and that's what they are really after. If playing UConn would set off a bidding war for prime time broadcasts, two weeks worth of press mentions and promos across every media platform, or if we just added enough value to revenue pie to cover ourselves plus an extra million or two for the existing members, we'd have been invited a long time ago.
What did Miami, BC, VT, Cuse, UL, and Pitt all have that UConn didn't? They all had a period of time where they were at the center of the CFB consciousness. UL's came after joining the ACC but within 4 years they had a Heisman winner. Anyone here think PP, BD, or RE2.0 was recruiting a Heisman winner in the ACC? If we are being completely honest, even RE1.0's success was partly smoke and mirrors taking nothing away from the games won but every AD knew it.