Colorado State is expected to make UConn coach Jim Mora the school’s next head coach.

[Rich]

After reading stores central I feel much better. It was not a money decision and we are a much better shape than most people think regarding football investment

I am trying to put myself in Mora's shoes-

1) First and foremost by all accounts his coaching roots and best recruiting connections are all West of the Rockies. There's more football talent in that neck of the woods point blank period.
2) His extended family mostly live and work West of the Rockies and he's in his mid-60s not getting any younger. Time to go home.
3) His primary residence is in Idaho;
4) Colorado State is one of the best resourced G5 programs out there. I think Jay Norvell was making around 2.5MM per;
5) CSU will be part of what is shaping up to be a pretty interesting conference, like the old school WAC back in the BYU days. And with playoff expansion coming he probably has a better shot to get to the tournament than he ever would at UCONN;
6) The fan base does not have to be wheedled and coaxed to show up at every home game.
7) Colorado State simply has more money allocated towards football than UCONN for various reasons too numerous to lay out here. And he likely won't have to kick and scream to get additional resources in the future. That has been like pulling teeth at UCONN.

I am curious to see who Benedict hires. He has an infinite number of paths to explore and I think we can attract some pretty good candidates with the right amount of legwork and financial commitment. Sammis could be that guy. I think if he were to get the job - if he wants the job - the transfer portal exodus would be minimal.

 

[RSTuthill]

This would seem to be a lateral at best, perhaps a step down. Which may mean that there is going to be less money, not more for football next year.

 

[Rich]

Mora left one year too late...

Mora left one year too late...View attachment 113861

Is he bringing Jourdan?

 

[superjohn]

Out of curiosity, what's your over/under on when the second of the two best programs (Villanova) makes their next final four appearance?

UConn men's basketball and UConn women's basketball the two top college basketball programs of the past 25+ years.

 

[buddy]

football and bball fans are united in the desire to join a P4 but if you think AAC/PAC is better for the athletic program than BE/Indy we can argue until the sun goes down and then it's handbags at dawn.

The basketball only crowd is very happy right where they are. Ignorance is bliss. Even one of your congressional representatives feels the same way. I never said AAC or PAC. P4 or nothing.

 

[Rich]

This would seem to be a lateral at best, perhaps a step down. Which may mean that there is going to be less money, not more for football next year.

I don't think he's looking at it that way. It's a job closer to home and his family and Mora was financially set for life long before he even set foot on UCONN's campus. The guy is squarely in that stage of his career where he can pick and choose based on criteria other than his paycheck. He enjoys challenges and took us really as far as he could given the lack of conference affiliation.

I think it's a great fit for him.

 

[CL82]

That mindset is exactly what keeps UConn out of the P4. Big East = Death.

Oh, it's just a mindset, keeping us out? That doesn't seem so bad. I always thought it was the lack of an invitation.

 

[buddy]

UConn men's basketball and UConn women's basketball the two top college basketball programs of the past 25+ years.

Yet still the overall athletic department is in the third tier.

 

[buddy]

Oh, it's just a mindset, keeping us out? That doesn't seem so bad. I always thought it was the lack of an invitation.

LOL! Unfortunately perception matters when you are trying to sell something. Perception is that UConn doesn't care about football. That was starting to change.

 

[CL82]

Yet still the overall athletic department is in the third tier.

How do you figure that? Baseball, men's and women's hockey are all very good as well.

 

[Kolumbo]

How about we at least act like a football school and talk only about football in a thread about losing our Head Football Coach. This sucks.

 

[CL82]

LOL! Unfortunately perception matters when you are trying to sell something. Perception is that UConn doesn't care about football. That was starting to change.

I mean, I guess perception matters. But if perception was all that mattered, Boston College would have long ago been kicked to the curb since the perception is they are a national punch line at this point given their lack of success in revenue sports.

I suspect thatmoney matters more though. If we had a broadcast partner who was willing to pony up enough money, so that our addition made a P4 conference more money, we'd be in.

 

[huskymedic]

This would seem to be a lateral at best, perhaps a step down. Which may mean that there is going to be less money, not more for football next year.

Folks over @StorrsCentral relating the opposite - the investment in NIL will be higher next year and it wasn’t a secret in the building. This was a lifestyle move.

 

[bendm]

The basketball only crowd is very happy right where they are. Ignorance is bliss. Even one of your congressional representatives feels the same way. I never said AAC or PAC. P4 or nothing.

touche. the UConn President and DB need to have a sitdown with Murphy and explain the situation. unclear how he can be so ignorant.

 

[Exit 4]

Colorado State football summary.....looking back I forgot about that little two year Addazio era.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/colorado-state/index.html

 

[RitzLuce1]

 

[Exit 4]

What a crazy 18hrs. But college football is always this crazy I suppose.

 

[superjohn]

Yet still the overall athletic department is in the third tier.

How is that measured? UConn has won 25 national championships since 1981. They have the two best basketball programs, the football team received some top 25 votes, the men's hockey team is ranked #12 in the country, the women's hockey team is ranked #8 in the country, the baseball team just ended their run of 6 straight tournament appearances, the softball team was in the tournament, both soccer programs are good again.

You're talking out of your rear end.

 

[Halloween]

No chance but fun to dream.

 

[FightOnCT]

JM was the best we could get, at the time.
honestly, he's still the best we could get, now.

i'm very sorry for my pessimism, but i struggle to see a positive 2026 and beyond on the horizon.
I hope i'm dead wrong.

Words of motivation: that’s being said in hindsight. I’m pretty sure you didn’t expect to be in this position after RE and there’s more reason now to believe in a good hire.

 

[superjohn]

I'm not really seeing the UConn program taking hits online. If we're worried about perception of the program pretty much everything I've seen is asking why? And calling this a dumb/lateral move at best for Mora.

 

[Rdkid]

According to reports of increased NIL/rev share allocated, I’m interested in the HC/GM relationship for a new regime as much as anything. Moneyball all day for a program like UConn. Be a program that provides opportunity. Embrace it, don’t waste resources on retread coaches and fat cat mediocre coordinators. That is so 2015. The indie schedule and enough NIL makes the program a great stepping stone for hungry coaches and players. I don’t think anyone would say it has been a coaching masterclass in the Mora era, but he leaned into players coming and going. He was stabilizing and just what was needed - a grownup. For continuity, I wish he stayed thru any realignment.
Moving on! It’s all good.

 

[maple]

The basketball only crowd is very happy right where they are.

Maybe if you're a MBB only fan. I would venture to say nearly every WBB fan (especially including myself) would prefer we be in a P4.

Big East really only benefits MBB (in terms of the big three sports here).

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Big East really only benefits MBB (in terms of the big three sports here).

Not anymore. 5th ranked conference out of the big 5. And a big margin between BE and B12. Only nostalgic dummies prefer the BE.

 

[FightOnCT]

Who is they? Who would rather see this?

You know very well who they are, my guy. The people who want UConn to stay put conference-wise.