The other good thing about focusing on the transfer portal is that if you can identify guys with demonstrable FBS-level ability (as opposed to trying to project from HS performance), you might have a better chance of getting them interested in coming to UConn if they only have to spend 1 or 2 years in Storrs.
Jim Mora Expected to be Named HC
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Waquoit
Mr. Positive
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Why ask why?
Banta55
Hoops since 86"
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He reached out to Benedict..
Benedict said he wasn't on his short list but someone gave him his name and said he would be the right guy, he wouldn't yet say who. Mora said he reached out, but not exactly how he did that.
Mora said once he saw the opening he was excited, has been to the facilities before, wanted college, and with his family gone, wants to get back in the game. He said UConn is a national brand, with good baseball, field hockey, basketball.
Why now? They picked him, no reason to wait and now he's got the chance to hit the ground running. Now recruits know who the guy is, there is a certainty that will help. He can start to get to know the guys on the team already, figure out who should and shouldn't be recruited hard to keep them out of the portal. He can assess talent needs both on the team and within the coaching staff.
Yes, fired after going 46-30. Still “successful“ enough for me at this point. (I also root for the Giants, lol).
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... and this is crucial to getting OUR next year well situated for a leap forward to the first steps to a winning Program. Get Mora around the Team and working; knowing talent; recruiting existing players (remember we have an ungodly number of Fr & Soph) and the diminishing list of verbals.
Methinks ... in this era of Transfer Portal ... the roles of Ryan Steinberg and Mike Zyskowski are pretty important. WE need the eyes on talent and the reaching out in the next 3-9 weeks to be super intense.
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Mora just might have some internal insights via his ex-UCLA DC and even his ex-Bruins' OC
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THE UCLA Bruin fanbase has unrealistic expectations - always - and you would have to look very carefully at the record/schedule. When you win every year's National Championship in Hoop for a decade, you have a core donor base that believes you should be NATIONALLY relevant. And ... the Pac 10/12 is a demanding year. I think Mora had one year with Brett Hundley as QB (with Spanos as DC and Mazzone as OC) that he was like 10-3. His losses were to Oregon who was #2; Stanford at #9; and Arizona State at #19.
It is a tough spot in Westwood.
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Mora reached out to UConn. And the now is because his UCLA deal pays him through this season with an offset, so if he had taken another coaching job, he would have been coaching for free. Instead he took a job at ESPN to wait out the deal, and now that it's over, he apparently thinks UConn is appealing enough to get back in.
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It’s not a coincidence.
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He averaged 7-4 at UCLA. I am fairly certain that is better than his predecessor or anyone who followed him. College football is not a video game. Spouting a coach’s record is fairly meaningless without knowing what school he was at and whether the program has been better or worse, and how much with other coaches.
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Now that you mention it. That is crazy he was able to talk to him for a month and spend 4 days in Idaho interviewing him without so much as a peep at it happening in this day and age.
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Exactly. Doesn't matter why he came to UConn or how it got done. What matters is he's hired, sounds like he actually wants to be here and has a history of being a good coach with good offenses. I'm pumped to have Mora at the helm.
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I love this tweet
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To be fair, AD DB reportedly quarantined all 4 days in Mora's home near Sun Valley.
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Mora checks almost all the boxes. If you had told me a month ago that he was in play I would’ve told you you’re crazy. Like this hire a lot. Head coach. Offensive minded. Can probably attract/retain Spanos and Mazzone. Knows the west coast juco scene. Willing to use the portal but not for mercenaries Straight shooter. Seems like he and and Dave are aligned on the vision. Willing to reach into the various constituent communities. Best of all. No flipping fish cakes
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Similarly, 4 bowl games during 6 seasons in Westwood was not rubbish.