Jim Mora Expected to be Named HC

[RSTuthill]

what's with the curmudgeon attitude and behavior.

First, DON'T give me: "I am a taxpayer and it is my money." That is a long frigging debate. And I will be detailed with all the costs and choices/options this University has made to be at this level of football."

Second. DON'T throw out the FCS doesn't lose money line ... unless you know the dollars and cents. This is easy and there are 10 case studies you can review nationally of how different Universities are proceeding. And ALMOST all the upgrades are a happy experience. They are - in general - southern, coastal, Texas universities that had nowhere the cache of most of the schools WE would even think of sending our kids. So ... BRAND and PR is a large part of the push. Who ever heard of Coastal Carolina or App State. I think the University of New Hampshire could be one of the coolest schools in the country if they promoted themselves right ... and YES ... I think that's about FBS. And that cool collegetown Durham + near proximity to Dover & Portsmouth & Boston. But NOOOO. Stuck.

Third. Economics law. If you have 15 schools that upgrade in the last 15 years and 30 since 1992 ... that there is everything. University Presidents and alumni are running to FBS. This guy Tuthill has said a few times - go FCS. It is not feasible. The best capitalized local University with a solid fanbase + facilities are scratching their head on that topic (yup Delaware) ... because the Division is frankly eroding.

If JIM MORA earns a P5 job from this exalted UCONN gig ... we are gonna be happy. That means he rebuilt us from the dumpster. And YES ... I have a UCLA degree too. I know more about that place than 125 others.

Not sure I want to continue the debate with someone who so glibly and deliberately mis-characterizes the statements of others, but I will give it one more try. Let me attempt this again stated as simply as possible.

If, UConn is still having 1-11, 2-10, or 3-9 seasons five years from now, it will face huge pressure to step back to FCS. And deservedly so.

And second, I clearly said that the assertion that UConn would lose less money being in FBS than it would lose being in FCS, simply does not meet the eyeball test. (Compare that with your post above. There is a significant difference.) And I do not care what the ratios are, up to down. The numbers are very small and the up universities have their unique reasons. Literally every FCS university would change immediately if it was true.

I have and have had connections in the past to some universities. A close family member has been an associate dean and later VP of a graduate school. He tells me that it is impossible to do an apples to apples comparison of football program financials because there are no universal standards or regulations for doing the accounting in a manner that would facilitate making such a comparison. So we are left with the fact that there has been no wholesale migration of schools from FCS up to FBS.

Btw, I also have some very close family members with ties to UCLA -- not that it is germane to this discussion. Including one who just got a PhD from there, another who finished his from another well known institution while living at UCLA, and a longtime mathematics faculty member who was also the editor of the Journal of the AMS. I have no idea why this could could possibly be important. But since you apparently think it is germane, I just thought I would mention it.

 

[NHRich]

Can’t explain why exactly, but I have a good feeling about this hire.

 

[Ajs120102]

Great article. He intends to hit the transfer portal hard

 

[drayenob]

Great article. He intends to hit the transfer portal hard

FMIA: How can you get competitive?

Mora: “I think number one, attacking the transfer portal. I see it a little bit like free agency in the NFL. It’s a chance to get some really good players, really quickly. You can have a great recruiting class, but there are still young players that haven’t played in college football. They haven’t really spent time away from home or been on a college campus. But you can go get some transfers that have some experience, playing experience, experience on campus. They’re more mature. You can make some quick headway that way. And I think you coach the heck out of them. I think you really do a great job of creating the culture of accountability and toughness and discipline.”

FMIA: You never recruited the Northeast. You’re a West Coast guy, as you said. How will you be able to recruit an area foreign to you?

Mora: “Something’s that gonna really help me is that I have some name recognition. I think that’ll bring credibility. Thirty players that I recruited are playing in the NFL. I’ve coached, as an assistant or head coach, 28 members of Pro Football Hall of Fame. I don’t care where you recruit. If you can tell a kid, ‘30 guys I recruited play in the NFL, I’ve coached guys in the Hall of Fame,’ then they’re like, Whoa, really?’ I think that’ll help.”

 

[LBird33]

I thought our old coach thought portal guys have issues???? LoL

 

[RSTuthill]

Can’t explain why exactly, but I have a good feeling about this hire.

I am warming to it myself. Keeping an open mind. He seems to be hitting the right grace notes early on. It is the road we are on, hoping it gets us to the goal.

 

[RSTuthill]

I thought our old coach thought portal guys have issues???? LoL

My sense is that they tried like heck but were unsuccessful. Hopefully JM's name recognition and reputation will allow him to surmount the barriers to success in that style of recruiting.

 

[Ajs120102]

My sense is that they tried like heck but were unsuccessful. Hopefully JM's name recognition and reputation will allow him to surmount the barriers to success in that style of recruiting.

no way i buy that. kids at the fbs level want to play ball. we should be able to attract players who just want playing time. i truly believe randy just didnt want to give guys that he didnt recruit credit for success.

 

[UConnJim]

My sense is that they tried like heck but were unsuccessful. Hopefully JM's name recognition and reputation will allow him to surmount the barriers to success in that style of recruiting.

I think they did try to attract portal QBs but had no success. I don't think a good QB would want to come to UConn with an inexperienced OC, Guifre. I think if Mora picks a good and known OC, UConn will be able to recruit portal QBs.

 

[Pudge]

Not sure I want to continue the debate with someone who so glibly and deliberately mis-characterizes the statements of others, but I will give it one more try. Let me attempt this again stated as simply as possible.

If, UConn is still having 1-11, 2-10, or 3-9 seasons five years from now, it will face huge pressure to step back to FCS. And deservedly so.

And second, I clearly said that the assertion that UConn would lose less money being in FBS than it would lose being in FCS, simply does not meet the eyeball test. (Compare that with your post above. There is a significant difference.) And I do not care what the ratios are, up to down. The numbers are very small and the up universities have their unique reasons. Literally every FCS university would change immediately if it was true.

I have and have had connections in the past to some universities. A close family member has been an associate dean and later VP of a graduate school. He tells me that it is impossible to do an apples to apples comparison of football program financials because there are no universal standards or regulations for doing the accounting in a manner that would facilitate making such a comparison. So we are left with the fact that there has been no wholesale migration of schools from FCS up to FBS.

Btw, I also have some very close family members with ties to UCLA -- not that it is germane to this discussion. Including one who just got a PhD from there, another who finished his from another well known institution while living at UCLA, and a longtime mathematics faculty member who was also the editor of the Journal of the AMS. I have no idea why this could could possibly be important. But since you apparently think it is germane, I just thought I would mention it.

are you dense

There have been multiple posters typing name after name of Universities that have gone from FCS to FBS. I am well aware of the enormous budgetary commitment of one to the other. You can go read today about Sam Houston and Jacksonville State many financial commitments to chin up to CUSA. The BRANDing at these small piddly State U in Texas & Alabama seems to be an overwhelming wave; and they like football and have done well at lower levels.

btw ... my dad - a UCONN grad - was a college president. I think we have other astute BY members on related topics. We just took at $1.2m check from Clemson. That is 3 times the check the CUSA or MAC gets from their tv rights contract. We have a thriving women's BB program getting many millions per year. I do not believe we are gonna continue with 1 and 2 win seasons; and in David Benedict ... I trust.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I think they did try to attract portal QBs but had no success. I don't think a good QB would want to come to UConn with an inexperienced OC, Guifre. I think if Mora picks a good and known OC, UConn will be able to recruit portal QBs.

I also think it was pretty obvious that UConn's coaching situation was unstable.

If I was a QB who already went to one bad situation..I would be very apprehensive about my next landing place. I want to know that the offensive system I signed up to play in, will be there more than one year.

Now with Mora....UConn has a lot more to sell. Especially coaching stability.

 

[Waquoit]

Can’t explain why exactly, but I have a good feeling about this hire.

Let me try. We're getting a proven successful coach at this level. Not only does he have the chops, he clearly has the motivation to succeed in the challenge. Diaco had the motivation but no chops, PP and HCRE were just punching a clock. That Mora hasn't coached in four years is not an issue so why make it one? He didn't coach I assume, because he didn't want to work for free. I can't agree more with that. Yet he wasn't away from the game. He had to stay up on the sport for his TV work.

He's coming into a situation where everyone is rooting for him and will do what they can to help him succeed. He's seems willing to embrace the help, something Diaco (and Ollie) didn't do. We are entering the time of Good Feelings and I think it will lead to the time of Winning Football.

 

[JMick]

Great article. He intends to hit the transfer portal hard

"Normally, when I’ve taken a job, I’m kind of a baby. I don’t like to move. But I popped up this morning at 5 and I couldn’t wait to jump in the car, get to the airport and fly here.”

maybe he stays if he gets it going in the right direction...

 

[DoctorWho85]

If we make it to the playoffs under Mora and his dad is still alive, I really hope UConn reaches out to him to make a video about being in the "playoffs".

 

[DoctorWho85]

Bird in the hand. While Moorhead might have been interested, there is a way of saying he'd take it if offered after the season. Clearly he didn't do that. If Oregon makes the CFP, he'd have better offers with more win ready rosters. This was also a guy previously fired by UConn and passed over three times. Let's not pretend hiring Mora meant we could have hired Moorhead.

We got a good guy. Bill Belichick wouldn't be a sure thing right now.

Pretty sure Moorhead wasn't fired, but was demoted under P. He then was hired as HC for Fordham where he was very successful. He made PSU's offense one of the best in the countries and declined the opportunity to come here when Diaco was fired. He definitely wasn't "passed over three times". He didn't want to come because he definitely had better offers on the table.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Let me try. We're getting a proven successful coach at this level. Not only does he have the chops, he clearly has the motivation to succeed in the challenge. Diaco had the motivation but no chops, PP and HCRE were just punching a clock. That Mora hasn't coached in four years is not an issue so why make it one? He didn't coach I assume, because he didn't want to work for free. I can't agree more with that. Yet he wasn't away from the game. He had to stay up on the sport for his TV work.

He's coming into a situation where everyone is rooting for him and will do what they can to help him succeed. He's seems willing to embrace the help, something Diaco (and Ollie) didn't do. We are entering the time of Good Feelings and I think it will lead to the time of Winning Football.

And it's not like he was relaxing on a beach somewhere sipping mai thais and relaxing. He was an analyst for college football on TV. He was still watching a ton of games every week and doing his coaching thing for the audience not for players. He's had 4 years to watch teams like Alabama, Oklahoma, Georgia, Clemson, etc that have all changed the way they play to adapt to the times. I think he has a better understanding of the college game now than what he did at UCLA because of it.

 

[Watchdog]

I like him less and less. He was a terrible NFL quarterback that fell into a cushy job at ESPN and suddenly he thinks the school should consult him on who they hire? Wasn’t he all about Edsall the last time around? Perfect reason not to consult him.

I disagree.
DO is one of our best all-time players, was largely responsible for putting us on the map nationally, had a long career in the NFL (admittedly it was as a backup, but no one keeps any NFL job without having some skills the league values) and no one falls into a "cushy job" at ESPN without ability. There's hundreds of ex-players looking for work like that.
The biggest thing is you shouldn't burn bridges. Look at the Burton family as an example. DO has been a vocal supporter and, unless he's unable to separate his emotions from reality, could have offered advice that would be beneficial to DB.

 

[RSTuthill]

are you dense

Wow, for a guy with a UCLA degree you sure use name calling and ad hominem a lot rather than simply speaking to the issue. You realize of course you concede the exchange when you do that. And that is three times out of three for you.

There have been multiple posters typing name after name of Universities that have gone from FCS to FBS. I am well aware of the enormous budgetary commitment of one to the other. You can go read today about Sam Houston and Jacksonville State many financial commitments to chin up to CUSA. The BRANDing at these small piddly State U in Texas & Alabama seems to be an overwhelming wave; and they like football and have done well at lower levels.

So now we are off the FCS loses more money line of argument and on to the: it's all justified by the positive PR argument. Good. But let me submit this for consideration: if UConn is still in the same place five years from now, then what will have been accomplished in five years of JM, five years of RE, and three years of Disco? I'm guessing the opposite of good PR. At that juncture do you want to continue what you have been doing for thirteen years and expect a different result? Or do the people of CT want to let other programs in the AD speak to the universitiy's image? That is what this discussion is about.

btw ... my dad - a UCONN grad - was a college president.

Relevance your Honor? My sister in law's Dad was a rather famous college president. But that fact (and yours) have very little to do with the price of potatoes in Idaho or CFB financial accounting -- unless, of course, you are claiming status as the smartest guy in the room. In that case please advise. We are prepared to genuflect at the appropriate juncture.

I do not believe we are gonna continue with 1 and 2 win seasons; and in David Benedict ... I trust.

I will wait until I see what plays out in the near term. I won't make any predictions until after the blue-white game in the spring. I worry that it is entirely possible that with all the happy talk by everyone from the governor on down about being all in on UConn football, that the salary pool for JM's staff is not much larger than that previously. But I sure as hell hope that you are right, and that those days are beyond us all.

 

[CL82]

@Exit 4 who do you think inherited a better team? Diaco after PP or Mora after Edsall 2.0?

I really hope the answer is Mora…

It isn’t

 

[DoctorWho85]

It isn’t

I'd say it's a push right now.

 

[CL82]

have and have had connections in the past to some universities. A close family member has been an associate dean and later VP of a graduate school. He tells me that it is impossible to do an apples to apples comparison of football program financials because there are no universal standards or regulations for doing the accounting in a manner that would facilitate making such a comparison. So we are left with the fact that there has been no wholesale migration of schools from FCS up to FBS.

So what are you basing your assertion that the move from FBS to FCS is a cost saving upon? Because it kind of reads like you’re saying, everyone else is wrong, every other university experience is irrelevant, I just believe this to be true and I don’t care what other facts anyone else puts out there.

 

[CL82]

FMIA: How can you get competitive?

Mora: “I think number one, attacking the transfer portal. I see it a little bit like free agency in the NFL. It’s a chance to get some really good players, really quickly. You can have a great recruiting class, but there are still young players that haven’t played in college football. They haven’t really spent time away from home or been on a college campus. But you can go get some transfers that have some experience, playing experience, experience on campus. They’re more mature. You can make some quick headway that way. And I think you coach the heck out of them. I think you really do a great job of creating the culture of accountability and toughness and discipline.”

FMIA: You never recruited the Northeast. You’re a West Coast guy, as you said. How will you be able to recruit an area foreign to you?

Mora: “Something’s that gonna really help me is that I have some name recognition. I think that’ll bring credibility. Thirty players that I recruited are playing in the NFL. I’ve coached, as an assistant or head coach, 28 members of Pro Football Hall of Fame. I don’t care where you recruit. If you can tell a kid, ‘30 guys I recruited play in the NFL, I’ve coached guys in the Hall of Fame,’ then they’re like, Whoa, really?’ I think that’ll help.”

LOL, it will be so nice to have an adult back in charge. Jim Mora’s just sounds like a football coach doesn’t he?

 

[CL82]

I'd say it's a push right now.

I mean we could take a look at the rosters, but my sense is if you took the kids who were here when Pasqualoni he left and have them play a game against the kids who are here now, putting competent coaches on each side line, I think they’re Pasqualoni kids win, and win fairly easily.

We are really epically terrible right now. I don’t know how much of that has to do with the quality of the players versus playing virtually all underclassmen in the two deep, but we are really bad.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Since 2004
FBS moving down to FCS
Idaho 2017
Florida A&M 2004

FCS moving up to FBS
Liberty 2017
Coastal Carolina 2016
Charlotte 2014
Appalachian State 2013
Georgia Southern 2013
Georgia State 2012
Old Dominion 2012
Massachusetts 2011
South Alabama 2011
Texas State 2011
Western Kentucky 2006
Florida International 2004

FAMU was not even FBS when they decided to stay in the FCS. The ex president wanted to be the first HBCU to play FBS. When he was forced to resign, they stayed at FCS.

 

[Pudge]

I disagree.
DO is one of our best all-time players, was largely responsible for putting us on the map nationally, had a long career in the NFL (admittedly it was as a backup, but no one keeps any NFL job without having some skills the league values) and no one falls into a "cushy job" at ESPN without ability. There's hundreds of ex-players looking for work like that.
The biggest thing is you shouldn't burn bridges. Look at the Burton family as an example. DO has been a vocal supporter and, unless he's unable to separate his emotions from reality, could have offered advice that would be beneficial to DB.

I am sure Dan Orlovsky is given his due respect in the Burton Football building and in Benedict's office. HOWEVER ... we shouldn't give Connecticut HS coaches nor alums nor HOFers on the payroll any more voice than the most important stakeholders - players or BOT or Exec office. If you are making this kind of incredibly important decision - it is really Trust in Dave B.