Jim Mora Expected to be Named HC

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

So if Jim Maura is an assistant coach, who do we let go or demote? Weren’t we at capacity?

Not the sharpest knife in the set, but without posting I previously pondered the possibilities of an assistant receiving severance to depart early. My thought was it might free up an athletic department employee newly designated as an assistant coach to reach out to transfer portal participants.

 

[BugsyCT]

'Why would you go to UConn?' Jim Mora eager to bring success to Huskies

“It’s a chance to do what I love to do with a school that’s a national brand," Mora said.

sports.yahoo.com

Mora and Benedict are headed to Clemson for UConn’s game there this weekend, which will begin Mora’s process of familiarizing himself with the team. (He said he’s already studied them extensively on film.)

“It gives me an opportunity to recruit like crazy,” Mora said. “A chance to go make some connections with coaches with Connecticut and the surrounding area and to evaluate the players we are recruiting. I don’t have to be preparing for a game. All my focus can be on recruiting. It gives us a chance to be very deliberate on how we go about hiring a staff.”

If he can reel in some Clemson transfers while he's down there that would be greeeaaaattt.

 

[BigFanCT]

I share your initial reaction. Very surprised, both by him specifically but even the resume more generally — older, out of the game for a few years, no east coast coaching. But that doesn’t make it a bad hire either. I need to let it sink in and give it thought.

But DB’s career is resting on this decision, so whether it works out or not I assume he made the choice very deliberately and purposefully.

As in career after UConn? He certainly won’t be fired from here if this doesn’t work out. His life here is solely based on Dan Hurley and Dan Hurley only.

 

[the Q]

Add New Jersey, but yes

Exactly. I hope this works out, but no one knows how this will work out, and we will not know for at least 2-3 years. I thought PP was going to be a disaster. He was. I thought Diaco, a "young and hungry" assistant coach was going to elevate us to a top 25 level program. He did not. I thought that Randy 2.0 would stabilize a sinking ship and get us back to 7-5 and 8-4 seasons. He did not. College sports is littered with "home run" hires who were fired in 2-3 years.

Mora is a major name who has succeeded in the NFL and college football where success lives on borrowed time for all but 5 people. I'm optimistic that he can turn this program around. Let's see what happens.

This is 100% me as well, right down to the thoughts on the old hires

 

[ZooCougar]

View attachment 70915

You’re misreading. That was the continuation of a conversation from elsewhere.

He’s the UConn Football coach now and I support him and want him to be successful.

 

[Chin Diesel]

What can go wrong with a football HC at a frat or sorority party in 2021 with everyone having mobile devices?

 

[CL82]

If he can reel in some Clemson transfers while he's down there that would be greeeaaaattt.

“Hey! Hey! Number 22! You been in yet today? Because we got all kinds of playing time over here, just saying!”

 

[hayman522]

These Old guys, P, Edsall, are mainly collecting one final round of paychecks before they ride off into the sunset permanently.

Exactly why we could not figure that out is beyond. Edsall decided to take the year off from football. Just another grifter!

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

If he can reel in some Clemson transfers while he's down there that would be greeeaaaattt.

Taisun hasn't entered the portal, yet ????????

 

[J187Money]

Loved what he said about hiring an OC that is not stubborn, etc...

 

[JMick]

Loved what he said about hiring an OC that is not stubborn, etc...

Makes me think it might not be Mazzone after all lol

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskeynut]

Joining the staff as an assistant coach until the end of the year is the single strangest part of this whole thing. What a joke

Just the opposite. An intelligent move on Benedict's part.

 

[Waquoit]

and HE did it the week we walk into Clemson with National attention.

It's like he knows what he's doing

 

[ZooCougar]

Just the opposite. An intelligent move on Benedict's part.

It’s the only move. If he becomes a head coach before a certain date then he stops getting UCLA money or has to give some back.

Plus, what good would it do if he was the HC? Set him loose to recruit and build a network.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

And great job Dave B of alienating our most visible football alum.

To be fair, DO seems slowly be turning into a somewhat insufferable the longer he stays at ESPN. His spots on the morning show are a bit annoying, TBH.

AD David Benedict really had no reason to reach out to him for anything related to coaching spots. He has absolutely no experience, and it's not like he could hire him as a QB coach before finding a new HC.

DO should know how it works since he's now an "insider in the business". That post is just silly twitter sour grapes IMHO.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Just the opposite. An intelligent move on Benedict's part.

It is brilliant. Wtf I talking about?

He isn’t going to coach. He is going to recruit and can travel with team and be on the field with players. Everyone knows who the big dog is.

Starts evaluation early.

 

[JMick]

And great job Dave B of alienating our most visible football alum.

Who cares

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

The guy will be 65 when his contract ends. Uggh. Can we stop with the 60 year old + coaches? I want someone no older than 50 to actually be invested in rebuilding the program. Maybe he'll hire Pasqualoni as his Defensive Coordinator....

Stupid post. So somebody in their 50's can't be invested in the program? Just stop. Stick to hoops.

 

[Buffett10]

To be fair, DO seems slowly be turning into a somewhat insufferable the longer he stays at ESPN. His spots on the morning show are a bit annoying, TBH.

AD David Benedict really had no reason to reach out to him for anything related to coaching spots. He has absolutely no experience, and it's not like he could hire him as a QB coach before finding a new HC.

DO should know how it works since he's now an "insider in the business". That post is just silly twitter sour grapes IMHO.

That’s what espn hires him for. Same exact reason they pay SAS

 

[DoctorWho85]

Stupid post. So somebody in their 50's can't be invested in the program? Just stop. Stick to hoops.

Same people would welcome Calhoun back with open arms if Hurley ever left. But yeah a 59 year old football coach is too old. Basketball folks are delusional sometimes.

 

[LIuconn]

Can argue Jon Mcitee is currently most famous football alum

 

[businesslawyer]

As in career after UConn? He certainly won’t be fired from here if this doesn’t work out. His life here is solely based on Dan Hurley and Dan Hurley only.

Not true. Not true at all. We’re hemorrhaging money in the Athetic Department. You don’t think the University isn’t judging him on getting paying fannies back in their seats at the Rent?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This is the first UConn football coaching hire I have ever liked. He wants to win and is a big time coach with a big time resume. I also have no doubt that he will go to Moscow if he thinks there is someone that can help UConn win there, which means we can stop this crap about not recruiting transfers. Mora needs to live in the Transfer Portal the next two years until we get our talent level up to mid-major level.

 

[amishboy]

Stop. This isn’t a bad hire because of how P and Randy 2.0 worked out, no more than it’s a good hire because we didn’t go the Diaco route. This hire — like any other decision — should be judged on its own merits.

(Note that I didn’t say it was good or bad. )

Not only are the hires of P and Randy 2.0 irrelevant, there’s a world of difference in their statuses. P & Randy were both fired at their last college jobs, while Mora was successful at UCLA.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

At this point, it’s fine. He’s fine. Not excited, not mad.

Just once though. Once… it would be nice if the reaction was “boy, UConn stole that guy.”

Boy, UConn stole that guy.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Not true. Not true at all. We’re hemorrhaging money in the Athetic Department. You don’t think the University isn’t judging him on getting paying fannies back in their seats at the Rent?

We've been hemorrhaging money since the move up to FBS. Something like only 20 schools have an AD that operates in the black. You can't make money without investing in the program.

 

[businesslawyer]

Same people would welcome Calhoun back with open arms if Hurley ever left. But yeah a 59 year old football coach is too old. Basketball folks are delusional sometimes.

Hiring a basketball coach is very different from hiring football coaches. Schools can hire a basketball coach and if they’re really satisfied stick with them for a generation or more. In football, coaches in the P5 don’t last for more than two or three bad seasons and the average tenure is much less. Hiring a 60 year old football coach is fine. Hiring a 60 year old basketball coach in most instances wouldn’t make sense.,

 

[SubbaBub]

First, where have all you lurkers been?

Second, my initial reaction, was "Wow!" That was more name than I was expecting, so in terms of demonstrating a commitment to FB, check the box.

Third, it was always going to come down to a choice between the best retread or an unknown.

I was not excited about Golden or any other head coach who had one decent season at a middling school once and is now looking for a second chance. I was less excited about a coach making lateral move from some other also ran G5 program.

I said at the beginning that I was going to trust AD David Benedict because it was his job on the line and I knew he would take it seriously as a guy from a FB first culture. So, I'm fine going with experience vs trying to catch lightning in a bottle. I'm sure he has heard all about the PP/GDL retirement scam.

If you were looking for the biggest name that you could convince to come to UConn, a Jim Mora would be at or near the top of the list. I don't think Jim needs the money and he is better than PP on his worst day.

If this doesn't work it will be because of recruiting. I don't think we will need to worry about lack of FB IQ.

Results will matter, but today I'm pretty darn pleased. The message this sends about commitment can't be overstated.

 

[Goldenflash81]

Johnny Mc' .....Most famous football alumni with a congressional subpoena in his hands.