Some pretty blunt assessments from Jim Mora

[PAGS]

He was correct when he basically said NIL is the Wild West. They have more regulation in the pros. No salary caps…no rules. If some boosters wanna pay an incoming class all 1 Million a guy…everyone other team is screwed. The NCAA or someone needs to regulate this…cause it’s going to get out of control. And when it does….UConn will not compete with any of the “flagships” ever again. Need someone to step up and financially back the program. And no one wants to support a loser! If something isn’t figured out soon…doom and gloom for UConn football. Back to FCS we go! Who’s gonna start the Boneyard NIL fund…we can do car washes and sell candy bars to get a few 3 stars to come play in Storrs. Where the Fairfield County Millionaires at!?

 

[RedStickHusky]

I always wonder what, if anything, is being done behind the scenes when Mora says things like that.

Unless he's rationalizing quitting. Sure hope not.

 

[Forte]

He was correct when he basically said NIL is the Wild West. They have more regulation in the pros. No salary caps…no rules. If some boosters wanna pay an incoming class all 1 Million a guy…everyone other team is screwed. The NCAA or someone needs to regulate this…cause it’s going to get out of control. And when it does….UConn will not compete with any of the “flagships” ever again. Need someone to step up and financially back the program. And no one wants to support a loser! If something isn’t figured out soon…doom and gloom for UConn football. Back to FCS we go! Who’s gonna start the Boneyard NIL fund…we can do car washes and sell candy bars to get a few 3 stars to come play in Storrs. Where the Fairfield County Millionaires at!?

Donating to their alma mater Ivy League schools multi-billion dollar endowments or other elite private schools. The argument that CT is wealthy and, thus, UConn should have strong backing or be flush with money is flawed. The big money in the uber-wealthy parts of CT isn't coming from 9-5 insurance company managers or directors around Hartford's suburbs. In-state students and alumni who choose/chose UConn factor in either scholarship or lower cost for a valuable education, which is usually the opposite of what the very wealthy do.

I could be wrong, and correct me if I am, but our last president, with the goal to keep UConn growing and academically competitive, opened the doors to more and more wealthy international students paying out-of-state tuition from Asian countries like China over in-state tuition students, and that the best /most expensive apartments in downtown Storrs (which I question the long term viability of) were often occupied by them. I seriously doubt the university can tap into that pool of alumni for NIL.

 

[ScottVib]

Pretty much us and umass left as independents… I think its time to join the MAC with umass… we would be able to compete with those schools and play for something…Mora sounds pretty frustrated

The MAC is not the conference he's referring too.. relative to the G5 conferences UConn's schedule can help, because even if you're not at that level, you can get exposure to schools at that level to "move up", if you don't have the P5-level talent it in turn becomes hard to compete with P5s. Essentially he points out that you are the company you keep. UConn hoops was able to leverage the Big East conference's status in the 80s to step up their recruiting to be able to compete (and then dominate). He's frustrated because the two ways UConn is losing recruits and transfers are to P5 conference affiliation & NIL money & UConn is deficient in both areas.

Being affiliated with the BCS was a huge difference maker in getting better recruits than mid majors.

This is the point Mora is making! UConn has to find a way into the club.

 

[uconndogs]

I think it's interesting because the people here on the BY have always held these unfounded beliefs that scheduling "name" opponents helps us recruit (when it clearly does not). And while we may have above par on campus facilities that really doesn't count for much.

Well, I don’t know to whom on the BY you are referring. But, I’ve always stated it is about the money. I think Mora is dead on - you either have solid NIL programs or you do not get or keep the talent.

 

[uconnyankee]

Pretty much us and umass left as independents… I think its time to join the MAC with umass… we would be able to compete with those schools and play for something…Mora sounds pretty frustrated

So you think we’re leaving BE basketball for MAC? Lol

If you think UConn can just say, ‘we’ll put our football in MAC’ then you’re mistaken. Umass is independent for that very reason.

 

[RedStickHusky]

This is the point Mora is making! UConn has to find a way into the club.

A club that is shrinking and getting more expensive to join.

 

[huskymedic]

Husky Football Forum:

Mora: "Not being in a conference is absolutely killing us"

 

[JMick]

Sell we have great chance to be in top 12 play offs each year, much better than the bottom 12 in the new big 18. Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, USC, Washington, Oregon are ahead of you pretty much every year. Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State were 24-3 in league which means everyone else together had 21 more losses than wins in 2022.
Use the Boise State formula, beat one top team, several middling teams, run the table and then get in. Tulane in 2022 was #20 (Massey)and had one top 10 win, no others in top 20, a #64 strength of schedule and lost to #93 Southern Miss (lost to SM by 3 and UCF by7), win that SM game and looking at close to top 12, win the UCF game also and pretty much at #12.

They're going to change the playoffs again to lock these types of teams out.

And you're missing his point. He's saying we can't do that without NIL money. We're never going to get that much NIL money for football. It's not how the fanbase is.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

He thought we were getting in the B12. Monies to pay would have more easily followed.

 

[ZooCougar]

Well, I don’t know to whom on the BY you are referring. But, I’ve always stated it is about the money. I think Mora is dead on - you either have solid NIL programs or you do not get or keep the talent.

You will see it. This is a very clueless fanbase.

 

[ZooCougar]

It’s a new phenomena. Schools were installing lazy rivers for god sake. Now, kids won’t care about anything but money. They can use their money to pay for apartments, food, entertainment, cars etc. They no longer need the school to provide everything if they are flush with cash.

It seems to me like Jim Mora is making excuses. James Madison is undefeated. It’s doable.

What of anything do you know about JMU? They have NIL money. They also have a history of football excellence and have committed to it. Along with numerous alums willing to write checks.

 

[ZooCougar]

Husky Football Forum:

Mora: "Not being in a conference is absolutely killing us"

Good read. Nice idea at the end there.

 

[Hoophound]

You do realize James Madison plays a weak schedule? They play one P5 school, 1-5 Virginia who just got beat handily by FCS William & Mary.

Mora is speaking the truth. If you want to play P5 teams and win, give the team the resources.

We have gotten throttled by G5 teams this season. James Madison can definitely compete with and beat P5 teams. My point is simply that with the UConn brand, facilities, resources, academic rep, name coach and challenging schedule, we should be in the top 25% of G5 programs, which is fine. If we were in that space, we’d make some noice every few years and be a legit expansion target. Excuses for being pathetic are not needed.

 

[ManFromOZ]

If you haven't listened to the Coach's show this week then you might check it out. It's in the third segment after a pretty cool part on the virtues of our Gordon "Gordie" Sammis,

So Mike Crispino asks this softball question about how it was so great because we schedule Duke 4 times and we have Wake and UAB and other schools on the schedule.

I am pretty sure Crispino expects the stock "Yeah AD Dave is doing a great job bla bla bla".

Instead, Mora goes off on a semi-rant. Paraphrasing: , "Recruits don't care about that, they don't care who we play, they don't care about facilities, they do care about conferences, which is the other thing that is killing us at the moment. What recruits care about is money. What we need is money."

So then genius Crispino says "You mean NIL money?" As if there is another kind of money that Coach could possibly talking about.

Mora says yeah NIL Money. And if we don't get that going then we won't get better players and you can see some tough days ahead.

And then he caps it off with "It works the same way in basketball"

I think it's interesting because the people here on the BY have always held these unfounded beliefs that scheduling "name" opponents helps us recruit (when it clearly does not). And while we may have above par on campus facilities that really doesn't count for much.

Mora of course has no filter. But he is not wrong.

When does Crispino ever ask a tough question or for that matter any college sports announcer who serves as the team's play by play voice? Never happens.

 

[Stinger92860]

If this is truly the new reality, and all that matters is conferences and money (shocker) then I'm not sure what we're doing. We'll never been in the top half of NIL for football.

There is no reason why we cannot be in the mix to be a top G5 team nationally. We need to get better quickly.

 

[MKH2317]

Unless he's rationalizing quitting. Sure hope not.

That’s almost what it sounds like. My interpretation of his message was that UConn is not the place he initially thought it was, and that we’re headed down a road where football won’t exist if we keep going down that road. It sounded doomsdayish. That’s why I’m perplexed as to the reason he’d share that info

 

[JMick]

There is no reason why we cannot be in the mix to be a top G5 team nationally.

Well according to him there is a reason. And that reason is money

 

[BlueandOG]

NIL change the game. UCONN has a top-notch business school. Put those nerds in a room until they crank out a Mad Men style plan to capitalize on NIL. If we can be the best at NIL, being in a conference won't matter.

 

[PAGS]

Donating to their alma mater Ivy League schools multi-billion dollar endowments or other elite private schools. The argument that CT is wealthy and, thus, UConn should have strong backing or be flush with money is flawed. The big money in the uber-wealthy parts of CT isn't coming from 9-5 insurance company managers or directors around Hartford's suburbs. In-state students and alumni who choose/chose UConn factor in either scholarship or lower cost for a valuable education, which is usually the opposite of what the very wealthy do.

I could be wrong, and correct me if I am, but our last president, with the goal to keep UConn growing and academically competitive, opened the doors to more and more wealthy international students paying out-of-state tuition from Asian countries like China over in-state tuition students, and that the best /most expensive apartments in downtown Storrs (which I question the long term viability of) were often occupied by them. I seriously doubt the university can tap into that pool of alumni for NIL.

I just read an article about a millionaire and UConn graduate from Fairfield county who’s trying to bring an MLS team to Bridgeport. He has plans for an incredible oceanfront stadium. They exist…

CT tech millionaire wants to bring MLS, NWSL to Bridgeport

Tech millionaire Andre Swanston is pursuing a pair of expansion teams, which would play in a new stadium in Bridgeport.

www.ctinsider.com

 

[giddyup]

1. The system has changed from the days when a recruit did care whether it was a chance to play big time programs because that was the extent of control they had and hoping the program you picked actually worked out for you

2. Mora needs money to buy recruits. It’s really a pathetic state of affairs for college sports.

3. Mora is clearly frustrated because AD Dave sold him a bill of goods on the admin’s commitment to moving to a conf where it is possible to generate $$ with more public interest

4. Mora sounds like he is going to push until he changes Uconn’s commitment or walks away in disgust.

 

[JMick]

NIL change the game. UCONN has a top-notch business school. Put those nerds in a room until they crank out a Mad Men style plan to capitalize on NIL. If we can be the best at NIL, being in a conference won't matter.

I think this is how you end up with the "Loge" box seats at Gampel

 

[superjohn]

Unless he's rationalizing quitting. Sure hope not.

I think he's out of here. It seems pretty obvious he sold himself on the Big 12 and then sold recruits on the Big 12. He's gotten very good at whining and excuse making.

 

[DoctorWho85]

It's weird to hear a coach say what is needed to be said instead of all rah rah bs. Mora knows we have the facilities, we have the opponents and we have a great education. All that is nothing when a recruit is going to choose Syracuse or Rutgers over UConn because they know those two schools will have more money. It really comes down to money both for NIL and coaches. That's the only thing holding UConn back.

 

[Hoophound]

I think he's out of here. It seems pretty obvious he sold himself on the Big 12 and then sold recruits on the Big 12. He's gotten very good at whining and excuse making.

Its unfortunate, but it seems that way. Otherwise, I hope he knows he needs to push some buttons and that solutions exist. It wouldn't be the first time our administration failed to make changes when needed. Maybe, Jim is just playing politics.