Some pretty blunt assessments from Jim Mora | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Some pretty blunt assessments from Jim Mora

Beachview said:
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
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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.
 
Husky68 said:
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.
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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.
 
uconndogs said:
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.
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You will see it. This is a very clueless fanbase.
 
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Hoophound said:
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.
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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.
 
UConnJim said:
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.
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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.
 
ZooCougar said:
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.
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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.
 
RedStickHusky said:
Unless he's rationalizing quitting. Sure hope not.
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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
 
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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.
 
Forte said:
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.
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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…

www.ctinsider.com

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 www.ctinsider.com
 
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.
 
BlueandOG said:
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.
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I think this is how you end up with the "Loge" box seats at Gampel
 
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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.
 
superjohn said:
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.
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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.
 
DoctorWho85 said:
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.
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But they are choosing G5 schools over us too. G5 schools are winning, we aren't. We can offer more than pretty much all of them.
 
We are stuck in a very bad spot. No conference, not a large donor pool, and a terrible track record in the only sport that conferences care about. And if you want to make the “they care about basketball too” argument I’ll refer you to the B12 fiasco this summer.

In all honesty, we really just need to make it to 2036 or whenever the ACC implodes. We’d fit perfectly with Duke, Syracuse, BC, WF, etc. along with maybe Memphis Temple Army. But we’re not going to make it that long on the current trajectory. We need a serious infusion of cash to keep the program afloat until a viable conference option presents itself. I hope we can make that happen.
 
DoctorWho85 said:
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.
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If money is holding UConn back and facilities and teams don't matter UConn should shift its focus to butt kicking payday games as well as decline any improvement to the Rent (which is always empty anyways) additions to the training facilities and shift ALL that money to NIL for football. Money should not be going to improve the Rent... facilities don't matter... all money for the program going forward should start going to NIL. Go back to trailers for all we care.
 
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Forte said:
If money is holding UConn back and facilities and teams don't matter UConn should shift its focus to butt kicking payday games as well as decline any improvement to the Rent (which is always empty anyways) additions to the training facilities and shift ALL that money to NIL for football. Money should not be going to improve the Rent... facilities don't matter... all money for the program going forward should start going to NIL. Go back to trailers for all we care.
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And when the team starts winning and generating revenue, reinvest in The Rent.
 
superjohn said:
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.
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It's weird he was touting our facilities and how players are treated with things like food, travel, etc. and now he's saying none of that matters? Quite the change of heart in one year. I don't think we'd be hearing these statements if we were 3-3 and we really should be 3-3 with the talent on the team.

if he just straight up leaves and bashes us on the way out then the program is done. We won't recover from that. It's already bad enough, him making these statements is bad for the health of the program
 
Forte said:
If money is holding UConn back and facilities and teams don't matter UConn should shift its focus to butt kicking payday games as well as decline any improvement to the Rent (which is always empty anyways) additions to the training facilities and shift ALL that money to NIL for football. Money should not be going to improve the Rent... facilities don't matter... all money for the program going forward should start going to NIL. Go back to trailers for all we care.
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The State of Connecticut is going to divert the capital budget money to make structural/technology improvements to the Rent and give it to UConn to fund NIL for its football program?
 
JMick said:
It's weird he was touting our facilities and how players are treated with things like food, travel, etc. and now he's saying none of that matters? Quite the change of heart in one year. I don't think we'd be hearing these statements if we were 3-3 and we really should be 3-3 with the talent on the team.

if he just straight up leaves and bashes us on the way out then the program is done. We won't recover from that. It's already bad enough, him making these statements is bad for the health of the program
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That’s what I’m sayin. The way it was present was weird, given how he’s been a strong advocate for what UConn has to offer. It was a public (truthful) belittling of our current football program. He’s calling out all of his bosses in one shot. He’s either got one foot out the door and doesn’t care what anyone thinks, OR there’s an active plan in place to achieve what it is that the program is lacking. If it really is a public call-out, I’d imagine AD Dave and other university brass would be pretty upset with his comments
 
I'm ok with the Coach making public statements like this. However he also needs to be accountable as a program builder, and part of that responsibility is (1) finding ways to win with what we have and (2) finding ways to get into the NIL and revenue game so that we are at least competitive at the G5 level. These are the minimum expectations for him and he is getting paid pretty well to assume these responsibilities. I doubt he took the job expecting that we would be in a P5 in year 2 of his tenure and also doubt that the Athletic Director made any such promises.
 
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