Today’s Visit from Mora

[FfldCntyFan]

I want those who believe that the only way he could poach any of our current players would be by our allowing him back on campus to come forward and explain how that is the case.

 

[Kolumbo]

I think I read him is flying back tomorrow morning unless weather changes that. probably gives him time to clean out his office, go back to their house, make sure they have everything, invite the boys over for one last bbq/recruiting pitch...

 

[ZooCougar]

I don’t see any issue with allowing Jim Mora to return to Connecticut to address the team. As many have pointed out, with today’s college football calendar, there is never a “good” time for a coach to leave. No matter what, fans and players will feel disappointed. Look at Lane Kiffin—he’s leaving Ole Miss right before their College Football Playoff appearance.

And realistically, Mora can recruit players anytime, whether he’s on campus or not. Allowing him to speak to the team simply shows that UConn is not a vindictive program; it’s offering proper closure to the Mora era and demonstrating readiness to move forward into the next chapter of UConn football.

As for roster impact, players who want to leave will leave. Our recruiting class has already taken a major hit. The new coach will need to rebuild through the portal. It’s unfortunate, but this is the reality of modern college football.

once you start offering our class, a class that we paid him to develop for us then you should be persona non grata if you have any ounce of self respect.

 

[ZooCougar]

I think I read him is flying back tomorrow morning unless weather changes that. probably gives him time to clean out his office, go back to their house, make sure they have everything, invite the boys over for one last bbq/recruiting pitch...

He said yesterday he is flying back this morning.

 

[Exit 4]

I want those who believe that the only way he could poach any of our current players would be by our allowing him back on campus to come forward and explain how that is the case.

I attend conferences from time to time. Its amazing what 5 mins with someone in person can do.

 

[CTBasketball]

I want those who believe that the only way he could poach any of our current players would be by our allowing him back on campus to come forward and explain how that is the case.

Would you be good with your girlfriend/wife meeting up with her ex-boyfriend to talk things over? He has every intention of ruining your relationship to get her back by the way.

It’s a lot easier to receive/ignore a text message. Move on Mr Mora you had your shot.

 

[huskymedic]

He said yesterday he is flying back this morning.

From the article above:

“He doesn’t plan to stay in Connecticut any longer than necessary as he said he is landing back in Denver on Wednesday morning at 10:35 to “hit it and get at it,” with his new program.”

 

[ZooCougar]

From the article above:

“He doesn’t plan to stay in Connecticut any longer than necessary as he said he is landing back in Denver on Wednesday morning at 10:35 to “hit it and get at it,” with his new program.”

Wishful thinking I guess.

 

[ktuck911]

... the way it was mentioned in social media outlets, he was supposed to address the team after the break up... Did it ever happen today?

 

[RSTuthill]

I think the bitterness is a little silly. His visit is entirely appropriate.

What I find fascinating, though, are his possible motivations. Some of the quotes from Colorado were interesting. "You had to stand on the sidelines to realize how bad that job really was. HS lacrosse gets a bigger turnout in CT than HS football." Etc.

I also think that it had become obvious to him that UConn would never make the investment in football commensurate with a P4 invite driven by accretion to the conference. It is pretty clear from the UConn B-12 experience that they didn't have a convincing case to make even if they promised that they would direct all the increased revenue to FB. The conference presidents probably thought that was putting the cart before the horse. The leads and lags in the process to produce accretion to the new conference made it obvious that waiting to make the FB commitment would drag the new league down for a few years. No one would go for that.

I am waiting with heightened interest to see who the replacement is. But I am not holding my breath and I am expecting a complete surprise when it does happen.

 

[ZooCougar]

I think the bitterness is a little silly. His visit is entirely appropriate.

What I find fascinating, though, are his possible motivations. Some of the quotes from Colorado were interesting. "You had to stand on the sidelines to realize how bad that job really was. HS lacrosse gets a bigger turnout in CT than HS football." Etc.

I also think that it had become obvious to him that UConn would never make the investment in football commensurate with a P4 invite driven by accretion to the conference. It is pretty clear from the UConn B-12 experience that they didn't have a convincing case to make even if they promised that they would direct all the increased revenue to FB. The conference presidents probably thought that was putting the cart before the horse. The leads and lags in the process to produce accretion to the new conference made it obvious that waiting to make the FB commitment would drag the new league down for a few years. No one would go for that.

I am waiting with heightened interest to see who the replacement is. But I am not holding my breath and I am expecting a complete surprise when it does happen.

What’s staggering is how wrong the whole article is and how many suckers actually took it seriously.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I attend conferences from time to time. Its amazing what 5 mins with someone in person can do.

Would you be good with your girlfriend/wife meeting up with her ex-boyfriend to talk things over? He has every intention of ruining your relationship to get her back by the way.

It’s a lot easier to receive/ignore a text message. Move on Mr Mora you had your shot.

Do either of you really believe that he couldn't have a face to face with anyone on our roster who he might be interested in offering a scholarship? Do you believe that there aren't at least a half dozen coaches still on the staff who aren't at a minimum hoping he offers them the same position in Fort Collins?

Off the top of my head Kash is the only coach who I would be confident is more aligned with the school than with the guy who was their director boss until a week ago.

There is nothing that he can do in a meeting this morning with the entire team that he couldn't do on his own. More importantly, he would have far better success in one on one discussions (when he does try to poach someone) than in statements to the entire team.

 

[superjohn]

So not only is are recruiting class getting decimated, Mora is allowed to be on campus with the team to essentially recruit players away too?

Yes and some of our fans love it. That's the crowd who constantly loves getting kicked in the balls.

 

[Exit 4]

Do either of you really believe that he couldn't have a face to face with anyone on our roster who he might be interested in offering a scholarship? Do you believe that there aren't at least a half dozen coaches still on the staff who aren't at a minimum hoping he offers them the same position in Fort Collins?

Off the top of my head Kash is the only coach who I would be confident is more aligned with the school than with the guy who was their director boss until a week ago.

There is nothing that he can do in a meeting this morning with the entire team that he couldn't do on his own. More importantly, he would have far better success in one on one discussions (when he does try to poach someone) than in statements to the entire team.

You have your view, I have mine. The world isn't always harmonious.

 

[businesslawyer]

The Team has been burned to the ground already. This will be a total rebuild. When the new coach gets the team back on solid ground and we start winning again I'm sure he will get poached as well. Rinse and repeat. We better get use to it. This will not be the last time our coach and players get poached.

I have bad news for everyone. Given our position, whenever a coach comes here and fully succeeds, he will quit for greener pastures after a few years and we will have to rebuild, or a coach won’t succeed, we fire him after 3 or 4 seasons and we have a total rebuild.

That is just our reality unless and until we are in a power conference. It would make it easier on everyone if we accept it and root for the coach who quits because he succeeded as opposed to the coach who we fire because he didn’t.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Cincinnati was good at this except for Tubberville

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

What, how do you figure that? Him already left UConn and had an official press conference with CSU. Him doesn't need to come back except to clear out his desk (even that could be done by someone else). Find me examples of other coaches that gave pressers at their new jobs then went back to their old school to address the team. UConn administration doesn't have to bend over backwards for a coach that clearly wanted out (per his words, him starting looking when Norvell was fired on Oct 19th). As for how not being courteous would hinder a coach search, again this is nonsensical as the two actions are not related to each other. Benedict, having to babysit him's visit interferes with Benedict doing due diligence for a critical hire...our school can't waste time on the past. Lastly, about the new coach wanting their players, yes I agree, but didn't him keep players that RE2 recruited for which those players played pretty good defense? It's not like the new coach is going to bring 85 new scholarship players. We don't have to be nice guy here as we are the ones getting burned.

Gonna go out on a limb and say most of us would be OK with you no longer calling Jim "Him." Maybe FHCJM works.

 

[freescooter]

Not allowing him to address the team would be absurd. They know him, they played for him. Addressing the team that he assembled and coached is not an "ad campaign" to leave. If they want to leave that's their choice. It happens anytime a coach leaves for another job. There's no ideal time for a coach to leave given the college football calendar of events.

Don’t worry about Mora addressing the team. It is a normal part of the protocol when a coach leaves. Except that it was Thanksgiving and the team was scattered to the for corners of the globe since our season was over, he likely would have done it on Wednesday before or just after the announcement. These things are pretty proforma.

It isn’t like he doesn’t have 50 other ways to contact guys he might want.

 

[HCCForever]

Most players choose a school based on the coach. Not sure how much his team meeting contributes to players leaving. We’re already screwed until a new HC is announced.

 

[ZooCougar]

I have bad news for everyone. Given our position, whenever a coach comes here and fully succeeds, he will quit for greener pastures after a few years and we will have to rebuild, or a coach won’t succeed, we fire him after 3 or 4 seasons and we have a total rebuild.

That is just our reality unless and until we are in a power conference. It would make it easier on everyone if we accept it and root for the coach who quits because he succeeded as opposed to the coach who we fire because he didn’t.

Exactly.

If a playoff bound Ole Miss isn’t immune then neither are we.

The kind of coaches that want to stay with UConn forever in our present form are the kind that get us to 3-9 or 4-8.

We need coaches on the cutting edge to come and make their mark in exchange for parlaying that into the next opportunity.

That’s not being defeatist, it’s just being realistic and pragmatic.

JMU looks like a rocket ship launchpad for up and coming coaches at the moment. They will be very competitive in the market on that basis.

 

[ktuck911]

I have bad news for everyone. Given our position, whenever a coach comes here and fully succeeds, he will quit for greener pastures after a few years and we will have to rebuild, or a coach won’t succeed, we fire him after 3 or 4 seasons and we have a total rebuild.

That is just our reality unless and until we are in a power conference. It would make it easier on everyone if we accept it and root for the coach who quits because he succeeded as opposed to the coach who we fire because he didn’t.

I'm a tad more optimistic BizLaw ... We seem to be in a much better spot these days... AD DB just has to get another charisma type guy in here... whether it be a rising star (that more than likely won't stay past 4 years) or re-tread that has been known to have success in the past, and can surely put a winner on the field here (we're not a top tier program, but I think Mora proved that we can be extremely competitive at the G5 level) ... There are a lot of guys who didn't make it at the P5 level out there, that could find this place cozy for a little bit...

Keeping hope alive...

Our motto should keep being "just win baby!"

UConn's a beautiful place nowadays... It'd be soft landing for somebody of value ( a win win )...

my 2 cents...

... carry on...

 

[RSTuthill]

What’s staggering is how wrong the whole article is and how many suckers actually took it seriously.

What is wrong about it in your view?

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I have bad news for everyone. Given our position, whenever a coach comes here and fully succeeds, he will quit for greener pastures after a few years and we will have to rebuild, or a coach won’t succeed, we fire him after 3 or 4 seasons and we have a total rebuild.

That is just our reality unless and until we are in a power conference. It would make it easier on everyone if we accept it and root for the coach who quits because he succeeded as opposed to the coach who we fire because he didn’t.

This is the case even if you are in a power conference. Good coaches will leave for greener pastures. Being in the SEC didn't protect Ole Miss.

There are like... six jobs which this is not the case. Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, LSU, Texas, Notre Dame.

Everyone else is poachable.

 

[AllHusky]

Yeah, I don’t think it’s ”classy” to give him an opportunity to meet with the team. One person and one person only, Jim Mora wants this. The team doesn’t. They’ve had time to digest over the last week. The good feelings have ebbed and reality has set in. Their Coach is gone, all of the underclass men have to consider their futures, and the Seniors have had their accomplishments overshadowed by Coaching drama. Dave is allowing this so he doesn’t come off as petty. Mora can’t do any more damage than he’s already done, so this is a selfish act. He could’ve handled this via social media and a zoom call the day after the announcement came, and came off as much more gracious than he has. This is damage control for him as he poaches recruits.

 

[Bubba1957]

Very few, if any, schools are immune to having their coach poached for greener green. Look at Mississippi.