11/26/25 12:56:00
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11/26 08:53 CST UConn athletic director says Jim Mora is leaving Huskies to
take over Colorado State
UConn athletic director says Jim Mora is leaving Huskies to take over Colorado
State
STORRS, Conn. (AP) --- UConn football coach Jim Mora is leaving the Huskies
after four seasons to take over Colorado State's program.
UConn athletic director David Benedict issued a statement Wednesday morning
saying Mora had informed him late Tuesday night of his plans. Offensive
coordinator Gordon Sammis is taking over as interim head coach while UConn
conducts a national search for Mora's permanent successor.
The 64-year-old Mora, a former NFL head coach with the Atlanta Falcons and
Seattle Seahawks, owns a 27-23 record at UConn and has led the Huskies to nine
wins each of the last two seasons. UConn is 9-3 this season, and each of its
three losses went to overtime.
"Coach Mora brought energy and a winning culture back to UConn football and put
our program back on the national stage," Benedict said. "We thank Jim for his
dedication to our student-athletes and wish him, his wife Kathy and his family
the best at Colorado State."
Colorado State fired Jay Norvell on Oct. 19. Norvell was in his fourth season
and owned an 18-26 record, including an 8-5 mark and an Arizona Bowl appearance
last year.
The Rams were 2-5 when Norvell got fired and have lost all four games since
with defensive coordinator Tyson Summers working as their interim head coach.
Colorado State (2-9) closes its season Friday at Air Force (3-8).
Mora's stint at UConn represented a career comeback for the former NFL and UCLA
coach. Mora posted a 46-30 record at UCLA from 2012-17 and then was out of
coaching and working as a television analyst until UConn hired him.
UConn went 6-7 and 3-9 in Mora's first two seasons before going 18-7 over the
last two seasons. The Huskies went 9-4 and won the Fenway Bowl last year for
their first bowl victory since the 2009 season.
Mora also went 26-22 as the Falcons' head coach from 2004-06 and was 5-11 with
the Seahawks in 2009.
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