Some pretty blunt assessments from Jim Mora

[Hoophound]

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.

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.

 

[Skies2018]

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.

 

[Forte]

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.

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.

 

[Hogoff]

Maybe, Jim is just playing politics.

I hope this is what he is doing. At least he’s not “quiet quitting”.

 

[Hogoff]

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.

And when the team starts winning and generating revenue, reinvest in The Rent.

 

[JMick]

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.

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

 

[huskymedic]

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.

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?

 

[UConnJim]

He is pushing for more money for the program. I’m happy he is speaking the truth and I support him.

 

[MKH2317]

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

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

 

[Gburyhusky]

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.

 

[ScottVib]

finding ways to get into the NIL and revenue game so that we are at least competitive at the G5 level.

The challenge is NIL isn’t on the coach. It’s on the AD (to an extent) for outreach, but ultimately the funding comes from us, the fans. They need to boost the number of fans who are passionate enough to invest in the program even beyond tickets.

 

[BPT2Storrs]

I was talking to someone the other day about UConn Football - someone who doesn’t follow it as closely as some of us do. What they said was UConn needs a major donor or two. He was right. We just don’t have the financial backing and boosters needed to compete. Plain and simple.

You can talk about other programs all you want, the fact is we dug ourselves a hole way too deep. To get out we need resources. If a recruit has to choose between UConn and a similar program that has had even a tad bit more success then us, they’ll go with the school with more recent success - unless of course they can get some money out of the deal.

It’s the way of the world at this point. Money drives the bus. Mora is right.

 

[Gburyhusky]

I was talking to someone the other day about UConn Football - someone who doesn’t follow it as closely as some of us do. What they said was UConn needs a major donor or two. He was right. We just don’t have the financial backing and boosters needed to compete. Plain and simple.

You can talk about other programs all you want, the fact is we dug ourselves a hole way too deep. To get out we need resources. If a recruit has to choose between UConn and a similar program that has had even a tad bit more success then us, they’ll go with the school with more recent success - unless of course they can get some money out of the deal.

It’s the way of the world at this point. Money drives the bus. Mora is right.

Sure the program needs money and financial support. I have no doubt that we are at a big disadvantage as compared to the Power conference schools. However I find it hard to believe that we are unable to compete with most of the G5. Do FIU and Georgia State have more resources at their disposal? Doubt it but I guess it's possible.

 

[Skies2018]

Sure the program needs money and financial support. I have no doubt that we are at a big disadvantage as compared to the Power conference schools. However I find it hard to believe that we are unable to compete with most of the G5. Do FIU and Georgia State have more resources at their disposal? Doubt it but I guess it's possible.

This has always been our problem, and some thing that none of us seem to be able to figure out. We are clearly a bigger brand with more resources than schools like those yet we haven’t had a single winning season in a decade. I personally chalk it up to bad hires and the sense that the school just simply cares about basketball much more than football. Which is fine if you’re duke or Kansas in a power five conference but just can’t be the case when you’re in our situation. You gotta show that you’re invested. Recruits aren’t dumb. They know where our schools priority has lied since the OBE fell apart.

 

[ZooCougar]

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.

It doesn’t help the NIL cause when we started the wrong QB and lost to a couple teams we had no business losing to.

There is a variable here that Mora has control over.

I don’t think he is out of here. This is just how Mora talks. He doesn’t really BS.

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.

It’s refreshing.

 

[noeynox]

If it was then facilities didn’t help us. I just don’t think they matter that much.

Everyone has great facilities. UConn's aren't in some league of their own. If they are a little better than some others i doubt that is the swaying factor. NIL money on the other hand is a different story.

 

[ZooCougar]

Sure the program needs money and financial support. I have no doubt that we are at a big disadvantage as compared to the Power conference schools. However I find it hard to believe that we are unable to compete with most of the G5. Do FIU and Georgia State have more resources at their disposal? Doubt it but I guess it's possible.

We did compete with them. We just didn’t win.

Without a booster and some NIL FIU and company are our level.

It doesn’t matter how many P5s we schedule. You can’t fake it until you make it.

 

[ZooCougar]

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.

How is it his job to source more NIL money?

Don’t we want him, you know. Actually coaching?

 

[noeynox]

Sure the program needs money and financial support. I have no doubt that we are at a big disadvantage as compared to the Power conference schools. However I find it hard to believe that we are unable to compete with most of the G5. Do FIU and Georgia State have more resources at their disposal? Doubt it but I guess it's possible.

No but they do reside in a far more fertile recruiting area conducive to snagging the best athletes the P5s pass on. No way around this, UConn will find donors to fund NIL or it will die a slow death. There are so few G5s in our area. All of our former mates in the Big East who we recruited against are P5. The G5s in our area are Temple, UMass and maybe Buffalo, but that is stetching it. I don't count Army and Navy as they are unique in the athletes they recruit.

Someone nailed it. Mora is feeling rug pulled. 1st he was telling recruits they were going ACC, then Big 12, now the reality is, we ain't going nowhere.

 

[noeynox]

How is it his job to source more NIL money?

Don’t we want him, you know. Actually coaching?

Yeah this is the ADs job.

 

[Luna]

We recruit at the highest level for basketball.. is the money there for basketball but not football ?

 

[Gburyhusky]

To be clear, I am a fan of Mora's and I think he has done and good job thus far. You all have pointed out the challenges and the reasons why this is a hard job. No question about that. Mora took the job knowing all that. So he either needs to get it figured out, bust his but trying to figure it out, or move on so someone else gets a shot.

 

[ZooCougar]

I was talking to someone the other day about UConn Football - someone who doesn’t follow it as closely as some of us do. What they said was UConn needs a major donor or two. He was right. We just don’t have the financial backing and boosters needed to compete. Plain and simple.

You can talk about other programs all you want, the fact is we dug ourselves a hole way too deep. To get out we need resources. If a recruit has to choose between UConn and a similar program that has had even a tad bit more success then us, they’ll go with the school with more recent success - unless of course they can get some money out of the deal.

It’s the way of the world at this point. Money drives the bus. Mora is right.

We have some pretty wealthy football alums. I wonder if anyone is talking to the McEntees and their the Lorenzens.

 

[Hoophound]

We did compete with them. We just didn’t win.

Without a booster and some NIL FIU and company are our level.

It doesn’t matter how many P5s we schedule. You can’t fake it until you make it.

To some degree, you can. UConn football players are treated first class. FIU was having trouble getting money together for equipment a couple years ago. The experience of a UConn football player is at a P5 level. Food, travel, training facilities etc. are all at a much higher level than most of the G5, of not all of it.

 

[ZooCougar]

We recruit at the highest level for basketball.. is the money there for basketball but not football ?

That answer would seem to be self evident.