Mora Introductory Press Conference- Saturday November 27th 10:30am Rentschler Field Club Level

[huskymedic]

 

[freescooter]

I like that he doesn’t concede games. Playing Michigan? Let’s put together a game plan the beat Michigan. No more planning to keep the score reasonably close.

 

[BugsyCT]

This Sunday morning we officially have a new head coach. Checking Twitter, Mora invited a bunch of potential future recruits to the game yesterday. Already busy at work getting this thing turned around. Let's go!!

 

[huskymedic]

 

[UConn2SF]

FMIA Week 10: Patrick Mahomes And The Day The Chiefs' Slump Ended - Peter King, NBC Sports

Peter King's Football Morning In America (FMIA) column begins with Patrick Mahomes throwing five TDs in Vegas. Plus Packers-Seahawks and more NFL Week 10.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Peter King interviews Jim Mora (from 11/22):

Five questions with the new football coach of one of the truly needy teams in major-college football:

FMIA: This came out of nowhere. How in the world did you get this job?

Mora: “I was hopeful that I’d get another opportunity be a head coach in college football. I really enjoy coaching college football. But I was starting to doubt if it was gonna happen as time went on, after UCLA. [Mora was fired in November 2017.] When this job came open, I reached out to them. I don’t think I was on their radar at all. I mean, at all. I haven’t been on anyone’s radar. I had a couple people reach out to the athletic director, David Benedict, and he got interested. We’d done some Zoom calls. I told him, ‘I’m going away for about two weeks.’ He goes, ‘Have a good time. Nothing’s gonna happen while you’re gone.’ So I’m in Venice last week and he calls me, says, ‘When are you coming home?’ I said, ‘Sunday.’ He goes, ‘I’ll be in Idaho waiting for you.’ I landed Sunday about 4 in the afternoon. We go out to dinner at 6:30, then we spent all day Monday at my house, and all day Tuesday and all day Wednesday at my house. Got the deal done Wednesday night. Normally, when I’ve taken a job, I’m kind of a baby. I don’t like to move. But I popped up this morning at 5 and I couldn’t wait to jump in the car, get to the airport and fly here

FMIA: This program is so low right now. Why’d you want the job?

Mora: “I’ve had a lot of people ask me, why would you go to Connecticut? You know, They’re not very good, you’re a West Coast guy, you’re almost 60. I’m like, besides the fact that my kids kinda gave me a clear runway, I love coaching football and I truly love coaching college football. I love the impact you can have on these young men. And I’m just blessed to be able to do it again. I’ve talked to the governor of the state. I’ve talked to business leaders. I’ve talked to all the people that support the program that are of prominence. This can be a great program.”

FMIA: The governor? Ned Lamont? What’d he say? Is he behind this?

Mora: “It was on a Zoom call. He’s standing there and he’s fired up and he’s telling me how important football is to the state. And offering support. He wasn’t the only one. Tuesday night and all day Wednesday, I had Zoom calls with 12 people. To a person, men and women and the governor and lieutenant governor and all kinds of people, and to a person, they all kind of expressed the same sentiment, which was don’t believe what you hear—UConn football is very important to this state and we support it and we want it to be respectable and competitive again and we think you’re the guy to do it. Meant the world to me. Maybe the odds are stacked against us a little bit. You know me, Peter, you’ve known me for all my professional life. I’m a dogged competitor and I also don’t know that the odds are stacked as heavily against us as it might appear on the outside.”

FMIA: How can you get competitive?

Mora: “I think number one, attacking the transfer portal. I see it a little bit like free agency in the NFL. It’s a chance to get some really good players, really quickly. You can have a great recruiting class, but there are still young players that haven’t played in college football. They haven’t really spent time away from home or been on a college campus. But you can go get some transfers that have some experience, playing experience, experience on campus. They’re more mature. You can make some quick headway that way. And I think you coach the heck out of them. I think you really do a great job of creating the culture of accountability and toughness and discipline.”

FMIA: You never recruited the Northeast. You’re a West Coast guy, as you said. How will you be able to recruit an area foreign to you?

Mora: "Something’s that gonna really help me is that I have some name recognition. I think that’ll bring credibility. Thirty players that I recruited are playing in the NFL. I’ve coached, as an assistant or head coach, 28 members of Pro Football Hall of Fame. I don’t care where you recruit. If you can tell a kid, ‘30 guys I recruited play in the NFL, I’ve coached guys in the Hall of Fame,’ then they’re like, Whoa, really?’ I think that'll help."

 

[Waquoit]

Why as a longtime season ticket holder and donor do I need to pay for access to this? I already have seats to the game. I don’t need to pay $30/pp to go to this in the middle of tailgating and have access to seats I won’t use.

All I hear on this board is that they need to spend more money. But when it comes time to pony up, I'm amazed by all the whining. Where is the money supposed to come from?

 

[CL82]

Often, money isn’t the solution that people assume it is. It’s not just access to capital, it is spending it wisely. UConn invested wisely in Coach Mora’s and his assistants. As the program grows, they were going to be moments where the University in the state are going to have to invest in it to continue that momentum, but for right now, we are positioned nicely to change the culture and become competitive again.

 

[Palatine]

I was at the press conference. Most of it was the usual passion stuff and back slapping.

One thing Mora said was actually important. He is student of game management. He has an analysis his own time management decisions, good and bad to learn from them. Having a coach that understands how to use the game clock shows up in the W/L column.

 

[Uconngal]

All I hear on this board is that they need to spend more money. But when it comes time to pony up, I'm amazed by all the whining. Where is the money supposed to come from?

We can agree to disagree on this. I have paid more than my fair share over the past 14 or so years in support of the program. I have paid to go to events, away games, and bowl games in the past and will continue to do so. This particular event to me didn’t make sense. I was able to watch it live-streamed from my tailgate. I didn’t need to be asked to pay to go watch it.
You want more money and support from me there needs to be some mutual benefit. You want more people to get excited about things make them accessible to ALL not exclusive pay events. To me this was a missed opportunity to engage with the die hard fans that are out in the Blue lots every game day.

 

[The Moose]

$30 for the press conference, inside seat, and buffet lunch included seemed reasonable

 

[Waquoit]

$30 for the press conference, inside seat, and buffet lunch included seemed reasonable

Especially as an option to standing out in the cold.

 

[HomeKing93]

$30 for the press conference, inside seat, and buffet lunch included seemed reasonable

I certainly took advantage of the $30 seat, I've never seen a game up there before.

 

[CL82]

I certainly took advantage of the $30 seat, I've never seen a game up there before.

How did you like it?

 

[HomeKing93]

How did you like it?

Nice, especially when it was as cold and breezy as Saturday was. But that was probably my last taste of high society at the Rent - going back to my usual seat in 2022 LOL!

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Waquoit]

Nice, especially when it was as cold and breezy as Saturday was. But that was probably my last taste of high society at the Rent - going back to my usual seat in 2022 LOL!

We're any of the Club section regulars resentful that you were able to watch the game up there at a fraction of the cost they pay?

 

[HomeKing93]

We're any of the Club section regulars resentful that you were able to watch the game up there at a fraction of the cost they pay?

I talked to 2 people sitting near me who sounded like Club section regulars and I pointed out my usual seat across the field. If they resented me up there, they didn't (or wouldn't) express that. We actually had good conversations during the game and they said Saturday had the most people they saw sitting up there all year.

 

[DoctorWho85]

All I hear on this board is that they need to spend more money. But when it comes time to pony up, I'm amazed by all the whining. Where is the money supposed to come from?

Other people.