Well, I’ll be honest, I did not see this one coming.
While most of us were getting ready for bed on Tuesday night, reports surfaced that Colorado State is finalizing a deal to hire UConn’s Jim Mora as the
school’s next head coach.
Over the last four seasons, Mora has been responsible for a remarkable program turnaround in Storrs, leading the Huskies to three bowl games in his four years at a program that was previously in the midst of an 11-year streak with only bowl game appearance. This year, the Huskies currently sit at 9-3 with a 2-1 record against ACC teams, those wins coming against Boston College and Duke. Since Mora took over, Huskies attendance numbers and fan enthusiasm have exploded. UConn recently reported that the program averaged a home attendance of 25,375 in 2025, the highest the program has seen since 2016.
While CSU has not had as much trouble filling the stands as other teams in the conference, the Rams are desperate for some success as they enter the Pac-12 in 2026. The Rams have only been to one bowl game since 2017 and have not won a bowl since 2013.
Many may be able to recognize the name “Jim Mora” with regards to a certain famous quote—or rather exclamation—about the playoffs. Fear not, as that was Jim Mora Sr., who was simply hoping his Colts team could win a game. The younger Mora, unlike his father’s famously awful record in the NFL playoffs (0-6 in 15 years), knows a bit more about postseason success. Previously, Mora Jr. was the head coach of the UCLA Bruins from 2012-2017, compiling a 46-30 record and a 2-2 record in bowls. He is currently 3-3 in such games when combined with his record at UConn.
This seems like a home run hire for the Rams at first, and it very well may be, as Mora has a proven track record of winning wherever he goes, at least in the short term, which is really all Rams fans need right now. However, I must caution Rams fans to one particular thing that has flared up in the past with regards to Mora: the Washington Huskies.
Mora played his college ball in Seattle, and has dreamed of working as the head man for his alma mater for a large portion of his coaching career. This dreaming has gotten Mora in some serious hot water before. Back in 2006, Mora was a rising-star head coach of the Michael Vick-led Atlanta Falcons, who were in the thick of a playoff race, sitting at 7-6, with three weeks left and a very real shot at the playoffs.
In the leadup to a crucial matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, Mora made an appearance on a Seattle-based radio show co-hosted by one of his former college roommates, Hugh Millen. During the interview, when the idea of Mora coaching the Huskies came up, Mora famously stated that, if the job were offered to him, he would be there even if the Falcons were in the middle of a playoff run. Despite being given multiple outs by the hosts, Mora dug his feet in, stating that he was dead serious. Mora’s Falcons then proceeded to lose their last three games and miss the playoffs, after which he was fired.
Perhaps it was merely immaturity (despite being 44 years old at the time), and Mora’s attitude concerning his alma mater has changed as he has aged. But the fact remains that Mora blew up a cushy head coaching gig with an up-and-coming NFL team because he could not stop gushing about taking a college job that wasn’t even open. A desire that intense is very hard to satiate without fulfilling the desired goal.
In the meantime, Mora will almost certainly be the head coach of the Rams in their first season of Pac-12 competition next year, which is an undoubtedly exciting prospect. After a season of complete chaos, disaster, and disarray in Fort Collins, this is the exact kind of flashy, big-name hire that was necessary to get the fans excited again. Now Rams fans have a major reason to hope and look forward to next season. Personally, I cannot wait to see how this goes.
As long as Jim Mora doesn’t get any unexpected phone calls from a 206 area code phone, everything should be all right.
