The 2021 "at least we're not UConn" thread

[CousCuse]

Was worried they would hire a young coach with vision and energy.

Mora is turning 60 later this month. He was a disaster as a HC twice in the NFL. He started well at UCLA using Neiheisel's players but the team got worse each season as he brought in his players and schemes.

It is not a surprise no one was willing to hire him for the last 4 years.

I hope he does well at UConn and keeps their program alive so we don't have to reschedule our future games with other teams.

If you look at his record at UCLA, you'd have to think the people there were ego maniac idiots for firing him, 1 losing season!

 

[RandomGuy]

I think they may keep their interim coach, Alex Miller, who played at UMASS and went to the FCS champion game as their center in 2006. He also coached under Chip Kelly as a GA in 2010 when the Ducks went to the FBS championship game. He looks like a young Andy Reid, smart o-line guy who knows what makes an offense work.

I was going to say the same thing. Miller was very good at FCS NH. Part of their record 14 straight playoff appearances. Good oline coach, Alum, and may very well work for what they'll pay him. (Unless he seeks a more proper Oline job)

 

[Hoo's That]

But does Saban take the UMass or UConn job? And for how much money?

Who takes the other job? Jimbo? Urban? Enquiring minds want to know.

Lincoln Riley. Will be able to stay longer.

 

[CousCuse]

I was going to say the same thing. Miller was very good at FCS NH. Part of their record 14 straight playoff appearances. Good oline coach, Alum, and may very well work for what they'll pay him. (Unless he seeks a more proper Oline job)

Yea, pay him a modest salary for his first HC job and put the rest of the money in to the pot for assistants. Maybe he could be their Fitz. I like o-line guys as head coaches.

 

[SU68]

Their governor said he was behind UCONN football playing at the highest level, this would seem to be proof of that commitment.

Isn't UConn AD already losing $40M/year?

 

[CousCuse]

Isn't UConn AD already losing $40M/year?

They'll just raise Dasher's taxes a little, that's all.

 

[sutomcat]

If you look at his record at UCLA, you'd have to think the people there were ego maniac idiots for firing him, 1 losing season!

That isn't quite right.

His teams have started out successful and gotten worse with each passing year pretty consistently.

ATL Total	26	22	0	.542		1	1	.500
Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
Team	Year	Regular Season	Post Season
ATL	2004	11	5	0	.688	1st in NFC South	1	1	.500	Lost to Philadelphia Eagles in NFC Championship Game
ATL	2005	8	8	0	.500	3rd in NFC South	–	–	–	–
ATL	2006	7	9	0	.438	3rd in NFC South	–	–	–	–
SEA	2009	5	11	0	.313	3rd in NFC West	–	–	–

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Coaches#	AP°
UCLA Bruins (Pac-12 Conference) (2012–2017)
2012	UCLA	9–5	6–3	1st (South)	L Holiday
2013	UCLA	10–3	6–3	T–2nd (South)	W Sun	16	16
2014	UCLA	10–3	6–3	T–2nd (South)	W Alamo	10	10
2015	UCLA	8–5	5–4	3rd (South)	L Foster Farms
2016	UCLA	4–8	2–7	T–4th (South)
2017	UCLA	5–6[a]	3–5	4th (South)

 

[CousCuse]

That isn't quite right.

His teams have started out successful and gotten worse with each passing year pretty consistently.

Team	Year	Regular Season	Post Season
Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
ATL Total	26	22	0	.542		1	1	.500
ATL	2004	11	5	0	.688	1st in NFC South	1	1	.500	Lost to Philadelphia Eagles in NFC Championship Game
ATL	2005	8	8	0	.500	3rd in NFC South	–	–	–	–
ATL	2006	7	9	0	.438	3rd in NFC South	–	–	–	–
SEA	2009	5	11	0	.313	3rd in NFC West	–	–	–

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Coaches#	AP°
UCLA Bruins (Pac-12 Conference) (2012–2017)
2012	UCLA	9–5	6–3	1st (South)	L Holiday
2013	UCLA	10–3	6–3	T–2nd (South)	W Sun	16	16
2014	UCLA	10–3	6–3	T–2nd (South)	W Alamo	10	10
2015	UCLA	8–5	5–4	3rd (South)	L Foster Farms
2016	UCLA	4–8	2–7	T–4th (South)
2017	UCLA	5–6[a]	3–5	4th (South)

Not sure what happened in Atlanta, that could of been a cap issue. Looking at his record at UCLA, and understanding that UCLA is no football blueblood, it seems beyond stupid to have fired him. In 2017 he was let go before the last game against Cal, which they did win, finished 6-6 and became bowl eligible.

 

[RandomGuy]

That UMass job... pheww. Thats a tough one to take. Have to think local kids would rather go FCS, than a team that has never won more than 4. UConn seems slightly less bad a job. Slightly.

 

[CousCuse]

That UMass job... pheww. Thats a tough one to take. Have to think local kids would rather go FCS, than a team that has never won more than 4. UConn seems slightly less bad a job. Slightly.

Maybe Miller can rally the team to beat UMaine. I am pulling for a guy like him. Bell was kind of a poser.

 

[Jake]

Not sure UConn can do better than this hire.

 

[MSOrange]

Not sure UConn can do better than this hire.

Agree. I think Mora is decent hire under the circumstances, but what a fall for him - NFL head coach to UConn. wow!

 

[Owens guy]

I'm going to take the opposite view as almost everyone here - I think the Mora hire will be a disaster for UConn.

I think there are probably many very good reasons Mora hasn't been able to get a head job ANYWHERE for the past 4 years and had to take this bottom of the barrel job for only $1.5 million per year.

 

[Chip]

I'm going to take the opposite view as almost everyone here - I think the Mora hire will be a disaster for UConn.

I think there are probably many very good reasons Mora hasn't been able to get a head job ANYWHERE for the past 4 years and had to take this bottom of the barrel job for only $1.5 million per year.

It's perfect for him. He has literally zero expectations. Just pocket another $7.5M - $8.5M, retire at age 64.

He basically doesn't even have to work. Hire a staff, let them do everything. Stand on the sidelines with headphones and pretend you're doing something.

 

[CousCuse]

I'm going to take the opposite view as almost everyone here - I think the Mora hire will be a disaster for UConn.

I think there are probably many very good reasons Mora hasn't been able to get a head job ANYWHERE for the past 4 years and had to take this bottom of the barrel job for only $1.5 million per year.

He was getting paid by UCLA all this time. Maybe the contract stipulated that he couldn't double dip. As far as taking the UCONN job, he isn't going to have to deal with wild expectations like he did at UCLA.

 

[Scooch]

No one can win at UConn. It's the definition of a dead-end job. Given their schedule, the ceiling is probably 4-5 wins, and that would be a hell of an achievement.

 

[Briancuse]

Agree. I think Mora is decent hire under the circumstances, but what a fall for him - NFL head coach to UConn. wow!

Coaching Micheal Vick at his best to umm someone want to help me out here?

 

[orange79]

Agree. I think Mora is decent hire under the circumstances, but what a fall for him - NFL head coach to UConn. wow!

They must be ecstatic over at the Boneyard.

 

[RandomGuy]

No one can win at UConn. It's the definition of a dead-end job. Given their schedule, the ceiling is probably 4-5 wins, and that would be a hell of an achievement.

I give Uconn more of a chance than UMass. No conference can't help.

I imagine Mora will pound the portal unlike his predecessor.

 

[OburgOrange]

They'll just raise Dasher's taxes a little, that's all.

I’m good with this

 

[Dinkyspond]

I really thought at first this was the father, "Playoffs?! Are we talking about the playoffs?!

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Scooch]

That's a very well done piece, and it captures all the factors that have sunk UConn over the past decade.

It bears repeating, UConn had a very real chance to get into the ACC, both when we were admitted, and when Maryland left. Two things really doomed UConn: (1) they clearly didn't put max effort into selling the ACC on themselves, which is really inexcusable; and (2) they let football degrade quickly post-Edsall's first tenure.

I love what Coach P did for SU, but he was a terrible hire for UConn (and that's not hindsight, I said it at the time). The fact that he was hired, and that there was an Edsall second act, really shows how poorly the UConn football program has been run.

And I don't buy for a second that they can really turn things around. Maybe they could win 5 games if the stars align with their schedule. But recruiting is going to be next-to impossible. Their only shot at even mediocrity is if Mora is a A+ developer of talent, and I don't think that's likely.

 

[Chip]

It bears repeating, UConn had a very real chance to get into the ACC, both when we were admitted, and when Maryland left. Two things really doomed UConn: (1) they clearly didn't put max effort into selling the ACC on themselves, which is really inexcusable; and (2) they let football degrade quickly post-Edsall's first tenure.

Lightning didn't strike twice. The original ACC raid of 2003 instantly vaulted UConn into a BCS league because they were already there for other sports. Think of all the programs across the country that had accomplished so much more on the football field that were still left out of the party.

When Louisville was admitted over UConn, the college football gods were correcting themselves.

 

[orangefog]

Lightning didn't strike twice. The original ACC raid of 2003 instantly vaulted UConn into a BCS league because they were already there for other sports. Think of all the programs across the country that had accomplished so much more on the football field that were still left out of the party.

When Louisville was admitted over UConn, the college football gods were correcting themselves.

Totally agree with that. They also rode the backs of the rest of the Big East schools in building their basketball program. They provided nothing for about 15 years while the rest of the schools turned the Big East in to the Big East. They are leaches that don't understand their historical place in college athletics.