UConn hires Jim Mora: Former UCLA, Seahawks coach aims to turn around Huskies

Connecticut introduced Thursday that Jim L. Mora, the previous coach of UCLA, the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons, will take over the Huskies soccer program following the top of the common season. Mora has agreed to a five-year contract, which pays him $1.5 million in his first 12 months plus the chance to earn an extra $200,000 via incentives. He’ll function an assistant coach via the remainder of the 2021 season and take over as head coach on November 28.

UConn parted methods with Randy Edsall in September after an 0-2 begin.

“I’m excited to have the chance to develop into the top soccer coach on the College of Connecticut,” stated Mora in a press release. “UConn possesses a nationally-recognized tutorial and athletics model and I’m thrilled to develop into a member of the neighborhood that makes up UConn Nation.  This program is loaded with potential, and I look ahead to attending to know the student-athletes on the staff and am desirous to get to work!”

A veteran coach at a number of ranges, Mora final coached in school with the Bruins from 2012-17. He went 46-30 in Los Angeles with two 10-win seasons, 4 bowl appearances and posted a Pac-12 South title. He beforehand went 5-11 with the Seahawks in 2011 and was fired in January 2012 earlier than the group employed Pete Carroll. 

“Attending to know Jim Mora over the past a number of days has been a terrific expertise,” stated athletic director David Benedict.  “Jim is a confirmed winner, a person of integrity, and he possesses the expertise and the vitality to guide our soccer program again to success.  Jim is happy and undaunted by this problem, and we each know that this program has nice potential. I am sure that, below Coach Mora’s management, UConn soccer will as soon as once more understand that potential.”

Mora burst onto the teaching scene with the Atlanta Falcons in 2004. That staff, with Michael Vick at quarterback, went 11-5, gained the NFC South and misplaced to the Philadelphia Eagles within the NFC Championship Recreation. It marked Mora’s solely season within the NFL by which his staff completed over .500.

“I’m impressed by Coach Mora’s large wealth of expertise and achievement professionally and in intercollegiate soccer,” stated UCLA interim president Andrew Agwunobi. “He’s a real coach on- and off-the-field, and that diploma of dedication will tremendously profit our student-athletes in his cost. I enthusiastically be part of UConn Nation in welcoming him to Storrs and look ahead to his management of our program within the years forward.”    

UConn’s soccer future is a bit murky after the most recent spherical of realignment. It left the American Athletic Convention in favor of soccer independence previous to the 2020 season, which was canceled as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. The Huskies have not landed wherever throughout the newest spherical of realignment, which is beginning to wind down now that the MAC introduced that it’s staying at 12 groups.