Reuel Indurkar
Canvas Stadium fills with students and fans for Colorado State University's first home football game of the season against Middle Tennessee State University Sept. 10.
Jim Mora will be Colorado State football’s next head coach.
UConn Athletic Director David Benedict announced Wednesday morning he was informed Mora would be accepting the position. CSU later confirmed in a statement that Mora will replace former head coach Jay Norvell, who was fired Oct. 19.
“Coach Mora brought energy and a winning culture back to UConn football and put our program back on the national stage,” Benedict said in a statement on X. “We are grateful for coach Mora’s contribution to UConn over the past four seasons. He took on the challenge of rebuilding our football program and delivered results that exceeded expectations.”
With the Huskies, Mora helped bring the program back to relevance with its first winning season since 2010 and posted a 27-23 overall record during his tenure. As a result of that, back-to-back nine-win seasons and three bowl appearances during the past four years at UConn, average attendance doubled in that span.
Mora also brings 35 years of football coaching experience to CSU, with 25 years at various levels in the NFL. His experience as head coach with the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks yielded multiple playoff game wins before he returned to head coaching at UCLA and UConn.
Before his time at UConn, he spent six seasons at the helm at UCLA, finishing 46-30 with the Bruins and racking up four seasons of eight or more wins. He also pushed for a Pac-12 South title and two bowl game wins, while consistently ranking in the top 20 in recruiting.
His recruiting success and player development have been positive in the past, as he produced 30 NFL players and a first-round pick in every year but one with the Bruins. As Mora joins the Rams, he brings a wealth of experience and accolades, but it remains to be seen which players and staff follow him to CSU.
“I would like to thank President Amy Parsons, Director of Athletics John Weber, and all those involved for providing Kathy and me this very special opportunity,” Mora said. “I am truly humbled to join CSU as we transition to the Pac-12 Conference. I am excited to meet the team and look forward to connecting with the former players. I can’t wait for our family to become part of the Northern Colorado community.”
The new head coach connects with the Rams at a pivotal time.
After CSU clinched its first bowl eligibility since 2017 in the 2024 season, hopes and expectations were high as the team rolled into 2025 — especially as the Rams entered their final season within the Mountain West before joining the Pac-12.
Yet the reality was far different.
After a 31-19 loss against Hawai’i — CSU’s fifth of the season — Norvell was fired the next day, and Athletic Director John Weber announced a nationwide search for the program’s 25th head coach.
Then, to finish off the rest of the season, defensive coordinator Tyson Summers stepped up as the interim head coach whilst promoting Grant Chestnut to be the new play-caller. Under Summers, the Rams have yet to achieve a win.
But with a head coach who has achieved 105 wins, both in the NFL and college, it could be exactly what CSU football needs to elevate its program as it enters a new conference.
“Our goal from the very start was to execute a comprehensive search to find the next leader of the Colorado State football program,” Weber said in a statement on X. “From our very first conversation, Coach Mora’s desire to serve student-athletes, his comprehensive experience, and passion to win was evident. I could not be more excited to welcome Jim and his wife Kathy to CSU and Fort Collins.”
Reach Michael Hovey and Sophie Webb at sports@collegian.com or on social media @michaelfhovey or @sophgwebb.