Jim Mora Leaves UConn for Colorado State After Surprise Reaction from Nick Saban

Jim Mora Leaves UConn for Colorado State After Surprise Reaction from Nick Saban originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Nick Saban’s on-air surprise quickly became the defining national reaction Wednesday after Colorado State announced it had hired UConn’s Jim Mora as its next head football coach. The move, confirmed by both schools, ended one of the most successful turnarounds in recent seasons and sent UConn into an unexpected coaching search just days before its bowl selection.

Saban learned of Mora’s departure during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show and reacted immediately when informed of the move.

“No, I have not heard that,” Saban said. “But I don’t know why he would do such a thing.”

For many around the country, Saban’s response reflected the broader surprise. Mora’s four-year run at UConn included a bowl bid in his first season and back-to-back nine-win campaigns, marking the first time in school history the Huskies had posted consecutive seasons at that level.

UConn finished the regular season 9-3, with all three losses coming in overtime, and ranked among the nation’s most productive offensive teams. His departure comes at a time when UConn, an FBS Independent, had gained rare momentum after a decade of coaching changes and limited success.

Athletic director David Benedict confirmed Mora informed him late Tuesday night that he had accepted Colorado State’s offer. Benedict said the school would begin a national search immediately and named offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis as interim coach.

Saban’s public reaction underscored the uncommon nature of the move. Coaches often leave Group of Five programs for positions in stronger leagues or higher-resourced programs, but Mora’s shift from an established rebuild at UConn to a struggling Colorado State program raised questions throughout the sport.

The Rams are 2-9 and have made just one bowl appearance since 2017. The school is preparing for a move into the reconfigured Pac-12 and recently replaced athletic director Jay Norvell after a 2-5 start.

Saban later added that he believed the hire would benefit Colorado State, pointing to Mora’s background at the college and professional levels. His comments also highlighted the competitive implications for UConn, which had positioned itself as a rising independent program under Mora.

Mora’s coaching history includes six seasons at UCLA, where he went 46-30 and delivered two 10-win seasons, along with nearly two decades in the NFL as a head coach, coordinator and assistant. His time at UConn followed several years away from the sideline and marked one of the most notable program turnarounds in recent years. Before his arrival, the Huskies had compiled a 9-50 record over five seasons.

Colorado State is expected to support Mora with increased financial resources as the program prepares for realignment and attempts to regain postseason relevance. For UConn, the timing of the transition adds uncertainty as the Huskies await their bowl destination and seek stability following the program’s most successful stretch in more than two decades.

Saban’s reaction added national visibility to an already significant coaching move, framing it as one of the more surprising decisions of the cycle. As both programs shift quickly into their next phases, Mora’s exit leaves UConn searching for answers while Colorado State begins another attempt at a long-term rebuild.