Jim Mora says "everything is in place here for us to win championships and that's what our intentions are."
As far as lines in an introductory press conference go, Mora had plenty like that one to make Colorado State fans happy.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe talked of championships, players heading to the NFL and CSU being his last coaching job.
The proof of concept, of course, will come later, but Mora received frequent applause from the packed room at Canvas Stadium during his introductory press conference as the new CSU football coach on Dec. 1.
Here is a look at some of the most notable things he said.
Jim Mora on the future for Colorado State football
"I’ll say this: Good days are ahead. We’re going to work every single day as hard as we can to be the very best we can be on that day and then we’re going to wake up the next day and we do it again. We’re not going to put any limitations on what we can be. Our goals will be set at a very high level and we’ll work every day to obtain those goals. It’s about the work.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"One of my mottos is ‘actions over words’ and we’re going to talk a lot, but our actions have to match our words otherwise we’re just spinning our wheels. For me, every day is about leaning into the hard and choosing the challenge and I’m excited about this opportunity and this challenge right here. Once again, just so grateful to the leadership here at Colorado State that is giving me this opportunity. Thank you all so very, very much and thank you all for being here. It’s overwhelming. It’s encouraging. Together, boy, we can do some special, special things here. It’s going to be fun to see this place (Canvas Stadium) packed and rocking."
Jim Mora on why he wanted the CSU football job
"There’s a real commitment here to win. Not just to win games, but to win big games. We’re going to go hunt those big wins down every single day and we’re going to do it together, every single one of us. It’s going to be a really fulfilling and exciting journey."
Jim Mora on dealing with the modern challenges of college football
"I equate the portal to free agency. I equate the draft to high school recruiting. I equate revenue share to the salary cap. We never want to lose touch with the fact that we’re here to serve student-athletes. They’re not professionals. They’re in the formative years of their life. We have to stay grounded in that because it is not professional football, but I believe that my background and the people I’ve been fortunate to be around gives me the opportunity to be well equipped to really embrace what college football is today."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJim Mora on connecting with former CSU football players
"We’re going to build this thing on your shoulders. We want you to know you’re always welcome here. I think you’re a tremendous resource for the current players. They need to know who they’re following, they need your guidance, they need your advice, they need your mentorship. I want you to know that you’re always welcome back here to Colorado State University to be around this program."
Jim Mora on first tasks on the job
"Signing Day is Wednesday (Dec. 3). I’ve had the opportunity to talk to every one of the commits in this class on the phone. FaceTimed with a couple of them. They’re excited. I think the staff that is in place here did an amazing job of keeping this class together. It’s not easy to do … We’ll get that done on Wednesday. Then the plan is to meet with every player in this program and figure out what their goals and objectives are and how I can help them, whether it’s here or somewhere else. (Then) meet with the staff and assemble a staff, which we’re going to be methodical in doing because we want to bring the best and the brightest here to Colorado State. Then we’re going to get into the portal and attack the portal and we’re going to bring really, really good young men here that are also really good football players and can represent Ram Country the way it deserves to be represented."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJim Mora on what CSU football fans can expect from his teams
Colorado State's new head football coach Jim Mora talks to the crowd during a press conference to introduce the new head football coach at Canvas Stadium on Dec. 1, 2025 in Fort Collins, Colo."Discipline. Toughness. Accountability. I want people that come to our games and our fans to be proud of what they see on the field, the effort, the intensity, the intensity with which we play. The class that we show on the field and in the community. We want to make sure that our student-athletes graduate, that they are set for the rest of their live at least with a plan going forward. We want to help them to get opportunities to play in the National Football League, which is something we’ve had success with the other places I’ve been. But more than anything, we just want them to have a chance to be successful in life. We want people that support this program to be proud that they support this program."
Jim Mora on when he was first interested in the CSU job
"In 2019 I sent a text to somebody here when the job was open expressing my interest. That’s when it got on my radar initially. I have a relationship with Jay Norvell. Jay coached with my dad. I grew up in this business, so I’m always very, very sensitive to the changes that take place. As a football coach, we all understand that change is inevitable and it’s something we have to accept if we’re going to be in this business. When the program decided to move on from Jay, I was immediately interested. It renewed that interest I had in 2019. Fortunately, that interest led to me being able to sit in front of all of you today."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJim Mora on CSU moving into the Pac-12
"Brand recognition is huge. I’ve been involved with the Pac since it was the Pac-8, then the Pac-10, then the Pac-12 at all levels, whether it was my dad as a coach, me as a player or me as a coach. There’s brand recognition. The Pac-12 represents excellence. It always has. There may be a new community of members in the Pac-12, but it’s still the Pac-12. This new community of members is going to make the Pac-12 powerful once again."
Jim Mora on his love for hiking and goals for CSU
"A couple goals for you. I didn’t say I was going to tell you all our goals, but we’re going to win a Pac-12 championship, we’re going to compete to win a national championship and I’m going to scale all 54 14(ers) here."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJim Mora on if College Football Playoff is a realistic goal for CSU
"We have the resources. When I speak about resources, I’m not speaking about money. I’m speaking about people and the vision and the commitment. We have the resources to ascend as high as we determine want to ascend with the commitment we make. That’s how we determine how far we go. I’m very confident that we can do those things."
Jim Mora on recruiting and roster building
Colorado State's new head football coach Jim Mora talks to the crowd during a press conference to introduce the new head football coach at Canvas Stadium on Dec. 1, 2025 in Fort Collins, Colo."My philosophy is this. I would like to build our program through high school recruiting. I would like to capture every great athlete in this state and make them Colorado State Rams. I think that the basis of your program should be those who you recruit, because that’s how you build and sustain culture. I think what the portal has done is given us a chance to go out and fill some areas of need, to add impact players, guys that are mature that have played at this level. We’ll access that as well. I think every year will probably look a little bit different."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJim Mora on if CSU will be his last coaching job
"I don’t only hope it is, but I’m confident that it will be. As young coaches, we all aspire to ascend. As a head coach I’ve never gone to any place and thought ‘this will be the next step.’ I’ve always thought this will be the last step. I’m very confident in saying this will absolutely be the last step. This place offers everything to me and my family that we could ever desire from a professional standpoint and from a personal standpoint. We just can’t wait to get here and plant our roots."
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: What new CSU football coach Jim Mora said in first press conference
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