UConn Football

UConn head coach Jim Mora sent a message to opposing schools and coaches that he claimed broke tampering rules by communicating with Huskies players in a Monday post on X.

"We do know who you are, we will pursue all avenues to hold you accountable," Mora wrote. "We are excited that we've built a program where coaches have to cheat to beat us and we will protect that program. Think hard before you tamper with our players."

A simple note to the schools and coaches that have blatantly broken @NCAAFootball rules by tampering with our players in the last 24 hours. We do know who you are, we will pursue all avenues to hold you accountable. We are excited that we’ve built a program where coaches have to… pic.twitter.com/lnO7ITpkYQ

— Jim Mora (@CoachJimMoraFB) December 30, 2024

College football's winter transfer portal window officially closed on Dec. 28.

Opposing schools and coaches are not permitted to contact players about transferring to another school unless the players enter the transfer portal.

Mora isn't the only one to bring up the issue, as Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney previously discussed the topic on Sept. 29.

"There's certainly a lot of tampering [from other] people after games, though, that's for sure," Swinney said, via 247Sports' Cody Nagel. "I've had several people over the last couple of years that have brought that up to me, where somebody's come over to them. I've had parents tell me that [players have been approached after games]."

Mora's team is coming off an immensely successful season, finishing with a 9-4 record to go along with a 27-14 win over North Carolina in the Fenway Bowl on Saturday.

2024 marked UConn's first year with at least nine wins since 2007.

Mora owns a record of 18-20 with the Huskies after compiling a 46-30 record in six seasons at UCLA from 2012-17.

He was rewarded for helping lead UConn's turnaround, receiving a new contract that included two additional years to take him through the 2028 season on Saturday (via ESPN's Pete Thamel). The deal contained a raise to an average of $2.5 million each year.

After Mora wrapped up a strong 2024 season, he took some time to call out tampering violations on Monday.

UConn head football coach Jim Mora Jr. blasted officials Saturday for a non-call against Wake Forest's defense on the Huskies' final offensive series of a 23-20 home loss to the Demon Deacons.

Speaking to reporters after the game (h/t John Brice of FootballScoop.com), Mora took issue with the officials not calling defensive holding or pass interference on a pass from quarterback Nick Evers to wide receiver Jasaiah Gathings on UConn's final offensive play of the contest (beginning at the 1:18 mark of video):

"I'm proud of them for fighting back. We've got to make sure we put ourselves in a position where it doesn't come down to one play where an ACC [officiating] team makes a horses--t call against an Independent. And that's up to us to play better at the start of the game so it doesn't come down to that call, which was [defensive] holding and PI. And that's what I told them. And we'll come back, and we'll fight. It's on us to play better earlier, but it would sure be nice if it was a level playing field."

After Evers fourth-down pass to Gathings was incomplete and no call was made, Wake Forest was able to kneel on the ball and end the game, improving its record to 3-4, while the Huskies fell to 4-3.

After falling behind 20-6 early in the second half, the Huskies mounted a comeback, as a touchdown pass from Evers to Gathings shrunk the deficit to seven. Wake went back up by 10 with a field goal before UConn got within three on an Evers touchdown pass to Louis Hansen with 2:27 remaining in the game.

Connecticut's defense forced a quick three-and-out on the next series, and the offense got the ball back with 2:02 on the clock.

UConn got close to midfield, but on the decisive play of the game, a 4th-and-8 pass from Evers to Gathings was incomplete.

Upon further review, Wake Forest defensive back Jamare Glasker clearly appeared to grab Gathings from behind and push him to the ground before the ball got there, but no call was made, and the game was effectively over:

"That is pass interference. You have to call that."

-@RossTuckerNFL pic.twitter.com/OFcGabdZFq

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 19, 2024

After his opening statement, Mora took only one question at his postgame presser, and when asked to explain what happened on the no-call, he said: "Here's your explanation: ACC versus Independent. There's your explanation. It's pretty f--king simple."

Wake Forest is an ACC team that had an ACC officiating crew calling Saturday's game, whereas UConn is one of only three FBS Independents along with Notre Dame and UMass.

After the Huskies went six straight seasons without a bowl appearance or a .500 or better record, Mora immediately helped turn things around upon his arrival in 2022.

UConn went 6-7 and reached the Myrtle Beach Bowl that season before dropping off to the tune of a 3-9 mark last season.

Mora had the Huskies off to a 4-2 start this season, including a 4-0 record at home, prior to Saturday's loss. While the defeat was a setback, UConn is still trending toward bowl eligibility if it can win at least two more games.

The former Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks and UCLA head coach will now be tasked with getting the Huskies refocused and ready for Saturday when they host the 2-5 Rice Owls.

Amid the Pac-12's push to bring in new members to the once shrinking conference, UConn won't be joining the league, per the Hartford Courant's Dom Amore.

UConn, which is currently independent in football, explored the idea of joining the Pac-12 as a football-only member last week, but the school is no longer interested. Amore noted that UConn doesn't consider the Pac-12 the right fit for its football program right now.

UConn's basketball program and most other sports compete in the Big East conference, though that league stopped sponsoring football in 2012. After spending eight seasons in the American Athletic Conference, the Huskies went independent in 2021.

In recent years, UConn has had a desire to join a power conference but has yet to find a suitor. Amore noted the university's talks with the Big 12 paused in August.

While struggles over the past few seasons have made the Huskies a less-than-desirable addition in football, a 3-2 start to the 2024 season could help UConn make a case to be added to a Power 5 conference.

The Pac-12 has added Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State over the past month and brought in Gonzaga, which doesn't have a football team, on Tuesday.

The addition of the six schools brings the Pac-12 to eight members, but it is still just one football-playing member short of meeting the eight teams required for a conference champion to be eligible for an automatic bid to the College Football Playoff.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark announced Thursday the conference and UConn have "paused" their discussions about potentially having the Huskies become a member.

New: Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark says expansion conversations with UConn have been “paused.” pic.twitter.com/44rQ5toFoG

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) September 5, 2024

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported UConn officials met with athletic directors from the Big 12 in Dallas last month. Among the topics discussed were the resources the Huskies planned to invest in a football program that has been historically irrelevant.

UConn boasts the two-time reigning national champion in men's basketball, and the women's basketball team is one of the most prestigious in the sport. That's to say nothing of the other athletic endeavors in which the Huskies excel.

The most recent rounds of realignment were driven almost entirely by football, though, which has never been UConn's specialty. The school only became a full Division I-A member ahead of the 2000 season and it's 110-170 since then.

Beyond the absence of results on the field, the football program has suffered from a prolonged lack of investment and enthusiasm from the school and its fans.

According to Thamel, one plan discussed would've had UConn joining the Big 12 in football in 2031 and an earlier date in other sports. That kind of time frame would give the Huskies multiple years to make progress on the gridiron.

Sen. Chris Murphy probably spoke for a lot of people in Connecticut, though, when he questioned the need to throw away what's already a pretty good thing.

I’ve always believed UConn should stay in the Big East. Our athletes and fans have a great regional conference that clearly works for our highest profile sport, basketball. Chasing football relevance is a mistake. We will get burned. https://t.co/6N2L3WtTvO

— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) August 27, 2024

Leaving the Big East would mean tossing aside historic rivalries, and just ask Maryland and Syracuse how conference realignment can have negative consequences on what had been a stable basketball foundation.

For now, the idea of a Big 12 partnership is off the table, which could be welcome news to fans.

In June, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel gave colleges and universities permission to place corporate sponsorship logos on their fields. Only up to three such on-field advertisements are allowed—one on the 50-yard line, and two smaller ones on either side of the field.

The UConn Huskies will be the first school officially taking advantage of the new rule, as the school announced on Monday:

First NIL collective to have a spot on an FBS football field! https://t.co/gSUx405JbH

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 26, 2024

"This change allows schools to generate additional income to support student-athletes," NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement back in June. "I'm pleased that we could find flexibility within our rules to make this happen for member schools."

More than a few schools are expected to take advantage, especially following the House v. NCAA settlement that paved the way for $2.8 billion in back-pay damages to college athletes over a 10-year period who missed out on NIL opportunities and paved the way for a revenue-sharing model that would allow schools to directly funnel money to the student athletes.

But all of that costs money, and corporate logos on fields were seen as one natural way to counteract those new expenses.

"I grew up in Syracuse, New York, so I was accustomed to the Carrier Dome, which is now the JMA Wireless Dome," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey told reporters in June. "So this is not new within the college sports enterprise. We've had clear lines, so it hasn't been appearing on the field. I would anticipate there's going to be a continuing push of those limits."

UConn has started the push, but expect plenty of schools to follow suit.

HEIGHT: 6'6"

WEIGHT: 274

HAND: 9¾"

ARM: 35¾"

WINGSPAN: 84⅜"

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.67

3-CONE: 7.59

SHUTTLE: 4.73

VERTICAL: 36.5"

BROAD: 9'9"

---

POSITIVES

— Good size and excellent arm length. Tested well at the NFL combine with an 8.26 RAS out of 10.

— Has some power and pop at the point of attack to help set the edge against weaker offensive tackles.

— Solid at shedding or getting off blocks when he lands his hands.

— Decent long-arm move with his length and strength.

— Flexible ankles to help bend at the top of the rush.

---

NEGATIVES

— Not explosive and labors off the ball despite a good 10-yard split time.

— Subpar knee bend, plays high.

— Needs to be more consistent at picking his hands straight up from the ground and into the offensive lineman.

— Stops his feet on contact, hurting his bull rush.

— Low production this past season, especially for a non-Power-Five prospect.

---

2023 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 34 TOT, 2 SK, 6.5 TFL, 1 PD, 2 FF

---

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports

— No major injuries

---

OVERALL

Eric Watts has the size and frame of an NFL defensive end. He also posted some impressive athletic testing numbers at the combine.

However, that didn't seem to translate on the field. He isn't quick-twitched, and his 1.62-second 10-yard split was surprising because his get-off wasn't very impressive on tape.

A team might be intrigued by Watts' measurables enough to draft him, and he has the potential to contribute as a 5-technique in even fronts. But it's hard to expect him to be much of a factor in the NFL, as he's a fifth-year senior who has underwhelming film and production at a non-Power-Five school.

---

GRADE: 5.3 (Backup/UDFA with Roster Potential — UDFA)

OVERALL RANK: 250

POSITION RANK: EDGE24

PRO COMPARISON: Janarius Robinson

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 317

HAND: 9"

ARM: 33½"

WINGSPAN: 79¾"

---

40-YARD DASH: 5.03

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL: 33"

BROAD: 8'6"

---

POSITIVES

— Advanced timing, feel and processing skills show up in all facets of his game.

— Explodes into contact on drive, double-team and base blocks with strong inside hand presence and torquing ability to uproot and secure the first-level defender.

— Expertly navigates his way off combo blocks to the second level, securing the down man before timely releasing to the 'backer.

— Takes good angles on his climbs and pulls to compensate for a lack of burst, resulting in impressive ability to intersect his target on the move.

— A+ finisher who ties up, strains and gets last meaningful contact through the echo of the whistle.

— Assertive, sharp and physical presence against basic line games/stunts and when uncovered to clear the pocket on adjacent rushers.

---

NEGATIVES

— Mediocre twitch, quickness and agility shrinks margin for error with aiming points, hand placement and recovery ability.

— Limited range on an island against wide rush alignments can create short corners, especially against spinners and sub-package rushers.

---

2023 STATISTICS

— 12 starts at right guard

— AP third team All-American

---

NOTES

— 2-star recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports

— 49 consecutive career starts at right guard

— First Husky in the program's FBS era to be named an All-American in two separate seasons (both third-team selections)

— Accepted his invite to the Senior Bowl

---

OVERALL

Christian Haynes is a four-year starter with 49 consecutive starts at right guard inside Connecticut's balanced run-pass split, zone-based run scheme with duo and power concepts sprinkled in. Haynes is on the shorter side with a high-cut, long-limbed frame, adequate athletic ability and good play strength.

Haynes is an adept run-blocker who wins with technique, processing skills and a relentless demeanor that he uses to finish at a high level. He understands how to create lift on contact to get first-level defenders uprooted and set up for the overtake, with excellent timing and feel on his releases to know when to stay attached and secure or release and climb.

Haynes doesn't offer much burst or agility on the mover, but he counterbalances it with proper angles to intersect his target on climbs and as a puller. He arrives on contact centered, and he ties up defenders once latched with the grip strength and strain to maintain control through the echo of the whistle.

As a pass protector, Haynes wins in isolated matchups against tightly aligned rushers using his length and strong hands to tie them up quickly. He is excellent sorting and picking up line games and stunts while providing pocket-clearing physicality and thump when uncovered.

However, he will get manipulated out of position by wide rush alignments, spinners and sub-package rushers who know how to set up their moves and get his feet stopped. That exposes his middling foot quickness and change-of-direction skills, creating short corners and soft edges.

Overall, Haynes is a hard-nosed, mentally sharp and experienced player with good play strength to bolster an O-line room as a quality interior depth piece. He can work his way into a solid starter in a downhill, play-action-based system as he adapts to NFL speed.

---

GRADE: 7.3 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 56

POSITION RANK: IOL9

PRO COMPARISON: Kevin Dotson

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

Jim Mora probably didn't endear himself to the UConn faithful on Tuesday.

The football coach told reporters on Tuesday that a big reason for the team's 2-9 record this season came down to a small NIL budget compared to other teams around the country, and suggested that fans shouldn't complain to the product on the field if they weren't going to contribute to the financial health of the football program:

We're a better football team with a worse record and that's extremely frustrating, you know, because you see where the world is going. And we play like I said, go look at the top Group of Five teams in the country and look at their schedule and compare it to our schedule. So if we're going to play those teams and people want us to beat Duke and North Carolina State and Syracuse and Maryland next year and Wake Forest next year, then there needs to be a commitment monetarily to helping us get the players that can beat them.

Because if you're not going to help us get the players to beat them, then you are not entitled to b---h when we don't beat them.

That should go over well.

The Huskies went 6-7 in Mora's first season last year, making the Myrtle Beach Bowl but losing to Marshall. It was the team's first bowl appearance since 2015 and just its seventh since becoming an FBS school in 2002. UConn currently plays outside of a conference as an independent program in football.

Basketball has always been the school's calling card. For that to change, Mora thinks more money and resources are needed. He isn't wrong, but it's hard to imagine the fanbase enjoying his manner of delivering the message.

The Connecticut Huskies are using Saturday's game against South Florida to raise awareness for cancer.

Huskies players will be wearing all-white uniforms and custom helmets featuring special colored-ribbon decals that depict a type of cancer that has impacted their family in some way.

Playing for those who have fought, and those who continue to fight. 💪💙#CancerAwareness pic.twitter.com/3vur9XZotr

— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) October 21, 2023

In addition to the all-white jerseys being worn by the players, the school is encouraging fans attending the game at Rentschler Field to wear white as they look to White Out Cancer.

"We are going to be honoring those in our organization who have fought the battle against cancer," Huskies head coach Jim Mora Jr. said of the special game. "It's modeled after the NFL's Crucial Catch. It's important to recognize those who have fought the battle. Our players will wear a decal on their helmet, symbolizing the type of cancer that their family has been affected by. Some will have multiple stickers on their helmet."

Mora also explained his grandmother and mother dealt with breast cancer, while his father-in-law and sister-in-law were afflicted with pancreatic cancer.

"It used to be just breast cancer awareness month, now it is Crucial Catch and has expanded out," Mora said. "Particularly for me, it's breast cancer, which my grandma perished from and my mom has beaten three times and pancreatic cancer, which my wife's father died from and her sister-in-law is battling right now."

UConn will be the second FBS team to utilize personalized cancer-ribbon decals on its helmets during a game. Miami (Ohio) began the practice in 2018.

According to the American Cancer Society, the disease remains the second-most common cause of death in the United States.

The South Florida-Connecticut game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET.