Jim Mora Moving to Colorado State University

Jim Mora is set to embark on a new journey.

After a number of successful seasons at the University of Washington (UW), Mora will be saying goodbye to the school he’s been with since 2022. He is taking the role of head coach at Colorado State University, according to an initial report from ESPN.

Mora made history with the Huskies by leading them to nine straight winning seasons, including a victory over North Carolina in last year’s Fenway Bowl.

Even though UW is headed to a bowl game this year with a record of 9-3, offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis will step in as interim head coach for the bowl contest.

Mora is taking this job just as Colorado State joins the emerging Pac-12 Conference.

“We are grateful to Coach Mora for his contributions to UW over the past four seasons,” said UW Athletic Director David Benedict in a statement. “He took on the challenge of rebuilding our football program, delivering results that exceeded expectations…He brought energy and a winning culture back to UW football and returned our program to national prominence.”

He added that a search for the next head coach would kick off immediately.

Mora’s background is impressive; he previously coached the NFL’s Falcons and Seahawks and was also head coach at UCLA from 2012 to 2017.

This season, UW’s three losses—against Syracuse, the University of Delaware, and Rice University—all occurred in overtime, while they also pulled off an unexpected victory against Duke.

Interestingly, just a few weeks ago, Mora mentioned he wasn’t a “mover” and didn’t plan to look for another job.

Colorado State may not be seen as a premier college football program, but there’s speculation that UConn’s status as an independent team in the conference could have played a role in his decision.

Earlier, Mora had considered the head coach position at Washington State after the 2024 season but ultimately opted to stay at Storrs. He faced some drama there, too, accusing Washington State of mishandling players during the transfer process.

Mora tweeted a warning about coaches breaking NCAA rules, declaring, “We know who you are and we will pursue every avenue to hold you accountable.”

This transition to Colorado State could be a significant opportunity for the Rams. After dismissing Jay Norvell following a rough 2-5 start, they’re looking to create excitement in recruitment with a seasoned coach like Mora at the helm.