Jim Mora’s Succession Plan Drove UConn’s Offensive Revolution
It’s hard to call it a surprise anymore, but the UConn Huskies' offense is redefining what Connecticut football looks like. After years of searching for consistency, Jim Mora’s squad has found its rhythm. It is loud, it is fast, and it is, above all, effective.
The Huskies, averaging 37.1 points and nearly 470 yards per game, sit among the nation’s top 20 in both categories. This offensive explosion feels long overdue for a program that once struggled to move the chains. The sudden surge dates back to a plan Mora set in motion long before anyone else saw it coming.
When Nick Charlton decided to leave Storrs behind for the Cleveland Browns, Mora already had his replacement in mind. There was no national search, no hullabaloo of outside candidates, just a seamless handoff to a familiar face.
The former offensive line coach, Gordie Sammis, stepped in as the team's offensive coordinator. Sammis inherited trust and an opportunity to turn UConn’s offense into one of the most dynamic units in college football. Sammis has done just that, and Mora, it turns out, knew exactly what he was doing.
“There was never even a hesitation,” Mora said, reflecting on that moment. “As soon as Nick decided to leave it was immediately decided. Gordie was already alert to the fact that, ‘Hey, if he leaves, you’re the guy.’ There was never a question for me because I think he’s brilliant. He’s incredibly smart, incredibly hard-working, he’s got great leadership skills, and he cares desperately. He’s an absolute rising superstar in the coaching profession.”
In Sammis’s first year calling plays, the Huskies broke the program record for points in a season with 415 and ranked among the top-25 nationally in rushing and red-zone efficiency. In his second season, he’s made the offense even scarier.
With quarterback Joe Fagnano becoming the only player in the nation with at least 200 pass attempts and no interceptions, and both Cam Edwards and Skyler Bell sitting among the top-15 nationally in rushing and receiving, the Huskies’ attack looks balanced and relentless.
Touchdown‼️Fagnano finds Bell in the end zone.
— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) October 4, 2025
Huskies lead 44-3. pic.twitter.com/1Mg9Xqm2lQ
“Gordie is brilliant,” Mora added. “He might not look like your prototypical offensive coordinator with the scruffy beard and untucked shirt, but just look at what we’ve been able to accomplish so far in the pass game.”
Mora also went on to add, “Rhythm comes from players making plays. An offensive coordinator’s job is to maximize their abilities and minimize their deficiencies, and he does a great job of that.” That rhythm, it seems, is contagious.
The Huskies have won four straight, their longest streak under Mora, and sit just one win away from bowl eligibility for the second consecutive year. If this is the start of UConn’s offensive revolution, then Mora’s “succession plan” may be one of the smartest moves in college football this season.
What’s Next for UConn and Jim Mora?
The Huskies' next challenge awaits in Houston. On October 25, UConn will face the Rice Owls, a matchup that is becoming something of an annual tradition. The Huskies have taken both previous meetings, including a 17–10 defensive fest last year.
Now, on their best run since 2010, Mora’s crew is hunting win number five and a ticket to another bowl game. The last time UConn won back-to-back bowl-eligible seasons was over a decade ago in 2009-2010.
Their 38-23 win over Boston College last week, the program’s first road win over a Power Five opponent since 2012, says that the Huskies are ready as ever. In fact, they just might be dictating the pace. However, Rice is not the kind of team to roll over.
The Owls may be 3-4, but their run game sits in the top-20 nationally, powered by Quinton Jackson and Daelen Alexander. With new head coach Scott Abell looking to snap a three-game skid, expect the Owls to lean heavily on the ground.
While the stakes are high and expectations are higher, Mora has already shut down bowl chatter and noise around. Instead, he is focused only on the game. With Sammis in Mora’s corner, the next win might just belong to the Huskies.
-fd44250df32912986cc6690f0b8bfa32.png "Shivani Menon")
Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.