$10 million college football coach named prime candidate for ACC job

Houston, Texas, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Jim Mora reacts after a play during the second quarter against the Rice Owls at Rice Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

With the Golden Bears beginning a national search for a new head coach, one name already circulating in industry coverage is Jim Mora, the veteran coach who has guided UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons.

Cal moved to fire Justin Wilcox on Sunday after a 31-10 loss to Stanford that left the Bears 6-5. 

Across nine seasons, Wilcox finished 48-55 at Cal and never produced the kind of sustained breakout the program and new football general manager Ron Rivera said they wanted.

The lopsided arch-rival loss to Stanford crystallized that decision and accelerated the change, and Rivera publicly framed the move as a reset under his new authority.

The university will also face a significant buyout obligation tied to Wilcox’s contract, reports place that figure north of $10 million.

However, the move also immediately opened one of the more intriguing fits on a crowded carousel, and On3 reporter Pete Nakos listed Mora among candidates being discussed around the sport.

East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Jim Mora watches from the sideline as they take on the Ball State Cardinals at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Mora was UCLA’s head coach from 2012-17 (including a 2012 Pac-12 South title) and has prior NFL head-coaching experience, working with the San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, and Seattle Seahawks.

Since taking over at UConn in 2022, he’s overseen a rapid program flip. The Huskies finished the 2025 regular season 9-3 and secured back-to-back nine-win years for the first time in program history.

Mora signed an extension with UConn in December 2024, which runs through Dec. 31, 2028, and is valued at $10.01 million over the remaining four years, plus performance-based incentives and a retention bonus.

While the buyout could be significant, for Cal, Mora checks several boxes. 

He’s a proven head coach in the Pac-12 ecosystem, understands West Coast recruiting pipelines, and has recent demonstrable success turning around a program that had been mired for years. 

That combination matters for a school trying to recruit in the ACC while re-establishing its profile.

Expect a busy few weeks, as many programs want candidates set before December’s signing and transfer deadlines.

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