The first year of the Jim Mora era promised a return to football prominence last seen at the UConn Huskies during their tenure in the Big East. Unfortunately, a sophomore slump returned the program to earth. As a result, Mora has made some changes to the UConn coaching staff for the 2024 college football campaign.
UConn Huskies Coaching Staff 2024
Head Coach, Jim Mora
After an absence of over four years from the coaching game, Jim Mora returned to college football in emphatic and successful fashion as the head coach of UConn for the 2022 season. He guided the Huskies to their first six-win season and a bowl game appearance since 2015.
However, the 2023 campaign saw a sophomore slump as the Huskies tallied just three wins. It’s worth pointing out that those three wins were as many as the program managed in any season from 2016 to 2021. Yet, as a result of the difficulties last fall, Mora has made amendments to the UConn coaching staff for 2024, including ceding defensive coordinator duties.
Mora’s college coaching career began at his alma mater, Washington, with a 28-year NFL-filled gap between his stint as a graduate assistant with those Huskies and his only other college role at UCLA.
Despite being relieved of his duties by the Bruins before the end of the 2017 season, he compiled a 52-37 winning record and coached two consensus All-Americans while at UCLA.
Mora’s full coaching résumé:
- Washington (graduate assistant, 1984)
- San Diego Chargers (defensive quality control, 1985-1988; secondary coach, 1989-91)
- San Francisco 49ers (secondary coach, 1997-1998; defensive coordinator, 1999-2003)
- Atlanta Falcons (head coach, 2004-2006)
- Seattle Seahawks (defensive coordinator, 2007-2008; head coach, 2009)
- UCLA (head coach, 2012-2017)
- UConn (2022-2023)
Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach, Gordon Sammis
A former guard at Virginia, Gordon Sammis worked with the Cavaliers’ offensive line and tight ends in his first college coaching role. He joined the UConn coaching staff ahead of the 2022 college football season, returning to the FBS level after gaining an impressive reputation at William & Mary, Lafayette College, Virginia Military Institute, and Columbia University.
For the past two seasons, Sammis has served as the offensive line coach, adding run game coordinator to his résumé for the 2023 campaign. However, under the changes to the UConn coaching staff for the 2024 college football campaign, he takes over from Nick Charlton as the Huskies’ offensive coordinator. Expect the UConn ground game to thrive under Sammis’ lead.
Defensive Coordinator, Matt Brock
With Mora giving up defensive coordinator responsibilities for the 2024 college football season, the Huskies added Matt Brock to the UConn coaching staff. The former standout linebacker for Baker University arrives in Storrs from the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the SEC, having quickly risen up the ranks from special teams coordinator in 2020 to DC for the 2023 campaign.
Although he received national recognition as a special teams coordinator during his two seasons at Bowling Green, defense is at Brock’s heart. He tallied 277 career tackles during his playing career, and his coaching career began as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. His first FBS coaching role came at Texas Tech while he has spent two seasons with Washington State.
Special Teams Coordinator, Doug Shearer
After establishing himself as a high-profile special teams coordinator at Miami (OH), Doug Shearer joined Mora’s UConn coaching staff in the same role. He got his first coaching break as a graduate assistant with the Huskies while also spending several years with the NC State specialists. For 2024, Shearer adds recruiting coordinator responsibilities to his role.
Linebacker Coach, Siriki Diabate
A co-captain during his time at Syracuse, Siriki Diabate started his career as a graduate assistant with the Orange and also has Power Five experience from a year spent as an analyst at Notre Dame. His five-year spell as the Middle Tennessee linebacker coach earned him a role on Mora’s UConn coaching staff, where he is a voice in the defensive coordinator committee approach.
Defensive Back Coach, Dalton Hilliard
Defensive back coach Dalton Hilliard’s addition to the UConn coaching staff ahead of the 2022 college season continued a long-established relationship with the Huskies’ head coach. Hilliard concluded his college playing career as a safety at UCLA in Mora’s first year with the Bruins and returned to the program to coach after leading Seamen Milano to the Italian Super Bowl.
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Hilliard coached the secondary at UT-Martin and Arkansas State in the three seasons prior to his arrival in Storrs.
Tight End Coach, Christian Pace
Heading into his third season on the UConn coaching staff, Christian Pace is responsible for coaching the Huskies tight ends in 2024. A Michigan alum, Pace cut his coaching teeth with the Wolverines as a student assistant with the offensive line and running backs. Further Power Five experience came from a two-year spell at Florida, while he spent five years at Lafayette.
Defensive Line Coach, Kenny McClendon
A four-year defensive lineman at Central Michigan, Kenny McClendon joined the coaching ranks at the Chippewas before gaining Power Five experience in 2017 with Iowa State. He joined the UConn coaching staff ahead of the 2022 season as the defensive line coach after excelling at Youngstown State and Valdosta State. McClendon also assists with defensive coordinator duties.
Running Back Coach, Antonio Wilcox
Antonio Wilcox joined the UConn coaching staff last season, having spent two seasons leading the running back room at his alma mater, Furman University. The Huskies coach rushed for over 1,750 yards and 21 touchdowns in his playing career. He has spent time on the Furman and North Greenville University coaching staffs before landing his first FBS role with UConn.
Wide Receiver Coach, Kashif Moore
A familiar face returned to Stoors last fall, as former team captain and standout pass catcher Kashif Moore was added to the UConn coaching staff as wide receiver coach.
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After leaving his Huskies playing career behind, Moore spent time at Conard High School, Wesylan University, and Cornell University before becoming the WR coach at UAlbany for the 2022 campaign.
Quarterback Coach, Brad Robbins
A new addition to the UConn coaching staff for the 2024 campaign, Brad Robbins arrives in Storrs after spending the 2023 season as the pass game coordinator and WR coach at Tennessee Tech.
A multi-sport standout in college who is in the Hall of Fame at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, he took his QB prowess into coaching with stints at North Greenville (OC/QB coach), Charleston Southern (WR coach), VMI (multiple roles), and Virginia (assistant recruiting coordinator).
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