What letter grade did an ESPN article give UConn for selecting Candle to lead the football program? And how about the grade for the departed Jim Mora at his new school, Colorado State?
As the number of college head-coaching vacancies dwindles to almost zero – Michigan is the lone remaining big-time opening – we are getting a look at just which school the experts think scored a touchdown with coaching hires.
And which whiffed the extra-point attempt.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly gave his take Monday on just what he thinks of the 30 hires made by FBS programs in this cycle.
So, just what did Connelly think of the hire of Jason Candle, formerly of Toledo of the Mid-American Conference and now the head coach at UConn? And of Jim Mora – the man Candle has replaced - in his new role at Colorado State?
Play is under review
Connelly slotted Candle into the category that earned programs a “B” letter grade and he described this way -- “Grade: B (don’t absolutely love it but won’t be surprised if it works out).”
In all, 14 coaches fell into that category, with Candle listed far down the list at No. 23 overall.
Here is what Connelly had to say about Candle.
“Candle won 81 games, two MAC titles and three division crowns (plus two MAC Coach of the Year awards) in 10 seasons at Toledo. He's the school's winningest coach -- he's clearly good. But with the talent advantages he was able to compile at UT, it always seemed that his Rockets should have won more than they did. That waft of disappointment makes it hard to evaluate him.”
His replacement at Toledo, Mike Jacobs, was at the top of the “B” listers at No. 14. Jacobs previously was the head coach at Mercer and has his first FBS job.
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And a touchdown
Lane Kiffin, formerly of Ole Miss, earned an A+ ranking from Connelly as he heads to LSU – a school itching to win another College Football Playoff. He was the only coach to occupy the category.
But right behind him were five coaches under this heading – “Grade: A (this just makes all the sense in the world).”
The list kicks off lauding Virginia Tech’s appointment of dismissed Penn State coach James Franklin. But glance a few spots down to the No. 5 overall spot, and you’ll see Mora’s name, and Connelly’s thought about Colorado State plucking him away from UConn.
“CSU sure seemed to make a logical hire in Jay Norvell four years ago, but the former Nevada coach could never generate traction, and now the Rams are on an extended run of dreadful play: one winning season and an average SP+ ranking of 105.5 in the past eight years,” Connelly wrote. “But they aren't in as much of a funk as UConn was in when it hired Jim Mora, and after a couple of iffy seasons, he produced something brilliant: The Huskies won 18 games in 2024 and 2025 after winning just 19 in the previous seven seasons.”
Onto 2026
Connecticut football fandom came back to life under Mora, who brought his NFL and Power Five pedigree to Storrs, Conn., with him. While some fans are angry that Mora left UConn for a job that made a lot of professional and personal sense for the 64-year-old, there’s a strong faction wishing Mora well in Fort Collins.
Even an A-graded season.
As for Candle, he doesn’t have Mora’s background. But he produced an 81-44 record and eight bowl appearances in 11 seasons, and UConn fans are waiting to see how he can build up the formidable foundation laid by Mora.
A B-grade might not be good enough for this rekindled fanbase.
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