Longtime UConn coach Jim Mora accepted the head coaching role at Colorado State on Tuesday after leading the Huskies to a 9-3 record this season and a 27-23 overall record over four years in charge.
UConn athletic director David Benedict announced that offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis would serve as the team’s interim head coach while the Huskies conduct a nationwide search for their next head coach.
Who Is Gordon Sammis?
Sammis played as an offensive guard for the University of Virginia Cavaliers between 2003 and 2007, earning a Degree in Government. According to the Huskies’ staff directory, he started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater (2010-2012) and earned a Master’s Degree in Education.
He was Columbia University’s offensive line coach, tight ends coach, and recruiting coordinator between 2012 and 2014. Between 2014 and 2016, he was the Virginia Military Institute’s offensive line coach before taking the same position at Lafayette College for two seasons.
Statement from Athletic Director David Benedict. pic.twitter.com/5No2rZhp64
— UConn Huskies (@UConnHuskies) November 26, 2025
Sammis then became the William & Mary Tribe’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator for three seasons before joining Mora’s Huskies staff in 2022. He was elevated to Mora’s offensive coordinator last year after the departure of Nick Charlton for the Cleveland Browns job.
During his first season as the Huskies’ O.C., the team came in second in program history for points in a single season (415), the second-most rushing yards (2,590), and the third-most total yards (5,169). This led to Sammis being a nominee for the Broyles Award, which recognizes the nation’s top assistant coach.
Mora Revealed Succession Plan for Sammis
In a news conference on Oct. 23, Mora revealed that he had no hesitation in elevating Sammis to the offensive coordinator’s position when Charlton departed for the NFL.
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“There was never even a hesitation. As soon as Nick Charlton decided to leave, it was immediately decided,” Mora said. “When Nick started to talk to Cleveland, and of course I was already communicating with him and thought it might be an option, 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. I think he’s incredibly smart, I think he’s incredibly hard-working, he’s got great leadership skills, he cares desperately. He is an absolute rising superstar in the coaching profession. I think he’s fantastic. He’s as good as I’ve been around.”
A few weeks after the charismatic Mora revealed his succession plan for Charlton involving Sammis, the former UConn head coach’s departure has elevated the former offensive coordinator to the top job in Storrs.
