STORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn football coach Jim Mora is leaving the Huskies after four seasons to take over Colorado State’s program.

UConn athletic director David Benedict issued a statement Wednesday morning saying Mora had informed him late Tuesday night of his plans. Offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis is taking over as interim head coach while UConn conducts a national search for Mora’s permanent successor.

The 64-year-old Mora, a former NFL head coach with the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks, owns a 27-23 record at UConn and has led the Huskies to nine wins each of the last two seasons. UConn is 9-3 this season, and each of its three losses went to overtime.

“Coach Mora brought energy and a winning culture back to UConn football and put our program back on the national stage,” Benedict said. “We thank Jim for his dedication to our student-athletes and wish him, his wife Kathy and his family the best at Colorado State.”

Colorado State fired Jay Norvell on Oct. 19. Norvell was in his fourth season and owned an 18-26 record, including an 8-5 mark and an Arizona Bowl appearance last year.

The Rams were 2-5 when Norvell got fired and have lost all four games since with defensive coordinator Tyson Summers working as their interim head coach. Colorado State (2-9) closes its season Friday at Air Force (3-8).

Mora’s stint at UConn represented a career comeback for the former NFL and UCLA coach. Mora posted a 46-30 record at UCLA from 2012-17 and then was out of coaching and working as a television analyst until UConn hired him.

UConn went 6-7 and 3-9 in Mora’s first two seasons before going 18-7 over the last two seasons. The Huskies went 9-4 and won the Fenway Bowl last year for their first bowl victory since the 2009 season.

Mora also went 26-22 as the Falcons’ head coach from 2004-06 and was 5-11 with the Seahawks in 2009.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football