Jim Mora Jr. is headed to East Hartford.

Connecticut appointed the former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks coach as their head coach on a five-year deal starting with 2022.

To facilitate a smooth transition and begin recruiting, Mora will serve as an assistant under interim coach Lou Spanos for the remainder of 2021. Randy Edsall stepped down as head coach in early September in the fifth year of his second stint with the program.

"Getting to know Jim Mora over the last several days has been a terrific experience," UConn athletic director David Benedict said in a statement.  "Jim is a proven winner, a man of integrity, and he possesses the experience and the energy to lead our football program back to success.  Jim is excited and undaunted by this challenge, and we both know that this program has great potential. I'm certain that, under Coach Mora's leadership, UConn football will once again realize that potential."

The job will be Mora's return to the NCAA after a six-year stint at UCLA from 2012 to 2017, where he posted a 46-30 (29-24 in the Pac-12) mark.

"UConn possesses a nationally-recognized academic and athletics brand and I am thrilled to become a member of the community that makes up UConn Nation," Mora said in a statement. "This program is loaded with potential, and I look forward to getting to know the student-athletes on the team and am eager to get to work!"

The son of longtime NFL coach Jim Mora, the younger Mora posted a 31-33 mark over four NFL seasons, reaching the playoffs in 2004 with the Falcons and winning the NFC South.

The Huskies sit 1-8 on the current season and return to action on Saturday when they visit Clemson.