UCLA Football: Jim Mora Continues The Bruin Revolution
Nov 30, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Jim Mora celebrates at the end of the game against the Southern California Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
What a whirlwind of events that has taken place in the last few days. First, UCLA beat crosstown rival USC, 35-14. Then, USC hires University of Washington and former Trojan assistant, Steve Sarkisian. With the vacancy at UW, which is the alma mater of UCLA head coach Jim Mora, speculation of his exit set Twitter ablaze. What IS next? Do not worry Bruin fans, Mora has got this handled.
Washington responded quickly to the news of Sarkisian leaving and started talking to a list of candidates, one of which was Mora. With fear of losing the best coach the Bruins have had in a while, several of the UCLA faithful called for the UCLA Athletic Department to take action before action was taken upon them. With worry about how Athletic Director Dan Guererro has handled big decisions in the recent past, there was a definite reason to worry.
The Athletic Department heard your pleas, Bruin Nation! He is YOUR coach!
Jim Mora will now be in Westwood until 2019. He will not only get an increase in his salary but lobbied successfully for an increase in the pool of money available for his assistant coaches. If that was not enough to appease your Bruin spirit, the new football-only facility will be built and it will be fantastic! If you have not seen it already, click here to watch the new video Mora made about the facility. It is downright brilliant.
The week also started with news that running backs coach Steve Broussard had been let go. Being his classy self, took to tweet to show his love of UCLA.
Still, the coaching carousel kept on turning. Sarkisian is plucking some of his former assitants from Washington. Husky assistants Keith Heyward, Johnny Nansen and Peter Sirmons are all heading south. USC was also able to hang on to wide receivers Coach Tee Martin.
Sarkisian is attempting to do some plucking from UCLA as they are trying to dazzle offensive line coach and a big time recruiter, Adrian Klemm. There has been no official word yet, but it looks like Klemm will be staying in Westwood.
The plucking did not stop there. UCLA had a coup of their own as they have hired Trojan legend Kennedy Polamalu to be their new running backs coach. It is clear to everyone at UCLA that Mora is serious. Things are changing and he is seeing to that.
This is far from over, ladies and gentlemen. Even if it is not USC, other schools will come knocking to entice current Bruin assistants to join their fight. That speaks volumes to them and the job Mora has done at UCLA.
The next few days will bring more general college football news as Stanford heads to Arizona State to play for the Pac-12 Champion. Also, the bowl schedules will soon be announced and there is speculation that the Bruins will head to either the Alamo Bowl or the Sun Bowl.
Stay patient Bruin fans, this revolution of Mora’s is just beginning.
Mike W.R.
Twitter: @TheBigDisco