Whether You Like It Or Not, UCLA Football Had A Successful Season And It Is Because Of Jim Mora
The UCLA-Kansas State game was a tale of two halves by two very talented teams. The first was dominated by #14 UCLA as they lead 31-6 at halftime. The second half saw #11 K-State fight back and come within five points of catching the Bruins. Lead by head coach Jim Mora, UCLA ultimately won 40-35 against a tough team, in a tough bowl setting after a tough schedule, yet many think it was not successful. I have a different opinion.
Jan 2, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim L. Mora celebrates with the trophy following their victory against the Kansas State Wildcats in the 2015 Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. The Bruins won 40-35. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
What Mora has done for this UCLA football program is amazing. Let us run down the list, shall we?
- Mora is 29-11 in his three years
- Three nine win seasons (first time in the program’s history)
- Back-to-back 10-win seasons (first time since 1998)
- 2-1 in bowl games, including a 40-35 victory over #11 Kansas State in the Alamo Bowl
As for this season:
- 10-3 with victories over four ranked teams (ASU, Arizona, USC and Kansas State)
- 6-3 in the toughest conference in the nation
- The #1 Strength of Schedule in the nation
- 7-0 while playing away from the Rose Bowl
We just won 10 games for the second year in a row, in case you don’t know that. -Jim Mora
These stats are just the tip of the iceberg for what Mora has done for a UCLA program that went 56-58 (49.1%) with their two previous coaches.
Needless to say, the negativity surrounding the Bruin’s success is wearing a bit thin. Even Mora is getting a bit tired of it. In the following video, skip to the five minute mark where Mora has some choice words for a reporter asking the Bruin head coach about not being able to close out games, even in a game he just won. (Thanks to Jack Wang of the
for the video.)
"“We won the game, Chris. So that is closing out the game.” -Jim Mora"
That is exactly what true Bruin fans feel. They won the game. They won 10 games two seasons in a row. They are the Alamo Bowl Champions. That is it.
UCLA Bruins
I understand how frustrating the season was, but would you rather be mulling over a 6-7 season after a loss to Wyoming in the freezing cold Las Vegas Bowl? I’m sure the “Fire Mora” chants would be very audible if that happened.
I get that UCLA is getting close to greatness, but it does not happen over night. Mora has this team on the path to several championships, but it is not easy. Sure it would be great if UCLA football won the National Championship in every season Mora has been here, but that is not reality. You do not take a battered team and make them contenders overnight (though Mora has).
Now one can point to the Utah, Oregon and Stanford games as to why they are frustrated and say the season was not successful, but get over it. Even the Ducks, who are headed to the National Championship Game, lost this season. Every team beat up on every other team in this conference… the best conference.
As Mora said, “Goodness sakes. We just won 10 games for the second year in a row, in case you don’t know that.”
You tell them coach.
Go Bruins!