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UCLA Football: Recruits react on Twitter to Jim Mora’s firing

By Michael Chavez

PASADENA, CA - OCTOBER 21: Head coach Jim Mora of the UCLA Bruins leads his team on to the field before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Rose Bowl on October 21, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - OCTOBER 21: Head coach Jim Mora of the UCLA Bruins leads his team on to the field before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Rose Bowl on October 21, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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It has been just over 48 hours since the firing of UCLA Football head coach Jim Mora was announced via social media. Since then we’ve seen a flurry of appreciative tweets, Chip Kelly rumors and last but not least, recruits announcing where they stand on their commitments.

What was likely to have been a quiet holiday week for the UCLA Football team has instead turned into a major news extravaganza. Jim Mora being relieved of his duties as head coach with one week left in the regular season came as a huge shock to even those that were calling for his resignation.

Current and former players tweeted out thanks to Mora for all that he has done for them and many of them said they had never seen anyone with the “passion” for football that he has. Despite his faults, Mora always went to bat for his players and it seemed the common sentiment among players was that coach had their back when they needed him to.

The second major group of tweets concerning the UCLA Football team was the stream of guesses at who might be the next head coach of the Bruins. One name seemed to ring louder than all the others. That name of course is Chip Kelly who as of this moment is still available and possibly looking to come to the Bruins if the price is right. Given the gutsy timing of the firing it would appear that Westwood has finally come prepared to play ball.

Related Story: UCLA Football: Will Chip Kelly take the head coaching job?

The thread of tweets that have piqued the interest of many though belong to the UCLA Football recruiting targets. 2018 and 2019 LB recruits Mathew Tago and Johnathan Perkins respectively were two players the Bruins desperately could have used as their LB group continues to thin out without a large 2017 class. They both however backed out of their commitments to UCLA and have  re-opened their recruitment.

On the opposite side of the spectrum the news prompted a reaffirming of their pledge to the Bruins. Both Niti Liu and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, highly coveted 2017 recruits posted on their time lines that their commitments have not wavered in light of Mora’s firing.

https://twitter.com/NitiLiu64/status/932744880769482752

Of course the standing of the current staff also throws a wrench into recruiting plans since positional coaches are often the ones who spearhead the contact with players. Given the uncertainty at the head coaching position might more recruits choose to back out of their pledge until they’re sure the recruiter they like best is still with the school?

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While the recruitment cycle is full of players picking, choosing, changing their minds and last minute signings, this is the first cycle with an early signing period. That period begins December 20 this year and last 72 hours until December 23. It will be interesting to see how many early signees the UCLA Football team lands should they have a new coach before then. Still, as the coaching search continues we should all be curious to see if any more developments take place among Bruin targets.