I do think that like it was with Carroll, it's a matter of time before Mora goes back to the NFL. I don't think he will for another 3 or 4 years though.
Once he beats Stanford and/or Oregon he'll leave for the NFL. LA is Sark's town.
Based on what?
Mora has unfinished business. He's a sub-.500 coach in the NFL and he wants to prove that he can win in the NFL. The parallels to Pete Carroll are undeniable and no doubt Mora believes he can mirror the success that Pete has had at the professional level. Mora feels the same as Carroll in that it always pissed Pete off that critics said he could only win with college kids. It eats at JLM that if he stays in college for the rest of his career he'll always be known as coach who couldn't hack it in the NFL but was pretty good in college.
Mora has already been anointed a savior in the eyes of UCLA fans in LA. He's 2-0 vs SC. He's played in a PAC12 Championship game. That's really all they care about. UCLA is still a basketball school and always will be. JLM has already exceeded the expectations that were set for him after Rick. Mora could win 7 games next year and they'd still love him. After the last two years he's had at UCLA he would have to fail pretty hard to have his stock drop significantly. Mora is invulnerable in Westwood.
I live in LA and the UCLA fan base is worse than UW's. The majority know absolutely nothing. I've been to games at the RB and it's pathetic. The students don't want to drive up to Pasadena and fight the traffic on a Saturday. UCLA will always be little brother to the Trojans in addition to all the other attractions LA offers. They're used to being USC's bitch and the fact that he's beat them the last two seasons means all the world to that fan base. They can talk shit when previously they were intimidated. With that being said, even with Sark, USC is still the king of the castle and that will never change.
This is why Mora is literally playing with house money despite his only semi-impressive wins being against Southern Cal and Nebraska. Either way he's in a great situation. If he does really well (Rose Bowl or BCS victory) he'll feel ready to take the next challenge (NFL). However, if he struggles he can always jump up to the NFL because every year there are a minimum of 4-6 coaching positions available. He's in the perfect situation for an upward career move to the National Football League. Contracts don't mean shit these days.
No doubt Mora has done some great things in his first two seasons in Westwood. He's built a culture that previously wasn't present. They're playing hard and sending guys to the league. They beat who they're supposed to beat. But the fact remains he's 1-5 vs Stanford, Oregon and ASU combined. If he can beat a Stanford or an Oregon he'll have accomplished all he needs to and justify the next step in his career progression.
This is all conjecture on my part but I think if Mora really wanted to continue in the college ranks for the rest of his coaching career he would be at Texas or UW right now. Texas is easily a Top-3 program. Best of breed. The resources in Austin trump UCLA. TEXAS IS A FOOTBALL SCHOOL. If you wanted to finish you're career in college why not take the Texas job? Fuck the prom queen and go for the big splash. BOOM. Make a statement that you're not fucking around. That's the kind of guy we all know Mora is. Or come home to Washington and finish your career at UW. Finish off what Don James started. WIN ROSE BOWLS. He had offers to coach at both schools but turned them down to stay at UCLA because it's safe for right now he knew deep down he eventually is going to leave for the NFL.
Once he beats Stanford and/or Oregon he'll leave for the NFL. LA is Sark's town.
Based on what?
Mora has already been anointed a savior in the eyes of UCLA fans in LA. He's 2-0 vs SC. He's played in a PAC12 Championship game. That's really all they care about. UCLA is still a basketball school and always will be. JLM has already exceeded the expectations that were set for him after Rick. Mora could win 7 games next year and they'd still love him. After the last two years he's had at UCLA he would have to fail pretty hard to have his stock drop significantly. Mora is invulnerable in Westwood.
.
They must have the most pathetic following for being a basketball school. New arena, can't sell it out. UCLA is a Melrose ln. school.
Gosh! An on-campus football stadium at UCLA...... could it actually happen? Might do more for Bruin football than any NFL coach-in-training regardless of Husky genes.
Once he beats Stanford and/or Oregon he'll leave for the NFL. LA is Sark's town.
Agreed. LA is Sark's town. It's time for Sark to start winning LA. It's time for Sark to start winning Pac 12 championships. It's time for Sark to start winning Nat'l championships. And that's what he came to do. Haden sees it.
Comments
Mora has already been anointed a savior in the eyes of UCLA fans in LA. He's 2-0 vs SC. He's played in a PAC12 Championship game. That's really all they care about. UCLA is still a basketball school and always will be. JLM has already exceeded the expectations that were set for him after Rick. Mora could win 7 games next year and they'd still love him. After the last two years he's had at UCLA he would have to fail pretty hard to have his stock drop significantly. Mora is invulnerable in Westwood.
I live in LA and the UCLA fan base is worse than UW's. The majority know absolutely nothing. I've been to games at the RB and it's pathetic. The students don't want to drive up to Pasadena and fight the traffic on a Saturday. UCLA will always be little brother to the Trojans in addition to all the other attractions LA offers. They're used to being USC's bitch and the fact that he's beat them the last two seasons means all the world to that fan base. They can talk shit when previously they were intimidated. With that being said, even with Sark, USC is still the king of the castle and that will never change.
This is why Mora is literally playing with house money despite his only semi-impressive wins being against Southern Cal and Nebraska. Either way he's in a great situation. If he does really well (Rose Bowl or BCS victory) he'll feel ready to take the next challenge (NFL). However, if he struggles he can always jump up to the NFL because every year there are a minimum of 4-6 coaching positions available. He's in the perfect situation for an upward career move to the National Football League. Contracts don't mean shit these days.
No doubt Mora has done some great things in his first two seasons in Westwood. He's built a culture that previously wasn't present. They're playing hard and sending guys to the league. They beat who they're supposed to beat. But the fact remains he's 1-5 vs Stanford, Oregon and ASU combined. If he can beat a Stanford or an Oregon he'll have accomplished all he needs to and justify the next step in his career progression.
This is all conjecture on my part but I think if Mora really wanted to continue in the college ranks for the rest of his coaching career he would be at Texas or UW right now. Texas is easily a Top-3 program. Best of breed. The resources in Austin trump UCLA. TEXAS IS A FOOTBALL SCHOOL. If you wanted to finish you're career in college why not take the Texas job? Fuck the prom queen and go for the big splash. BOOM. Make a statement that you're not fucking around. That's the kind of guy we all know Mora is. Or come home to Washington and finish your career at UW. Finish off what Don James started. WIN ROSE BOWLS. He had offers to coach at both schools but turned them down to stay at UCLA because it's safe for right now he knew deep down he eventually is going to leave for the NFL.
Mora doesn't need the money.