UCLA fires head coach Jim Mora

UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora with his team in the tunnel prior to a NCAA college football game against the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

One day after UCLA lost its third straight rivalry game to USC, the school announced that it has fired head coach Jim Mora. Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch will take over as interim head coach as the Bruins finish the regular season on Friday, Nov. 24 with a chance to clinch bowl eligibility at home against California.

“Making a coaching change is never easy, but it’s an especially difficult decision when you know that a coach has given his all to our University,” athletic director Dan Guerrero said in a statement. “Jim helped reestablish our football program, and was instrumental in so many ways in moving the program forward. While his first four seasons at UCLA were very successful, the past two seasons have not met expectations. We thank Jim and his family for his service to our school and his unquestionable commitment to our student-athletes.”

Mora is due a buyout worth more than $12 million. UCLA said the terms will be honored and covered by department-generated funds.

Mora started his career with the most wins in his first three seasons for any UCLA head coach, but went just 17-19 since the beginning of 2015. The Bruins went 4-8 last season.

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