Tag Archives: Jim Mora

Tevin McDonald released for violation of team policy

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Safety Tevin McDonald has been released from the UCLA football team for a violation of team policy. The junior was suspended for last year’s Holiday Bowl for reportedly failing a third drug test.

Head coach Jim Mora would not confirm whether this most recent violation was the same was the one that sidelined him for the Bruins’ season finale.

“I’m disappointed for Tevin,” Mora said. “I’ve known him since he was a young boy. Probably met him when he was five. I care about him and I hope that everything turns out well for him. He’s got a great family. He’s got very supportive parents, and I know they’ll find the right avenues for him to have success.” Continue reading →

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NFL Combine Roundup

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The can’t-miss moment of the NFL Combine was SBNation’s glorious video of linemen running the 40-yard dash to “Chariots of Fire.” UCLA’s Jeff Baca makes an appearance 20 seconds in. Watch it if you haven’t already.

If you’re looking for something more substantive, here are the results from the Bruins’ workouts. Continue reading →

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Hundley promises Perkins will be ‘monster’

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The UCLA offense’s most-missed departure is busy bumping his NFL stock. Yesterday, Johnathan Franklin finished in 4.49 seconds, ahead of Oregon’s Kenjon Barner and behind only three other tailbacks at the NFL Combine.

Not a bad follow-up to a season that ended with All-American and Doak Walker finalist honors. What will the Bruins do next fall without their all-time career rushing leader?

In Andy Staples’ SI.com story, quarterback Brett Hundley weighed in.

Hundley might be a bit biased since he played with redshirt freshman tailback Paul Perkins at Chandler High in suburban Phoenix, but Hundley believes Perkins has the tools to be the next great UCLA back. “He’s under the radar a lot,” Hundley said. “But I promise everybody that he’s going to be a monster.”

Jim Mora has said he expects to replace Franklin by committee — Damien Thigpen, Jordon James and Steve Manfro all touched the ball last year — but did name-drop Perkins as a promising player a few times throughout the season. The 5-foot-11, 192-pound back was named to Arizona’s all-state first team as a senior, and also played some safety at Chandler.

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Chip Kelly to Eagles

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Oregon head coach Chip Kelly left for the Philadephia Eagles today, a little over a week after spurning the Cleveland Browns. Offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich is expected to fill the vacancy, but the Ducks’ offense is tied so closely to Kelly that the transition may not go as well as Stanford’s did with David Shaw. UCLA’s trip to Eugene on Oct. 26 just became easier.

From a recruiting standpoint, Oregon already had the conference’s second-smallest class with 13 recruits. Other teams are already circling, with four-star athletes Tyrell and Tyree Robinson being the big prizes. Of note, both intend to play both football and basketball. (The Ducks’ class is currently ranked No. 44 on Rivals. Kelly’s past hauls — including his time as offensive coordinator — were ranked 13, 9, 13, 32, 19.)

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Chargers contact Mora

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Rumors linking Jim Mora to the San Diego Chargers first started circulating two weeks ago, but a Los Angeles Times report Tuesday confirmed that the team had contacted UCLA’s head coach.

The Chargers officially fired Norv Turner last Monday, opening a head coaching vacancy at the place where Mora first began his NFL career in 1985. Still, a move back to the pros after just one year would be stunning. Mora had serious doubts about his coaching career after being fired by the Seattle Seahawks after the 2009 season, and said he felt rejuvenated coaching college players.

“You’re able to have an impact on their lives,” he said a day before the Holiday Bowl. “The concrete hasn’t hardened on who they are as individuals. They still need you. That’s a good thing. We all want to be needed.”

The Chargers’ pursuit puts pressure on UCLA to increase pay for Mora and his assistants, as well as improve the Bruins’ practice facilities. Continue reading →

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Barr returning for senior season

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Happy new year, UCLA fans. Anthony Barr is officially staying one more season.

The Bruins’ best defensive player became an All-Pac-12 first team selection in just his first season at outside linebacker, and was also a second-team AP All-American. The junior was widely thought of as a potential first-round pick had he decided to declare for the NFL Draft.

Barr first officially announced his return on Twitter Monday afternoon: “As close as I am to my dream of playing in the NFL, I believe one more year with this awesome coaching staff and my teammates is what’s best. I will be returning for my senior season to further develop as a player and a person, to help lead this team to a Pac-12 Championship and ultimately a national championship.”

Measuring at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, Barr made a remarkable transformation after switching from offense under former head coach Rick Neuheisel. Continue reading →

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Holiday Bowl: Baylor 49, UCLA 26

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Well, that was certainly an ugly game.

What went wrong: Just about everything, but the most glaring was the porous offensive line. Jake Brendel and Torian White both left the game in the first half with high ankle sprains, which forced Brett Downey into his first action in months. Simon Goines also played sparingly, still bugged by a bad right knee. He’ll undergo surgery in the next week or so.

“I think Baylor recognized that we were down, not a man, but two men, and they pinned their ears back and came at us,” head coach Jim Mora said. “It was working. When it’s working and going effectively, you stay with it. We’ve got to build depth at that position and that’s one of our goals.”

Brett Hundley set a UCLA bowl appearance record with 50 pass attempts, which really underscores how one-dimensional the Bruins’ offense looked at Qualcomm Stadium. His previous high was 47 in the 43-17 loss to Cal. In nine wins this season, Hundley averaged 30 attempts. Continue reading →

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Mora on Bruins’ discipline, penalties

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After Art Briles praised UCLA as a very disciplined team during Wednesday’s press conference, Jim Mora was asked what was key to shaping his team.

He chalked it up generally to the demands he and his staff put on the players, but made clear that fall camp in San Bernardino laid the foundation for everything the Bruins have become, allowing them to be isolated from distractions with the added bonus of extreme heat. Mora said he wants to have the team go back every year.

“They’re still young men,” he said. “They’re developing. They still think they have limits and we need to push them beyond those limits.”

Somewhat unprompted, he dismissed the idea that UCLA’s nation-leading 123 penalties is evidence against discipline — taking a dig at conference officials along the way.

“Some of those penalties are discipline penalties,” Mora said. “Some of those are, we play hard, we play violent and we play through the echo of the whistle. Some of them are horrible calls. We all know the Pac-12 has the reputation for being a little over the top in throwing that flag.”

Pac-12 teams make up four of the five most-penalized squads in the country, so this wasn’t exactly a guarded secret. Still, it was one of the few times this season Mora has commented on it so explicitly.

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