It might be time for UCLA Bruins fans to start panicking.
Jim Mora reportedly had a meeting with Washington athletic director Scott Woodward on Monday night, not long after it was announced that former Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian accepted the head coaching job at USC.
Football Scoop reported news of Mora’s meeting with Woodward:
At UW, word working its way through the coaches tonight is that Woodward is meeting with Jim Mora. Expect a yes or no soon (prob tomorrow)
— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) December 3, 2013
Details of the meeting were scarce:
Coaches tell me he’s meeting w Woodward. Can’t tell you where or by phone. Sit tight. I’m sure you’ll hear from him tomorrow.
— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) December 3, 2013
Bryan D. Fischer said that he was hearing the same as Football Scoop regarding a meeting.
CBS Sports reporter Bruce Feldman said he heard Mora was in California recruiting:
Saw the report that Jim Mora is in Washington w AD Woodward tonight, but just told by source he's actually in Calif recruiting
— Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) December 3, 2013
Feldman and Football Scoop’s reports don’t necessarily conflict; Football Scoop never said the meeting was taking place in Washington. If a meeting took place, maybe it was a phone conversation or Woodward traveling to California. How do we know? Mora was actually in Northern California doing recruiting on Monday.
Rivals’ Adam Gorney reported that Mora met with Adarius Pickett in El Cerrito, and then his staff went to Oakley to visit with 5-star recruit Joe Mixon, who tweeted this:
Just had a Great home visit with UCLA with pretty much the Whole coaching staff! Thanks for coming out! #GoBruins
— ⚡PRIMETIME!!!⚡ (@Joe_MainMixon) December 3, 2013
Mora sounds pretty focused on UCLA for now, but you can’t count out Washington.
We noted in a previous column how much of an affinity Mora has for his hometown of Seattle and how the Washington job was his dream job. Would he leave UCLA for the job if it were offered to him?
We wrote in our column that some of the benefits of the Washington job included more resources, better facilities and a less competitive rival. If UCLA wants to retain Mora, they likely would have to step up their efforts to upgrade their facilities (they’ve made a $50 million commitment to build a new practice facility) and pay Mora’s assistants well. Those are musts. If UCLA doesn’t do that, then Mora might bolt for Washington or some other job — possibly even the NFL — before too long.
