The UCLA Bruins on Saturday made official their hire of Jim L. Mora as their new head football coach, replacing Rick Neuheisel. Mora will be formally introduced in a press conference next week.
"As someone who has been around the game of football my entire life, I have always held the UCLA job in the highest esteem," Mora said in a release. "Given its location and its tradition, UCLA is truly a sleeping giant and I realize that an opportunity of this magnitude doesn't present itself more than once in a career, so I jumped at the chance to be a Bruin."
Mora, 50, spent four years as a head coach in the NFL, compiling a 31-33 record in three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and one year with the Seattle Seahawks. He was an analyst on NFL Network the last two seasons.
"I am proud to announce today that Jim Mora has accepted the position of head football coach at UCLA," said Bruins athletic director Dan Guerrero. "He has been a head coach at the game's highest level and has clearly demonstrated to me that he is hungry and eager to return to the sidelines."
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block added, "Jim is the kind of coach who understands that every player must succeed not only on the field but also in the classroom. Great athletic programs are made up of great leaders, great athletes and great minds. I can think of no better place for Jim Mora than UCLA, and no better coach for UCLA than Jim Mora."
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