Chip Kelly‘s name will always be tossed around, but another Pac-12 college coach is also becoming the subject of speculation.
UCLA’s Jim Mora has been contacted by the San Diego Chargers about their head coaching vacancy, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Mora is coming off his first season as UCLA’s head coach. He guided the Bruins to a 9-5 record, which included a 49-26 loss to Baylor in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl, and is currently in the middle of a five-year, $12 million contract.
He is reportedly likely to stay at UCLA, as the school is apparently boosting the pay for his assistant coaches and improving the team’s facilities. That doesn’t mean the Chargers aren’t at least considering the 51-year-old, though.
Mora has NFL experience, coaching the Falcons for three seasons from 2004 to 2006 and spending the 2009 season as head coach of the Seahawks. He owns a 31-33 career NFL head coaching record, with his best season coming in 2004, when he guided the Falcons to an 11-5 finish and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game.
Mora is also familiar with the Chargers organization, as he served as an assistant in San Diego from 1985 to 1991. The Chargers are currently looking to replace Norv Turner, who was fired this offseason after six seasons at the helm.
Let’s just hope T.J. Simers doesn’t show up to any news conferences if Mora does land in San Diego.
