UCLA Fires Jim Mora (On His Birthday) Amid Bruins’ Disappointing Season

Another premier job in college football has opened up.

UCLA fired head football coach Jim Mora on Sunday after six seasons leading the Bruins, athletic director Dan Guerrero announced, via ESPN. Jedd Fisch, who had been serving as the team’s offensive coordinator, will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

The news, which hits Mora on his 56th birthday, comes amid a disappointing season, one which saw the Bruins drop to 5-6 after losing to rival USC on Sunday.

“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,” Guerrero said in a statement, via ESPN. “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 leaves UCLA with a 46-30 record as head coach.

UCLA joins Florida and Tennessee as big-name college football programs that have parted ways with their head coaches during the 2017-18 season.