UCLA Football Coach Jim Mora Needs to Put Action Behind His Words

Let’s face it. Jim Mora’s career at UCLA right now should be hanging by a thread.

But, no one, and I do mean no one, should ever question his commitment to his players. Mora has always come to his players’ defense from outside attacks.

We’ve seen this time and time again from his refusal to shake hands with legendary Kansas State coach Bill Snyder following the Alamo Bowl due to the fact that he thought the K-State players were trying to injury Brett Hundley late in the game right up to last Monday when Mora defended Josh Rosen, who was concussed in the Washington game, from criticism leveled by ESPN commentator Brock Huard during the game.

Today, we’ve gotten a tiny bit of insight into the current state of the football program.

First, it appears that Breland Brandt has decided to medically retire from football due to four concussion in three years. Given that so much has been written about the effects of concussions, I don’t believe there is anyone out there who can legitimately complain about Brandt’s decision which was made after receiving advice from his doctors, you know, the ones that Jim Mora constantly reminds everyone are the best in the country.

Well, first, allow me to thank Breland for all the hard work he did to play football and represent UCLA. On behalf of Bruins Nation, we wish you all the best.

Apparently, it also appears that not everyone on the UCLA Football staff feels the same way about Brandt’s decision to medically retire.

According to a series of tweets from Brandt, someone on the staff referred to Brandt’s decision to medically retire as “quit[ting] the team.” It’s absolutely disgusting.

Here is Breland’s series of tweets:

And, Jim Mora needs to fire the staffer responsible. Immediately.

Brandt’s tweet attempted to obscure the name of the staffer in question. As a result, any suggestion about who the staffer is can only be speculation.

I’m not going to speculate as to who the staffer could be, but I will say that I have a hunch I was able to figure it out by looking at the image that Brandt tweeted.

But, regardless of who that staffer is, he should be fired tomorrow. Period.

And, it is my hope that Mora opens his Monday media session by stating which staffer sent Brandt the text and announcing that the individual in question is no longer employed by UCLA because his (or her) behavior was contradictory to everything Jim Mora has ever said about players’ and their injuries.

Failing to do so would basically remove one of the very last reason some Bruin fans are holding onto the idea that Jim Mora should still be employed by UCLA: That he’s a good man who treats his players well and is a good example for them.

It’s the only way to reconcile Jim Mora saying the right thing and Jim Mora doing the right thing.


Go Bruins.