Jim Mora May Interview for the Jets Coaching Vacancy

Jim Mora, who inherited a talented UCLA roster three years ago, yet never could get the Bruins to a New Year’s Day bowl game, reportedly is going to interview with the Jets for their head coaching vacancy.

The Jets, who seem obsessed with the idea of bringing an ordinary coach in to lead the woebegone franchise, are also hot for Doug Marrone, who compiled a stellar 15-17 record coaching the Bills over the last two years, and previously made Syracuse a respectable football team.

But back to Mora, who flopped miserably in the NFL. In Atlanta, Mora inherited Mike Vick in his prime, and after losing in the NFC Championship in his first year, missed the playoffs the next two years and was fired. Then, he was the assistant head coach and the hand picked replacement in Seattle, but lasted only one season before being fired. He has consistently failed to reach lofty expectations with the Bruins.

Mora took over a UCLA team with a future star QB (Brett Hundley, who will be drafted in April), and a roster littered with other NFL draft picks – including WR Shaq Evans, guard Xavier Su’a-Filo and LB Anthony Barr. Running back Paul Perkins and DT Owamagbe Odighizuwa also have futures in the NFL.

And Mora has gone 0-4 vs. Stanford and 0-2 vs. Oregon. Yes, he has beaten crosstown rival USC three times – which to some probably means more than those six losses; let’s not forget the Trojans have battled NCAA sanctions the last few years – but a strong argument could be made that while Mora has lifted the Bruins out of the dark Karl Dorrell/Rich Neuheisel eras, he has not quite matched the best years from the Terry Donahue era.

This is not to slam Mora. There’s nothing wrong with doing an above-average job (so far) with quality players. The roster is extremely young, with no senior starters on offense and only three on defense, and perhaps the best news is that UCLA just locked down the No.1 player in the High School Class of 2015, QB Josh Rosen. Might he start as a true freshman?

Mora has recruited well. The Bruins are relevant again.

So why is Mora looking to bolt back to the NFL so badly when the Bruins have the talent to contend for a playoff spot next year with star Myles Jack leading the way? There’s work to be done.

Is he just looking for a raise from UCLA?