UCLA coach Jim Mora, linked to Texas job, says he is staying with Bruins

UCLA coach Jim Mora signed a six-year contract extension earlier this season.  (Harry How/Getty Images) Another candidate for the Texas coaching job has
UCLA coach Jim Mora, linked to Texas job, says he is staying with Bruins
UCLA coach Jim Mora, linked to Texas job, says he is staying with Bruins /

UCLA coach Jim Mora signed a six-year contract extension earlier this season.  (Harry How/Getty Images)

Another candidate for the Texas coaching job has withdrawn his name from consideration. UCLA coach Jim Mora told the Los Angeles Times on Friday that he is committed to the Bruins.

Mora's declaration came only hours after Baylor coach Art Briles issued a similar statement regarding his tenure with the Bears.

According to the Times, Longhorns officials contacted Mora's agent after it was announced that Mack Brown, the longtime Texas coach, would be stepping down at season's end. When asked about the rumors on Friday, Mora said he appreciated the attention, but his focus remains in L.A.

“It is always flattering when someone is interested in you. But I am committed to being the UCLA coach.”

Earlier this season, Mora's name had also been connected to the opening at Washington, his alma mater. But the coach agreed to a six-year extension with the Bruins that effectively squashed his chances of taking over the Huskies. When the school announced Mora's extension, the coach said in a statement that the program had "only just scratched the surface of our potential, and as a Bruin fan, I’d be chomping at the bit just to see what UCLA football is going to do next.”

Mora is 19-8 in two seasons at UCLA and has finished in the top-two in the Pac-12 South in both seasons. On Friday, he tweeted that he remains proud of the UCLA program.

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Zac Ellis
ZAC ELLIS

Zac Ellis joined SI.com in 2011 and has covered college football and basketball since 2012. In addition to features and columns, he is SI’s primary Heisman Trophy analyst.