Associated Press
The college football notebook …
LOS ANGELES ó Although Jim Mora hasn’t coached college football in a quarter-century, the longtime NFL coach has spent the last two years preparing for a chance to go back to school.
UCLA is giving him that opportunity in the hopes this polished pro coach can revitalize a beleaguered college program.
Mora agreed to a five-year, $12 million contract with UCLA on Saturday, replacing Rick Neuheisel as the Bruins’ first football coach in more than 60 years with no ties to the school.
Mora was the coach of the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks, going 31-33 over four seasons while reaching one NFC title game. The son of longtime NFL coach Jim Mora is a former University of Washington defensive back who had only one season of college coaching experience at his alma mater in 1984 before beginning a 25-year career in the NFL.
GEORGIA
ATHENS, Ga. ó Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity and coach Mark Richt have started talks to extend Richt’s contract.
Richt’s job status was in question following a 6-7 finish in 2010. He led No. 18 Georgia to 10 wins and the Southeastern Conference championship game this season. Georgia will play No. 12 Michigan State in the Outback Bowl.
Larry Munson was remembered Saturday for his devotion to his beloved Bulldogs in almost 43 years as the voice of Georgia football.
Munson was 89 when he died on Nov. 20 of complications from pneumonia.
Michael Munson said at the memorial service that his father died while wearing a Georgia “Go Dogs” T-shirt. The words “Larry Munson, 1922-2011” were painted on the Sanford Stadium field, under the Georgia “G.”
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said Munson was “a true Bulldog to the core.”
SUMLIN TO A&M
HOUSTON ó Texas A&M has hired Houston’s Kevin Sumlin as its new coach.
The Aggies (6-6) are scheduled to play Northwestern (6-6) in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Houston on Dec. 31.
The Cougars (12-1) play Penn State (9-3) in the TicketCity Bowl in Dallas on Jan. 2. Sumlin, 47, went 35-17 in four seasons with Houston, and the Cougars routinely ranked as one of the nation’s highest scoring teams.
WEIS ANNOUNCED
LAWRENCE, Kan. ó Charlie Weis hobbled onto the court at Allen Fieldhouse with the help of a cane on Saturday, clutching a microphone in his hand as a sellout crowd silenced for the first time all afternoon.
“The first thing we have to do is stop neglecting the fact that there’s another school in the state that’s a competitor,” the Jayhawks’ new football coach said by way of an introduction, “and go figure out a way to beat their butts.”
EXCITED NEBRASKA
LINCOLN, Neb. ó Nebraska’s players are genuinely excited about playing in the Capital One Bowl against 10th-ranked South Carolina. It looks like the fans are, too.
Nebraska has sold about 8,000 tickets in five days.