Jim Mora Jr. Targeted by UCLA Bruins, but Why Is This Job So Unwanted?

And UCLA's head coaching search continues.

The Bruins are still trying to replace head coach Rick Neuheisel, whom they fired before the Bruins took the field against the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 championship game. Now it appears they are turning to Jim Mora Jr., who was the head coach for the Seattle Seahawks in 2009.

He was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2004-2006 and ended up reaching the NFC championship game his first season. But he finished with a mediocre 26-22 record in Atlanta.

He is currently an analyst for the NFL Network.

Mora has very little college coaching experience except for his time at Washington, where he was a graduate assistant. The rest of his coaching career has been in the NFL.

Which brings me to ask this question: Why is the UCLA job so unwanted?

Al Golden was offered the head coaching job, but he later said he was not interested. Chris Petersen was reportedly offered $3 million a year but turned it down to stay with Boise State (at least for now until a better offer comes along).

Even Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin, who is probably itching to leave the Cougars with Case Keenum graduating, turned the Bruins down.

Why is the coaching job at UCLA so bad that every coach is turning down the offer to move to the West Coast?

You know it's bad when they're turning to former NFL coaches who have little to no college experience, and history shows that those coaches haven't done well making the transition.

UCLA has a decent recruiting class coming in with a few solid players, but the Bruins don't have a lot of answers on the current roster. They are also in a tough conference in a division that includes USC, which is off NCAA punishment after this season and will be ready to dominate.

Maybe it's because UCLA doesn't have a strong tradition of winning and the coaches it's going after would be fools to leave their current locations.

Sure, California does sound nice, but moving out west to get destroyed by the Trojans and Ducks for the next 10 years doesn't sound very appealing.

Al Golden has a solid team in Miami and will have the chance to compete for the ACC every season once they get straightened out. Chris Petersen will be looking to leave, but for the right job. If the right offer never comes, he's already proved he can win in Boise and compete for a BCS bowl.

Seems like UCLA is going after the big-name coaches with not a lot of big-name talent.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers college football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]