Early Years and Playing Career
As the son of an assistant coach in college football, Mora lived in various locations as a child: primarily in Boulder, Colorado (ages 7–12) and also in California, mostly in the Los Angeles area. When Mora was 12, his father left Colorado after the 1973 football season to join the staff at UCLA under Dick Vermeil.
After one season in Los Angeles, the elder Mora accepted a position at the University of Washington under new head coach Don James, and the Moras moved north from Los Angeles to the Seattle area when the younger Mora was 13. His father coached the defensive line at UW for three seasons, then moved over to the pro ranks with the Seattle Seahawks in 1978, where he coached for four years under Jack Patera. The younger Mora attended Hyak Junior High and Interlake High School in Bellevue, and graduated in 1980.
Mora attended the University of Washington, where he walked-on and was a reserve defensive back / linebacker for the Huskies from 1980 to 1983. He appeared in two Rose Bowls and was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He began his coaching career under James in 1984 as a graduate assistant for the Huskies, and moved to the professional ranks the following year.
Read more about this topic: Jim L. Mora
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