Jim Mora Jr hired as head coach of the Falcons

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TONE DOG THE 01

TONE DOG THE 01

Sicc OG
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May 8, 2002
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Falcons offer coaching job to Mora Jr.
Jan. 8, 2004
By Jay Glazer
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Jay your opinion!


The Falcons said goodbye to Joe Gibbs yesterday, hello to their new head coach Thursday.

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Two sources close to Jim Mora Jr. told SportsLine.com that the Atlanta Falcons have offered him their new head coaching job late Thursday afternoon.

Falcons’ spokesman Aaron Salkin would not confirm or deny the move, but several sources close to Mora confirmed the two sides were working out a contract Thursday night. Barring a breakdown in talks, a deal should be in place and an announcement should come Friday.

At Mora's current employer, the San Francisco 49ers, word that he'd be leaving was getting out Thursday. It was also expected that Mora would take some members of the San Francisco staff with him to Atlanta.

Mora, in his fifth season as the 49ers defensive coordinator, interviewed last week then was flown out again for a second round this week. The young, fiery son of former head coach Jim Mora had also interviewed for the Bears’ head coaching job and was said to be in the Raiders’ race, but one source close to the coach said he canceled his Friday interview with the Raiders.


The Falcons, Bears and Raiders competed for Jim Mora's services.(AP)
Mora last week told SportsLine.com that he felt "extremely happy" with his first interview with the Falcons and beamed about the tremendous rapport he felt with Falcons’ honcho Rich McKay.

Mora, 42, is the first assistant with no previous head coaching experience to get hired this year for one of the league’s openings. Atlanta also interviewed others such as the Rams’ Lovie Smith, and the Steelers’ Tim Lewis and Mike Mularkey.

Mora was a finalist for the 49ers' job last February and interviewed in Carolina after the Panthers fired George Seifert after the 2001 season. His San Francisco defense this year ranked 13th in yardage allowed and 21st in scoring.

The Falcons finished last in defense, allowing a franchise-record 6,108 total yards. After losing 23-16 to Philadelphia on Nov. 2, Atlanta was on pace to allow the second-highest yardage total in NFL history.

News of Mora's hiring caught quarterback Michael Vick, reached at his offseason home near Newport News, Va., by surprise.

"I hadn't heard anything about that," Vick said.
 
Smitty

Smitty

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May 4, 2002
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That sucks that the niners are losing their best coach, but then again I hope he takes Greg Knapp with him, cause that fool can't call plays for shit.
 
D

Dosia

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May 2, 2002
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why didnt the 49ers just promote him to head coach last year...now we have erickson, and we lost the best coach on our staff....pretty stupid move by the niners if you ask me
 
FATAL NYGHTMARE

FATAL NYGHTMARE

Sicc OG
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Apr 25, 2002
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Knapp sucks ass!!!!!!!!! Mora is making a big mistake taking that clown. last i heard, the Raiders were trying to pick up Knapp. that would have been a horrible move cuz their offense isnt good to begin with, and Knapp woulda drove them straight into the ground.

losing Mora is a huge blow. he should be our head coach right now. big mistake.
 
TONE DOG THE 01

TONE DOG THE 01

Sicc OG
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May 8, 2002
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I said that Mora Jr should have been our coach before we picked up Erickson. But I cant hate Erickson because the man wasnt allowed to bring in his own OC and DC when coming to the Niners (that's critical to allow a new coach to bring in his own staff). But if he has another unsuccesful year expect him gone especially since the new OC and DC will be his decision.
 
TONE DOG THE 01

TONE DOG THE 01

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May 8, 2002
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Ted Tollner is promoted to Offensive Coordinator.

New Niner offense already taking shape

Craig Massei - SFIllustrated.com
January 9, 2004 at 8:26pm ET
Dennis Erickson moved swiftly Friday to fill voids in his coaching staff, elevating Ted Tollner to offensive coordinator and Gregg Smith to offensive line coach, then hiring coaching veterans Rich Olson and Dan Cozetto to fill their previous positions. The quick reaction to the loss of previous offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and offensive line coach Pat Morris is a further sign Erickson will take more control over the 49ers offense in 2004. "My hands are going to be in it," Erickson said.

Knapp followed Jim Mora to Atlanta, and Morris on Friday decided to join Steve Mariucci in Detroit rather than sign a new deal with the 49ers. Erickson was prepared for both moves, and already had their successors in mind.

Of Tollner, the Niners' quarterbacks coach the past two seasons, Erickson said, "I've always liked what he did offensively. Having spent the season with him here, our offensive philosophies are very similar and he's been here and knows our players and he's a good fit. We're going to take the combination of Ted's and mine thoughts and go from there."

Erickson also promised to be more involved in the offense, both in planning and execution on game day.

"There were going to be some changes made, whoever the (offensive coordinator) was going to be," Erickson said. "We're just going to do some different things. More than anything, I want to be involved in this thing. Everything we do is going to be geared to me making play selections. My input on Sundays will be much more than it has been."

Said Smith, who handled the 49ers' tight ends last year while doubling as Erickson's assistant head coach, "I think that's extremely important. The thing that he's always been is an extremely good offensive coach and an extremely good game-day coach as far as calling plays and attacking defenses. This is going to be really good for Dennis, because he's such a great game-day coach. I look forward to him taking a real active role next year."

Because he was new to the 49ers' offensive system, Erickson allowed Knapp to call the plays last year before he became more involved as the season progressed. Subsequently, the Niners had the NFL's most productive offense over the final quarter of the season.

Smith said the transition that will take place with him replacing the popular and well-respected Morris should be seamless. Smith has spent much of his long coaching career as an offensive line coach and has many of the same philosophies as Morris, whom Smith was sharing ideas with well before either joined the 49ers.

Olson - the 49ers' new quarterbacks coach - and Cozetto - who will coach tight ends - both have a long association with Erickson. Olson, an Erickson offensive protege, was the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2001-2002. Cozetto, an assistant for Erickson at Oregon State, was the offensive line coach at the University of Washington last season.

"They're familiar faces for me," Erickson said. "These are guys I know and I've been around. I've got great confidence in them."
 
H

Hay$tack$avage

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Apr 17, 2003
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Fuck Jim Moron jr! That fuckin imbecile never learns from his plays. How many close games did he cost the niners with his pussy prevent defense? He blitzes the whole fuckin game and then backs off and plays prevent when blitzes have been working the whole game. He always backs down and eases up on offenses and then the Niners either have to catch up or hold on to a fuckin thread of a lead cuz Jim Moron's defensive plays gives up points. So fuck him. I'm glad to see that dickhead leave. I just hope the new defensive coordinator has some fuckin balls.
 
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