UCLA coach Jim Mora says safety remark not aimed at USC

UCLA coach Jim Mora says he isn't concerned with USC, no matter what comes out of his mouth. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The UCLA-USC rivalry hasn't been much of a rivalry the past few seasons, and when anything comes out of a coach's mouth it could possibly be bulletin board material.

UCLA head coach Jim Mora recently talking on a radio show said he tries to tell parents how safe it is at UCLA, by saying “We don’t have murders a block from our campus."

USC's campus is located in the West Adams district of southern Los Angeles and two Chinese graduate students were murdered near the USC campus in April.

Mora, who was hired by UCLA last December, said Thursday that he was not referring to USC and had no idea about what happened in April.

“I just said our campus is safe,” Mora said to the Los Angeles Times. “I didn’t say anything about anyone else’s campus. I just said it about our campus. I didn’t mention another campus. We don’t have anybody getting murdered a block off of our campus. If anybody, whether USC or Cal State San Bernardino, is offended by the statement, then that’s their insecurity, not mine.”

Mora also said just wants to focus on UCLA.

“I really don’t care. I don’t concern myself with them or anybody else right now. It’s all about our people," Mora said. "I don’t spend the day thinking [about] what USC thinks. Just like they don’t spend the day thinking what we think. My concern has to be on this football team.”