Las Vegas, Nevada - Two coaches with a strong past. Their coaching rivalry stretches across two BCS conferences, winning championships in at least one of them. Through times, their jobs led them to different paths, one going to perinial power SEC, the other, building a noted basketball school UNLV to a football landmark.
Coach Mo and Coach G has battled on the gridiron for close to 9 years, each finding high and low times during gameday. And again, they match up, this time in what could possibly be the prelude this year's VCFL Championships. We sit down with Coach JMo at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino to discuss the rivalry and the upcoming game.
Jim Lampley: What kind of relationship do you have with Coach G?
Coach Mo: "We've definitely had our share of good games. He's a good friend of mine off the field. He was actually over the house for babinka the other night. That's a Filipino desert Jim if you didn't know. [laugh]."
Jim Lampley: Would you consider the ACC years to be your best coaching era?
Coach Mo: "Taking Duke to 2 National Champioships was definitely a great time for me. Coach G wasn't really a factor in the ACC. Coach Bigs made more of a mark then. He was still winning games, but retired coach Kim would always take him out of contention. But sometimes, it's not the wins you remember, but the loses you come across."
Jim Lampley: You mean your PAC-10 years?
Coach Mo: "Those were tough years. Expectations were high that first year, but I'll tell you what. I never cut strawberries for dessert during gameday anymore Jim. No more. From then on things went down hill with Washington State's program. And Coach G's Arizona U's program saw the window to grow."
Jim Lampley: He pratically owned you and the PAC-10 once he recruited RB Manning and LB Huff, correct?
Coach Mo: "You know what Jim, don't take that tone with me or I'll slap the HBO Fight Night contract right out of you. Coach G recruited well, both offensively and deffensively. I didn't win a game against him after the 1st year."
Jim Lampley: So what do you feel is different this time around?
Coach Mo: "We've had scrimmidge game a few years back, and we managed to get a win, but he was coming out of retirement then, and I know he's caught up with the program. But this time around, I have a good bunch of kids, and the spread offense we run is more a combo of my past few teams I've coached. That, and I don't slice fruit during gameday Jim. No more."
Jim Lampley: Do you have anything else to say to Iowa St?
Coach Mo: "Not really. I wouldn't hype up this last regular season game. Our goals' to win, but come playoff time, it's a whole new season. Ole Miss is always a sleeping giant, and the (Warriors) can spark an upset anytime now. Some, and I mean 1 person from Iowa, may disagree, but I still think this is an open championship."
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