In Reply to: Re: BRO said Mara's return was a sure thing...they were wrong.* posted by truk on May 12, 2026 at 18:12:21
they probably got some of this information from assistant coaches and others around the program. They also seem to have a strong relationship with the Men of Westwood group, so there may have been additional info coming from there as well. At the same time, that entire circle was likely disappointed or frustrated by Mara’s decision to leave.
I’m sure there were conversations with Mara about NIL and what it would take for him to stay, especially since he himself said he genuinely wanted to remain at UCLA. I also have little doubt Michigan let it be known they were interested before he officially entered the portal — reports suggest UCLA did something similar with Younde.
But none of that really changes the larger point: Mara clearly was not fully happy with his situation here and had legitimate concerns about what next season would look like. He entered the portal on 4/1, only eight days after the season ended. For a decision that important and life-changing, it seems unrealistic to assume there wasn’t real uncertainty and internal conflict involved. To me, some people are overlooking the human side of it and not approaching the situation with much empathy.
Bottom line, the kid had every right to change his mind during that window. Very few major life decisions are made in a vacuum, and there were clearly a lot of variables at play here. There’s really no reason to dismiss or question his version of events when he publicly explained how he felt and why he made the decision he did.
Your overall point is accurate, too: they believed they had him, and ultimately they were wrong. For whatever reason, they misread the situation. But again, that doesn’t mean there’s any reason to question the kid’s integrity. By all accounts, he was a model citizen while he was here.