Bob Chesney Reveals Why He Chose UCLA

The UCLA Bruins are starting a new era this season, with a new head coach leading the charge, sparking optimism and hope around the program for the first time in a long time.

Since moving to the Big Ten, the vibes have been at an all-time low for the UCLA Bruins. They’ve managed a meager 8-16 record in two seasons combined, and have yet to reach a bowl game since departing from the PAC-12.

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) throws the ball during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

UCLA’s Struggles Last Season

Last season was perhaps rock bottom. Despite bringing in transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee, the Bruins struggled mightily on offense and defense. Iamaleava had his worst season as a college quarterback, throwing for less than 2,000 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and the team went just 3-9, second-to-last in the Big Ten.

Amidst that treacherous season, the Bruins let go of head coach DeShaun Foster halfway through the season and immediately started their search for their next leader. After the season concluded, the Bruins hired former James Madison head coach Bob Chesney.

Sep 5, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; James Madison Dukes head coach Bob Chesney argues a call with an official during the first half against the Louisville Cardinals at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

There aren’t many candidates better than Chesney. In two seasons with JMU, he led the Dukes to a 21-6 record, and in 2025, his team won the Sun Belt title, finished 12-2, and advanced to the College Football Playoff.

With Chesney now in charge, the sense around the program is that they can see a turnaround similar to that of James Madison. Chesney helped the Dukes through their transition period to FBS in a very short amount of time, and Bruins fans have every reason to expect the same this season.

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While they may not compete for the national title this season, a noticeable improvement could be in the cards for the program. In a recent interview with Barstool’s Liam Blutman, Chesney explained his reasoning behind choosing the Bruins during the coaching search.

Chesney’s Explanation

“One was the town, one was the mentorship, one was the education,” Chesney said. “Pretty good town to be in. To be able to bump into some people and learn more about life after football. Then I started researching the alumni, and I was like ‘Oh, man. These alums are phenomenal, once we start getting them involved in the mentorship, and involved in helping these guys with life after football.'”

“Then, you look at the NFL,” Chesney added. “The amount of people that have gone to the NFL that could also mentor their position groups here. So then, you look at these two different professional trajectories, of the NFL, and life after football. So I thought about that, then I went into education. It's the number one public school in the country. Then, you start to go through all the things that come with that, and you just check all these boxes, that I can’t imagine really a better place.”

Add us as a preferred source on Google