UCLA Coach Chesney Wins Fan-Voted Award

The praise keeps coming for new UCLA head football coach Bob Chesney, as he adds awards to his resume following a tremendous season at James Madison.

After hauling in 50 new players through the transfer portal and signing 18 high school recruits in a little over a month at UCLA, the 48-year-old won the G6 Coach of the Year and Fan Vote Favorite Coach of the Year Awards at the "Bear" Bryant Award Ceremony. Chesney was also a finalist for the Bryant Award, which, of course, went to Indiana's Curt Cignetti, as well as the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award

Chesney awar — Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes head coach Bob Chesney looks on during the second quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The awards are the second and third Chesney has received for his work with the James Madison Dukes this season. He was also named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Dukes to a 12-2 record with a conference championship and a College Football Playoff appearance, continuing the work his predecessor, Cignetti, did as the program transitioned from FCS national title contender to G5 powerhouse.

Chesney Joins Previous Winners

All the honors were given to the respective coaches on behalf of the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards and the American Heart Association and are intended to honor the legacy of the Hall of Fame coach by recognizing current coaches who have a similar "high standard of excellence."

chesney award — Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes head coach Bob Chesney speaks with the referees during the fourth quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Chesney is the fifth recipient of the Fan Vote Favorite Coach of the Year Award, created to "empower the voice of the fans" in college football, and the first to win it on multiple occasions, doing so in back-to-back seasons. Others to win the award include Nick Saban, Sam Pittman, Josh Heupel, and Mike Norvell. All but one of those names has put his team in positions to compete for a national championship or at least a playoff berth, but at the same time, Pittman has been replaced, and Norvell has spent most of the last two years on the hot seat.

What It Could Mean For UCLA

The Bruins are hoping Chesney can orchestrate a similar turnaround, much like Cignetti was able to engineer at Indiana. A key portion of that success came from veteran players added through the transfer portal, and it sure seems like Chesney is taking a similar approach so far.

Teams shouldn't really concern themselves with how likable their coaches are to other fans. After all, it's what those within the program think of him that directly affects the program. However, winning these awards reflects well on Chesney's resume and personality, adding credence to the belief that he can turn the Bruins around.

It also helps that the new man in charge has been there before and seen the fruits of his labor, albeit at a lesser level of competition.

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