UCLA Coach Demonstrates Important, Culture-Building Lesson

UCLA head football coach Bob Chesney has his work cut out for him as he tries to rebuild the Bruins program after debuting in the Big Ten with two tough seasons.

The team has won just 12 games as members of the conference and sunk toward the bottom of the18-team league under former head coach DeShaun Foster, who, from an outsider's perspective, seemed to be rushed into the head coaching role. Chesney, on the other hand, seems much more prepared, despite having no previous ties to the school or the West Coast.

ucla cultur — Dec 9, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins football coach Bob Chesney speaks at introductory press conference at Renee Luskin Conference Center Centennial Ballroom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Program Support and Enthusiasm

From the little we've seen of Chesney interacting with players, donors, alumni, and other important figures, you can tell he's trying to get everyone excited about the future of the program, but he understands it's in a difficult situation. He's addressed concerns from those people pretty publicly, and it's mostly been met with positivity.

The former James Madison coach has made his intentions and vision for the Bruins clear: he wants to get them back to competing for conference championships, no matter how unrealistic it may seem at the current moment in time. With that mission in mind, he's fought to keep top talents like quarterback Nico Iamaleava in the program and build around them with accomplished transfers.

But it's one thing to bring in new players and an entirely different practice getting them to gel as a team and a cohesive unit. He had some practice with that at James Madison, replacing parts of the roster that followed Curt Cignetti to Indiana, but if there were any further concerns, one video clip on the UCLA Athletic Department's social media accounts may have put that debate to rest.

Building A Culture of Respect

One of the most challenging things Bob Chesney will have to do at the beginning of his tenure as the head football coach at UCLA will be re-establishing and rebuilding the program's culture. It's an area where Chesney excels, and one of his first publicized lessons to his new team stressed the importance of respect, relationships, and unselfishness -- often pillars of successful programs -- by showing his appreciation for the support staff.

Every person in this program is important. @CoachBobChesney #4sup pic.twitter.com/cq1hkzEl7X
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) February 13, 2026

"They're not here to pick up after you," Chesney told the team. "They're part of our team. ... Don't think of them as if they're here to serve you. They're not. They are your equal. They're just like the coach. They're just like any great player on this team. For the best team's in America, it's never about any one person."

UCLA has a long way to go to become one of the "best teams in America," but it's never too early to start acting like it. Chesney is trying to lay his foundation, and while his latest speech may seem like a simple concept, it's also an important tool in establishing the character of the people he wants in his program.

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