How Sahir West Will Impact UCLA’s Defense

The UCLA Bruins are experiencing optimism around the program for the first time in quite a while, and a big reason is one of their top transfer portal additions.

After a miserable 3-9 season in 2025, the Bruins are starting from scratch for the most part. That change begins at the top, as Bob Chesney, formerly the head coach at James Madison, is now at the helm for the Bruins. Chesney led JMU to a 21-6 record during its transition from FCS to FBS, and he helped the Dukes reach the College Football Playoff last season after a 12-2 campaign, which included winning the Sun Belt.

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

Now Chesney will be tasked with taking over a team that hasn’t experienced much success since joining the Big Ten before the 2024 season. UCLA has managed just an 8-16 record in the Big Ten, and Chesney will certainly have his hands full as he moves up to the Power Four level.

JMU Stars Also Coming to UCLA

However, Chesney isn’t the only James Madison standout making the trip to Westwood. Many key pieces from that memorable JMU team, which won its conference and got to the College Football Playoff, are following Chesney to UCLA.

Sep 5, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Miller Moss (7) looks to pass under the pressure of James Madison Dukes defensive end Sahir West (15) during the first quarter at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

One of those supreme talents is defensive lineman Sahir West. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound lineman was a beast for James Madison last season as a freshman. He accumulated 45 tackles, 7 sacks, a forced fumble, and four pass deflections up front for the Dukes. West figures to be a key piece of a defensive front that has undergone a major makeover this offseason, along with the rest of the roster.

UCLA’s Defense Last Season

UCLA’s defense was absolutely brutal last season, to put it lightly. The Bruins allowed 33.4 points per game in 2025, the worst mark in the Big Ten by over a point. The Bruins also got obliterated in the ground game, allowing 2,285 rushing yards total and 190.4 rushing yards per game, both second-to-last in the Big Ten, only ahead of Rutgers.

With West now entering the fold, the Bruins immediately are much improved on the defensive front, and being that he is already familiar with the scheme in place, there’s no reason to suggest that West won’t be able to adjust to the higher level of competition after wreaking havoc in the Sun Belt last season. Besides, can it really get much worse than last season for UCLA?

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