Listing Reasonable Goals for Chesney in Year One at UCLA

UCLA football is at an interesting time: since 2020, the Bruins have now hired their third head coach.

Last season was an utter disaster for UCLA, as after losing the first three games, head coach DeShaun Foster was let go. Transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava would have a season he would like to forget, with 1,928 passing yards, just 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. UCLA would finish the season with a 3-9 record, and they were considered a laughing stock in the Big Ten.

Throughout this offseason, Chesney has completely rebuilt the program, not only the roster but also the coaching staff. Chesney would bring in 42 total transfers, including those who followed him from James Madison, as well as 20 incoming freshmen.

With so many new changes and fall camp just around the corner, the question surrounding Bob Chesney is how much pressure should be on him in year one?

Bob Chesney as a Head Coach

Chesney has spent most of his head coaching career with FCS and lower-division programs, including Assumption University, Salve Regina, and, before James Madison, Holy Cross.

After leading Holy Cross to its fifth straight first-place finish in the Patriot League, he would take the job at James Madison, where he would make an immediate impact as the Dukes' head coach.

In his first year at James Madison, he would have a very impressive season, finishing 9-4 and winning the Boca Raton Bowl. Then, in his second year with James Madison, Chesney finished with a 12-2 record in the Sun Belt, including a Sun Belt Championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

How Much Pressure Should Be on Chesney in Year One?

The short answer to how much pressure is on Chesney in year one is not much. UCLA has been a program with back-to-back disappointing seasons, and the Bruins need to rebuild a lost identity. Year one with Chesney should be about building an identity while remaining competitive in the Big Ten.

With as much talent as he has brought to UCLA, Chesney needs to at least get to a bowl game, especially with the winnable games on their schedule. UCLA will have to play Oregon, USC, and Michigan, all trying to win the Big Ten, but will also face teams like Michigan State, Purdue, and Maryland, considered near the bottom of the Big Ten.

With winnable games on their schedule and a much-improved roster, the goal should be to be competitive in the Big Ten and to be bowl-game eligible.

Add us as a preferred source on Google