One Assistant Coach Quietly Reshaping This UCLA Team

UCLA football has plenty of new faces in the building this fall. When Bob Chesney accepted the job as head coach after many successful seasons in lower-level college football, he decided to bring many of his talents with him.

While there are plenty of new players who will trade James Madison jerseys for UCLA’s, there are also staff members and coordinators that Chesney brought over.

Who Is Dean Kennedy?

Perhaps none of them is more crucial than offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy, who has had quite the ride through college football. Kennedy has followed Bob Chesney and been with him essentially every step of the way, coming with him to UCLA and now leading the offensive coaching staff in the building.

Many of Kennedy’s coaching years happened at the University of Florida, where he worked as a quality control coach and quarterbacks assistant. In 2022, he was hired alongside Chesney at Holy Cross, where he was promoted to offensive coordinator after just one season. With Holy Cross, the Crusaders put up a conference-high in points per game at 36.9 in 2023.

It wasn’t long before Kennedy was on the move again, this time following Chesney to James Madison, where he was hired on as the offensive coordinator. Again, the pattern continued as Kennedy landed with the Bruins this past offseason after Chesney was hired as head coach.

For a guy who has been around Chesney as much as Kennedy has, he has to receive a ton of the credit for what the two of them have been able to do. As an offensive-minded head coach, Chesney must rely heavily on his coordinator, and the trust between the two is so strong that it has led to multiple job promotions.

James Madison’s Landon Ellis, left, pulls down a pass ahead of Oregon’s Na'eem Offord during the third quarter at Autzen Stadium in Eugene Dec. 20, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Why Kennedy Could Jump-Start This UCLA Offense

Kennedy could quietly be the key to this UCLA offense this season. For the first time in his career, he is coordinating with some premier talent and high-level resources that a Big Ten school like UCLA can provide.

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

With all the resources available, Kennedy could help propel players like Nico Iamaleava to his best season yet. With the amount of familiarity Kennedy has with many of the James Madison players, it will give them an extra advantage in becoming a real weapon on the offensive side of the ball.

UCLA needs help in just about every area when you look at last season’s results. Dean Kennedy could be the quiet key to unlocking a lot of these players' potential, so do not be surprised if we see a major jump in production on the UCLA offense.

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