Predicting Wayne Knight’s Production Next Season With UCLA

Perhaps the best transfer portal talent UCLA acquired this offseason was running back Wayne Knight, who could be primed for a big 2026 season.

Knight is one of several James Madison transfers who are following head coach Bob Chesney to Westwood. Chesney was hired by UCLA last December to replace DeShaun Foster, who had been fired. Previously, Chesney led JMU to a 21-6 record over two seasons, including a Sun Belt title and College Football Playoff appearance in 2025, making their transition to FBS about as smooth as humanly possible.

Knight Last Season

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes running back Wayne Knight (3) rushes as Oregon Ducks defensive back Aaron Flowers (21) defends during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now, Knight headlines many of the JMU holdovers from that Sun Belt-winning team. Knight was arguably the Dukes’ best offensive player last season, running for 1,373 yards on 207 carries, with nine touchdowns on the ground. He’ll now look to add to his legacy with a strong senior season for the Bruins.

He’ll be looking to help spark a turnaround for a UCLA program that has experienced two incredibly underwhelming seasons since joining the Big Ten. The Bruins are just 8-16 since joining and posted a 3-9 record last season amid struggles on both sides of the ball.

Predicting Knight’s Production With Bruins in 2026

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes running back Wayne Knight (3) rushes during the third quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Predicting how Knight will play is a bit of a question mark. He was able to put up numbers in the Sun Belt, but will it translate to the Power Four level? Here’s my prediction for how Knight’s season will go in his first year with the Bruins.

At least 1,100 rushing yards on over 165 carries and at least seven rushing touchdowns is what I’m projecting Knight to put up next season. The last time Knight took the field in a game, he put up 110 rushing yards on 17 attempts against a very good Oregon team. Now that he’ll be joining the very conference that Oregon plays in, Knight has already proven that he can shred a Big Ten defense with ease, which could lead to a big season.

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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Also, Knight is already familiar with the system Chesney runs, which will only benefit him further as he runs behind a Big Ten-caliber offensive line. With all of these factors set in stone, there’s no reason to believe that Knight can’t have a similarly impactful season as he did last year, as he looks to give UCLA’s offense a massive boost in the first year of Chesney’s tenure as head coach.

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