Scott Taylor Welcomes New Role in UCLA Defense

Many of the players on UCLA's football roster for the spring season are new and were convinced to join the Bruins by new head coach Bob Chesney and his staff, who impressed them with their record of success, infectious personalities, and vision for the program's future.

At the same time, the staff had to balance that with the players who remained from the previous regime, and it's the same kinds of things that got those players excited about staying. Some have even been asked to take on different roles and responsibilities, like sophomore linebacker Scott Taylor, who has embraced the new strategies.

"What I'm doing in the defense, I love my fit and this scheme, and Coach Chesney's just one of the greatest leaders I've been able to be coached by," Taylor said as he spoke with the media after Thursday's practice. "I love his energy, and I love playing for him."

Scott Taylor's New Role

As a freshman for the Bruins last season, Taylor played in 12 games as an off-the-ball linebacker for the defense and a rotational player on special teams, contributing 12 tackles, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick. Yet, as Chesney and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler implement their system, he's being asked to play more of a hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end role, providing a welcome test of his versatility.

ucla football — Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) hurdles UCLA Bruins punter Will Karoll (49) as linebacker Scott Taylor (20) watches in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"It's been great. I like being versatile," Taylor said. "It's one of the things I think I'm great at. I really pride myself on being able to do multiple things. I know they see that, and being able to line up off the edge, pass rush, and have your sets come off from behind the ball, that really plays to my skill set."

But the role in the defense is just part of the reason Taylor decided to return to UCLA before even speaking with Chesney, and the way the new coach is running the program by embracing the competitive nature of the sport has backed up his decision.

Competition a Selling Point

"I feed off competition," Taylor added. "That's another thing we talked about when I decided to come back here. He builds this program off competition. Everything is scored ... Everything is scored, and everything is measured. Being able to track everything, there's a lot of clarity, and it helps you know where you stand. You're not confused on where you land."

Competition is an aspect Chesney has stressed since he arrived in Los Angeles, and seemingly every player who talks about the coach's impact points to it as one of the program's chief pillars moving forward and a selling point for joining the program. That shows, for the most part, they're on the same page, and they're adding players who fit their desired culture.

Jacob Busic on UCLA’s next wave, Scott Taylor, Juju Walls, Cole Cogshell

High ceiling group that could pop this season#UCLA #CollegeFootball #CFB #GoBruins #Football pic.twitter.com/Sqe1wKBs1G
— LAFB Network (@LAFBNetwork) April 22, 2026

"It's nice," Taylor said. "I guess, at the beginning, it could be anxiety-provoking for some people, but when you breed competition into your everyday life, then it becomes something you look forward to, not fear or stress about. It's nice to live with that competition every day."

The competition is breathing new life into the UCLA program quickly, and Taylor has a chance to establish himself as a big part of its future success as he adjusts to new expectations.

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