Why UCLA Football Has Very Bright Future

UCLA football is entering a new era as Bob Chesney has brought new life to the Bruins program.

Since becoming the head coach, he has been working to rebuild the roster, not only for next season but for the future. Chesney was able to retain key players, namely quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Keeping those two players was monumental for Chesney.

Heading into next year, the Bruins are seen as a team in the middle of the conference but building for the future.

The Bruins have so far done a great job recruiting the 2027 high school class, with six players committed who rank in the SC 300.

ESPN recently released its college football future power rankings, and the Bruins have moved up on the list from 49 to 45. ESPN looked at five key categories, such as QB situation, offensive line/defensive line outlook, roster management, star power, and coaching staff, to determine the ranking.

Why Bruins Placed 45th

Adam Rittenberg spoke about each category for the Bruins, and while he sees some positives in each, there are also negatives that give him pause. For instance, bringing back Nico Iamaleava was a huge plus, and he has shown some flashes with his legs, with a career-high 505 rushing yards, though he didn't produce with his arm, as he had less than 2,000 yards through the air.

The makeup of the roster seems to be in good shape, according to Rittenberg, as bringing in players through the portal, such as Sahir West, Aiden Gobaira, and Wayne Knight from James Madison, was a huge plus. Chesney also brought in players from other schools, including Sammy Omosigho from Oklahoma and safety Tao Johnson from Utah.

The coaching staff is where Rittenberg has the most confidence in UCLA, as Chesney brought in many assistants from James Madison, including offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler. Chesney also kept running backs coach A.J. Steward and added several assistants with West Coast ties, including linebackers coach Vic So'oto, who was Cal's co-defensive coordinator.

UCLA Next Season

UCLA has not played very well over the past two seasons, and with Bob Chesney at the helm, he will be tasked with bringing the program back into the spotlight as a competitive team. While it would be an amazing story to see the Bruins compete for a playoff, the goal for the upcoming season should be to be competitive and make a bowl game.

Bringing in guys from James Madison, such as Knight and West, is great for the roster, as they will produce at a high level. Chesney is also tasked with fixing Iamaleava and turning his career around into being a top QB in the Big Ten.

In college football, the Hoosiers are one-in-a-million chances, and while I believe Chesney will do great things for the Bruins, he needs to rebuild the program's identity.

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