UCLA snagged its new football coach Saturday, formally announcing the hiring of Bob Chesney a little more than 13 hours after the outgoing James Madison coach guided his team to the Sun Belt Conference championship.
Now comes the matter of who Chesney might bring with him after he’s introduced on campus Tuesday.
It’s probably safe to assume that Chesney will retain at least a decent chunk of his current staff as part of a cross-country move from Harrisonburg, Va.
Eight of Chesney’s assistant coaches at James Madison have spent multiple years working with him, some of the connections going back to Chesney’s days at Salve Regina in Division III.
Dukes offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler could offer the Bruins something Chesney doesn’t possess — experience at the Power Four conference level. Kennedy once worked in the Southeastern Conference, serving as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State and a graduate assistant, offensive quality control coach and assistant quarterbacks coach at Florida.
Hitschler was co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Alabama in 2024 before reconnecting with Chesney prior to the 2025 season. Both Kennedy and Hitschler were wildly successful with the Dukes, their units ranking in the top 10 in the nation in scoring offense and defense, respectively.
UCLA’s season opener against California on Sept. 5 at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley will represent Chesney’s first game as a head coach or an assistant at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. He’s won everywhere else after rising from Division III to Division II to the Football Championship Subdivision, compiling a 132-51 record along the way.
In two seasons at James Madison, Chesney went 21-5, including a 12-1 record in 2025 that was made possible in part by the team’s having posted six second-half shutouts. UCLA has agreed to allow Chesney to continue coaching the Dukes for any College Football Playoff run should they be one of the 12 teams selected Sunday.
Chesney, 48, becomes the first sitting head coach hired by the Bruins since they lured Pepper Rodgers from Kansas in 1971. He will inherit a name, image and likeness operation that is transitioning to Champion of Westwood, a third-party media and branding agency that also works with other teams on campus. Meanwhile, Bruins for Life will become a third-party alumni group and mentorship program.
Any UCLA assistants hoping to stick around might have a shot based on Chesney’s hiring history. When he arrived at James Madison before the 2024 season, Chesney retained two incumbent members of the Dukes staff in offensive line coach Damian Wroblewski and cornerbacks coach Eddie Whitley Jr.
Chesney said upon the completion of his staff in mid-January 2024 that he was seeking “competency, connection and chemistry” in his coaches.
Restocking his UCLA roster could be a significantly more burdensome task. The Bruins managed zero first-, second- or third-team All-Big Ten selections this season, showing how much talent is needed to compete at a high level. Gifted wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. is among a handful of Bruins who have entered the transfer portal after the team finished 3-9 following its season-ending loss to USC.
Fortunately for Chesney, he could have more than a few familiar faces eager to accelerate his rebuilding efforts after agreeing to a five-year contract to replace DeShaun Foster. James Madison totaled a school-record 20 All-Sun Belt Conference selections this season, including the player of the year in redshirt junior quarterback Alonza Barnett III and the freshman of the year in defensive lineman Sahir West.
Another first-team all-conference selection with remaining eligibility was redshirt junior running back Wayne Knight.
Chesney will also have to prioritize keeping as many of UCLA’s top players with remaining eligibility as possible. Among those who could contribute to a rapid rise in 2026 are quarterback Nico Iamaleava; wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer; guard Eugene Brooks; defensive back Kanye Clark; linebackers Jalen Woods, JuJu Walls and Scott Taylor; edge rusher Cole Cogshell; running back Karson Cox; defensive lineman Siale Taupaki; and kicker Mateen Bhaghani.
UCLA’s high school recruiting class that has grown to 16 players thanks to a few additions Chesney was previously recruiting at James Madison is mostly filled with developmental players who could contribute after a season or two.
The most important date to circle on the UCLA football calendar is Jan. 2. That’s when the transfer portal opens. The Bruins and their new coach figure to be busy.
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