Unflinching in his belief that he could elevate UCLA to win at the highest level, Bob Chesney sounded a brazen, fearless tone Tuesday during his introduction as the Bruins’ football coach.
“We don’t need to be the other school in town,” Chesney said inside the Luskin Center on campus, “we need to be the school in this town and I promise you that will happen very soon.”
Chesney said the success he’s had in two seasons at James Madison, which will open the College Football Playoff against Oregon on Dec. 20, could translate to his new job after agreeing to a five-year, $33.75-million contract that will pay him an annual salary of $6.75 million.
“Those same dreams,” Chesney said of what he’s done with the Dukes, “are the exact dreams we will have here.”
Bob Myers, the former Golden State Warriors general manager who served on the search committee, said UCLA had committed to providing him with resources that would rank in “the top third, maybe top quartile” of the Big Ten in a bid to give Chesney what he needed to compete with conference heavyweights.
The challenge is a big one. UCLA has not won a conference championship since 1998 and is coming off back-to-back losing seasons, including a 3-9 record under predecessor DeShaun Foster and interim coach Tim Skipper. None of that could dissuade Chesney from becoming the first sitting head coach to abandon his job to join the Bruins since Pepper Rodgers made a similar move in 1971.
“I believe in the power of UCLA,” Chesney said.
Chesney met with his new players earlier in the day, impressing them with his vision and exuberance.
“He has a lot of energy and cares about this place,” freshman linebacker Scott Taylor said, “and that’s what a lot of people want to see.”
Mixing humor with personal anecdotes in his remarks, Chesney joked that he was country singer Kenny Chesney’s first cousin and that the other Chesney would be at every game. He said his first coaching salary was $5,000. When it came to his coaching tree, Chesney said he had learned from many but wanted to embrace his own style.
“I don’t want to be anyone else,” he said. “I want to be me.”
Chesney said he also believed in accountability and would personally conduct class checks. What’s his style? Chesney said he embraced toughness and competitiveness. He also said he believed he could replicate his success at lower levels after having won at the Division III, Division II and Football Championship Subdivision levels before arriving at James Madison.
“There is zero doubt,” Chesney said, “that we can win here at UCLA.”
Check back soon for updates on this developing news story.
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