A New Era for UCLA Football Under Bob Chesney

Bob Chesney is already making a name for himself as the new football coach at UCLA. His efforts over the first two months on the job have already sparked hope for a program that has struggled in recent years. From rebuilding the roster to rekindling relationships with high school recruiters, Chesney’s approach is proving to be a breath of fresh air for a team that hasn’t won a conference championship since 1998.

Chesney has taken a hands-on approach to his role, working nonstop to bring energy and direction back to the program. His schedule is packed with activities, from early morning flights to high school visits, interviews, and dinners with alumni. “It’s just so under the gun — everything’s just a go right now, you know?” he said in an interview with the California Post. “There’s really no rest, there’s no time to breathe.”

One of the key aspects of Chesney’s strategy is building a strong coaching staff. He brought in his coordinators and assistants from James Madison, while also adding new faces to the team. “It always starts with the competence piece first,” he explained. “Like, be good at what you do. I think that’s important. And then the next thing becomes their ability to connect, you know? What type of people are they and how well do they connect with the players and people in general.”

Chesney emphasized the importance of having a staff that not only has the skills but also the character to lead. “I wanted them to be men of high character and I wanted the chemistry in that room to work really well,” he said. “I think we got to our first staff meeting and hit the ground running and it’s been great ever since.”

His philosophy for the team is clear: discipline, hard work, and a united effort. “We want to be applying pressure all the time and playing with emotion and just passion for the game and belief in one another,” he said. “I think you’ll see a united team.”

Chesney also highlighted the success of his transfer portal strategy, bringing in 41 players. “I think we did a really good job,” he said. “It was a short period of time, but we had a good understanding of what this market is really like.”

He also spoke about the importance of connecting with recruits and understanding the West Coast recruiting landscape. “From seven-on-seven coaches to handlers to agents to parents to high school coaches to trainers,” he said. “You know, there could be six to seven different people that are connected and have some say in the decision process of these kids.”

Chesney has also focused on building relationships with high school coaches, something that had been lacking in recent years. “I wasn’t looking for that necessary response — I wasn’t looking for any response, I was just doing my job,” he said. “It was kind of cool to hear that because it just made me really understand that there’s some low-hanging fruit here that we can really help build these relationships up again.”

Looking ahead, Chesney is focused on spring practices and preparing the team for the upcoming season. “We’ll start in April after we get back from spring break,” he said. “As coaches, a good understanding of our ability and our depth, a good understanding of how our players react and handle the new scheme.”

Chesney’s vision for UCLA football is clear: a program built on unity, discipline, and relentless effort. “I don’t think we should have limits on it,” he said. “I don’t want to put down an arbitrary number, but I don’t think that any of us should have limits on what we can do, right?”