UCLA football is trying to turn the page fast, and Bob Chesney is wasting no time reshaping the program.
After a brutal 2025 season that ended with a 3-9 record and left the Bruins looking like a punchline in the Big Ten, UCLA moved on from DeShaun Foster after three straight losses to open the year. Chesney has since taken over, and the offseason overhaul has been dramatic: 42 new players are now in the mix.
That kind of turnover naturally brings questions. USA Today’s Paul Myerberg doesn’t sound convinced the Bruins are ready to climb quickly, ranking UCLA 15th out of 18 teams in the Big Ten.
The concern is easy to understand. UCLA has gone 5-10 over the last two seasons under Foster and sits at 8-16 across the past two years overall.
Still, Myerberg left the door open for Chesney to change the conversation.
“One of the biggest frustrations in college football, there's tremendous potential with the Bruins that has largely been unfulfilled in this century with just three seasons of double-digit wins,” Myerberg said.
He also pointed to the possibility that Chesney, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoff, could do what recent UCLA coaches could not.
“The hope is Bob Chesney can do what a run of recent UCLA head coaches could not: install an explosive offense, deliver multiple winning seasons in a row, and pop into College Football Playoff contention if everything goes right.”
For UCLA to get there, the run game has to show up. Last season, the Bruins never really found it. Nico Iamaleava led the team on the ground with 505 yards and four touchdowns, while the top production from the backfield came from redshirt senior Jalen Berger, who finished with 364 yards and two touchdowns.
There are signs that part of the roster has been addressed. Chesney added four incoming offensive linemen who are expected to help in the run game, and he also brought in Wayne Knight, who posted 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns last year.
The defensive front needed a makeover too, and Chesney attacked that area as well. UCLA managed only 10 sacks last season, so help was necessary. Sahir West and Aiden Gobaira are among the additions brought in to strengthen that line.
In Other News...
UCLAs Recruiting Surge Suddenly Has The Kind Of Headliner Fans Wanted
UCLAs recruiting momentum has started to look like something more than a hot stretch. The Bruins 2027 class is sitting inside the top 20 in the 247Sports Composite, their first such showing since 2018, and the mix of commitments suggests a staff trying to build both talent and balance. There are blue-chip pieces at the top, depth throughout, and a noticeable local imprint, with California prospects making up a large share of the haul.
For Bob Chesney, it is also an early sign that his first full recruiting cycle in Westwood can translate into roster construction on multiple fronts. UCLA has paired that high school surge with a transfer class that has also drawn national notice, giving the program a broader base as it tries to climb back into the conversation. The next question is whether the Bruins can keep the class together long enough to turn the buzz into something even more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Just Made A Front Office Move Fans Have Wanted
UCLAs basketball operation is getting a more modern front office structure, with Max Feldman promoted to general manager and the program adding Peyton Mortellite and Trey Doty to key player development and scouting roles. It is the kind of staffing move that has become increasingly common in college basketball, especially for programs trying to keep pace in recruiting, roster management and the day-to-day details that now shape a season as much as coaching does.
Feldman had already been a significant figure behind the scenes this offseason, helping the Bruins build out their roster through the transfer market and overseas prospecting. Mortellite will handle player development and recruiting, while Doty steps in as director of scouting and strategy, giving UCLA a deeper bench of personnel around the program as it continues to adapt to the demands of the current college game. [Read more 🡒]