Bob Chesney was hired as the new head football coach at UCLA.

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James Madison has only been at the FBS level since 2022. However, they’ve already had two head coaches poached to Big Ten schools.

Maybe it’s a testament to the programs, but the two coaches also deserve some credit. 

Enter 48-year-old head coach Bob Chesney. 

Chesney took over at James Madison after Curt Cignetti left for Indiana, and he did not waste any time getting them back to national relevancy. The Dukes made the College Football Playoff in Chesney’s second season as the 12 seed before getting bounced by Oregon, but it was more than enough for UCLA to bring him in as the new leader of the program. 

Chesney is taking a similar approach to what Cignetti did at Indiana, stacking his new roster with 42 transfers, including 10 who are following him from JMU. Their leading rusher, Wayne Knight, and sack leader Sahir West, headline a very solid class to start his tenure.

Obviously, Chesney isn’t expected to turn the program around in the blink of an eye, but there is reason to believe he’s off to a good start.

The Bruins have real recruiting momentum going into 2027, along with a plethora of players who may bring new life to the program in Los Angeles. 

Right now, the Bruins have a ck with 23 verbal commits, including eight from four and five-star prospects. If Chesney can reel in the majority of those recruits, he will be off to a great start in building UCLA into a national contender.

Record projection: 7-5 (4-5 in the Big Ten)