UCLA Football is in the middle of a lost season, but hope is around the corner. After a 0-3 start, the Bruins fired head coach Deshaun Foster, ending his tenure after just 15 games. They subsequently named special assistant Tim Skipper the interim head coach, with plans to begin a more in-depth coaching search throughout the remainder of the season. After a three-point loss to Northwestern in Skipper's debut, UCLA rattled off three wins in a row, including an upset victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions. However, UCLA would not find the win column the remainder of the season, finishing with a 3-9 record, and Skipper lining up a new job with Cal Poly football.
Yet, Championship Saturday brings renewed optimism to the Bruins as they have announced who their new head coach will be. The UCLA Bruins are now entrusting former James Madison football head coach Bob Chesney to turn around the university's football program.
“Bob Chesney has built programs into consistent winners at every stop in his career, and he’s ready to do it at UCLA,” said UCLA's Director of Athletics Martin Jarmond in a press release following the announcement. “From our very first conversation, he articulated a clear vision of success for UCLA Football and a plan to elevate our program back to national prominence. From his detail-oriented approach to running a program to his ability to connect, Bob impressed our search committee every step of the way. He’s a leader, a consensus builder, and a developer of young men, and I’m thrilled to welcome him and his family to Westwood.”
Chesney becomes the 20th head coach in UCLA football history. He brings over 25 years of coaching experience to UCLA, including eight conference championships and a 132-51 career coaching record. He will be officially introduced at a press conference on UCLA's campus on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
