UCLA Reportedly Set To Hire James Madison's Bob Chesney as Next Head Coach

UCLA has found its next head coach.

James Madison head coach Bob Chesney is set to agree to a five-year deal to become UCLA's head coach, ESPN reported Monday. Chesney will reportedly coach James Madison in the Sun Belt Championship Game against Troy and will remain with the team if it makes the College Football Playoff. 

Chesney, 48, has quickly risen up the coaching ranks over the last few years after emerging as one of the best coaches at the Division II and FCS levels. He went 20-5 in his first two seasons at JMU, taking over the program ahead of the 2024 season following Curt Cignetti's departure for Indiana. James Madison is 11-1 this season and is among the few viable candidates to receive an automatic berth for the CFP as the top non-power conference team.

Prior to coaching JMU, Chesney went 44-21 over six seasons at Holy Cross. He led the Crusaders to the postseason in four of those six years. He also went 44-16 over a five-year stint at D-II program Assumption, and 23-9 during a three-year stint at D-III program Salve Regina. Chesney's position at JMU was his first coaching job at the FBS level. 

As Chesney has built a résumé that's made him one of the strongest non-power conference coaches, he was a popular speculated candidate for vacancies in this round of the coaching carousel. Penn State was among the programs rumored to be interested in him. 

Now, Chesney will go out West, taking over a UCLA program that's struggled to find its footing in the Big Ten over its first two years in the conference. The Bruins went 3-9 this year, firing second-year coach DeShaun Foster after three games. They went 5-7 in 2024 following Chip Kelly's sudden departure in the previous offseason.

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