By Nelson EspinalShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe UCLA Bruins are hiring James Madison head coach Bob Chesney to be their next football coach, according to various reports.
Chesney has been at the forefront of the Bruins' coaching search for some time now, though on Monday, the news of the hire finally came to light, and UCLA has its man for the next era of football.
More news: Lane Kiffin Breaks Silence Following LSU Hiring, Ole Miss Drama
The Dukes' head coach has led the team to an 11-1 record this season, and they are set to play Troy in the Sun Belt championship game on Saturday with a chance to make the College Football Playoffs if specific results go their way.
According to The Athletic, Chesney will remain the head coach of JMU throughout the postseason, including the championship game and potentially a playoff run.
...Chesney took over James Madison after Curt Cignetti left for the Indiana Hoosiers back in 2023. Cignetti has gone on to greater things, elevating Indiana to new heights — a potential Big Ten title and National Title — something UCLA hopes Chesney can replicate.
More news: Big Ten School Fires $33 Million Head Coach After 4-8 Season
UCLA fired DeShaun Foster in the middle of the season after starting 0-4. He was in his second season, though the results were poor enough to cut his time as a Bruin short.
The program's interim head coach, Tim Skipper, has been a stabilizing force during the search, going 3-4 and delivering an excellent upset win against Penn State.
Now, they get the chance to start fresh and see what new ideas a new voice can bring.
The Bruins boast a series of advantages for any head coach, namely a strong pipeline of quarterback and offensive weapon talent. The program also has a good deal of money to spend on NIL deals.
The overall prestige of the Southern California school has dropped over the years, but it remains a hotspot for talent.
Ahead of Wednesday's signing day, the Bruins' recruiting class ranks 43rd nationally according to 247 Sports.
More news: Florida Making Major Staff Move After Jon Sumrall Hiring
For more college football news, head to Newsweek Sports.
Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
NCAABill Belichick, North Carolina Hit With Brutal News After NC State Defeat3 min read
NCAA$37 Million SEC Coach Fired After 41-0 Loss: Report2 min read
NCAAJimbo Fisher Could Replace Auburn’s New Coach at USF3 min read
NCAAUrban Meyer Reacts to Jon Sumrall Being Named Florida’s New Head Coach3 min read
NCAALane Kiffin’s First Game as LSU Head Coach Revealed3 min read
NCAA4-Star LSU WR Enters Transfer Portal Immediately After Lane Kiffin Hire2 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
NewsJustice Sonia Sotomayor Warns of ‘Two Extremes’ in Supreme Court Case1 min read
NewsUncommon Knowledge: Trump Closes Venezuelan Airspace, but Not NATO Airspace5 min read
NewsTrump Issues New Warning to Israel Over Its Actions in Syria4 min read
WorldRepublicans Demand Probe into Pete Hegseth’s Boat Strikes5 min read
NewsThe Motive Behind the National Guard Shooting: What We Know6 min read
PoliticsDonald Trump Suffers Blow in Alina Habba Case5 min readTrending
FloridaAmazon Driver Sees Food Left for Stray Cats—Ring Cam Captures What He Does3 min read
NWSWinter Storm Warning as 8 Inches of Snow to Hit North and Midwest3 min read
Delta AirlineDelta Air Lines Plane Slides Off Runway During Winter Storm1 min read
WeatherWinter Storm Warning As 13 Inches of Snow To Strike: ‘Extreme Caution’3 min read
Donald TrumpMap Shows Donald Trump’s Approval Rating in Each State After 10 Months4 min readOpinion
OpinionForeign Energy Companies Have No Home in Our Forests | Opinion4 min read
OpinionThe Hemp Ban Shows America Still Works | Opinion4 min read
OpinionConventional Wisdom: The Somali Minnesota Welfare Fraud Edition4 min read
OpinionRedefining Professional Degrees Will Hurt Everyday Americans | Opinion5 min read
OpinionAI Is Coming for Our Most Intimate Communications. Congress Must Act | Opinion5 min read
