Bob Chesney defines success moving forward for UCLA

UCLA has had its highs and lows over recent history, with them currently at a low after their first two seasons in the Big Ten. Bob Chesney, though, sees a program that is primed for success as he now takes over as the head coach in Pasadena.

At his introductory press conference last week with the Bruins, Chesney, as well as AD Martin Jarmond, were asked why this tenure is going to be different for UCLA. He says that he has a sense that it will be with the feel around the job he’s taking out in LA.

“I think, for me, the energy is right, ultimately, here, and the time and the moment is right,” said Chesney. “Those are things that I think are pretty important.”

But, how does he know that? Well, Chesney compared it to the feel he had at some of his other coaching stops, namely as a head coach at Salve Regina (DIII), Assumption (DII), and Holy Cross (FCS) before most recently being at James Madison. He says he can see the best of all of those chances in his career so far in the job that he’s taking now with UCLA.

“I think back to my past and places I’ve been, and, you know, there was a place I was, I think I mentioned it earlier, at one of the better medical schools in the country. You brought in a freshman to that medical school, and you knew you were going to change his life forever, and you did. They became doctors, and they’re families that I still continue to be in contact with today and you’re extremely proud of. I went to a different place and it had a location that was very diverse with people coming, you know, from internationally over the summers, and you knew that they would be able to kind of, you know, understand a different worldview, and help them grow as people. You know, I think that was one of the things that I liked the most about that place. And then you go to a place like Holy Cross, where I ended the mentorship program, the alumni network, their investment in them? Everybody left there with a job when their football-playing days were done. It was phenomenal,” said Chesney. “So, those were three of the things that I felt we could present at different places.”

“And then you come here to UCLA and everything I’ve loved about every place I’ve ever been is all packaged into one, right. It’s all here, and it’s all present here. That is very easy, in my mind, to present to the right person, the right player,” Chesney said “It can’t just be about the money. It can’t just be about one of those things. It has to be them fully understanding all of those things that come with it. And, I think, to me, when you’re passionate about it as a coach, when your staff is passionate about it and you know that you’re truly changing people’s lives? The administration cares about it, the alums are more motivated than ever, right, in their ability to help mentor these guys in different ways? Those are things that I think are different than anywhere else I’ve ever been.”

Again, consistent success on the field isn’t something they’ve recently found on the field often at UCLA. However, Chesney sees exactly how they can get there with him now leading the Bruins.

“To me, all of that was spot-on, you know, for me. And I think that our ability to bring people here, present that to them – and we will find the right ones. There’s no doubt about it,” said Chesney. “I think the timing right now is different where all of that is aligned together for everybody within this organization.”