Working out of a distinct playbook than it used practically two years in the past, when it made a vastly underwhelming rent, UCLA has snagged some of the promising soccer coaches in the marketplace.
Ending a pursuit that had grow to be more and more onerous to maintain quiet in current weeks, the Bruins are set to rent James Madison coach Bob Chesney on a five-year contract in a transfer first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. As a part of the association, Chesney is predicted to stay along with his present crew by means of a attainable Faculty Soccer Playoff look with the Dukes.
The transfer represents a dramatic shift for a program in determined want of a turnaround, the Bruins going with an up-and-coming coach who has gained huge in all places he’s been as a part of his personal storybook rise. UCLA athletic division officers wouldn’t affirm the approaching rent that’s anticipated to be introduced after James Madison performs Troy within the Solar Belt Convention championship recreation on Friday.
After huge success on the Division III, Division II, Soccer Championship Subdivision and Soccer Bowl Subdivision ranges, Chesney now takes on his biggest problem — reviving a Huge Ten crew that hasn’t achieved something of nationwide significance in additional than 1 / 4 of a century.
Successful on the Energy 4 degree is the one gap in Chesney’s résumé. Vastly profitable stints at small faculty applications Salve Regina and Assumption led Chesney to Holy Cross, the place he guided the Crusaders to 5 consecutive Patriot League championships and 4 appearances within the FCS playoffs, together with their first journey to the quarterfinals in 40 years.
James Madison coach Bob Chesney watches his crew play Washington State at Bridgeforth Stadium on Nov. 22.
(Brien Aho / Getty Photographs)
The enjoyment trip picked up momentum when Chesney changed Curt Cignetti at James Madison. After a debut 2024 season by which his crew went 9-4, Chesney has guided the Dukes to a 11-1 document this season whereas going unbeaten within the Solar Belt Convention, placing them in competition for a Faculty Soccer Playoff bid.
Chesney’s core philosophies embody fostering a progress mindset and instilling confidence by means of competitions by which the celebrations are judged as intently as what occurs on the sphere.
“To me,” Chesney mentioned in a video for the Harbaugh Teaching Academy, “it’s that ability to celebrate little successes and then you watch someone just kind of sit up a little taller, swell up a little bit more with pride and then they want to build that confidence, they want to repeat that success.”
Having gained over UCLA’s teaching search committee with an outgoing, charismatic persona, the 48-year-old Chesney now should go about utilizing those self same traits to woo donors and recruits. UCLA’s title, picture and likeness endeavors are transitioning to new management and Chesney should play an enormous function in touchdown the type of cash the Bruins might want to compete within the Huge Ten. A local of Pennsylvania, he’ll even have to ascertain roots in new territory after having spent his complete life on the East Coast.
He starred as a second-team all-conference defensive again at Dickinson Faculty, the place he majored in faith. Chesney largely coached on the defensive facet of the ball in his early stints as an assistant, rising to defensive coordinator at Johns Hopkins. However his groups are identified for being well-rounded — James Madison averages 37.8 factors, rating No. 10 nationally, whereas giving up 16 factors, additionally rating No. 10.
Chesney replaces DeShaun Foster, who was fired solely three video games into the season after having compiled a 5-10 document at his alma mater. The hiring of Chesney represented an unlimited departure from the technique UCLA secured to pick out Foster, a place coach not on anybody else’s brief listing as a head teaching candidate.
Chesney is the primary sitting head coach the Bruins have picked since convincing Pepper Rodgers to depart Kansas earlier than the 1971 season. Rodgers compiled a 19-12-1 document over three seasons at UCLA earlier than leaving for Georgia Tech, his alma mater.
Luring head coaches from different locations has traditionally been a successful transfer for UCLA. Tommy Prothro left Oregon State to go 41-18-3 at UCLA — together with a victory within the 1966 Rose Bowl — earlier than touchdown a job with the Rams.
Purple Sanders departed Vanderbilt — his alma mater — to embark on a golden period of soccer at UCLA, guiding the Bruins to a 66-19-1 document and a share of the Bruins’ solely nationwide championship, in 1954. One can solely think about how totally different the trajectory of UCLA soccer may need been had Sanders not died from a coronary heart assault earlier than the 1958 season.
Going with a longtime head coach in Chesney may have the additional advantage of offering cowl for UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond after his failed hiring of Foster. The Bruins completed the season with a 3-9 document underneath interim coach Tim Skipper after a 29-10 loss to crosstown rival USC. Jarmond presided over a search committee that additionally included sports activities govt Casey Wasserman, former Golden State Warriors basic supervisor Bob Myers, Washington Commanders basic supervisor Adam Peters, UCLA govt senior affiliate athletic director Erin Adkins and former Bruins star linebacker Eric Kendricks.
As a reminder of what’s at stake for its long-suffering fan base, UCLA is approaching the 40-year anniversary of its final Rose Bowl recreation victory, over Iowa on Jan. 1, 1986. The Bruins haven’t appeared in a Rose Bowl recreation since 1999, on the finish of a season by which they gained their final convention championship.
If all goes nicely, the coach secured with a confirmed method may result in a return to happier days.
