Bob Chesney ’00 Takes Helm as UCLA Football Head Coach
Bob Chesney has climbed the ladder of college football success, landing recently at UCLA. Photo courtesy of James Madison University athletics.
Former Red Devils standout brings championship experience from James Madison and Holy Cross to the Bruins
Bob Chesney ’00, a former standout defensive back for Red Devils football, has been named the 20th head football coach in UCLA football history. Chesney’s appointment was officially announced in December 2025, marking a major step in his more than 25‑year collegiate coaching career.
"Bob’s journey is a testament to the impact Dickinson athletics can have on the broader collegiate sports landscape,” says Celine Cunningham, Dickinson’s director of athletics. “He’s had success at every stop in his career, and I’m sure the experience at Dickinson has been instrumental in his journey.”
A Pennsylvania native, Chesney arrives in Westwood after two highly successful seasons as head coach at James Madison University, where he guided the Dukes to a 21‑6 overall record, an unbeaten 8‑0 Sun Belt Conference mark in 2025, the school’s first Sun Belt Conference Football Championship and the program’s first berth in the College Football Playoff. He was named the 2025 Sun Belt Coach of the Year and recognized as a semifinalist for national coach of the year honors.
Prior to James Madison, Chesney built a reputation at multiple levels of college football. As head coach at Holy Cross from 2018 to 2023, he led the Crusaders to a program‑record five consecutive Patriot League championships, with multiple postseason appearances, and earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors three times. His earlier head‑coaching stops include Division II Assumption College and Division III Salve Regina, where he oversaw significant program turnarounds.
Chesney’s hiring signals UCLA’s commitment to returning to national prominence, and he’ll bring his extensive experience developing winning cultures to the Bruins as they prepare for the 2026 season and beyond.
“We could not be prouder of Bob’s remarkable journey from Carlisle to the Big Ten,” adds Cunningham.
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published February 4, 2026