A Newโ Era dawns for UCLA Football
UCLA has turned the page, opting for experience and a proven track recordโค with the hiring of โคJames Madison’sโค Curt Chesney as โit’s new head football coach. โThe move represents a โsignificant shiftโข in strategy from the previous selection of DeShaun Foster, โa decision that ultimately proved unsuccessful after a swift 5-10 record and subsequent firing. โขChesney, 48, arrives in Westwood with a reputationโ for building winningโค programs and a clear vision for navigating the challenges โฃof the evolving college football landscape.
The selection wasn’t simply about Xs and Os. Those involved in โคthe search โprocess – a โคcommittee including โathleticโฃ director Martin Jarmond, sports executive Casey wasserman, andโ former Warriors GM bob Myers, among others – were clearly impressed by โChesney’sโ charisma โand leadership qualities. It’s a quality chesneyโฃ himself seems aware โขof, described as someone who visiblyโข swells with pride โฃand confidence after a success, eager to replicate that feeling. Now, that energyโข will be directed towardsโค securing crucial donor support and attracting โฃtop recruits as UCLA prepares to compete in the demanding โฃBig Ten conference.
Chesney’s success at James โฃMadison speaksโ for itself. He’s built a โคteam that excels on โboth โsides of the ball, averaging โ37.8 points per game (10th nationally)โข while allowing aโค stingyโ 16โฃ points – also ranking in the national top ten. While hisโค coaching roots are on the defensive side, stemming from his playing days asโค a second-team all-conference defensive backโข at Dickinson Collegeโ (where he majored inโ religion) and his rise to defensive coordinator โฃat Johns Hopkins, he’sโ demonstrably capable of fostering a balanced โand effectiveโค team.
The hiring echoes a ancient pattern forโฃ UCLA. The program โhasโ frequently enough thrived when bringing in established head coaches from other institutions. Legends like Tommy Prothroโ (from Oregon State) andโค Red Sanders โข(from Vanderbilt) both found significantโ success afterโ leaving their previous posts to lead the Bruins, culminating in a national championship under Sanders inโข 1954. The hope โis โthat Chesney canโ similarly revitalize a program that hasn’tโฃ tasted Rose Bowl victoryโ sence 1986,โค and hasn’t โคwon a conference championship sinceโค 1999.
For a long-suffering UCLA โfanbase, the arrival of โฃChesney offers โคa renewed sense of optimism. Recruits like offensive lineman Cooper Javorsky are already expressing excitement,reassured โขthat scholarships will be honored and drawn to Chesney’s disciplined,physical,and team-oriented approach. The โขnew coach’s intensity and proven ability to โbuild a winningโข culture could also provide a much-needed buffer for Jarmond following โคthe Foster experiment.
The โstakes areโ high, โand the transition won’t be without its challenges โ- notably for a coach who โขhas spent his entire life on the East Coast. But with โฃa provenโค track record and a clear vision, Curt โคChesney is poised to โleadโ UCLA football into a new and hopefully brighter era.
