Bob Chesney joins UCLA’s tradition of sports excellence with an undefeated football team ranked No. 4 in the second College Football Playoff rankings, according to the Daily News report. In Week 11 of his first season, the Bruins stood in line for a first-round bye as the top-ranked, only unbeaten Big Ten team.

Chesney arrived as a fan of UCLA’s athletic success and built connections across campus. His team’s rise has put the program closer to the standard he says UCLA expects across its athletic department.

Chesney Joins the School’s Tradition

Before coaching at the Rose Bowl, Chesney attended UCLA gymnastics, water polo and baseball events. He also took a photo with Jackie Joyner-Kersee and reposted about the men’s volleyball team’s win over USC. UCLA had won 127 national titles, second-most among schools behind Stanford’s 178.

“We’re one good football team away from, arguably, being the most dominant athletic department in the country,” Chesney said. He said UCLA’s past and expected championships helped give him faith in coming to Westwood.

He sought advice from Bruins coaches. Chesney developed a friendship with women’s basketball coach Cori Close and watched UCLA win the 2026 women’s national championship against South Carolina. Close has emphasized staying present in the process, a lesson Chesney later shared with his football players.

Lessons From Other UCLA Coaches

Chesney said he watched the players’ poise and joy before the championship game and believed they were ready. After the win, he congratulated Close and returned to spring football practices. Two weeks later, all six women’s basketball seniors were selected within the first 18 picks of the 2026 WNBA Draft.

Close said she valued the football team’s connection, purpose and discipline. Chesney also leans on men’s basketball coach Mick Cronin, has lunch with water polo coach Adam Wright and brought alumni, including tight end Mercedes Lewis, to speak to his players.

That exchange runs both ways. Chesney said he offered Close ideas about “the power of the pack.” He described the other coaches as people whose experiences and success could teach his team. UCLA football’s story also connects to broader changes in sports technology, including LaLiga’s connected ball rollout.

A Rebuilt Roster Meets a Test

Chesney brought lessons from winning in Division III, Division II, the FCS and at James Madison as he assembled UCLA’s roster. The team added 63 new players, including 43 transfers, with 11 arriving from James Madison. He said he believed the group had the right people and would give everything it had.

Daily competition was part of his effort to teach players to play for one another and handle pressure. When quarterback Nico Iamaleava sustained a season-ending injury, the Bruins rallied behind Ty Dieffenbach and kept their undefeated record. The account of UCLA’s current season also follows an earlier report on Bob Chesney’s UCLA team.

UCLA’s Other Teams Add to the Picture

Men’s basketball stood at No. 9 in the latest AP Poll after beating Arizona in its season opener at the Hall of Fame Classic in Las Vegas. Women’s basketball added five players through the NCAA transfer portal, including KK Bransford from Notre Dame and Donovyn Hunter from TCU.

After expected starter Lena Bilic suffered a season-ending torn ACL, the women’s team remained ranked 10th nationally. It was the first time since January 1999 that UCLA football and both basketball teams were all ranked in the top 10 at once. UCLA’s account of coaching and athlete support also relates to coverage of coaching for female athletes.

UCLA football entered its Week 11 game against Illinois able to match the school’s single-season wins record of 10. Two more games remained after that matchup for the Bruins to surpass the mark. Chesney said his faith in UCLA athletics came from watching its other teams succeed.