UCLA Bruins
· 2026-07-01
The UCLA Bruins are starting fresh in 2026 after a miserable 3-9 season last year.
The Bruins fired head coach DeShaun Foster and brought in former James Madison head coach Bob Chesney to lead the program.
Chesney had a successful stint with the Dukes, going 21-6, including a Sun Belt title and College Football Playoff appearance last season.
He is bringing many JMU stars with him to Westwood, such as running back Wayne Knight and wide receiver Landon Ellis.
CBS Sports' David Cobb feels good about where the Bruins are headed this offseason, giving them a B+ offseason grade for their work so far.
Cobb cites the new coaching staff, along with some of the team's holdovers from the previous regime, such as quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
The Bruins will now look to live up to the expectations that are now on them for next season, starting with their game against the California Golden Bears on 2026-09-06.
And with a competent coaching staff in place and a quarterback who is already familiar with the landscape in Westwood, a substantial leap is expected.
But the Bruins have gone just 8-16 since joining the Big Ten two seasons ago, and things had been trending in the wrong direction in that span.
So the new regime will have to work hard to turn things around quickly.
The Bruins' poor seasons in recent years have been a concern, but with Chesney at the helm, things are starting to look up for one of the Big Ten's newest members.
Cobb said, "If the new Bruins' regime can unlock Iamaleava's potential, the supporting cast Chesney has assembled is good enough to get this thing turned around quickly."
The Bruins will have to put in the work to achieve a quick turnaround, but with the right pieces in place, they are poised for success.
And with their first game of the season just around the corner, the Bruins are ready to put their new roster to the test.
The team's fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the new season, hoping to see an improvement on last year's record.
But for now, the focus is on the upcoming game against the California Golden Bears on 2026-09-06.
The Bruins are looking to make a statement in their first game of the season, and with their new coaching staff and roster, they are confident they can do just that.