Smith, Transue and Rodgers Added to Football Support Staff
January 06, 2026 | Football
LOS ANGELES – UCLA football head coach Bob Chesney announced three key additions to his support staff on Tuesday with the hiring of Jordan Smith as executive director of football operations, Matt Transue as chief of staff and Richard Rodgers as special assistant to the head coach.
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"A strong support staff is the 'glue' that holds a modern-day college football program together," Chesney said. "Jordan, Matt and Richard will be tremendous assets to our leadership structure as we navigate the logistics and details necessary to playing championship-caliber football. Their work behind the scenes ensures that our players and coaches are positioned for success. I am thrilled to have these three support staff members bring their expertise and experience to our Bruin Family."
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Smith has served as Chesney's director of operations in each of the last four seasons, with a pair of two-year stints at James Madison (2024-25) and FCS Holy Cross (2022-23). Before Holy Cross, Smith assisted the Crusaders' as a volunteer digital operations and video coordinator for the 2020 and 2021 campaigns. The Rochester, N.Y. native started his career in college football as an operations assistant and student equipment manager at his alma mater Dayton University in 2017-19. Smith graduated from Dayton with a bachelor's degree in sport management and business administration.
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Transue arrives at UCLA after working the last four seasons at James Madison as assistant athletic director of football administration (2024-25) and senior director of football operations (2022-23). He played a pivotal role in helping the Dukes' football program reclassify from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Sun Belt Conference as the senior director of football operations. In his administrator role, he served as the sport supervisor for the football program and liaison for Chesney and the athletics director. Transue owns 10 years of full-time NCAA Division I experience having served as director of football operations at Georgia Southern (2021) and five seasons in various roles at Virginia Tech (2016-20).
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Rodgers brings 36 years of coaching experience to UCLA after most recently serving Chesney as his associate head coach at James Madison in 2025. Prior to his move to Harrisonburg, Va., Rodgers coached for 12 years at the NFL ranks with stops at the Carolina Panthers (2012-19) and Washington Commanders (2020-23), where he specialized in coaching special teams and defensive backs. While with the Panthers, he was part of four playoff teams, which was highlighted by the 2015 season in which Carolina went 15-1 and advanced to Super Bowl 50 for the just the second time in franchise history. The Panthers won three straight NFC South Division titles and three playoff wins from 2013-15 with Rodgers on staff.
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Before his jump to the NFL, Rodgers spent 23 years coaching college football across five institutions: Holy Cross (2005-11), New Mexico State (2001-04), Portland State (1997-00), San Jose State (1995-96) and Diablo Valley Community College (1989-94). Rodgers was the Crusaders' defensive coordinator over the final six seasons of his seven-year stint in addition to coaching the secondary.
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"A strong support staff is the 'glue' that holds a modern-day college football program together," Chesney said. "Jordan, Matt and Richard will be tremendous assets to our leadership structure as we navigate the logistics and details necessary to playing championship-caliber football. Their work behind the scenes ensures that our players and coaches are positioned for success. I am thrilled to have these three support staff members bring their expertise and experience to our Bruin Family."
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Smith has served as Chesney's director of operations in each of the last four seasons, with a pair of two-year stints at James Madison (2024-25) and FCS Holy Cross (2022-23). Before Holy Cross, Smith assisted the Crusaders' as a volunteer digital operations and video coordinator for the 2020 and 2021 campaigns. The Rochester, N.Y. native started his career in college football as an operations assistant and student equipment manager at his alma mater Dayton University in 2017-19. Smith graduated from Dayton with a bachelor's degree in sport management and business administration.
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Transue arrives at UCLA after working the last four seasons at James Madison as assistant athletic director of football administration (2024-25) and senior director of football operations (2022-23). He played a pivotal role in helping the Dukes' football program reclassify from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Sun Belt Conference as the senior director of football operations. In his administrator role, he served as the sport supervisor for the football program and liaison for Chesney and the athletics director. Transue owns 10 years of full-time NCAA Division I experience having served as director of football operations at Georgia Southern (2021) and five seasons in various roles at Virginia Tech (2016-20).
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Rodgers brings 36 years of coaching experience to UCLA after most recently serving Chesney as his associate head coach at James Madison in 2025. Prior to his move to Harrisonburg, Va., Rodgers coached for 12 years at the NFL ranks with stops at the Carolina Panthers (2012-19) and Washington Commanders (2020-23), where he specialized in coaching special teams and defensive backs. While with the Panthers, he was part of four playoff teams, which was highlighted by the 2015 season in which Carolina went 15-1 and advanced to Super Bowl 50 for the just the second time in franchise history. The Panthers won three straight NFC South Division titles and three playoff wins from 2013-15 with Rodgers on staff.
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Before his jump to the NFL, Rodgers spent 23 years coaching college football across five institutions: Holy Cross (2005-11), New Mexico State (2001-04), Portland State (1997-00), San Jose State (1995-96) and Diablo Valley Community College (1989-94). Rodgers was the Crusaders' defensive coordinator over the final six seasons of his seven-year stint in addition to coaching the secondary.
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