University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Catching Up With Chesney - UCLA Head Coach Reflects on Spring Ball So Far
April 23, 2026 | Football
For once, it was not a sunny, Southern California morning after a spring football practice as UCLA head coach Bob Chesney addressed the media on April 21. A slight drizzle fell from overcast skies when the Bruins new head coach discussed his excitement with the annual Spring Game looming on May 3 at The Rose Bowl Stadium.
"Yeah, you said it never rains here," Chesney said to the group of gathered reporters.
NEXT STEPS AFTER FIRST SCRIMMAGE
The Bruins had their first scrimmage of the spring on Saturday, April 18, and Chesney said improvement from the first scrimmage to the next practice is often revealing.
"I thought it was fine," Chesney said of the scrimmage. "I didn't love it either way. It felt a little bit inconsistent, but that's what it should be from scrimmage number one."
He added that progress tends to come quickly at this stage.
"Scrimmage one to scrimmage two, it should be the same," Chesney said. "I thought today was a step in that right direction."
That growth was evident, he said, even when both sides found success.
"I thought both sides had their way a little bit, but overall we did a good job," Chesney said. "We've got to keep putting the ball on the bodies when they're open and we've got to make some competitive catches."
HANDLING PRESSURE
Chesney was encouraged by how the offense handled pressure looks, particularly with safeties near the line of scrimmage.
"I thought we did a really good job of handling it," he said. "I thought the quarterback managed it well."
Those situations produced mixed results, which Chesney said comes with the territory.
"There were two big plays off of it and then there were two other sacks that happened off of it, and that just is what it is," Chesney said. "The quarterback created a little bit more time and got the ball out the way he should."
One player who continued to stand out was receiver Brian Rowe Jr.
"He runs really precise routes. He's fast, he's explosive," Chesney said. "He understands leverage. He understands how to get himself open."
Rowe's competitiveness has stood out as well.
"He brings his body to the ball," Chesney said. "He makes some really competitive catches on balls that may not be perfectly thrown."
EVALUATING THE O-LINE
As spring progresses, Chesney said offensive line depth remains fluid.
"I don't think there's going to be moments where we're not rotating guys," he said. "To keep a couple guys fresh and get them experience — that's important."
Rather than rushing conclusions, Chesney emphasized patience.
"We're closing in on some things we like," he said. "We've just got to keep challenging guys in different ways."
What matters most right now, he said, is consistency.
"There's a lot of guys that I thought did a really nice job," Chesney said. "The consistency is what we've got to keep working toward."
CONNECTING TO THE PAST
The UCLA Quarterback Club held a special fundraising dinner on April 18, with numerous former Bruin quarterbacks in attendance to help raise money for UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital. Chesney attended the dinner, which featured such UCLA luminaries like Gary Beban, the school's only Heisman Trophy winner, Tom Ramsey, the star of the 1983 Rose Bowl win over Michigan, Cade McNown, Troy Aikman and others.
"That was a really powerful moment," Chesney said about attending the dinner. "To hang out with those guys and just hear the stories and learn more about them."
For Chesney, those connections matter deeply.
"We're trying to get ourselves to a place where there's deep connections, meaningful connections that'll last longer than the one year that we're together here," he said.
He also emphasized the importance of embedding the program within Los Angeles.
"It's where I'm living, it's where we're going to recruit to," Chesney said. "It's really important for me to make sure that we're totally integrated into this community — on and off the field."
The enthusiasm surrounding the program from the former players has been encouraging for Chesney.
It's cool to have a bunch of them on board."
