Bob Chesney begins his first season as UCLA football’s head coach in 2026. Tapped to lead the Bruins on Dec. 6, 2025, Chesney became the 20th head coach in UCLA football history and the first sitting head coach hired by UCLA since Pepper Rodgers in 1971.
Chesney brings to UCLA more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, including 16 seasons as a head coach. He has won eight conference championships and holds a career head coaching record of 132-52 (.717). He has produced 11 All-Americans (2 FBS, 9 FCS), three College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-Americans and 192 all-conference selections.
Chesney arrives in Westwood after spending two seasons as head coach at James Madison from 2024-25, guiding the Dukes to a 21-6 record and numerous historic firsts. His 2025 team recorded just the 10th unbeaten conference record in Sun Belt history, going 8-0, and captured the program’s first-ever Sun Belt Conference Championship and College Football Playoff (CFP) berth. James Madison also achieved its highest AP ranking in program history in Week 16 of 2025 at No. 19. Chesney was honored as the 2025 Sun Belt Coach of the Year and named a finalist and semifinalist for the Eddie Robinson and George Munger Coach of the Year awards, respectively. He was also tabbed a Paul “Bear” Bryant Award Finalist in addition to being named the G6 Coach of the Year and Fan Vote Favorite Coach of the Year by the organization.
Chesney’s 2025 squad earned several prestigious awards. The Sun Belt named quarterback Alonza Barnett III the Player of the Year, linebacker Trent Hendrick the Defensive Player of the Year and defensive lineman Sahir West the Freshman of the Year. Running back Wayne Knight was one of seven finalists for the Paul Hornung Award in addition to being named an Associated Press Second Team All-American. The Dukes ranked top 20 in numerous statistical categories, including total defense (5th), scoring offense (9th), scoring defense (13th) and total offense (15th).
In his first season at James Madison in 2024, Chesney led a Dukes squad returning only four starters (two offensive linemen, one safety and one punter) and 38 letterwinners to a 9-4 overall record and its first bowl championship after a victory in the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl. He made history by becoming the program’s first head coach to win his first four games in his first season and was named the 2024 Virginia Sports Information Directors University Division Coach of the Year. Chesney’s 2024 Dukes were ranked 21st nationally in scoring defense and 26th nationally in scoring offense.
Prior to James Madison, Chesney led Holy Cross to unprecedented success in his six seasons as head coach from 2018-23, winning a program-record five consecutive Patriot League Championships and posting an overall record of 44-21. He is a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year (2019, 2021, 2022) and was twice named the New England Football Writers Coach of the Year (2021, 2022).
Holy Cross’ record of 29-8 from 2021-23 was the program’s best three-year stretch in 30 years, with wins against FBS opponents in back-to-back seasons (2021, 2022). The 2022 Crusaders went undefeated in the regular season and received an FCS quarterfinal berth, finishing No. 6 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. He was named the AFCA FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year following that historic season.
From 2013-17, Chesney led Division II Assumption College to a record of 44-16, including five straight winning seasons and NCAA Division II playoff appearances in each of his final three years. He earned Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year honors twice at Assumption.
Chesney began his head coaching career in 2010 at Division III Salve Regina, rebuilding a program that had gone through eight straight losing seasons. Over three winning seasons in 2010-12, his teams posted a 23-9 record and reached the New England Football Conference championship game in his final year.
As an assistant, Chesney’s coaching stops included Johns Hopkins (2005-09), King’s College (2003-04), Delaware Valley College (2002) and Norwich University (2000-01).
Chesney grew up in Kulpmont, Pa., and earned his degree in 2000 from Dickinson College, where he was a four-year letterwinner as a defensive back. A two-time second-team All-Centennial Conference selection, Chesney received the team’s Vincent Correal MVP Award in 1997.
Chesney and his wife, Andrea, have two daughters, Lyla and Hudson, and one son, Bo.
Bob Chesney's Year-by-Year Head Coaching Record
| Year | School | Overall | Conf. | Finish | Final Rk | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Salve Regina (DIII) | 6-4 | 5-3 | 3rd/8 | — | — |
| 2011 | Salve Regina (DIII) | 8-3 | 6-2 | 3rd/8 | — | ECAC Bowl Northwest Champions |
| 2012# | Salve Regina (DIII) | 9-2 | 7-1 | 1st/8 | 24 | — |
| 2013 | Assumption (DII) | 6-5 | 6-3 | 3rd/9 | — | — |
| 2014 | Assumption (DII) | 7-4 | 6-3 | T-3rd/9 | — | — |
| 2015^ | Assumption (DII) | 11-2 | 8-1 | 1st/9 | 17 | NCAA DII Second Round |
| 2016# | Assumption (DII) | 9-3 | 8-1 | 2nd/9 | 25 | NCAA DII First Round |
| 2017 | Assumption (DII) | 11-2 | 8-1 | 1st/9 | 9 | NCAA DII Quarterfinals |
| 2018 | Holy Cross (FCS) | 5-6 | 4-2 | T-2nd/7 | — | — |
| 2019* | Holy Cross (FCS) | 7-6 | 5-1 | 1st/7 | — | NCAA FCS First Round |
| 2020* | Holy Cross (FCS) | 3-1 | 2-0 | 1st/3 | 25 | NCAA FCS First Round |
| 2021* | Holy Cross (FCS) | 10-3 | 6-0 | 1st/7 | 24 | NCAA FCS First Round |
| 2022* | Holy Cross (FCS) | 12-1 | 6-0 | 1st/7 | 6 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinals |
| 2023* | Holy Cross (FCS) | 7-4 | 5-1 | T-1st/7 | 25 | — |
| 2024 | James Madison (FBS) | 9-4 | 4-4 | T-3rd/7 | — | Boca Raton Bowl Champions |
| 2025^ | James Madison (FBS) | 12-2 | 8-0 | 1st/7 | 24 | CFP First Round |
| Totals | 16 Seasons | 132-52 (.717) | 94-23 (.803) | — | — | — |
* regular-season conference championship
^ conference championship game victory
# conference championship game appearance
Bob Chesney’s Coaching Experience
2000, 2001 – Graduate Assistant, Norwich (NCAA DIII)
2002 – Defensive Coordinator, Delaware Valley (NCAA DIII)
2003, 2004 – Special Teams Coordinator, King’s College (NCAA DIII)
2005, 2006 – Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs, Johns Hopkins (NCAA DIII)
2007, 2008 – Defensive Coordinator/Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs, Johns Hopkins (NCAA DIII)
2009 – Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs, Johns Hopkins (NCAA DIII)
2010-12 – Head Coach, Salve Regina (NCAA DIII)
2013-17 – Head Coach, Assumption (NCAA DII)
2018-23 – Head Coach, Holy Cross (FCS)
2024, 2025 – Head Coach, James Madison
2026 – Head Coach, UCLA