UCLA football hiring James Madison’s Bob Chesney as next head coach

As Tim Skipper has been the UCLA football head coach after DeShaun Foster was fired early into the season, the program has found its next figure to lead the way into the future. While Bob Chesney has been believed to be the frontrunner for the UCLA football job, it looks as if the deal to obtain him will be finalized soon.

Reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the James Madison head coach is “set to sign a five-year deal” with the Bruins, which will happen after the Dukes take on Troy in the Sun Belt championship game. As it’s been a topic of discussion due to Lane Kiffin not being able to coach Ole Miss in the CFP, after taking the job with LSU, Chesney has been granted permission to coach the Dukes if the team were to make the playoffs.

“Sources: James Madison coach Bob Chesney has emerged as the target of UCLA’s coaching search,” Thamel wrote. “He’s set to sign a 5-year deal with UCLA that will emerge after James Madison’s Sun Belt championship game. UCLA has agreed for him to coach in the CFP if JMU makes it.”

Chesney has led the Dukes to an 11-1 record this season, with possibly more games left, depending on the result of the aforementioned Sun Belt title game. Other reports have mentioned how Chesney has been the Bruins’ top choice.

“A UCLA coaching search that is the longest ongoing in-season quest has identified its top target and moved toward trying to finalize the hire, numerous sources tell FootballScoop,” John Brice of FootballScoop wrote. “But numerous industry sources — agents, coaches, administrators — have told FootballScoop this week that Chesney is the target of the Bruins’ nearly 10-week search.”

The new head coach looks to improve the UCLA football team after finishing 3-9.

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