Operating out of a different playbook than it used nearly two years ago, when it made a vastly underwhelming hire, UCLA has snagged one of the most promising football coaches on the market.
Ending a pursuit that had become increasingly hard to keep quiet in recent weeks, the Bruins are set to hire James Madison coach Bob Chesney on a five-year contract in a move first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. As part of the arrangement, Chesney is expected to remain with his current team through a possible College Football Playoff appearance with the Dukes.
The move represents a dramatic shift for a program in desperate need of a turnaround, the Bruins going with an up-and-coming coach who has won big everywhere he’s been as part of his own storybook rise.