By Nelson EspinalShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberJames Madison head coach Bob Chesney has become a "top person of interest" for the UCLA Bruins, who are looking for a new leader to take the program back to new heights.
UCLA fired Deshaun Fosoter after a poor start in his second season. His first year was a tale of two halves: he started 1-5 in 2024 before winning four of his last six games.
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His end to the season was good enough for the program to give him another chance, though an 0-3 start was enough for the Southern California school to move on from Foster.
He coached only one and a quarter seasons for UCLA during his five-year deal, which would pay him around $3 million per year.
...Since removing Foster from his post, the Bruins have named Tom Skipper as the interim head coach, who is 3-5 entering the major rivalry game against USC.
His wins include notable conference opponents like Penn State and Michigan State, though, by all accounts, UCLA is conducting its own search and will look elsewhere for its long-term coaching solution.
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In a new report from CBS Sports reporter Matt Zenitz, a new name has emerged in the search as the leader for the job.
"James Madison’s Bob Chesney is a top person of interest for the UCLA head coaching job, sources tell @CBSSports," Zenitz wrote on X.
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Chesney has JMU at an 11-1 record in the Sun Belt Conference, building the team into a powerhouse that can score points and defend well. He rebuilt the program in just two seasons, and in his first season, he went 9-4.
Before stepping into the job with the Dukes, he went 44-21 as the head coach at Holy Cross. He has proven to be a program builder who is also connected to Penn State job openings, among others, across the nation.
UCLA has a tremendous amount of resources and an inherent recruiting advantage due to its location, all of which could power a quick rebuild under Chesney.
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