By Matt AudiletShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberJames Madison's Bob Chesney is expected to sign a five-year contract to become the next head coach of the UCLA Bruins, according to multiple reports on Monday.
Chesney and JMU finished the 2025 regular season with an 11-1 record and will face off against Troy in the Sun Belt championship game on Dec. 5. UCLA has reportedly agreed to allow Chesney to coach the Dukes if they earn a College Football Playoff berth as one of the highest-ranked conference champions.
Chesney was one of the most highly sought after candidates in this year's college football coaching carousel, and JMU reportedly made an "aggressive push" to retain their program leader.
JMU extended a contract offer that would've made Chesney the highest-paid coach in the Sun Belt conference, per college football insider Ross Dellenger.
"JMU made an aggressive push to keep Bob Chesney offering a contract that would have made him the highest-paid coach in the Sun Belt with the most lucrative staff pool and rev-share commitment in the league, sources tell," Dellenger reported on Monday.
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Chesney was asked about his coaching future just minutes before multiple outlets reported his impending departure to Los Angeles.
"I have an agent. There are a lot of conversations happening," Chesney said. "Those opportunities are afforded to you because the success that you've had because of the players that have been here. And the school and everybody else. I don't pretend it all has to do with me... But there's life-changing situations that could show up for you and those are things you've just got to weigh and figure out before you go through it."
"Ultimately, to me, what matters the most is that we're focused on this game. This championship game right now... Next year will have its time and place," he continued.
...More Football: Penn State Coaching Search Faces New Concern After Latest Hires
Chesney reportedly has a "detailed plan" to turn around the UCLA program, which finished its 2025 season with a 3-9 record after firing DeShaun Foster three games into the year.
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