Bob Chesney Flips the Recruiting Script to Build Elite Culture for UCLA Football
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There's plenty fo positivity around the UCLA football program this summer as the team embarks on a new era under head coach Bob Chesney and his coaching staff, and much of it stems from their sudden recruiting boom.
The Bruins mostly used the transfer portal to adjust their roster for 2026 and added a top-10 recruiting class. But it's the 2027 class that is driving momentum. It's the first class for which Chesney will oversee the process from start to finish since he was hired in December, and so far, he's crushing it.
UCLA's 2027 football recruiting class ranks 10th nationally with 22 current commits, including several four-star recruits, players from different regions of the country, and the program's first five-star recruit in three years. But how has Chesney been able to flip the script so quickly?
It's simple, really. His overall approach and personality resonate with players because of the way he's embraced the program, the university, and the work they must do to succeed.
Approach, Attitude, and Energy
Every person in this program is important. @CoachBobChesney#4suppic.twitter.com/cq1hkzEl7X
– UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) February 13, 2026
From the start, Chesney's approach has seemed different, like a breath of fresh air. Almost as soon as he was hired, a clip of him addressing the team circulated on social media, emphasizing the type of people he wants in his program and the type of attitude they all need to have toward each other.
He's building a culture of respect, and that's something people want to be a part of, whether it's in college athletics or just general business and industry practices. It'd be easy for him just to say that as coach speak to try to get people to buy in, but it has continued into the spring and throughout the summer as the program gains momentum.
Embracing Competition
One of the principles Chesney has implemented is promoting healthy competition throughout the roster, and the team seems to have embraced it. It was a huge emphasis at each spring practice, and everyone seemed to come out of it with an extremely positive attitude.
That approach not only helps get guys on the field and find the right guys to get the most out of the team, but it matriculates throughout the roster to build depth, which is something UCLA has missed over at least the last two seasons.
That also means that these highly touted recruits will have a chance to play early, which is something that has increased in importance in the "what have you done for me lately" era of NIL. The new staff has also shown it is not afraid to go to war with the "big boys" of college football.
Despite some recruits being committed elsewhere or receiving attention from perceived powerhouses, the Bruins are going after great football players throughout the entire country. Early returns might be hard to come by, but they've landed some big-time players rather quickly, and seeing that tells other recruits that something special could be brewing. And what high school player doesn't want to be a part of a program like that?
Utilizing UCLA's Position
On the field, UCLA is in a compromising position. It hasn't had much success since moving to the Big Ten, and there have been times when things have looked rather ugly. Yet, UCLA is uniquely positioned as a top-tier academic institution with a past history of athletic success and a location in one of the country's most well-known cities.
Plus, it has an alumni network that can do wonders for players off the field. Chesney has seen this and embraced it. He's spoken to stakeholders and gotten them on board. He's welcomed the challenge of getting the Bruins back on track, and as players see that coming to fruition, along with his personality that the rest of the team seems to enjoy, they'll want to be a part of it.
It's a rare combination, but Bob Chesney seems to have found the right buttons to push. There's a long way to go to make the program successful again, but for now, his approach is working almost seamlessly.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as Bob Chesney Flips the Recruiting Script to Build Elite Culture for UCLA Football.
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