Bob Chesney’s initial UCLA football staff is going to have a familiar feel to anyone who follows James Madison.
After hiring offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, the new Bruins coach also is bringing along five other assistants who helped the Dukes reach the College Football Playoff: offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Smith, cornerbacks coach Eddie Whitley Jr., safeties coach Anthony DiMichele, defensive line coach Sam Daniels and special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Drew Canan. While most of the assistants will retain their titles, Whitley now will coach defensive backs and Daniels defensive ends with the Bruins.
Chesney is retaining two UCLA assistants in safeties coach Gabe Lynn and running backs coach A.J. Steward, with Lynn transitioning into a role coaching nickel backs. Chesney also is bringing in another assistant with Big Ten experience in Legi Suiaunoa, the former Michigan State defensive line coach who will fill the same role with the Bruins.
Vic So’oto will be the Bruins’ linebackers coach after spending the last four seasons at California in a variety of roles. A former NFL linebacker who spent two seasons as USC’s defensive line coach, So’oto took a job as Cal’s outside linebackers coach in 2022. The next season he added the role of special teams coordinator to his title before becoming the Golden Bears’ co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach last season.
Rounding out Chesney’s staff is wide receivers coach Colin Lockett, who spent last season in the same role at New Mexico. Lockett has plenty of experience on the West Coast after serving as a graduate assistant at Oregon in addition to being a defensive backs quality control coach at Washington and a graduate assistant at San Diego State. Lockett also knows the Southern California high school recruiting scene well after spending three seasons as a defensive backs coach at St. John Bosco High.
Steward also offers deep connections throughout the West after previously working at Kansas, Baylor, Oregon State, Arizona, Brigham Young and Rice. Suiaunoa and Steward overlapped at Oregon State for two of Suianoa’s six seasons as an assistant with the Beavers.
In another nod to continuity, Chesney is hiring Chris Grautski, his director of athletic performance at James Madison, to become head strength coach at UCLA.
“In organizing our first-year staff, it was imperative that we find coaches who fit a mold unique to UCLA football that will allow for immediate success,” Chesney, who is expected to complete his staff soon, said in a statement. “This group possesses a great blend of competency, diversity and passion, and a track record of winning. Our infusion of West Coast ties will be essential in elevating UCLA’s brand, not just in Southern California, but across all of college football. Most importantly, this coaching staff will create an environment of competition and toughness that will challenge our student-athletes to become their absolute best on and off the field.”
Most of Chesney’s hires have strong ties to their boss.
Canan has been part of Chesney’s staff for more than a decade, starting at Assumption College in 2014 before following Chesney to Holy Cross, James Madison and now UCLA. Smith spent five seasons working under Chesney at Holy Cross before leaving to become an assistant offensive line coach with the NFL’s New York Giants in 2023 and later rejoining Chesney at James Madison in 2024.
Whitley has the distinction of having worked for both Chesney and predecessor Curt Cignetti as part of Whitley’s six seasons at James Madison, which made him the longest tenured coach on the Dukes’ staff this season.
DiMichele has worked alongside Chesney for the last four seasons after joining his staff at Holy Cross in 2022 and following him to James Madison. Daniels was a newcomer to Chesney’s staff when he was hired before the 2024 season at James Madison, his alma mater.
It may have taken a little longer than some antsy fans wanted, but Bob Chesney is on the way to Westwood after completing his final season at James Madison.
In reality, James Madison’s result against Oregon in the opening round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday was always going to be a win-win for the Bruins.
If the Dukes upset the Ducks, then the buzz around Chesney and his new employer would have only intensified. (Did you notice the free publicity the school received on the broadcast 13 minutes before kickoff when it was mentioned that Chesney was on his way to UCLA?)
If the Dukes lost, then Chesney could thank his team for a historic season and pack his things for the West Coast to get started on his latest program revival.
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He’ll get to do just that in the wake of James Madison’s 51-34 setback at Autzen Stadium. It’s expected that Chesney will bring a big chunk of his staff with him while retaining a sprinkling of UCLA coaches in a variety of roles. Dukes offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler are among those who will join Chesney at his new stop, the coaches likely bringing with them at least a handful of James Madison players.
Several showed they could play at the Big Ten level given their performance against the Ducks.
Running back Wayne Knight, who will be a redshirt senior next season, should be a top target after displaying both speed and power while rushing for 110 yards — more than twice the 52 yards that USC managed on the ground as a team during the Trojans’ 42-27 loss to the Ducks in November.
While he also has another season of eligibility, quarterback Alonza Barnett III is probably not joining Chesney at UCLA given counterpart Nico Iamaleava’s decision to return in 2026. Barnett has already used his redshirt season, so it wouldn’t make sense for him to travel across the country just to be a backup in his final college season after having led another team to the CFP.
Others with remaining eligibility who impressed included wide receiver Landon Ellis (making several big catches, one going for 50 yards on a double pass), tight end Lacota Dippre (hurdling a defender while scoring on a reverse), wide receiver George Pettaway (making a 24-yard touchdown catch on a wheel route) and cornerback Justin Eaglin (intercepting a Dante Moore pass).
Kennedy’s offense was unquestionably the showpiece of an aggressive approach that also included two onside kicks, a fake punt and no hesitation to go for it on fourth downs. The Dukes showed plenty of imagination on the way to rolling up 509 yards. There were countless trick plays and formations — many including bunched receivers and tight ends — that kept the defense guessing what they were going to do.
Chesney didn’t sound a happy-to-be-there tone in either his halftime or postgame interviews, revealing a strong desire to do better on such a big stage. But there was nothing to be ashamed about after James Madison outscored Oregon, 28-17, in the second half despite a massive talent discrepancy.
Now, after getting a closeup view of what’s needed to compete in the upper tier of the Big Ten, Chesney will get a chance to start restocking his new roster before the calendar flips to 2026.
Keeping the band together
Part of Chesney’s winning formula in his rise from Division III to the CFP has involved staff continuity.
Kennedy’s connection with Chesney goes back to a flurry of job-seeking letters that Kennedy sent to college football coaches around the country while he was a young assistant at Florida.
Chesney not only responded but also donated to two charities with ties to Kennedy’s family after doing some research on the persistent assistant. A year later, Chesney hired Kennedy when a quarterbacks coach vacancy opened on his staff at Holy Cross prior to the 2022 season.
Kennedy earned a promotion to offensive coordinator the following season before accompanying Chesney to James Madison.
Hitschler’s ties to Chesney go all the way back to the Division III level. In 2011, Hitschler was Chesney’s defensive line coach and co-special teams coordinator at Salve Regina before the duo reconnected at James Madison before the recently completed season.
Both Kennedy and Chesney presided over units that were among the best in the country last season, James Madison ranking No. 11 nationally in points scored (37.1 per game) and No. 15 in points allowed (18.4). Kennedy is known for designing creative offenses that spread the field, breaking out flea-flicker and Statue of Liberty plays to help the Dukes post 70 points against North Carolina in 2024 while tying a record for the most points ever given up by the Tar Heels.
Both coordinators possess something their boss doesn’t – experience coaching at the Power Four level. Kennedy was a graduate assistant at Mississippi State and Florida before earning a promotion to offensive quality control coach and later assistant quarterbacks coach with the Gators.
Hitschler was co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Wisconsin in 2023 before taking a job as co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Alabama in 2024. Hitschler also has NFL experience as a training camp assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles and a player personnel assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs.
A generous man of mystery
Zachary Rosenfeld teared up recently when he saw a tweet about the $1-million gift to UCLA football from the estate of the late Richard Shtiller.
His “someday” had finally arrived.
Having previously worked in fundraising for UCLA’s athletic department before leaving to run his own sales company, Rosenfeld cultivated a relationship with Shtiller that helped secure that donation. There were hundreds of phone calls leading to four conversations, one in-person meeting and a handsome payoff that the football team can put to good use under its new coach.
Richard Shtiller
(Courtesy of the Shtiller family)
For most of the time Rosenfeld corresponded with Shtiller, he didn’t know much about the intensely private man or his generosity when it came to helping his alma mater. The most Shtiller offered was a vague assurance when Rosenfeld inquired about a seven-figure gift that Shtiller first teased in the summer of 2015.
At the time, Rosenfeld was an intern with UCLA athletics who was given the unfortunate task of fielding calls about increased donation requirements for football season tickets. One of those who called to complain was Shtiller, who approached the conversation with what seemed like a massive bargaining chip.
“What if I told you,” Shtiller said, “that I had $1 million to UCLA football in my will.”
Rosenfeld jokingly told Shtiller that he didn’t believe him, putting him on hold so that he could confer with a boss. By the time Rosenfeld picked the phone back up, Shtiller had hung up.
It was the start of a sometimes playful, sometimes frustrating relationship. After Rosenfeld was hired full-time by UCLA the following year, he made it his mission to get to know Shtiller. He called Shtiller’s Beverly Hills law office at least once a week, usually getting voicemail.
They finally met in person during a chance encounter at a football practice in 2016, Shtiller greeting Rosenfeld with a cheerful brush of his face.
“It’s Richard Shtiller, Zach,” he said. “You’re my noodge. You’ve been calling my office every day.”
Those calls continued, sometimes a year going by before they would reconnect. Rosenfeld eventually sent Shtiller information on the proper legal terminology to include in his will in case he really was going to donate all that money to UCLA football, never knowing if it would amount to anything.
During their final conversation upon Rosenfeld’s departure from UCLA athletics in 2019, Rosenfeld kidded Shtiller about never securing that big donation.
“Well,” Shtiller said, “maybe someday.”
That was the last time they spoke. Six years later, Rosenfeld learned that Shtiller was a man of his word upon his passing earlier this year. Not only did Shtiller give the money he had promised, he also used the terminology Rosenfeld had suggested to insert in his will so that it got to the right place.
Along the way, Shtiller provided Rosenfeld a lesson in perseverance while also giving back to a program that had given him so much joy even after going more than a quarter of a century without so much as a conference title.
“It was a reminder,” Rosenfeld said, “that even in the depths of rock bottom, UCLA football still means something to many of us.”
What’s it all worth?
(Luke Hales / Getty Images)
UCLA prides itself on being one of the top athletic departments in the country.
There’s those 125 NCAA championships — behind only Stanford’s 137 — a combination of academic and athletic success that few big-time schools can match, and the association with legendary figures such as John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jackie Robinson, among many others.
But how much is it all worth when it comes to cold, hard cash?
Not as much as you might think.
In a CNBC valuation of U.S. college athletic programs, UCLA ranked No. 52, with a valuation of $539 million. The Bruins trailed schools such as Purdue, Virginia Tech and North Carolina State that are not as widely known for broad-based athletic excellence.
There were some common themes among the leaders.
The top five schools — Texas ($1.48 billion), Ohio State ($1.35 billion), Texas A&M ($1.32 billion), Georgia ($1.16 billion) and Michigan ($1.16 billion) — all have thriving football programs and massive donor bases, not to mention at least $239 million in revenue in 2024. By comparison, UCLA reported $119 million in revenue for the same year, according to the report.
Among the 18 Big Ten teams, UCLA ranked No. 16, ahead of only Maryland (No. 53) and Rutgers (No. 56). USC ranked No. 8, largely on the strength of $242 million in revenue and a football team that continues to flirt with the College Football Playoff under coach Lincoln Riley.
What can be done about it?
Two words: Bob Chesney.
If UCLA’s new football coach wins at a high level and fills his home venue — be it the Rose Bowl or SoFi Stadium — then those metrics could look vastly different in just a few years.
Some real finds
UCLA had three men’s soccer players selected in the second round of the Major League Soccer SuperDraft last week, becoming the school’s 85th, 86th and 87th picks in league history — the most of any college program.
Junior defender Tre Wright was picked No. 33 by Real Salt Lake, graduate left back Schinieder Mimy was taken No. 38 by the New England Revolution and senior midfielder Tarun Karumanchi was selected No. 49 by the Columbus Crew.
UCLA coach Ryan Jorden, in his seventh year, has had nine players drafted by MLS teams.
Opinion time
With James Madison reaching the College Football Playoff in Chesney’s second and final season, how many players do you hope the new Bruins coach brings with him to Westwood?
We asked, “How does the rest of the men’s basketball season play out for the Bruins?”
After 388 votes, the results:
The team plays better before another early tournament exit, 68.9% Everything comes together and the team makes a deep tournament run, 17.7% The bubble is burst and the team misses the tournament, 13.4%
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email me at ben.bolch@latimes.com, and follow me on X @latbbolch. To order an autographed copy of my book, “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” send me an email. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Preserving a winning formula, new UCLA football coach Bob Chesney is bringing his top two assistants across the country with him.
Chesney is hiring offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler — who both served in those same capacities under Chesney at James Madison — in a nod to continuity after the Dukes reached the College Football Playoff for the first time.
The hiring of both coordinators was confirmed by someone with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because the moves have not been formally announced.
Kennedy has worked with Chesney for four consecutive seasons, joining Chesney’s staff at Holy Cross as quarterbacks coach prior to the 2022 season before earning a promotion to offensive coordinator the following season. Kennedy then accompanied Chesney to James Madison before the 2024 season.
Hitschler’s ties to Chesney go all the way back to the Division III level. In 2011, Hitschler was Chesney’s defensive line coach and co-special teams coordinator at Salve Regina before the duo reconnected at James Madison before the recently completed season.
Both Kennedy and Chesney presided over units that were among the best in the country last season, James Madison ranking No. 11 nationally in points scored (37.1 per game) and No. 15 in points allowed (18.4).
James Madison rolled up 509 yards of offense during a 51-34 loss to Oregon on Saturday, those totals representing the most points and yards the Ducks have allowed this season. Kennedy is known for designing creative offenses that spread the field, breaking out flea-flicker and Statue of Liberty plays to help the Dukes post 70 points against North Carolina in 2024 while tying a record for the most points ever given up by the Tar Heels.
Both coordinators possess something their boss doesn’t — experience coaching at the Power Four level. Kennedy was a graduate assistant at Mississippi State and Florida before earning a promotion to offensive quality control coach and later assistant quarterbacks coach with the Gators.
Hitschler was co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Wisconsin in 2023 before taking a job as co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Alabama in 2024. Hitschler also has NFL experience as a training camp assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles and a player personnel assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kennedy’s connection with Chesney goes back to a flurry of job-seeking letters that Kennedy sent to college football coaches around the country while he was at Florida. Chesney not only responded but also donated to two charities with ties to Kennedy’s family after doing some research on the persistent assistant. A year later, Chesney hired Kennedy when a vacancy opened on his staff at Holy Cross.
Chesney is also expected to hire several more of his James Madison assistants to fill similar roles at UCLA after bringing in Florida State’s Darrick Yray as general manager.
Yray, who recently completed his fourth season as general manager with the Seminoles, also has strong West Coast connections. Yray rose to director of player personnel at Oregon State after having worked for the Beavers in a variety of roles and also was assistant director of football operations at Fresno State, his alma mater.
