Bob Chesney Brings the James Madison Pipeline to UCLA: 41 Transfers and a New Bruins Era
UCLA is rebuilding under new head coach Bob Chesney, and the strategy is starting to look like a full lift-and-shift from James Madison. According to 247Sports, the Bruins have now added 41 incoming transfers in the 2026 cycle, one of the largest portal hauls in college football. A noticeable chunk of that group is players Chesney already coached at JMU.
UCLA hired Chesney on Dec. 6, 2025 after he led James Madison to its first Sun Belt title and the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance. He went 21-6 in two seasons with the Dukes. He left for a bigger job. He brought his guys with him.
The transfer list reads like an All-Sun Belt postseason roster. All-American running back Wayne Knight is coming to Pasadena. Second-team All-Sun Belt edge rusher Sahir West, who was named Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, is following him. Interior lineman Riley Robell. Nickel DJ Barksdale. Offensive lineman Carter Sweazie. Defenders Aiden Gobaira and Drew Spinogatti. Wide receiver Landon Ellis.
That is a lot of continuity for a coach in his first Power 4 head coaching job. It is also a smart bet for Chesney to make.
UCLA needed help. The Bruins were a mess by the end of the 2025 season. They were a Big Ten program in name, struggling on the field, watching their old Pac-12 rivals find homes in better situations. Chesney was hired to clean up the culture, the roster, and the play style at the same time.
The good news for UCLA fans is that this is not just a vibes move. JMU’s offense was one of the most productive in the Group of 5 last year. The defense was disruptive. The roster Chesney built developed quickly. That blueprint should travel.
The quarterback situation also stabilized. Nico Iamaleava, the former Tennessee star who transferred to UCLA before the 2025 season, announced he is returning for 2026. That means the Bruins are not chasing a portal quarterback like several rival programs. They are running the offense around an established starter.
The depth chart still has work to do. UCLA’s offensive line has been a problem for two straight seasons. The new JMU pipeline addresses some of that, but Power 4 trenches are different than the Sun Belt. Some of those imports will be tested in ways they have never been tested before. That is the reality of jumping levels.
Chesney also has to manage expectations. UCLA fans are reasonable. They are not asking for a Rose Bowl in year one. They are asking for competence, energy, and a roster that does not get bullied. That is achievable. Anything beyond that is upside.
The bigger question for college football is whether this becomes a trend. Group of 5 head coaches taking Power 4 jobs and importing entire portions of their old rosters via the transfer portal is the new normal. The portal makes it possible. NIL makes it appealing. The compressed transfer window makes it fast.
James Madison fans are going to feel this. Losing your head coach is one thing. Losing your head coach and a quarter of your starters is something else. The Dukes will rebuild. They have done it before. But the timing is brutal.
For UCLA, the bet is simple. Chesney knows these players. These players know Chesney. There is no learning curve on what the head coach wants. The system is in place from day one.
Whether that turns into wins is the test. The 2026 Bruins will tell us fast.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
