Why Community Crucial to New UCLA Football Program
Community and commonality are major aspects of college sports, and UCLA head football coach Bob Chesney has hit the mark as he looks to establish his program. The Bruins' new boss has been seen supporting the school everywhere on and off campus, from the Women's Final Four, where UCLA claimed a National Championship, to stopping into the fraternity houses and dorm rooms in LA.
It's an approach that differs from the norm for a head coach of a power-conference program and a large university, but it's something the 48-year-old has emphasized throughout his career, no matter the level at which he was coaching or playing.
"I think the communal feeling comes from my father and being in the high school ranks and my whole family being our high school coaching staff," he explained after UCLA's spring game. "That was important that you felt that you were all in this together and got each other's backs."
Bringing the UCLA Community Together
For Chesney, that message doesn't just go toward his players and his staff, but toward the whole athletic department, and he continued to back up his words with actions, having National Champion head coaches Cori Close (women's basketball) and Adam Wright (water polo) coach his players and call plays during the annual spring game.
UCLA announces that national champion head coaches Cori Close (women's basketball) and Adam Wright (men's water polo) will make guest appearances - "calling plays" - at tomorrow's spring game at the Rose Bowl. pic.twitter.com/XnHEMpkLN0
- Ira Gorawara (@IraGorawara) May 1, 2026
'Our' Not 'The'
"I've just never not felt like this was community," Chesney added as he reflected on his previous stops. "It's not 'the' women's basketball team; it's 'our' women's basketball team. It's not 'the' football team; it's 'our' football team, is what I would want this community to talk about and be involved in."
"That's why it's so important to me to make sure they understand that as the head coach of the most populated program on campus, we're using that power for good, and we're using that power to make sure that they understand that we've got their backs."
And it doesn't stop with the athletic department. Since his arrival, Coach Chesney has embraced everything about the UCLA culture and atmosphere and vowed to do his part in making it the best it can possibly be. He knows it's a unique institution and opportunity for the players on his team and those he's trying to recruit.
"This is rare air that our guys get to breathe every single day surrounded by greatness," he remarked. "I think that the guys committing understand it's not just a football decision. This is a decision that can change their entire life."
"For a 17 or 18-year-old kid making that decision, I want them to make sure when they think of this at 40, are they still as proud of that decision as they are today? And I think that can all be answered in the affirmative just because of the type of school this is in the location that it's at."
With that kind of atmosphere and the championship pedigree of many of the Bruins' athletic programs, there should be plenty of interest from high-level athletes, but the football program still has some work to do to catch up after the last few years.
"All the positives that come with it are just magnificent," Chesney continued. "The only thing that's not up to par with that is this football team, and it's my job to make sure we get that back."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as Why Community Crucial to New UCLA Football Program.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 8:00 AM.