Bob Chesney's UCLA Project Enters Next Phase

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bob Chesney's UCLA Project Enters Next Phase

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Travis Tyler | Last updated May 5, 2026 6:00 AM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

A successful spring football season has come and gone as UCLA and its new coaching staff look to build on momentum throughout the offseason.

Now comes one of the biggest challenges as the team breaks for the time being. For most schools, at this time of year, that means a few weeks apart due to finals and the start of summer. But for a UCLA team that will still be in classes a little longer, it's a good opportunity to reflect on the spring and focus on the season ahead so that -- when they do jump back into things -- they can make even further progress on the field.

"I think that it's important that they understand that even though this phase is complete, the lessons learned have to continue to carry with us even though we're in a different phase," head coach Bob Chesney said after Saturday's spring game. "[It's the] Same from winter into spring and now from spring into summer."

"It's going to be the same. We just have to stack days and continue to have those lessons move with us. ... It's got to be a constant climb every single day, and they certainly understand that."

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Importance of the Next Phases

Chesney has emphasized that climb from the beginning, prioritizing hard work, relationships, and competition within the program and the school. It's helped breathe positivity into a program that has had little to celebrate over the past couple of years and added excitement to an otherwise bland part of the football calendar.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Excitement Clear

And while Chesney's excitement is clear every time he speaks, the team is mirroring its coach at every turn, using his practice habits and foundation to motivate these next steps forward. But they only get so many spring practices.

"If we had another 15 practices, I think they'd be excited about the next 15," Chesney added. "Sometimes you get to the end of spring ball, and you look at the guys and think, 'Man, we're done. I'm done They're done. We're all done.' But I think we're just getting started, and I think they feel the same way."

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Staying fresh after working so hard over the last few weeks will be critical to how UCLA proceeds and grows throughout the offseason, and that's exactly what makes this next phase so important. In the spring, you're competing with each other but are still a long way from facing opponents on the field. But with each phase, that part of the season gets closer and closer, and the preparation now can only make it easier in the future.

The Bruins are far from a finished product and have plenty of work to do. How they handle the next steps and come back in the summer and fall windows will determine how much they improve in 2026, and that's exactly why they need to take Chesney's message to heart.

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: