Bob Chesney Stays Focused Amid Early UCLA Praise

"We haven't played any games yet. We haven't done much except for practice," he said as he spoke with the media after Tuesday's practice. "But I think what they're identifying is that it's just a little bit different this time."

Different could do UCLA some good. There was never a moment that instilled much confidence under the previous regime, and aside from a few decent seasons under Jim Mora Jr. and Chip Kelly, the football team has really plateaued as an average team in college football.

Chesney's Turnaround

What's different about Chesney and his players and staff is the upbeat attitude. They're attacking every day with the intention of winning the day and improving little by little. They're also much more confident than recent UCLA teams have seemed, and much of that stems from past success in similar situations.

All of that is translating to healthy competition throughout practice, which, if done well and often enough, should lead to more competitiveness on the field and a more exciting team for fans, alumni, and others invested in the program to watch.

"That's what they're seeing it as," Chesney added. "And as they go through it, in my mind, I imagine that they're proud of watching the competitive nature out here and watching the organizational side of it and getting a feel for a lot of those things."

It's still only spring, and much can change throughout the next few months. UCLA is certainly on a path to improvement, but the Bruins won't be a finished product until the regular season is much closer, and it could take a few games.

"We just have so much more work to do," Chesney noted. "I think the compliments are really nice, but it doesn't change anything that we do out here. I appreciate the support, and it's needed. There's never been a time in the history of college football where these guys, these alums, and other people can help change a team very, very quickly, and they have that power now. So it's cool to have a bunch of them on board."