Bob Chesney, UCLA steal elite safety recruit from Bruins' rival

Bob Chesney is trying to build some momentum on the recruiting trail before his first season as head coach of the UCLA Bruins.

He's done some pretty good work on that front since being hired by UCLA in December 2025, and the expectations are high. 

Chesney most recently went 21-6 in two seasons at James Madison and led the Dukes to their first-ever Sun Belt Conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Before JMU, he was the head coach at Holy Cross for six seasons and won the Patriot League Championship five consecutive times.

There's reason to believe that Chesney can help turn UCLA football around, but moments like Tuesday's on the recruiting trail are just as important as his history as a program builder.

On Tuesday, the Bruins flipped four-star safety recruit Myles Baker from the Cal Golden Bears.

He cited Chesney as a major reason for his flip because it was hard for him to break his commitment to Cal.

“It was really tough, I was torn,” Baker told Rivals. “End of the day, I just had to follow my heart and felt most comfortable at UCLA. The visit there really opened my eyes, it exceeded my expectations and it felt like home.

“More than that though, I really believe in coach Chesney, his plan in place and how I can be successful on and off the field. He’s a winner, he has won everywhere he’s gone and I know he’s going to do big things at UCLA and I’m excited to be a part of that turn around.”