Bob Chesney's take on potentially getting poached should calm UCLA fans

It used to be that if a college football coach had success at a so-called "smaller" program, it was almost a guarantee that they'd jump ship for a traditional blueblood.

Nick Saban is a great example of that. He went from Toledo to Michigan State to LSU before he became a legend of the game at Alabama. Brian Kelly is another good example. He worked his way up from Central Michigan to Cincinnati to Notre Dame.

Curt Cignetti went from James Madison and then won the College Football Playoff championship at Indiana, and that's where things have changed in the NIL and transfer portal era.

Money being thrown around and the ability to go and get developed players in the portal have made it so that places like Indiana can finally compete in football.

The UCLA Bruins have followed Indiana's model to a T, even going out and getting a former JMU head coach, Bob Chesney.

Chesney has UCLA at 7-0 and ranked No. 7 in the country. He looks like the next Cignetti, and he has the Bruins trending toward CFP contention. Yes, while traditionally, UCLA fans might be worried about him quickly getting poached by a blueblood, that may not be the case in this era of college football.

Chesney is undoubtedly getting paid well by UCLA, and he has the resources he needs to build via the portal. He's also happy.

“I’ve said it before, this is the greatest place in the world to play football, and it’s the greatest place in the world to coach football,” Chesney said on Tuesday (h/t On3). “I’m extremely blessed to be here. My family loves it here. I love it here. … I truly love it."

Bob Chesney seems all-in with the UCLA Bruins 

Of course, coaches say these things all the time. Just Google Lane Kiffin and follow that rabbit hole if you're interested. That said, UCLA has always been considered somewhat of a sleeping giant in college football.

It has the location, the education, the championship brand (thanks to John Wooden in basketball) and its donors have deep pockets.

Now, the Bruins have a coach in Chesney who is excited to bring UCLA to the forefront of college football. He has a dream for UCLA, and he's executing the plan so far in the early going of his tenure.

“The vision that I have for this place, as an outsider looking in, is all things that is being met with that same energy," Chesney said. "A plan of moving forward, an idea of chasing greatness and not being afraid to consider this big-time college football and start building a program that way. Very excited about our future and how things roll.”