In the wake of 24 player departures, new UCLA coach Bob Chesney is sending a clear message with his staff hires, poaching a key figure from a rival’s historic coaching staff. It led him straight to a familiar name from Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State crew. The same coach who helped the Sun Devils write history. 

According to the UCLA Bruins’ official page, Chesney hired the California Golden Bears’ recruiting and player personnel director, Nick So’oto. Although he brings five years of experience in this coaching area to the table, his stint with the Golden Bears lasted only the past season. Before that, Chesney’s new hire served under Dillingham from 2023 to 2024 and at Fresno State in 2022. 

“Elite scouting, recruiting, and talent evaluation are key to building a championship-caliber football program,” Chesney said, unfazed at whatever’s in front of him. “Our front office and coaching staff share the same vision and have a clear understanding of the high-character student-athletes we want to bring into our UCLA family.”

So’oto ticks all the boxes in Chesney’s list of criteria. In just two seasons at Arizona State, So’oto was part of a historic ride: a CFP appearance, an 11-3 finish in 2024, and a Sun Devils squad that closed the regular season on a six-game heater. The run ended in a double-overtime thriller against Texas in the Peach Bowl. So’oto also made significant off-the-field contributions.

He played a role in landing a top-seven Big 12 class and a top-50 national group, according to 247. While his time with the Sun Devils included a CFP appearance, he pushed California to a berth in the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl. So’oto’s success at Fresno State, which led to a 10-4 record in his debut as a full-time personnel coach, might have inspired Chesney to hire him. 

Last season, UCLA lost its director of player personnel, Stacey Ford, to the Oklahoma Sooners. After stepping into the head coach position in December, Chesney had already made a big hire with former Michigan State recruiting assistant Nathan Applebaum as the Executive Director of Player Personnel. Months later, he hired So’oto to fill the vacancy. 

Just two weeks before, Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson hired Landan Yount as the director of player personnel. While a handful of programs made new hires for this role, Chesney’s move came after losing 24 players to the portal. 

Chesney’s urgency in hiring a top personnel director like So’oto is understandable, given the recent mass exodus from the program.

The transfer portal exodus has put Bob Chesney on high alert

The 2025 season has been tough for the Bruins in the record books, as they finished 3-9 overall. This has been a strong enough reason for players to enter the transfer portal to explore other opportunities. There were costly losses in the exit of 24 players, including defensive lineman Siale Taupaki and quarterback Henry Hasselbeck.

So, stepping in, Chesney immediately got to work. He made the most use of the portal and landed 41 players. One of them is James Madison transfer cornerback DJ Barksdale. Chesney leaned on him as a chess piece in the secondary. He can slide him between nickel and outside corner, an experience that the cornerback picked up playing for the Dukes. With a new roster to build, Chesney dialed up his pressure by making a bold promise. 

“I did not come here to be average,” said the head coach at a Bruins basketball game against Indiana last month. “Understand what we’re building and understand what we’re about to bring, a Big Ten championship.”

The Bruins haven’t celebrated a conference title since 1998, when they won the Pac-12. With Nick So’oto in the building, Bob Chesney can stay locked in on player development and game-planning, while keeping depth concerns in check.