Looks like Bob Chesney is on a journey to move his “championship blueprint” from Virginia to Los Angeles. The proof is the staggering 41-player overhaul UCLA added to its roster. After the program struggled to adjust to the Big Ten level of football, these moves show how serious about pulling off an “Indiana-style” turnaround. But while changes to the player group are critical, Chesney also focused on improving the staff by bringing in a familiar face from his former program.

Chesney hired 500-tackle legend Jacob Dobbs as an assistant linebackers coach. The reason is simple. Chesney knows Dobbs’ capabilities; they worked closely last season at JMU, where Dobbs served as a quality control assistant.

Now, eyebrows may raise on his hire, because – can he be here because of favoritism? Well, he has the merits backing him up. This will be Dobbs’ second year in coaching after finishing his playing career in 2024. Plus, Dobbs was named the Second Team All-Sun Belt linebacker in 2024 and earned a spot on the Butkus Award Watch List, so he knows what it takes to succeed.

Before he joined the Dukes, Dobbs was a standout player at Holy Cross, where he spent 5 seasons. In that period, he earned honors like being a two-time Buck Buchanan Award finalist, a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, and a two-time First Team All-American. To top it off, he was also named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year twice. After completing six years of college football and using all of his eligibility, he chose to enter coaching instead of declaring for the NFL Draft.

That decision worked in his favor. Dobbs was part of Chesney’s staff that won the Sun Belt East Championship and were crowned the overall conference champions last season. Those titles helped JMU to earn a spot in the 2025 CFP National Championship, where the fairytale run came to an end against Oregon.

Even with the early postseason exit, it gave legitimacy to Chesney’s ability as a head coach. The Bruins have been struggling in the Big Ten since the transition to the Pac-12, and ended the 2025 season with a poor 3-9 record. Even with the combined efforts from DeShaun Fosters and Tim Skipper, the program failed to break the 4-win mark. That’s where Chesney’s 21-5 record over two seasons made him the clear choice to lead UCLA.

With so much trust placed on him, Chesney made sure to go big in the transfer portal. UCLA got the commitments from talents like four-star linebacker Sammy Omosigho from Oklahoma and wide receiver Aidan Mizell, a transfer from the Florida Gators. Plus, Chesney followed the Lane Kiffin model of getting players from his former program.

That meant adding the likes of Second-team All-American running back Wayne Knight, second-team All-Sun Belt edge rusher and Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Sahir West, and Riley Robell. With his success proven last season, it was an obvious choice for these players to join their former head coach, with whom they enjoyed silverware.

Bob Chesney Keeps a Keen Eye on a 2027 Class Prospect

While the 2026 season remains Chesney’s main focus, he is also working to build stability for the program. One key piece of that plan is Dane Weber, a four-star quarterback from Chaparral High School in Temecula. Weber is touted as one of the top quarterbacks in the country and is drawing interest from programs such as Arizona, Arizona State, and Oregon, etc.

UCLA may hold an advantage in his recruitment. Weber grew up in California and has spoken openly about his dream of receiving an offer from the Bruins.

“UCLA was always a dream for any Cali kid,” Weber said. “It’s just up the road, so it’s easy to visit and stay in contact with the coaches. With the new staff in place, it’s definitely an intriguing option for me. I’ll definitely be visiting more than once, and I’m looking forward to getting up there soon.”

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With a strong season that saw him throw for 3,645 yards and 41 touchdowns, Weber has also shown his value as a dual-threat quarterback. He rushed for 688 yards and 14 touchdowns. A player with that skill set would be a major addition to UCLA’s 2027 recruiting class.