Bob Chesney

Last updated

Bob Chesney
Holy Cross head football coach Bob Chesney closeup.jpg
Chesney at Holy Cross in 2023
Current position
Title Head coach
Team UCLA
Conference Big Ten
Record0–0
Biographical details
Born (1977-08-10) August 10, 1977 (age 48)
Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Playing career
1996–1999 Dickinson
Position Defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2000–2001 Norwich (GA)
2002 Delaware Valley (DC)
2003–2004 King's (PA) (ST)
2005–2006 Johns Hopkins (ST/DB)
2007–2008Johns Hopkins (DC/ST/DB)
2009Johns Hopkins (AHC/DC/DB)
2010–2012 Salve Regina
2013–2017 Assumption
2018–2023 Holy Cross
2024–2025 James Madison
2026–present UCLA
Head coaching record
Overall132–51
Bowls2–0
Tournaments3–3 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
2–3 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 NE-10 (2015, 2017)
5 Patriot League (2019–2023)
1 Sun Belt (2025)
1 Sun Belt East Division (2025)
Awards
2× Second Team All-Centennial (1997–1998)
2× NE-10 Coach of the Year (2015, 2017)
New England Football Writers (NEFW) D-II/III Coach of the Year (2015)
HERO Sports D-II Coach of the Year (2015)
3× Patriot League Coach of the Year (2019, 2021, 2022)
2× NEFW D-I Coach of the Year (2021–2022)
2× Gridiron Club FBS/FCS Coach of the Year (2021–2022)
American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year (2022)
Bear Bryant Fan Favorite Coach Award (2024)
VaSID Coach of the Year (2024)
* Sun Belt Coach of the Year (2025)

Robert Edward Chesney (born August 10, 1977) is an American college football coach. He will become the head football coach at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) beginning for the 2026 season. He was previously the head coach for James Madison University from 2024 to 2025. A graduate of Dickinson College, Chesney served as the head football coach at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island from 2010 to 2012, Assumption College—now known as Assumption University—in Worcester, Massachusetts from 2013 to 2017, and the College of the Holy Cross from 2018 to 2023. At Assumption, he led the Greyhounds to consecutive NCAA Division II Football Championship playoff appearances in the final three years of his tenure. At Holy Cross, he led the Crusaders to five straight Patriot League titles.

Contents

Early life and family

Chesney is originally from Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, born to Robert Chesney Sr., and Claudia Chesney (née Yonkovig). He has an older brother, Vincent Chesney, and a younger brother, Nicholas Chesney. Married in 2007 to Andrea, he has two daughters and a son. Chesney is a 1996 graduate of Our Lady of Lourdes Regional High School and a 2000 graduate of Dickinson College.

Coaching career

Salve Regina

Chesney was hired as the fourth head coach in Salve Regina University football program history following his five-year stint as associate head coach at Johns Hopkins University. [1] Chesney rebuilt a Salve Regina program which had a streak of eight-consecutive losing seasons before his tenure, upon which he posted three winning campaigns in a row. [2]

Assumption

Following his success with that program, Chesney was hired as the tenth head coach in Assumption College (now Assumption University) football program history. [3] Prior to his arrival the Assumption program had posted two winning seasons in the 17 previous years. [4] Chesney led the Greyhounds to five-straight winning records and NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his last three years. [5] Chesney coached 94 all-conference selections and 12 All-Americans. [6]

Holy Cross

On December 14, 2017, Chesney was named the 28th head football coach at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. [7] [8] Chesney’s tenure as head coach was transformational. Over six seasons he compiled a 44–21 overall record, including a dominant 28–4 mark in conference play. Under Chesney, Holy Cross claimed an unprecedented five straight Patriot League championships; the first team in league history to do so. His 2022 squad went 11–0 in the regular season (the program’s first undefeated regular season since 1991), finished 12–1 overall, and advanced to the FCS quarterfinals — the deepest playoff run for Holy Cross in nearly four decades. Across his Holy Cross years, Chesney earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors three times (2019, 2021, 2022) and was named the AFCA FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year following the 2022 campaign. [9]

James Madison

On December 7, 2023, Chesney was named the head football coach at James Madison University. [10] In his first season Chesney led the Dukes to a 9–4 overall record [11] and captured the program’s first bowl victory ever, a 27–17 win in the Boca Raton Bowl over Western Kentucky. [12] In 2025, the Dukes had an 11–1 record and secured the Sun Belt East Division Championship. [13] On December 5, James Madison defeated Troy in the Sun Belt Conference Championship game 31-14. [14] Two days later, James Madison was selected for the College Football Playoff as the #12 seed. [15] UCLA granted permission for Chesney to continue coaching the team through its playoff run. [16]

UCLA

On December 6, 2025, Chesney was announced as the head football coach at UCLA. [17]

Head coaching record

Chesney speaks with a Holy Cross player in 2023 Holy Cross head football coach Bob Chesney speaks with player.jpg
Chesney speaks with a Holy Cross player in 2023
YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs Coaches#AP°
Salve Regina Seahawks (New England Football Conference)(2010–2012)
2010 Salve Regina6–45–33rd (Boyd)
2011 Salve Regina8–36–23rd (Boyd)W ECAC Northwest
2012 Salve Regina9–27–11st (Boyd)24
Salve Regina:23–918–6
Assumption Greyhounds (Northeast-10 Conference)(2013–2017)
2013 Assumption6–56–34th
2014 Assumption7–46–3T–3rd
2015 Assumption11–28–11stL NCAA Division II Second Round 17
2016 Assumption9–38–12ndL NCAA Division II First Round 25
2017 Assumption11–28–11stL NCAA Division II Quarterfinal 9
Assumption:44–1636–9
Holy Cross Crusaders (Patriot League)(2018–2023)
2018 Holy Cross 5–64–2T–2nd
2019 Holy Cross 7–65–11stL NCAA Division I First Round
2020–21 Holy Cross 3–12–01stL NCAA Division I First Round 25
2021 Holy Cross 10–36–01stL NCAA Division I Second Round 2219
2022 Holy Cross 12–16–01stL NCAA Division I Quarterfinal 66
2023 Holy Cross 7–45–1T–1st25
Holy Cross:44–2128–4
James Madison Dukes (Sun Belt Conference)(2024–2025)
2024 James Madison 9–44–4T–3rd (East)W Boca Raton
2025 James Madison 12–18–01st (East) CFP First Round †
James Madison:21–512–4
UCLA Bruins (Big Ten Conference)(2026–present)
2026 UCLA 0–00–0
UCLA:0–00–0
Total:132–51
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. ↑ "Salve Regina Names Bob Chesney Head Football Coach". salveathletics.com. April 30, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Salve Regina Football Individual Season Records". salveathletics.com. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Assumption Names Bob Chesney Head Football Coach". northeast10.org. February 5, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Assumption College Football History". assumptiongreyhounds.com. 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Bob Chesney Head Coach". goholycross.com. 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Bob Chesney - Head Coach - Football Coaches". Holy Cross Athletics. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  7. ↑ Pearson, Keith (December 20, 2017). "Bob Chesney takes reins as Holy Cross football coach". Boston Herald . Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Holy Cross Names Bob Chesney Head Football Coach". patriotleague.org. December 14, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Bob Chesney - Head Coach - Staff Directory". James Madison University Athletics. November 25, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  10. ↑ Thamel, Pete (December 7, 2023). "JMU hires Holy Cross' Chesney as head coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  11. ↑ "2024 Football Schedule". James Madison University Athletics. September 27, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  12. ↑ "James Madison 27-17 Western Kentucky (Dec 18, 2024) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Nationally-Ranked James Madison Clinches Sun Belt East Division & Championship Game Berth in Week 12 Play". sunbeltsports.org. November 15, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Wayne Knight powers JMU to Sun Belt title, keeps Dukes alive for CFP". ESPN. December 5, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  15. ↑ Schlabach, Mark (December 7, 2025). "Alabama, Miami in, Notre Dame out as Indiana leads 12-team CFP". ESPN.
  16. ↑ "Billy Napier Takes the Reins as James Madison Head Coach with Bob Chesney's Departure to UCLA". James Madison University. December 6, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025. Should JMU be selected on Sunday to compete in the College Football Playoff, Chesney will lead the Dukes through the conclusion of the Dukes' playoff run.
  17. ↑ "Bob Chesney Named Head Coach of UCLA Football - UCLA". UCLA Bruins. December 6, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
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