Bob Chesney brings many assistants with him from

Bob Chesney’s initial UCLA soccer workers goes to have a acquainted really feel to anybody who follows James Madison.

After hiring offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, the new Bruins coach is also bringing along 5 other assistants who helped the Dukes attain the College Football Playoff: offensive line coach and run sport coordinator Chris Smith, safeties coach Eddie Whitley Jr., defensive backs coach Anthony DiMichele, defensive position coach Sam Daniels and particular groups coordinator and tight ends coach Drew Canan. While most of the assistants will retain their titles, DiMichele will now coach safeties and Daniels defensive ends with the Bruins.

Chesney is retaining two UCLA assistants in safeties coach Gabe Lynn and working backs coach A.J. Steward, with Lynn transitioning into a function teaching nickel backs. He’s also bringing in another assistant with Big Ten expertise in Legi Suiaunoa, the previous Michigan State defensive position coach who will fill the same function with the Bruins.

Vic So’oto would be the Bruins’ linebackers coach after spending the last 4 seasons at California in a selection of roles. A former NFL linebacker who spent two seasons as USC’s defensive position coach, So’oto took a job as Cal’s outdoors linebackers coach in 2022. The next season, he added the function of particular groups coordinator to his title before changing into the Golden Bears’ co-defensive coordinator and outdoors linebackers coach last season.

Rounding out Chesney’s workers is extensive receivers coach Colin Lockett, who spent last season in the same function at New Mexico. Lockett has a lot of expertise on the West Coast after having served as a graduate assistant at Oregon for two seasons in addition to being a defensive backs high quality control coach at Washington and a graduate assistant at San Diego State. Lockett also is aware of the Southern California high college recruiting scene effectively after having spent three seasons as a defensive backs coach at St. John Bosco High.

Steward also affords deep connections throughout the West after having beforehand labored at Baylor, Oregon State, Arizona, Brigham Young and Rice. Suiaunoa and Steward overlapped at Oregon State for two of Suianoa’s six seasons as an assistant with the Beavers.

In another nod to continuity, Chesney is hiring Chris Grautski, his director of athletic efficiency at James Madison, to develop into head strength coach at UCLA.

“In organizing our first-year staff, it was imperative that we find coaches who fit a mold unique to UCLA football that will allow for immediate success,” Chesney, who is predicted to full his workers soon, said in a assertion. “This group possesses a great blend of competency, diversity and passion, and a track record of winning. Our infusion of West Coast ties will be essential in elevating UCLA’s brand, not just in Southern California, but across all of college football. Most importantly, this coaching staff will create an environment of competition and toughness that will challenge our student-athletes to become their absolute best on and off the field.”

Most of Chesney’s hires have strong ties to their boss.

Canan has been half of Chesney’s workers for more than a decade, beginning at Assumption College in 2014 before later following Chesney to Holy Cross, James Madison and now UCLA. Smith spent 5 seasons working under Chesney at Holy Cross before leaving to develop into an assistant offensive line coach with the NFL’s New York Giants in 2023 and later rejoining Chesney at James Madison in 2024.

Whitley has the excellence of having labored for both Chesney and predecessor Curt Cignetti as half of Whitley’s six seasons at James Madison, which made him the longest tenured coach on the Dukes workers during the 2025 season.

DiMichele has labored alongside Chesney for the past 4 seasons after becoming a member of his workers at Holy Cross in 2022 and later following him to James Madison. Daniels was a newcomer to Chesney’s workers when he was employed before the 2024 season at James Madison, his alma mater.