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Bob Chesney challenges UCLA football team to be ready

April 14, 2026

LOS ANGELES — Bob Chesney might be new at UCLA, but he understands the flow of a spring football practice schedule. The sixth, seventh and eighth practices, the first-year head coach said, there tends to be a little dip. So on Tuesday at the Bruins’ sixth spring practice, Chesney brought the juice.

As the Bruins stretched, he walked around bellowing at players: “It doesn’t matter if you’re not ready, I’m ready.” He spent time with placekicker Mateo Orosco, correcting his technique after he missed a pair of chip shots.

The defense matched Chesney’s energy, while the offense had a slower day. The result was a pair of interceptions against quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

On the first one, Iamaleava overthrew Michigan transfer Semaj Morgan and cornerback Rob Stafford III was there to capitalize. On the second, Iamaleava’s ball was well behind Morgan and Donavyn Pellot stepped in to return it for a pick-six.

“I thought the defense took strides today,” Chesney said following Tuesday’s practice. “Our pass rush looks good … the defense is doing a nice job setting the offense up.”

Stafford, specifically, stepped in seamlessly as Scooter Jackson, who got the majority of the first-team reps at cornerback through the first five practices, was unavailable, Chesney said. Stafford, a rising junior, complements a defensive back group that’s one of UCLA’s deepest rooms.

“Just go through a list of guys that are out there,” Chesney said about the secondary. “We’re just trying to rotate them through and put them in different positions to test them and fire and see who can handle all of it.”

The cornerbacks, Chesney said, will also be relied upon to pressure the passer and defend against the run, both of which they’ve done considerably well through six practices.

While UCLA’s defense didn’t take as much of a step back as the offense during the lull of spring practice, there were some positive moments for the offense.

When the first-team offense ran two series of downs against the first-team defense, the Bruins cycled through running backs, including James Madison transfer Wayne Knight and returners Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas. Thomas broke free on a rush down the left sideline.

“I think they’re one of the stronger groups on this team, and it is necessary as a running back for that to be the case,” Chesney said.

It seems as if UCLA will take a committee approach at the running back position, giving the returning talent an opportunity to compete with Knight for touches.

After that slew of rushing plays, Iamaleava showed off his arm strength, slinging a pass down the sideline, targeting Morgan on a go route. Morgan, though, had JMU transfer DJ Barksdale on his hip, and skied above the nickel corner to haul in Iamaleava’s pass. It was an impressive play from Morgan, who instinctively attacked the ball in the air, rather than let it come to him.

In each practice, Morgan has increased his playing time with the first team, often lining up in the slot, but shifting outside as well. South Carolina transfer Brian Rowe Jr. has been the mainstay wide receiver on the boundary for the first team, and he broke off on a screen pass Tuesday.

Kansas State transfer tight end Brayden Loftin played in 12 personnel looks with the first-team offense, mainly blocking, but bumping out to the slot, too.

Chesney acknowledged that Tuesday’s practice wasn’t UCLA’s best effort, but he didn’t simply accept that standard.

“It shouldn’t be slower,” he said. “You don’t want it to be slower. It’s just in that nature of the beast, right? And I thought our guys fought through it really hard today.”

Orange County Register

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Bob Chesney challenges UCLA football team to be ready

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