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Why Cole Martin stayed at UCLA even though his father went to ASU

April 28, 2026

LOS ANGELES — Cole Martin and his father, Demetrice, were inseparable. Through the first three years of Martin’s college football career, he stuck with his dad, a defensive backs coach, as he skipped around the West Coast. From Oregon to Arizona State to UCLA, Cole Martin followed his father, transferring to each of those programs.

So when Demetrice Martin returned to Arizona State after UCLA’s overhaul with Bob Chesney and his coaching staff, Cole, obviously, would follow his father.

Not this time.

“At the end of the day, it’s a business,” Cole Martin said on April 11. “Really, it was an easy decision.”

Martin was quickly convinced to stay at UCLA, he said, when he met Chesney, who pitched him on the idea that he could play winning football at the “best university in the nation.” That resonated with Martin, who grew up in Pasadena, “running around” the Rose Bowl as a kid.

As he saw the development of the roster and shared conversations with Chesney, the directional change of UCLA’s program became clear. Strong enough to stick in Southern California for his senior year, rather than follow his father back to ASU.

Soon after UCLA hired Chesney, he met with a group of the Los Angeles-based players, including Martin, Scooter Jackson and Rodrick Pleasant. Each were considering their options — the portal, the NFL Draft, but wanted to stay in Westwood if it was the right fit. One conversation with Chesney confirmed that.

“He’s different,” Martin and his teammates thought after speaking with Chesney.

“Being able to have that conversation and be genuine with your brothers about a hard season that you went through. And now you got a coach that’s trying to change the whole trajectory. You got to believe in somebody, and he’s somebody to believe in,” Martin said. “Gave that confidence to us that this program is on the way up.”

Chesney backed that up, pouring himself into UCLA, proving his sentiments to players such as Martin who have cared for the program years before representing it.

Earlier this spring, Martin and his teammates accompanied Chesney to a premiere for the Netflix movie, “Roommates.” As the team drove through Beverly Hills to the heart of Hollywood, Chesney, Martin said, continuously pointed out landmarks — where famous people lived, where cinematic events occurred.

UCLA’s caravan mimicked a Starline bus with Chesney as the tour guide.

“It’s awesome to know that he knows so much about the job and the opportunity,” Martin said. “It’s huge to see that.”

Chesney’s arrival at UCLA was a significant factor for Martin sticking around as was the depth added to his positional group. As a whole the defensive backs — safeties and cornerbacks — are one of the strongest groups on the Bruins’ roster.

Rob Stafford III and Virginia Tech transfer Dante Lovett have impressed in heavy reps on the boundary, while Jackson and Pleasant haven’t been available throughout spring practice. On Tuesday, Ohio State transfer Malik Hartford worked in at strong safety, Martin’s typical position, while Martin filled in for JMU transfer DJ Barksdale, who was under the weather, at nickel. Otherwise, Martin has played every first-team rep at strong safety. The optionality and depth is a luxury and incentive.

“I love the competition because it makes you be better — because if you mess up, the person behind you is good enough to take your spot,” Lovett told the Southern California News Group on April 16.

Chesney’s presence and the improvement of UCLA’s roster provided confirmation and validation for Martin’s decision to stay put. Growing up in Pasadena, Martin says, it would mean “everything” to bring winning football back to UCLA. He expressed excitement that UCLA’s 2026 season will be held in his hometown Rose Bowl, and that Bruins can bring success back to the stadium.

“Seeing the culture and feeling everything around this university, man, it’s buzzing,” Martin said.

Tuesday practice notes

With Barksdale out because of a sickness, Martin slid down to nickel as UCLA practiced man-to-man concepts with its first-team reps. On the first two plays, quarterback Nico Iamaleava targeted JMU transfer Landon Ellis, but both were incompletions. Then needing a conversion on third down, Iamaleava threw it up to Brian Rowe Jr., trusting his receiver to win the one-on-one battle. Rowe tracked the pass, needing only his outside arm to corral it for a touchdown.

It wasn’t Rowe’s first highlight-reel catch of spring practice.

“His tracking of the ball, his timing, and then his speed from the ground up, his ability to jump quick, stands out a lot,” Chesney said after Tuesday’s practice.

The Bruins closed practice with a late-game scenario. Iamaleava handled it with poise, checking down to running back Anthony Woods on consecutive plays. He then hit tight end Noah Fox-Flores for a first down in field goal range. UCLA’s offense rushed to the line of scrimmage to spike the ball, setting up a 48-yard field goal, which kicker Mateen Bhaghani knocked right down the middle.

Orange County Register

News Details

Why Cole Martin stayed at UCLA even though his father went to ASU

Tuesday practice notes

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