UCLA Coach Bob Chesney Emphasizes Effort Over Perfection as Spring Football Begins
UCLA Football Coach Bob Chesney Emphasizes Accountability in First Spring Practice
UCLA football head coach Bob Chesney approached the Bruins’ inaugural spring practice with a focus on accountability rather than star performances. On Thursday, he encouraged his team to prioritize self-assessment and effort over external validation.
“We talk about the mirror test. Don’t worry about what your coach says, don’t worry about what your other teammates say,” Chesney emphasized. “Go look at yourself in the mirror. That’s really the only guy that’s gonna know, right?”
Although excitement was palpable, Chesney acknowledged that perfection was not the goal during the first practice. Instead, he aimed to assess how well the fundamentals taught during the winter were being executed.
“While I watch it out here, the things that don’t take skill, the things that don’t take great genetics, were the things I wanted to focus on today more than anything — the effort,” he noted. Following the practice, Chesney remarked, “We’ll go and watch the film and figure the rest of it out, but I didn’t think it was a bad day.”
Chesney plans to build upon each session, stressing continuous improvement as a core principle. He expects his coaching staff’s standards to resonate with the players.
Defensive back Ta’Shawn James, who transferred from Iowa, made a notable impression during drills, displaying promise early in his transition to the program.
“It’s Day 1, it’s the first time we’re running at full speed, it’s the first time we’re out here seeing people redirecting, what his makeup speed looks like,” Chesney explained. “When he makes a mistake, how quickly can he recover? What’s his range in the open field? All those things are things we’re looking through on just about everybody out there.”
The competition for the right tackle position remains open. “A lot of guys, we’re not really at a spot to just nail that down just yet. Give me a couple more days on it,” Chesney said, noting a rotation of players as they explore different roles.
As spring practices progress, Chesney aims for his team to focus on collective improvement rather than individual accolades. “Dwelling on the past, if it was bad, is not gonna get you anywhere. Getting too high in the successful moments isn’t gonna get you anywhere,” he said.
Furthermore, Chesney urged his players to adhere to the standards established within the program, fostering accountability among coaches and athletes alike. “That starts to build trust within the team,” he added.
Throughout the offseason, UCLA’s social media platforms have showcased Chesney’s emphasis on personal accountability and character building, drawing inspiration from the philosophies of coaching legends John Wooden and Ted Lasso. He reiterated that success on the field stems from being exemplary individuals off of it.
“You can only be one degree of separation from how you’re living your life,” he said. “We don’t have any bad guys that are bad students, that are bad teammates, we don’t have any of that, we have really good guys so they have a chance to be great at football.”
In a significant boost for the program, UCLA alumnus Angelo Mazzone III recently pledged $10 million to enhance the football program’s infrastructure.
“For him to be as generous as he is and willing to help us with that, I think that’s a big deal,” Chesney remarked. “It talks about just the investment and the belief people have in this program at this current moment and rightfully so.”
