UCLA cant waste any time locking remarkable Bob Chesney up with big contract extension
EUGENE, Ore.— UCLA fans have wondered if they landed the next Curt Cignetti.Nope.They secured the only Bob Chesney — and must act accordingly.Nearly two years ago, after leading Indiana to an unprecedented 10-0 start in his first season at the school, Cignetti was rewarded with a massive contract extension.UCLA shouldn’t wait that long to make the same move with Chesney.Text the contract lawyer.
Come up with the terms.Pay the man.Chesney is worth every penny it’s going to take to keep him for years to come and cease speculation about him going this way or that — especially should the NFL come calling for a coach some have labeled the next Sean McVay.Nope.He’s the only Bob Chesney — and needs to be treated with the appropriate reverence.What’s Chesney done to deserve an extension after only five games? Have you been watching?This goes well beyond becoming the first coach in UCLA history to start 5-0 while putting the Bruins firmly in the running for the College Football Playoff in Year 1.
He’s infused belief, accountability and an insatiable desire for improvement into a program that’s long lacked those qualities.UCLA has a swagger.It has an identity.
It has an edge.Lest you didn’t see the Bruins prancing on the field before the fourth quarter Saturday at Autzen Stadium while the spiritless Oregon Ducks looked like they were headed for a wake.It turned out they were — their own.After guiding UCLA to a 17-15 triumph that represented its first win over the Ducks in Eugene since 2004 — and its first win over a ranked Oregon team on its home field ever — Chesney indicated that he’s not satisfied with his own unprecedented start.His message to his players?“It’s going to be it doesn’t matter, now we’ve got to get better,” Chesney said.“And how do we get better? We go back and we look back at the things we’ve got to fix.”Sure, these Bruins have issues.
Big ones.Nico Iamaleava has not resembled anything close to a top-tier qu...