Bob Chesney’s Rose Bowl debut shows UCLA football’s progress, imperfections

PASADENA — The belief UCLA players and fans have in football coach Bob Chesney is already becoming evident.

The results have been encouraging and imperfect all the same. Chesney, the 49-year-old from Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, is teaching UCLA how to win with his own blend of confidence, energy and small-town discipline.

Dancing between quarters on the sideline is encouraged, so long as it never gets in the way of the larger goal. The Bruins’ 28-10 victory over San Diego State had its share of blemishes, but those mistakes looked more like signs of a team learning how to win than reasons to doubt it.

Senior wide receiver Semaj Morgan, a Michigan transfer, embodied that energy while finishing with a game-high six receptions for 73 yards.

“It’s really easy,” Morgan said. “That’s just how we practice. At practice we have a ton of energy. It’s good on good, and we get each other ready.”

Senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava showed an ability to recover after throwing an interception from the San Diego State 2-yard line with 9:19 left in the second quarter. Iamaleava finished 14 of 22 for 151 yards and rushed for 57 yards.

That mix of backgrounds is reflected throughout UCLA’s roster.

Wayne Knight is among the former James Madison players who followed Chesney to Westwood and scored the first Rose Bowl touchdown of the Chesney era. Defensive lineman Sammy Omosigho came from Oklahoma. Fifth-year senior tight end Brayden Loftin delivered a key lead block on Knight’s first of three rushing touchdowns.

“There’s a lot of different people from a lot of different places and they all came here a reason which is to fight hard and win a championship,” Chesney said. “And that’s what we needed to do.”

Knight finished with 97 rushing yards on 13 carries for UCLA (2-0).

“It’s good to be home at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena,” Knight said. “Seeing those (fans) out there and it’s important. It’s going to grow, and we are only 2-0 right now. We’ll have the Rose Bowl packed up at the end of the year.”

UCLA’s defense also reflected that growing identity. The Bruins took a San Diego State offense that rushed for 237 yards in its opener and held it to 121 yards on 31 carries.

Senior linebacker Jalen Woods made nine tackles with a sack and capped his performance with a highlight-reel interception, reading a third-and-short screen pass and jumping it as the Rose Bowl erupted with Eight-Claps and cheers.

“Just go out and get better,” Woods said of Chesney’s message. “Being able to get out there and move on to the next opponent is very important.”

From central Pennsylvania to the Rose Bowl, Chesney is trying to restore stability and national relevance to a UCLA program that has cycled through coaches since Terry Donahue’s 20-year tenure ended after the 1995 season.

An announced crowd of 31,973 got its first Rose Bowl look at Chesney’s program Saturday.

John Mitchell, 53, of Newbury Park, saw both flaws and promise in what UCLA showed.

“It was a little bit of a slow start,” Mitchell said. “However, we turned it around at the end, and I was pleased with it.”

San Diego State coach Sean Lewis had also provided some pregame fuel earlier in the week.

“I’ll take me and mine against theirs, all their polos, all their khakis, all their resources, all that,” Lewis said. “Put the ball down. Let’s go play.”

Chesney’s response after the win was mostly a shrug. To him, those kinds of comments come with the territory.

“I couldn’t care less about the khaki comment,” Chesney said. “I’m sure I said a lot worse when I was coaching a team that’s a level above me. I’m sure he didn’t mean any major offense. It was a moment to get his team excited. That’s what happens when you’re in this type of market, and I remember myself playing a team like this. You say things that wouldn’t really matter in other weeks.”

Next comes UCLA’s Big Ten opener against Purdue. The Boilermakers lost 38-36 in double overtime to Wake Forest on Saturday and will visit the Rose Bowl next week as the Bruins try to carry Chesney’s early momentum into conference play.

At 2-0, UCLA hasn’t been perfect. But Chesney’s process-oriented approach has translated into victories. A year after the Bruins opened 0-3, that alone feels like progress.

The Bruins don’t believe they’ve peaked.