Building a football team is a long process and new UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney is well aware of that. Chesney is also aware of the fact that development in practice isn’t always linear.
During Chesney’s media availability on Tuesday, Chesney discussed the battles that teams go through as they’re getting back accustomed to the spring practice schedule.
“I told them (the team) before, practice six is usually when it dips a little bit. And I thought on defense we did not, on offense we probably slowed down a little bit,” Chesney said of practice intensity. “I didn’t feel a dip from the group, which was great, but usually right about now is when that starts to happen.”
Chesney identified practices 6-8 in the spring as when teams can have their focus drift. According to Chesney, that drift doesn’t always last long, with teams usually being able to lock back in shortly after.
“I thought they did a good job today. Not a great job but you’re going to have those days,” Chesney said. “It’s just the nature of the beast, right? And I thought our guys fought through it really hard today and put themselves in a good spot. I didn’t see any steps backwards from anybody today.”
UCLA is looking to rise from the ashes under Chesney. The Bruins had a pitiful 2025 season where they went 3-9 and were stomped out against every quality Big Ten team they faced. There will be slower days, and weeks, as the new-look UCLA Bruins looks to regain its status as a legitimate threat but until then, it’s all about the process.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Bob Chesney knows there will be lulls during UCLA’s program comeback
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
