JMU football head coach Bob Chesney is leaving to take the same job at UCLA, according to reports.

He’ll leave JMU after two successful seasons in Harrisonburg, and the Dukes will receive a $1.25 million buyout from UCLA.

The Dukes are 11-1 this fall and have locked up a spot in the Sun Belt Championship, which they’ll host on Friday against Troy. Their only loss was a competitive defeat at Louisville.

In 2024, Chesney led JMU to a 9-4 record that included the first bowl win in program history and a 70-50 victory over North Carolina. Chesney rebuilt the 2024 roster using the transfer portal, as the Dukes lost some of their top players to Indiana alongside coach Curt Cignetti. He did so admirably, although JMU went just 4-4 in league games.

Prior to coming to JMU, Chesney won over 100 career games between stops at Salve Regina, Assumption, and Holy Cross.

Chesney’s departure means athletic director Matt Roan will have to make his first significant coaching hire with JMU. It’s likely Chesney and other programs will gut the Dukes’ roster and 2026 recruiting class, meaning whoever Roan hires will need to use the transfer portal well to rebuild the team for the 2026 season.

Possible candidates to replace Chesney include JMU’s current defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, JMU alumnus and Southern Utah head coach DeLane Fitzgerald, Navy offensive coordinator Drew Cronic, Harvard head coach Andrew Aurich, Lehigh head coach Kevin Cahill, and Mercer head coach Mike Jacobs.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications