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By Tyler Erzberger
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Currently in Los Angeles, it’s hard to get attention in the sports world.
Luka and LeBron are on the Lakers. Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers just went back-to-back. The Rams and Chargers are both in the NFL playoffs.
UCLA, though, after starting the year looking like the worst team in all of college football, believes it is on the ascent back up the L.A. sports hierarchy with its recent hiring of James Madison Dukes guru Bob Chesney.
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Chesney and newly hired offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy believe they can orchestrate an offense that can bring the Bruins back into relevance across the college football landscape.
The first goal was to keep former five-star recruit Nico Iamaleava in Los Angeles instead of transferring or trying to make the jump to the pros. They did that, and they’ll have their dual-threat playmaker under center for 2026.
As other James Madison players from Chesney’s spirited College Football Playoff run have joined the team over the past week, he landed one of his top stars on Wednesday to continue building the Bruins’ attack force.
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Running back Wayne Knight went from a nobody to a somebody into a full-fledged star this most-recent campaign, rushing for 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns.
Over his first three seasons with the Dukes, he totaled fewer than 500 yards and only a pair of touchdowns.
It wasn’t only his legs that did work for James Madison, as he was also lethal with his hands, adding another 397 yards through his receptions.
In a difficult Big Ten, Chesney won’t have the luxury of starting slow and building over a half-decade, as he will be expected to show improvement following a 3-9 season. The previous season featured some massive highs, like taking down then-ranked Penn State, but overall, it was mostly a forgettable experience.
Chesney still has work to do with a little over a week left in the transfer window, but the signing of Knight solidifies one important starting position taken care of in 2026.
The transfer portal officially closes on Jan. 16, 2026.
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