Bob Chesney Lands Elite QB Recruit as UCLA's Breakout Season Continues

UCLA has been completely transformed under first-year head coach Bob Chesney. The Bruins went into Saturday's homecoming game against Michigan State with a perfect 6-0 record and sitting No. 9 in the AP Top 25, putting them firmly in the College Football Playoff picture. For a team that went just 3-9 a year ago, it's a fast start that would've been unimaginable a few months ago.

UCLA opened with wins over California and San Diego State, before putting up 52 points against Purdue and 54 against Maryland. Then they earned a hard-fought 17-15 road win over Oregon before beating Wisconsin 17-7 last weekend. That win over the Ducks marked the first time the Bruins had won at Autzen Stadium since 2004.

Chesney has brought renewed energy to Westwood, with a physical running game and a defense that continues to come up clutch in big moments. Now, UCLA has picked up a significant recruiting win too. On Saturday, top four-star quarterback Josiah Boyd officially committed to the Bruins, choosing Chesney's program over Oregon and Kentucky.

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Boyd is a 6-foot-4, 175-pound quarterback from Vista del Lago High School in Moreno Valley, California. He is a consensus four-star recruit in the 2028 class, ranked as the No. 2 quarterback prospect and No. 31 overall prospect in the country by Rivals. He's tracking to start all four years at Lago and has already produced over 7,000 yards of total offense and 75 total touchdowns, according to 247Sports.

"I’m excited to stay home ... UCLA has everything I was looking for. They’re rolling right now, they’re 6-0 and watching them this year, you can see what Coach Chesney is building," Boyd said of his decision. "His message all spring and summer was that they were going to build something special and turn the program around. A lot of coaches say that, but to actually see it firsthand and see how it’s all coming together really caught my attention. I really think this is just the beginning, and I’m very excited to be a part of that."

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Landing Boyd shows how much Chesney is shifting the perspective around this program. UCLA has quickly emerged as one of the premier teams in the Big Ten, and recruits are now taking notice. Keeping a local prospect in-state, and one of the country's most coveted quarterbacks, gives the Bruins an exciting building block as the program enjoys its best start in years.