How Bob Chesney has completely turned around UCLA

Just after 6 a.m. in Westwood, Bob Chesney is already energized, heading to the campus tennis stadium before the team's day begins. Thirteen months after UCLA started last season 0-3 and fired De Shaun Foster as head coach, the Bruins are 4-0 and ranked No. 21 in the nation under Chesney. The program is nearly unrecognizable from its previous iteration.

Chesney's morning team meeting, held at 7:15 a.m., sets the tone for the week. Players take notes while Chesney flips through slides of broad mantras and specific game-plan tasks. Position coaches follow with information and motivation, often delivered in expletive-laden language. Chesney pushes the message that players must commit fully to the standard they set, saying the team must make that standard unbreakable. His record of 136-52 overall and eight conference titles across five programs reflects that approach.

Longtime assistant Drew Canan, who has worked with Chesney since their 2014 staff at Assumption University, says there is no better person to change a culture. Canan recalls a spring practice where the energy and effort were impressive, and players seemed to embrace Chesney's vision. He compared the change to Chesney's earlier work at Holy Cross and James Madison.

The next challenge is Oregon, the toughest opponent UCLA has faced this season. Running backs coach A.J. Steward told his group to expect success, and the mood in the building reflects quiet confidence. With eight weeks left in the regular season, the Bruins are focused on maintaining their pace.

洛杉矶时间刚过早上6点，威斯伍德的天空还透着微弱的橘光，鲍勃·切斯尼已经精神饱满，准备前往校园网球场，球队的一天尚未开始。上赛季UCLA开局0-3，并解雇了主帅德沙恩·福斯特。十三个月后，在切斯尼的带领下，这支球队now战绩为4-0，并位列全国第21位。球队的面貌与之前相比几乎判若两队。

早上7点15分的全队晨会为一周定下基调。切斯尼一边翻看幻灯片，上面有宽泛的理念和具体的比赛计划任务，球员们边听边记笔记。随后各位位置教练依次讲解，内容既有信息也有激励，语言往往粗犷直接。切斯尼反复强调，球员必须全力以赴地坚持自己设定的标准，并表示球队必须让这一标准坚不可摧。他执教生涯在五支球队中取得136-52的总战绩，并拿下八次联盟冠军，正体现了这种理念的成效。

与切斯尼共事多年的老搭档德鲁·坎南表示，没有比他更适合改变球队文化的人。坎南回忆起春训时的一次训练，球员的投入与拼劲令人印象深刻，他们似乎真心认同切斯尼的理念。他还将此次转变与切斯尼早年在圣十字学院和詹姆斯麦迪逊大学的执教经历相提并论。

接下来的挑战是俄勒冈大学，这是UCLA本赛季遇到的最强对手。跑锋教练A.J.斯特沃德告诉球员们要有取胜的预期，整个训练馆里弥漫着沉稳的自信。常规赛还剩八周，球队正专注于保持当前的节奏。