UCLA football will not play its first 2026 campaign until Sep 5 against California. But that does not mean there are not positional battles occurring across the gridiron.

UCLA football will not play its first game of the 2026 campaign until Sept. 5 against California. But that does not mean there are not positional battles across the gridiron.

This post was updated May 13 at 3:08 p.m.
The transfer portal is a never-ending cycle. A large chunk of players leave, while typically a solid contingent stays as the ever-swinging door of the portal goes back and forth.

The Chesney Train left the station Dec. 9.
[Related: UCLA introduces Bob Chesney as head football coach, instills hope in Bruin community]
And the locomotive has been gaining speed since he stepped foot in Westwood.

This post was updated April 28 at 10:46 p.m.
Specialization is a natural byproduct of football.
Most players play on one side of the ball – offense or defense.

Bob Chesney said his team was in “win now” mode.
In fact, at halftime of the UCLA men’s basketball game against Indiana on Jan. 31, the football head coach went as far as saying that the team would hang a Big Ten championship banner.

The 2026 NFL Draft began Thursday, with NFL teams choosing from the cream of the crop and taking their first-round picks. While no Bruins were drafted on Day 1, six more rounds remain, giving the draft-eligible UCLA football players more chances to achieve their professional aspirations.

“Energy” seemed to be the buzzword Thursday.
Goal-line drills took center stage at UCLA football’s 10th spring practice.
Red zone situations commonly turn into trench battles, and the exercise quickly became a war between the offense and the defense.

This post was updated April 19 at 8:32 p.m.
Opportunity.
It is what brought coach Bob Chesney from James Madison – a program he took to its first-ever College Football Playoff – to UCLA.

UCLA men’s basketball may have seen its season end on March 22, but the 2026-27 season has already begun, as coach Mick Cronin turns to the transfer portal to retool his squad after the graduation of eight players from this season’s team.