The UCLA Bruins got a somewhat surprising assist in their search for a new head coach from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
Roberts was an active part of UCLA’s coaching search and even spoke with several of the candidates, according to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. Roberts even took part in Zoom calls while the Dodgers’ playoff run was still ongoing.
Roberts, a UCLA alumnus, said he spoke with eventual hire Bob Chesney three times while the Bruins courted the coach, and they texted even more often than that.
“I just see him as a guy that failure’s not an option,” Roberts said. “He’s gonna win. I think I have a pretty good gut and read on people and I couldn’t have more conviction in coach Chesney.”
It is not terribly unusual for a school to lean on its alumni when making hires like this one. Roberts’ role seems to have been even bigger than that, and he basically did everything except join the search committee.
If the Bruins want to replicate a winner, they could do a lot worse than following Roberts’ lead. He has won three titles with the Dodgers, including two in a row in 2024 and 2025. He certainly has his critics, but the results ultimately speak for themselves.
