We continue our USC Behind Enemy Lines serieswith UCLA Wire editor Dylan McNeill. Next question: Who is Bob Chesney's most important staff hire going into the coach's first season with the Bruins?
"The quickest way to start playing competitive football is having a strong defense, which makes new UCLA defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler the most important hire for Bob Chesney’s staff," McNeill told us. "Hitschler has had co-defensive coordinator experience at Alabama, Wisconsin, Cincinnati and with Chesney at James Madison. Hitschler has coached some strong defenses over the past few years and if that can continue in 2026, UCLA has a shot at playing winning football in the Big Ten this season."
It's hard to argue with McNeill's answer. When UCLA
was able to stand up to USC, it was because the Bruins had a physical, hard-nosed defense under then-coordinator D'Anton Lynn. When UCLA's defense was soft under other coordinators, the Bruins really didn't have a chance against the Trojans. Whether Colin Hitschler hits the mark as defensive coordinator is certainly a core variable for UCLA football this season. The Trojans hope he does as well as Alex Grinch did at USC. That would put the Men of Troy in position to run Los Angeles for many more years.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Behind Enemy Lines: Bob Chesney's most important UCLA staff hire
