Following the UCLA Bruins’ Week 1 victory over the Cal Bears, quarterback Nico Iamaleava awarded the new UCLA head coach the game ball for his efforts.
Despite the lopsided final score of 45-21, it was easily a game that the Bruins could have lost. The game was tied 21-21 entering the fourth quarter but it was UCLA who had more in the tank for the game’s final 15 minutes.
In the locker room, Iamaleava addressed the team following the win, with UCLA football sharing the footage on the team’s Twitter account.
“The man came in here and s**t shake, made us believe in something that we ain’t believe in before. First ball goes to Coach Ches.” Iamaleava, the team captain said.
Soon after the locker room broke out in song, with the team singing “It’s a great
day to be alive and be a Bruin” in unison to keep the celebration going.
The road will get tougher for UCLA as they enter Big Ten Conference action but Chesney passed his first test with flying colors, outwitting first-year Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi.
A lot of the difference in Saturday’s game came from James Madison transfers who followed Chesney to UCLA. Wide receiver Landon Ellis made a key block on Iamaleava’s touchdown run, running back Wayne Knight and defensive end Sahir West were giving the Cal offensive line fits late in the game.
It wasn’t just the JMU transfers either for the Bruins, linebacker Sammy Omosigho was everywhere for the UCLA defense, picking up a strip-sack and making 14 total tackles. Iowa State transfer Ta’Shawn James grabbed two second half interceptions to give UCLA the upper-hand late in the game.
Yes, it is just one win for the Bruins but it’s hard to not be excited about the future of the program with Chesney at the helm.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Bob Chesney awarded with the game ball after UCLA's Week 1 win
