UCLA football head coach Bob Chesney relocated part of the team’s preseason training camp to the Great Park Sports Complex in Irvine, California, marking the program’s first off-campus preseason camp in recent years. The week-long session, which began Tuesday, is designed to simulate road-game conditions and strengthen team cohesion before the 2026 season.
Chesney emphasized the camp’s dual purpose: reinforcing systems and fostering connectivity among players. "This was a big part of it, was us continuing to build connectivity, reteach our systems and then continue to develop on a day-to-day basis," he said. "And that’s ultimately what camp is about. Being away, sharing a hotel with everybody, being in an outside area. It helps quite a bit."
Off-Day Activities Focus on Team Bonding
On Wednesday, the Bruins observed a scheduled day off, which included a beach cookout sponsored by the Newport Rib Company at Newport Beach. Chesney described the day as intentionally free of meetings or obligations to allow players to relax and socialize. "They get to sleep in a little bit tomorrow, and then we head down to the beach and have a cookout out there… When that’s done, come back, hang out by the pool. There’s no meetings. There’s nothing tomorrow. It’s truly a day off, so there’ll be a lot of time to get a chance to spend together."
Strategic Move to Prepare for Road Games
Chesney, entering his first season as UCLA’s head coach, has structured the camp to expose players to unfamiliar environments. The Irvine location was selected for its proximity to a hotel and its facilities, including fields used by the U.S. men’s national team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The move aligns with Chesney’s broader emphasis on competition and player evaluation, including grading systems and high-pressure drills.
"He wants to throw his players into the fire," reported one outlet, noting that the camp’s structure mirrors the challenges of away games or postseason bowl environments. UCLA has not participated in a bowl game since the 2023 season, and Chesney has framed the camp as a step toward building the discipline and adaptability needed for postseason success.
Background: Chesney’s Coaching Transition
Chesney arrives at UCLA after leading James Madison University to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance last season. His staff evaluated multiple potential camp locations, including junior college and high school fields, before selecting Irvine. The off-campus setting is intended to replicate the logistical and psychological demands of road trips, where teams often face travel fatigue, unfamiliar locker rooms, and heightened opponent preparation.
The Great Park Sports Complex, which served as the U.S. men’s national team’s training base during the 2026 World Cup, provides a professional-grade environment for the Bruins. Chesney’s approach reflects a broader trend among college football programs to use preseason camps to simulate real-game stressors, though UCLA’s first off-campus camp in recent memory underscores the novelty of this strategy for the program.