New Bruins tight end Josh Phifer says the team has a JMUCLA feel

Can first-year head coach Bob Chesney really replicate the magic that he created at James Madison University with the UCLA Bruins? That’s become the expectation as Chesney has yet to scuffle so far in his NCAA coaching career.

To accomplish the feat, Chesney brought over many of his James Madison players through the transfer portal to UCLA. One of those players is tight end Josh Phifer, who spoke to California Post writer Ben Bolch about the similarities between JMU and UCLA.

“I was getting goosebumps,” Phifer said to Bolch. “Because I was like, holy s–t, it’s happening, I can feel it. … This almost feels like JMUCLA – it feels like the same thing except it’s beautiful every day, it’s 75 degrees and all that.”

Bruin fans would love for their football program to turn into JMUCLA, with Chesney leading the Dukes to a conference championship and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2025. Chesney has been laying the groundwork for a smooth transition, bringing over much of the roster, coaching staff and values to the Bruins‘ program.

Kicker Mateen Bhaghani spoke on the difference between last year’s UCLA program and what he has experienced so far this season, which has been a much more lively experience.

“Last year it was like you would walk into that locker room and sometimes it would be a ghost town,” Bhaghani said. “Because people would get in and get out because it wasn’t like a ‘let’s hang out’ type of deal, you know?” 

The season kicks off on Saturday, giving the Bruins their first chance to see if Chesney’s winning ways will translate out on the West Coast with UCLA.

This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: New Bruins tight end Josh Phifer says the team has a JMUCLA feel