Chesney's new-age vibe fresh

Another coach has wandered into Westwood saying he'll awaken the Sleeping Giant.

- DYLAN HERNÁNDEZ

Bob Chesney has a welcoming demeanor. He articulates his thoughts well. And if the people who hired him are right, the small-school wonder will be a transformative figure in Los Angeles sports.

Officially introduced on Tuesday as UCLA's new football coach, the 48-year-old Chesney has a new-age vibe about him. His opening remarks lasted about seven minutes and he answered questions for nearly 30 more, but that wasn't enough to tell whether he'll be another Sean McVay or another Brandon Staley.

Here's the more important question: Does it matter? The Sleeping Giant of a football program has been hibernating for so long that no one can be certain it's still hibernating.

The Sleeping Giant could be a Dead Giant.

Bob Toledo couldn't build a consistent winner at UCLA. Rick Neuheisel, Jim Mora and Chip Kelly couldn't either.

None of them were able to build a nationally relevant program by leveraging UCLA's numerous advantages the high-profile conferences in which its teams competed, the second-largest media market in the country, the school's academic reputation, the Southern California weather.

At some point, it's only natural to wonder if the problem was the school or its strict admission standards rather than the coaches.

Chesney obviously doesn't think so, and he's now the leader of a broader mission to prove that football can matter at UCLA.