UCLA football aims to become re-galvanized this fall. The Bruins officially turn to their fourth different head coaching leader since 2023, with Bob Chesney taking over. Turns out wide receiver Leland Smith already shares one thing in common with his newest college home in Westwood.
Smith himself is undergoing his own transitional period: Playing for his fourth different head coach at the college level.
The now former Purdue, San Jose State and one-time junior college transfer out of Fullerton College enters 2026 betting on himself again. He’s back in the Big Ten realm, but this time playing for a new regime aiming to reignite a once proud program.
The 6-foot-4 Smith peeled back the curtain on working with Chesney in an exclusive interview with Heavy as part of his partnership with World’s Finest Chocolate.
Leland Smith Shares if he Previously Knew Bob Chesney
Smith wasn’t in Westwood yet when Chesney landed the Bruins head coaching gig.
“I was in a spot where I was transferring over from San Jose State,” Smith confirmed.
Smith delivered career-best numbers of grabbing 43 passes, 688 yards and three touchdowns.
Smith felt energized about Chesney’s body of work from previous stops, notably James Madison University. Turns out he didn’t randomly appear on Chesney’s radar in the portal either.
“I was recruited by that staff at JMU, so I had a little bit of a relationship with them,” Smith revealed.
He dove into deeply understanding Chesney’s track record and culture building approach.
What Won Over Leland Smith About UCLA, Bob Chesney
The tall wideout became drawn to UCLA in learning more about Chesney’s vision.
“Understanding what his track record had been, plus him consistently winning everywhere he was at, it gave me the sense of ‘Ok, this is the spot I want to be,'” Smith said. “Just seeing the type of guy he was, plus his heart and character, he’s so genuine and real.”
From there, Smith hit film study hard in dissecting Chesney’s JMU offense to prepare for UCLA. Smith admittedly feels a deep connection inside the UCLA facility already.
Leland Smith NIL Deal Hits Home
Smith now navigates in a different college football world. One where the words “name, image and likeness” form the growing popular NIL term.
But his NIL deal with World’s Finest Chocolate hits home for him as he explained.
So he once sold the chocolate to help participate in youth choir in his hometown of Houston. Hence why the Houston native has partnered with World’s Finest Chocolate.
Smith believes selling World’s Finest Chocolate allowed him to communicate with others, set goals, plus learned to keep going when things weren’t easy.
“Those experiences built a resilience that stayed with me long after choir and carries onto the football field. Partnering with World’s Finest Chocolate holds a special place in my heart because I get to help today’s students discover what they can achieve through fundraising,” Smith said in a release.
Smith’s deal is part of the “Let Them Reign” campaign that promotes building confidence and entrepreneurial thinking. The promotional campaign can be found here.
New 6-foot-4 UCLA Playmaker Pulls Back Curtain on Building a Relationship with Bob Chesney