Completed Event: Football versus Weber State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 45, to, 10
FB
Final
James Madison
45
vs Weber State
10
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Football
Chesney, Bob
Bob Chesney
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- 540-568-6517
- Physical Address:
- Plecker APC 224 (220 Champions Dr.) / MSC 2201
Bob Chesney was hired as James Madison's ninth head coach in the history of the JMU football program on December 7, 2023, being awarded a five-year contract to lead the Dukes.
Chesney completed his 15th year as a collegiate head coach in 2024, having now led programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III. He's won seven conference championships with a career record of 120-50 (.706).
In his first year at the helm of JMU, he guided the program to a 9-4 overall record and to its first bowl championship, winning the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl with a 27-17 triumph against Western Kentucky. He started the season with a 4-0 record, becoming the program's first head coach to win their first four games in their inaugural year. Following the conclusion of the season, Chesney was voted Virginia Sports Information Directors University Division Coach of the Year.
JMU produced one of the nation's top offenses and defense, ranking top 30 in both scoring categories. JMU ranked 21st in scoring defense (20.5) and 23rd in total defense (321.8) while ranking 26th in scoring offense (33.3).
The Dukes led the country in both turnover margin (1.54) and fewest interceptions thrown (4) while also ranking third in fewest turnovers (9), total takeaways (29) and pick-sixes (4). The four defensive scores overall also ranked fifth, while JMU was sixth in sacks (3.15) and fumble recoveries (12), seventh in both interceptions (17) and pass efficiency defense (111.48). JMU additionally ranked top 20 in the FBS in blocked kicks (3), third-down defense (32.3%), kickoff return average (24.67), tackles for loss (7.1) and blocked punts (1). JMU also led the Sun Belt in 15 separate categories and was second in 10 more.
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He coached two players to All-America status in Terrence Spence and Eric O'Neill while 13 total players were selected to the 2024 All-Sun Belt Team. JMU's season was highlighted early with a 70-50 win at North Carolina, which garnered the Dukes the National Team of the Week. It was the most points JMU has ever scored against an FBS opponent and set a Kenan Stadium record for points scored by an opponent in Chapel Hill.
Chesney joined James Madison after six seasons at Holy Cross (2018-23), guiding the Crusaders to unprecedented success with a program-record five consecutive Patriot League Championships since 2019 and an overall record of 44-21.
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In 2022, he led Holy Cross to its third undefeated regular season and an FCS quarterfinal berth for the first time in nearly 40 years, finishing #6 in the final AFCA Coaches Poll. HC’s stretch run from 2021-23 were the team’s best three-year run since the 1989-91 seasons, going 29-8.
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While at Holy Cross, Chesney recorded wins in back-to-back seasons against FBS opponents, defeating UConn, 38-28, in 2021 and Buffalo, 37-31, in 2022. During the 2023 campaign, the Crusaders dropped a pair of three-point contests to Boston College and Army West Point.
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His 2023 squad featured a pair of Walter Payton Award finalists in quarterback Matthew Sluka and receiver Jalen Coker and a Buck Buchanan Award finalist in Jacob Dobbs. Dobbs additionally was a finalist for the prestigious Campbell Trophy, while Sluka was voted Patriot League Player of the Year.
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Chesney is a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year (2019, 2021, 2022) and twice was named the New England Football Writers Coach of the Year (2021, 2022). He was additionally honored as the AFCA FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year following Holy Cross’ historic 2022 season.
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Prior to Holy Cross, he was head coach at Division II Assumption College, going 44-16 from 2013-17. A two-time Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, he led the Greyhounds to five straight winning seasons for a program that had posted just two winning records in the 17 years prior to his arrival. Chesney took Assumption to the NCAA Division II playoffs in each of his final three seasons, reaching the quarterfinal in 2017.
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He began his head coaching career at Division III Salve Regina, posting a 23-9 record in three seasons at the helm from 2010-12. Chesney rebuilt a Salve Regina program with three consecutive winning seasons after it had gone through eight straight losing seasons. In 2011, he guided Salve Regina to the ECAC North-West Bowl, and in his final season in 2012, his team reached the New England Football Conference championship game.
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Before becoming a head coach, Chesney had coaching stops as an assistant at Johns Hopkins (2005-09), King’s College (2003-04) Delaware Valley College (2002) and Norwich University (2000-01).
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A native of Kulpmont, Pa., Chesney was a four-year letterwinner as a defensive back at Dickinson College, where he earned his degree in 2000. He was a Second Team All-Centennial Conference selection in 1998 and 1997 and was the 1997 recipient of the team’s Vincent Correal MVP Award.
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Chesney and his wife Andrea have two daughters, Lyla and Hudson, and one son, Bo.
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Chesney completed his 15th year as a collegiate head coach in 2024, having now led programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III. He's won seven conference championships with a career record of 120-50 (.706).
In his first year at the helm of JMU, he guided the program to a 9-4 overall record and to its first bowl championship, winning the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl with a 27-17 triumph against Western Kentucky. He started the season with a 4-0 record, becoming the program's first head coach to win their first four games in their inaugural year. Following the conclusion of the season, Chesney was voted Virginia Sports Information Directors University Division Coach of the Year.
JMU produced one of the nation's top offenses and defense, ranking top 30 in both scoring categories. JMU ranked 21st in scoring defense (20.5) and 23rd in total defense (321.8) while ranking 26th in scoring offense (33.3).
The Dukes led the country in both turnover margin (1.54) and fewest interceptions thrown (4) while also ranking third in fewest turnovers (9), total takeaways (29) and pick-sixes (4). The four defensive scores overall also ranked fifth, while JMU was sixth in sacks (3.15) and fumble recoveries (12), seventh in both interceptions (17) and pass efficiency defense (111.48). JMU additionally ranked top 20 in the FBS in blocked kicks (3), third-down defense (32.3%), kickoff return average (24.67), tackles for loss (7.1) and blocked punts (1). JMU also led the Sun Belt in 15 separate categories and was second in 10 more.
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He coached two players to All-America status in Terrence Spence and Eric O'Neill while 13 total players were selected to the 2024 All-Sun Belt Team. JMU's season was highlighted early with a 70-50 win at North Carolina, which garnered the Dukes the National Team of the Week. It was the most points JMU has ever scored against an FBS opponent and set a Kenan Stadium record for points scored by an opponent in Chapel Hill.
Chesney joined James Madison after six seasons at Holy Cross (2018-23), guiding the Crusaders to unprecedented success with a program-record five consecutive Patriot League Championships since 2019 and an overall record of 44-21.
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In 2022, he led Holy Cross to its third undefeated regular season and an FCS quarterfinal berth for the first time in nearly 40 years, finishing #6 in the final AFCA Coaches Poll. HC’s stretch run from 2021-23 were the team’s best three-year run since the 1989-91 seasons, going 29-8.
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While at Holy Cross, Chesney recorded wins in back-to-back seasons against FBS opponents, defeating UConn, 38-28, in 2021 and Buffalo, 37-31, in 2022. During the 2023 campaign, the Crusaders dropped a pair of three-point contests to Boston College and Army West Point.
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His 2023 squad featured a pair of Walter Payton Award finalists in quarterback Matthew Sluka and receiver Jalen Coker and a Buck Buchanan Award finalist in Jacob Dobbs. Dobbs additionally was a finalist for the prestigious Campbell Trophy, while Sluka was voted Patriot League Player of the Year.
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Chesney is a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year (2019, 2021, 2022) and twice was named the New England Football Writers Coach of the Year (2021, 2022). He was additionally honored as the AFCA FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year following Holy Cross’ historic 2022 season.
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Prior to Holy Cross, he was head coach at Division II Assumption College, going 44-16 from 2013-17. A two-time Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, he led the Greyhounds to five straight winning seasons for a program that had posted just two winning records in the 17 years prior to his arrival. Chesney took Assumption to the NCAA Division II playoffs in each of his final three seasons, reaching the quarterfinal in 2017.
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He began his head coaching career at Division III Salve Regina, posting a 23-9 record in three seasons at the helm from 2010-12. Chesney rebuilt a Salve Regina program with three consecutive winning seasons after it had gone through eight straight losing seasons. In 2011, he guided Salve Regina to the ECAC North-West Bowl, and in his final season in 2012, his team reached the New England Football Conference championship game.
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Before becoming a head coach, Chesney had coaching stops as an assistant at Johns Hopkins (2005-09), King’s College (2003-04) Delaware Valley College (2002) and Norwich University (2000-01).
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A native of Kulpmont, Pa., Chesney was a four-year letterwinner as a defensive back at Dickinson College, where he earned his degree in 2000. He was a Second Team All-Centennial Conference selection in 1998 and 1997 and was the 1997 recipient of the team’s Vincent Correal MVP Award.
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Chesney and his wife Andrea have two daughters, Lyla and Hudson, and one son, Bo.
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| The Bob Chesney File |
|---|
| Birthdate | August 10, 1977 |
| Alma Mater | Dickinson '00 |
| Wife | Andrea Chesney |
| Children | Lyla, Hudson and Bo |
| Coaching Experience |
|---|
| 2000-2001 | Graduate Assistant, Norwich |
| 2002 | Defensive Coordinator, Delaware Valley |
| 2003-2004 | Special Teams, King's College |
| 2005-2006 | Special Teams/Defensive Backs, Johns Hopkins |
| 2007-2008 | Defensive Coordinator/Special Teams/Defensive Backs, Johns Hopkins |
| 2009 | Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Backs |
| 2010-2012 | Head Coach, Salve Regina |
| 2013-2017 | Head Coach, Assumption |
| 2018-2023 | Head Coach, Holy Cross |
| 2024-present | Head Coach, James Madison |
| Playing Experience |
|---|
| 1996-1999 | Defensive Back, Dickinson 1997 Vincent Correal MVP 1997 Second Team All-Centennial Conference 1998 Second Team All-Centennial Conference |
| Coaching Awards |
|---|
| 2015 | HERO Sports DII Coach of the Year Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year New England Writers DII/DIII Coach of the Year |
| 2017 | Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year |
| 2019 | Patriot League Coach of the Year |
| 2021 | Patriot League Coach of the Year New England Writers Coach of the Year |
| 2022 | AFCA FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year Patriot League Coach of the Year New England Writers Coach of the Year |
| 2024 | VaSID University Division Coach of the Year |
| Chesney Year-by-Year as Head Coach |
|---|
| All-Time Record | 120-50 (.706) - 15 seasons |
| 2010 | 6-4 (5-3, 3rd NEFC Boyd Division) |
| 2011 | 8-3 (6-2, 3rd NEFC Boyd Division) | Won ECAC Northwest Bowl |
| 2012 | 9-2 (7-1, 1st Boyd Division) | Final Ranking: 24 |
| Salve Regina Record | 23-9 (.719) - 3 seasons |
| 2013 | 6-5 (6-3, 4th Northeast-10) |
| 2014 | 7-4 (6-3, t-3rd Northeast-10) |
| 2015 | 11-2 (8-1, 1st Northeast-10) | NCAA Division II Second Round | Final Ranking: 17 |
| 2016 | 9-3 (8-1, 2nd Northeast-10) | NCAA Division II First Round | Final Ranking: 25 |
| 2017 | 11-2 (8-1, 1st Northeast-10) | NCAA Division II Quarterfinals | Final Ranking: 9 |
| Assumption Record | 44-16 (.733) - 5 seasons |
| 2018 | 5-6 (4-2, t-2nd Patriot League) |
| 2019 | 7-6 (5-1, 1st Patriot League) | FCS First Round |
| 2020-21 | 3-1 (2-0, 1st Patriot League) | FCS First Round | Final Ranking: 25 |
| 2021 | 10-3 (6-0, 1st Patriot League) | FCS Second Round | Final Ranking: 24 |
| 2022 | 12-1 (6-0, 1st Patriot League) | FCS Quarterfinals | Final Ranking: 6 |
| 2023 | 7-4 (5-1, t-1st Patriot League) | Final Ranking: 25 |
| Holy Cross Record | 44-21 (.677) - 6 seasons |
| 2024 | 9-4 (4-4, t-3rd Sun Belt East) | Boca Raton Bowl Champions |
| JMU Record | 9-4 (.692) - 1 season |
| Chesney Postseason, Team and Player Awards as a Head Coach |
|---|
| Bowl Championships | 1 (2024) |
| FBS All-Americans | 2 (2 in 2024) |
| FCS All-Americans | 11 (1 in 2021, 4 in 2022, 6 in 2023) |
| Conference Championships | 7 (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) |
| All-Sun Belt Selections | 13 (13 in 2024) |
| NCAA FCS Playoffs Berths | 4 (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022) |
| NCAA Division II Playoffs Berths | 3 (2015, 2016, 2017) |
| NCAA Division III Bowls | 1 (2011 ECAC Northwest) |
| Top-25 National Ranking Finishes | 8 (1 at Salve Regina, 3 at Assumption, 4 at Holy Cross) |
| FCS Walter Payton Award Finalists | 3 (1 in 2022, 2 in 2023) |
| FCS Buck Buchanan Award Finalists | 4 (3 at JMU, 1 at Elon) |
| College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans | 2 (Jacob Dobbs '24 at JMU and '23 at Holy Cross) |
| Comeback Player of the Year Honorees | 1 (Jacob Dobbs in 2023) |
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