UCLA wide receiver Landon Ellis grew up in a town of just over 5,000 people.
After high school, he traded in his hometown of Orange, Va., for Richmond, where he played his first two years of college football.
While moving to the state’s capital increased his community almost 50-fold, the Spiders’ campus was located just under a 90-minute drive from Orange.
And even after Ellis transferred to James Madison following his sophomore season, he moved 23 miles closer to home.
So when Ellis decided to make his third change in four years, moving more than 2,500 miles away from his family to the opposite side of the country, it was a life-altering decision.
“I was a little homesick at first because both of my two schools before this were just an hour away from home, so I pretty much went home, could see my family whenever I wanted,” Ellis said. “They were always at the games.”
UCLA receiver Landon Ellis catches a touchdown pass in front of Jhase McMillan [23] and Curtis Gerrand [35] during the Bruins’ spring game on May 2.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
But Ellis was not alone in his coast-to-coast move.
Ten James Madison transfers had to make big adjustments when they traded Harrisonburg for Westwood.
The Dukes-turned-Bruins hail from 10 different cities across eight states. None of their hometowns are closer than 2,199 miles from UCLA’s campus, with the farthest 3,010 miles away.
On Sunday, one more former JMU star committed to joining the Bruins. Trent Hendrick, the 2025 Sun Belt defensive player of the year who was undrafted and unsigned after attending NFL rookie camps, committed to join the UCLA program after a Louisiana injunction granted last week cleared a pathway for him to resume his college football career.
With 62 new players before Hendrick’s arrival and a substantial contingent unfamiliar with Los Angeles, UCLA returners and Southern California natives have become tour guides, showing their new teammates around, giving them recommendations and ultimately easing the transition to the West Coast.
Senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava, a Long Beach native, has been instrumental in integrating to his new teammates into the area, including showing his lockermate, Ellis, where to go and where not to go.
Among the wide receivers, senior Mikey Matthews, an Irvine native, has served as Ellis’ direct guide and support system.
“I can’t even describe it. I go around with Mikey sometimes, and I’m starstruck by everything I see out here. It’s hilarious to go from country roads to this,” Ellis said. “Everything out here looks different, and it’s a new life, so getting to see new things. I’m really appreciative of the journey because without the sport, without Coach [Bob] Chesney and a whole bunch of other people, I wouldn’t be able to experience this and a lot of people don’t get to experience this.
”… If I was to sit here and be ungrateful for everything, then I’m being ungrateful to my mom who’s worked so hard for me, my dad, who’s worked so hard for me, my siblings, who’ve believed in me.”
James Madison defensive lineman Sahir West celebrates after play during the Sun Belt championship game on Dec. 5 in Harrisonburg, Va. West has transferred to UCLA.
(Robert Simmons / Associated Press)
Sahir West, a Baltimore native, was similarly anchored by gratitude throughout his move to UCLA.
The edge rusher out of Mount Saint Joseph High had two Power Four offers out of high school and even after Chesney took a chance on the unranked prospect from West Baltimore, West played just two games in his first year. But one season later, West became the Sun Belt Conference freshman of the year.
During the offseason, West had many transfer options, but ultimately decided to take the same leap of faith as Ellis.
“I’m so blessed to be here, and I’m taking all this in, and I’m just going to go out there and I’m going to play hard for the people who stuck their neck out for me and love me and give me wisdom,” West said.
When it came to the decision to move cross-country, some were driven by the opportunity to play Power Four football in the Big Ten and turn the UCLA program around, while others were propelled by comfort with the coaching staff that previously led their JMU team.
James Madison defensive back Derrick Barksdale looks up field during a game against Old Dominion on Oct. 18 in Harrisonburg, Va. Barksdale is one of 10 JMU players who transferred to UCLA.
(Mike Buscher / Associated Press)
At least, that was the case for 2025 third-team All-Sun Belt selection Derrick Barksdale.
“Just trying to find the place that’s best fit for me,” the senior defensive back said, when asked why he chose UCLA. “Being able to play under Coach Chesney again is definitely a blessing, and also Coach [Colin] Hitschler, being able to play in his defense again, where I was most comfortable, where I was making plays. So it’s basically just finding the best fit for me, and I felt like UCLA, following my head coach and my DC was the best fit.”
For fifth-year running back Wayne Knight, there was no hesitation whether he believed in Chesney and his ability to turn the tide in Westwood.
“I know he’s going to get it done because he got it done everywhere else, and he gets the right guys in the right places,” Knight said. “He’s got a lot of great players, but also a lot of great people on and off the field, and that’s a huge testament to who he is. His winning success and his winning culture, a lot of people buy into it. He’s the ultimate leader. He does everything the right way, and he gets it out of his players.”
Barksdale echoed Knight, adding that Chesney is not only bringing his staff and players with him, but his culture and expectations as well.
For West, Chesney’s most important asset is his personal values.
“You see how he treats his kids. You see how he treats people on the staff, how he talks to everybody,” West said. “He talks to everybody how you’re supposed to be talked to. He makes everybody feel wanted, and he’s genuine about that. I’ve talked with him one-on-one about certain things, and he’s the same person now and then. He’s somebody that I love, and someone I’d die for, truly.”
