UCLA coach Bob Chesney’s viral ‘burn the boats’ speech fuels Oregon upset

Bob Chesney might be the best leading man in Hollywood right now. 

Ahead of UCLA’s stunning 17-15 victory over Oregon on Saturday at Autzen Stadium, the Bruins’ first-year head coach delivered a pregame speech straight out of Al Pacino’s Any Given Sunday. 

He didn’t talk about “inches,” but with his undefeated players kneeling in the tunnel, ready to explode out onto the field, Chesney invoked Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortes and the legendary 1519 command to destroy his ships, eliminating any possibility of a retreat.

“Burn the f–king boats,” Chesney roared. “There is no way out. We can’t go that way. You gotta go through these motherf–kers.”

Then came the cinematic finishing touch. Chesney slipped on his black sunglasses, turned toward the field and marched his players into battle.

The footage has since gone viral, and the Bruins backed up their coach’s bravado.

UCLA dominated possession for 39 minutes, 15 seconds, forced seven turnovers and snapped a 22-year road losing streak against Oregon. Running back Wayne Knight rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown.

However, their victory came with a potentially devastating cost. 

Starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava suffered a knee injury that could end his season. Oregon defensive end Bear Alexander was seen punching toward Iamaleava during the play, yet Ducks coach Dan Lanning indicated Alexander would not be suspended for the incident.

That’s a troubling response to an incident involving an injured quarterback, regardless of the outcome.

Chesney, meanwhile, acknowledged UCLA’s mistakes, including turnovers and a blocked field goal and stated there’s still room for improvement.

The Bruins aren’t flawless, and losing Iamaleava could threaten their College Football Playoff ambitions.

But Chesney has already accomplished something remarkable: He’s made UCLA football look tough, fearless and relevant again.

The boats are burning. Now comes the harder part — keeping this dream season afloat.

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