As UCLA prepares for its first Big Ten road trip of the season, an offer to a top-100 national recruit in the state of Maryland is either a convenient coincidence or a clever tactic ahead of Saturday’s contest against the Terrapins.
But for Olney (Md.) Good Counsel four-star interior offensive lineman Josiah Eney, the FaceTime call from head coach Bob Chesney and offensive line coach Chris Smith came with a surprise twist. Neither of them formally made the offer — Los Angeles Dodgers manager and UCLA product Dave Roberts, a friend of Eney’s family, was given the honor.
“They gave him permission to offer me and when he did it was an insane feeling,” Eney told Bruin Report Online. “Dave is a family friend of mine so that really meant a lot to hear that from him! I definitely want to make it out to L.A. for a game this year and I think it will happen as I actually used to live in California.”
Eney previously lived in Oakland and said he would make frequent trips to Southern California for basketball tournaments.
Dave Roberts continues to provide UCLA football big assist
It’s far from the first time Roberts has helped out Chesney since his hire last December. Oddly enough, Roberts, who was in the middle of a World Series playoff run, played a major part in the coaching search interview process that pulled Chesney away from James Madison.
Since then, Roberts assisted the Bruins’ football program — including the use of Dodger Stadium and meeting with recruits — during the late spring round of official visits.
To now reach out to Roberts once more, and do so with a recruit he’s already personally familiar with, is another feather in the cap to Chesney and the staff’s research and preparation.
As UCLA now prepares to leave Thursday for Maryland, it will be interesting to see if anyone on the staff makes the extra 2-hour drive Friday to watch Eney and Good Counsel’s road contest at Malvern (Pa.) Malvern Prep.
Eney makes big leap in Rivals300
Earlier Tuesday, the Rivals300 rankings update for the 2028 class was unveiled and the 6-foot-5, 300-pounder landed at No. 92 overall. Eney, who was not ranked in the previous May update, was named one of the biggest risers.
Rivals now has Eney ranked No. 3 overall in Maryland and No. 5 at his position nationally.
Other offers include Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, N.C. State, Nebraska, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and Washington. Eney said UCLA is now in a favorable spot.
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