From Small Towns to Big Ten: JMU Transfers Navigate Life at UCLA

Landon Ellis grew up in Orange, Virginia, a place with about 5,000 people. He played two years at Richmond, then transferred to James Madison, moving closer to family. Now he's at UCLA, over 2,500 miles from home. That's a massive shift. He's not alone. Ten former Dukes made the same cross-country jump. They come from ten different cities across eight states. The closest hometown is still nearly 2,200 miles away. The farthest tops 3,000 miles.

Trent Hendrick just joined them. He was the Sun Belt defensive player of the year in 2025. He went undrafted, attended NFL rookie camps, then got a second chance thanks to a Louisiana court ruling. He's the latest addition to a roster that already added 62 new faces. Most have never seen Los Angeles. That's where the veterans step in. Senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava, a Long Beach local, plays tour guide. He shows his lockermate Ellis the ropes. Wide receiver Mikey Matthews, from Irvine, does the same for the receiving corps.

Ellis admits the culture shock is real. He goes from country roads to palm trees and freeways. He calls it hilarious and humbling. He stays grounded by thinking about his parents and siblings. They sacrificed plenty. Sahir West feels the same gratitude. He's from West Baltimore. Only two Power Four schools offered him out of high school. Chesney took a chance. West barely played his first year. Then he exploded, winning Sun Belt freshman of the year. He had other transfer options but chose UCLA anyway.

Why move so far? Some want a shot at the Big Ten. They want to help flip a program. Others trust the coaches who recruited them at JMU. That staff, led by Bob Chesney, followed them west. Familiar faces make a strange city feel less scary. Derrick, a third-team All-Sun Belt pick in 2025, felt that pull too. The move isn't just about football. It's about growth. These players are learning to navigate a new world, one block at a time.