New UCLA head coach Bob Chesney and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler have another familiar, major addition en route to Westwood.

Trent Hendrick, the former James Madison linebacker who was recently granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA to enter the transfer portal and return to college football, will rejoin his old coaches after committing to UCLA on Sunday, according to On3. He was last season’s Sun Belt defensive player of the year under Hitschler’s guidance and helped Chesney lead the Dukes to a spot in the College Football Playoff.

IT’S OUR BEST DEAL!!! 75% off your annual subscription to BRO as part of our season kickoff special!!! Join the No. 1 independent source on UCLA sports and recruiting just as football season gets ready to begin!! Get unmatched insider Bruin coverage on UCLA football, UCLA basketball, and recruiting for the equivalent of 8 cents a day, 57 cents a week, $2.50 a month, or $30 billed for the whole year!! There is no promo code required for this offer, just HIT THIS LINK now, and you’ll be good to go!! Act fast because this offer expires soon.!!!

Hendrick, who also strongly considered California and Virginia Tech, becomes the 11th ex-JMU player to follow a large chunk of the staff to UCLA. Hendrick’s representative, Zach Hoban, told Bruin Report Online after the news broke that his client boarded a flight to Los Angeles on Sunday morning.

While familiarity with the staff and defensive system were major factors, the Bruins also had to withstand bigger name, image and likeness offers and at least close the gap this week.

Hendrick, who was listed at 6-foot and 234 pounds last season, started 32 of 49 games for the Dukes over four years. In 2025, he collected 106 tackles — seven for a loss — with three sacks, three pass breakups and a pair of forced fumbles.

In the winter, UCLA brought in Oklahoma transfer linebacker Sammy Omosigho and ex-JMU teammate Drew Spinogatti. Inside linebacker was a position of need this offseason after the loss of the team’s two starters. JonJon Vaughns exhausted his eligibility and Isaiah Chisom transferred to Oklahoma State.

Vaughns and Chisom combined for 191 tackles on a porous defense that particularly struggled to stop the run, contain mobile quarterbacks and finish tackles. Opposing teams averaged 190.4 yards rushing per game against the Bruins, which was the second-worst mark in the 18-team Big Ten ahead of only Rutgers and 18th-worst nationally out of 134 FBS teams.

Jalen Woods is UCLA’s most experienced returner at the position, with three of his four career starts coming last season and 39 career appearances over his previous four years.

Hendrick’s path to UCLA

Two court rulings within the past month put the wheels in motion.

While the NCAA won an appeal of the initial ruling in Colorado that was supposed to make all 2022 high school graduates eligible for a fifth year of sports in college, Hendrick was one of 16 football players who were granted a separate TRO on Wednesday by a judge in Louisiana.

Even had the Colorado ruling been upheld, it was limited and did not allow Hendrick and others to enter the transfer portal to leave for another school after the judge issued a clarification. As of Sunday, the NCAA has not filed an appeal to the Louisiana ruling.