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UCLA star Wayne Knight never lost faith in himself amid a long journey to Westwood

Wayne Knight is among the breakout stars on the 6-0 UCLA football team, but his journey to success with the No. 9 Bruins was far from easy.

By Connor Dullinger · LA Times

Published: Friday, 23 October 2026 at 8:22 PM

Key Things to Know

Wayne Knight overcame being an unranked high school recruit to become a breakout star for No. 9 UCLA.
Knight received his only FBS offer from James Madison just days before national signing day.
He briefly entered the transfer portal before returning to JMU under head coach Bob Chesney.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Wayne Knight has emerged as a breakout star for the undefeated No. 9 UCLA Bruins after navigating an arduous path through college football. Despite dominating Delaware high school football at Smyrna High, Knight initially had zero FBS scholarship offers before landing late at James Madison University under Curt Cignetti.

After almost leaving JMU due to limited playing time, Knight reconnected with incoming head coach Bob Chesney, eventually rushing for 1,373 yards in 2025 before transferring alongside Chesney to UCLA's high-powered Big Ten offense.

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UCLA star Wayne Knight never lost faith in himself amid a long journey to Westwood

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