Finding a place McKibben could ‘enjoy and love’ was key in his college choice
Colton McKibben knows he only has so many games left in a Carlsbad jersey.
Maybe a month’s worth. Perhaps a little bit longer.
However long, he wants to make the most of it.
“Most people say that they enjoy high school football more than college football, so I’m just really trying to soak it all in,” the senior linebacker said after Friday’s 22-21 loss at Eldorado. “Me and my friends have been playing together since we were in middle school.”
Pretty soon, McKibben will be soaking in the California sun, its beaches and a few Los Angeles sites.
All as a backdrop, of course, to McKibben’s next stop. One that will have, yes, football at the forefront. At UCLA.
Rated a four-star recruit by both 247Sports and ESPN, the listed 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker committed to the Bruins in the spring. It won out among the 19 other FBS scholarship offers he held.
After an amazing journey, I’m blessed to say I’m committed to @UCLAFootball I wanna thank my family and coaches for everything. IM HOME!! @Coach_Sooto @JLDobbs5 @CoachBobChesney @CoachHitsch @CoachSooto @dyray22 @247Sports @Rivals @adamgorney @AllenTrieu pic.twitter.com/sXzRLlIKe7
— Colton mckibben (@COLTONMCKIBBEN9) April 6, 2026
“I went to all these other places — (Oklahoma), TCU, Texas Tech — and it was like a business,” McKibben said. “Like a real business. A lot of NIL. UCLA felt different. It felt like a small town that’s a big program, you know what I mean? And I need that connection. It can’t feel like a job every day. I want to go somewhere and enjoy and love it. That’s what they do (at UCLA).”
McKibben visited the Westwood-neighborhood campus twice.
He took an unofficial two-day visit in April when the Bruins were conducting spring practice. He went again for an official four-day look at the beginning of June.
Had an amazing OV! Great to be home. @UCLAFootball @Coach_Sooto @Coach_JDobbs @CoachBobChesney @CoachHitsch pic.twitter.com/plc7OmzLAC
— Colton mckibben (@COLTONMCKIBBEN9) June 11, 2026
Seeing where UCLA plays, getting a tour around the city and checking out Hollywood were key selling points. As was the school’s alumni network.
So was Bob Chesney.
It didn’t take McKibben long to buy into the first Bruins’ first-year coach. Not after seeing what he did with James Madison last season when he took the Dukes to the College Football Playoff. Certainly not after talking to and meeting him.
“I think what coach Chesney has been building and doing there is just awesome,” said McKibben, pointing to the program’s unbeaten start entering Saturday. “I’ve talked to him a lot and met him in person a couple of times. He’s like a father figure, and you see that when he talks to everybody.
“I’m really excited to be a part of that and have a chance at some early playing time.”
And what player doesn’t want that?
McKibben currently leads Carlsbad with 84 tackles, including the 13 he had at Eldorado, according to MaxPreps. He’s also recorded an interception.
“I’m always looking for ways to get better,” McKibben said. “And I think me moving up to the college level and being around the guys there who want to win and grind, it’s hard not to like.”
That’ll come after his final high school season comes to an end. Whatever date that may be.
Los Angeles is waiting soon enough.
“I’m excited to go out there,” McKibben said, “and expand my horizons.”
David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X @DavidGlovach.
Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.