September is rolling in, and there’s a full slate of UCLA recruiting action worth tracking this week. The biggest draw is a pair of Bruins commits going at each other, but there’s also a chance to check in on a top quarterback target, a few high-level national matchups, and one running back who may have already stolen the show once.
The cleanest head-to-head on the board comes in Tustin’s matchup with Long Beach Poly, where UCLA commits Khalil Terry and JuJu Johnson will share the field. Terry should get chances to test Johnson when the Jackrabbit lines up at receiver, while Johnson will have a different kind of challenge waiting on the other side in 2028 four-star wideout and major UCLA target Hayden Koo. Johnson is set for plenty of work against quality competition, and this one offers a little bit of everything: one future Bruin facing another, with a coveted target thrown into the mix too.
Another name to keep on the radar is Duece Jones-Drew, who is coming off a senior-season debut that was hard to ignore. The De La Salle running back scored three touchdowns last week, with two on the ground and one through the air, and now he gets Cardinal Newman on Friday evening.
I’ll be there in person to see the legacy back again, and this won’t even be my first time watching him play. That first look came in October 2024, when De La Salle beat the NFL Academy 31-9 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Jones-Drew was still a sophomore then; now he’s a senior and a UCLA commit, and the question is whether he can follow that opening act with another big one.
At quarterback, the Bruins’ top 2028 priority remains Josiah Boyd, and his junior season is off to a strong enough start to merit a closer look. Vista del Lago sits at 1-1, and Boyd has completed 67.6% of his passes for 486 yards, five touchdowns and one interception, along with 50 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
The season opened with a 49-20 win over Silverado before last week’s 34-20 loss to Hillcrest. His next chance comes Thursday night against Valley View.
Mater Dei also deserves attention this week, especially with linebacker Mike Davis Jr. and defensive lineman Montana Toilolo both committed to UCLA. When those two are on the same roster, it’s worth watching every time out.
This week’s opponent, Valor Christian from Colorado, brings a loaded offense into town. The Eagles are led by 2028 quarterback and UCLA target Titus Huard, the No. 1 player in Colorado, and they also feature Washington commit Reis Russell, Davis Moon and Notre Dame-committed receiver Jackson Coleman.
That gives Toilolo and Davis Jr. a serious test, which is exactly why this one stands out.
And then there’s Richland running back All Gibson, who quietly put up a big line last week with 14 carries for 132 yards and two touchdowns. That performance may have even been more eye-catching than Jones-Drew’s opener.
Richland heads to Haltom on Friday night, and Gibson gets another chance to back it up. Based on what he just did, that wouldn’t be much of a surprise.
In Other News...
UCLAs Newcomers Could Force A Real Mick Cronin Debate
Mick Cronin has never been shy about leaning into a slower, defense-first identity, and that approach has helped define UCLA basketball under his watch. But with a wave of newcomers arriving from programs that played at a quicker tempo, the fit is suddenly worth a closer look. These transfers are used to getting out in space, pushing the ball and making decisions on the move, and that naturally raises the question of whether a more deliberate pace best serves this group.
Cronins style has obvious merits, and there are plenty of successful teams that have thrived without playing fast. Still, UCLAs current roster may not be built exactly for the same formula that has worked elsewhere in the past. The real debate is not whether Cronins system can win, but whether it can unlock the full range of what these newcomers already do well, which is the conversation that will follow this team deep into the season. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Opens With One Huge Test For Nico Iamaleava
UCLA opens its season with a trip to California Memorial Stadium, and there is no easing into September for a roster that looks far different from the one that finished last year. Cal is in the same boat, which only adds to the uncertainty around a meeting that figures to be close and hard to handicap, with both sides bringing plenty of new faces and fresh expectations into the first week.
For the Bruins, the attention naturally turns to Nico Iamaleava in a game that should tell a lot about how quickly UCLA can settle in under new leadership. Across the field, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele gives Cal its own quarterback storyline, and with so much turnover on both sidelines, this one feels like the kind of opener where every possession may matter a little more than usual. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Week 1 Test Could Reveal A Lot About Nico Iamaleava
UCLAs first weekend in the spotlight comes with a real test, and it starts on the other side of the ball. Cal brings back a quarterback in Sagapolutele who already showed he can handle Big Ten-caliber pressure as a freshman, and that gives the Bruins an early read on how sturdy their defense can be when the game begins to tilt toward a passing contest.
Just as important, the opener should say plenty about Nico Iamaleava, who will be operating behind a reworked attack and against a defense that figures to make him earn every clean pocket. UCLA wants a more balanced answer on offense, but this matchup may quickly become less about the plan on paper and more about how Iamaleava handles disruption when Cal starts forcing him to make plays under stress. [Read more 🡒]