Nico Iamaleava gave UCLA a reminder against Purdue that one hit can change everything.
Late in the third quarter, with 1:45 left in the period, the quarterback took the snap on third down and drifted to his right with pressure closing in. He was trying to find fifth-year senior Leland Smith downfield when Purdue linebacker Charles Correa arrived and finished the play with a jolt that left Iamaleava unable to brace for the fall. His right shoulder got jammed, and UCLA turned to his younger brother, Madden, to finish the quarter before Nico returned in the fourth.
That sequence put the Bruins’ backup situation in sharp focus, and it is why UCLA has spent time getting Madden Iamaleava and senior Calabasas native Ty Dieffenbach more comfortable in case the starter misses time again.
“(Madden) was out for a minute in the middle of camp, and so was Ty (Dieffenbach), and we are just trying to get them more reps as we are trying to go about everything,” UCLA coach Bob Chesney said. “I think they are doing a really good job.”
The depth chart behind Nico is still untested in a meaningful way. Madden Iamaleava went 0-for-1 in his lone series for UCLA and has not played a full game since his junior season at Long Beach Poly.
Dieffenbach’s most recent game action came at Cal Poly, where he finished 10 of 23 for 119 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while also rushing for 4 yards in a 35-27 loss at Northern Arizona on Nov. 15 last season. Before Cal Poly, he had transferred from Pitt and spent two seasons as a wide receiver.
Madden’s prep résumé includes a 7-for-11, 164-yard, one-touchdown performance against St. Bonaventure in a 24-21 loss, along with 3,626 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and four interceptions in 2024. Dieffenbach stands 6-foot-6.
For now, the expectation is that Nico Iamaleava will be back under center Saturday at 10:30 a.m. against Maryland. He was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice, and all signs point to him starting.
He was efficient in UCLA’s 52-38 win over Purdue, completing 19 of 31 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns.
Still, the question lingers: if Nico goes down again, what does the offense look like with Madden Iamaleava or Ty Dieffenbach running it?
“(Madden) has a really good arm and he can pull the ball down and run,” Chesney said. “So can Ty.
It’s a good 1-2 to have. We just have to make sure we do a good job of developing them.”
Iamaleava’s presence has also changed the way UCLA can operate on offense. His dual-threat ability gives the Bruins more room to work in the run game, and his decision-making has helped reduce sacks and turnovers while boosting production.
Through three games in 2026 against Cal, San Diego State, and Purdue, he has been sacked five times, intercepted twice and rushed for 141 yards. In UCLA’s first three games of 2025 against Utah, UNLV and New Mexico, the Bruins opened 0-3 while Iamaleava was sacked six times, intercepted three times and rushed for 159 yards.
Chesney’s arrival has also brought a different setup up front, including an upgraded offensive line led by James Madison transfers Riley Robell and Carter Sweazie.
Even with the backup concerns, Chesney doesn’t sound interested in shrinking Nico Iamaleava’s game. The quarterback has averaged 4.9 yards per carry, and his coach sees the running threat as part of what makes him hard to defend.
“A lot of times when he pulls it down and runs, that’s a pass play he can check out or throw away, but he sees something in the run game and wants to pull it down and run,” Chesney said. “I think that’s part of what makes him special.
That’s creating. A lot of quarterbacks move around in the pocket to throw and move around to throw it away.
He’s pretty special when he gets a chance to run. He’s just got to make sure he keeps himself safe.”
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