Nico Iamaleava enters his first season under Bob Chesney with a real chance to reset the conversation around his college career.
The redshirt junior quarterback was once one of the biggest names in the 2023 high school class, but the production has not matched the hype so far. He left California for Tennessee and Josh Heupel, then spent two years trying to find his footing. His first season as a starter fell short of expectations, and after a messy divorce from Tennessee, he hit the transfer portal and came back home to California to play for DeShaun Foster.
That return did not deliver the clean fresh start UCLA wanted. Foster was dismissed as head coach, and Iamaleava finished the year with 1,928 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Still, the outlook around him has shifted. With a new head coach, a new staff, and more help around him, Iamaleava is being viewed as a candidate for a bounce-back season. On3’s Ari Wasserman has already slotted him as a top 10 quarterback in the Big Ten, placing him ninth on a list that covers all 18 teams in the league.
He sits behind quarterbacks who have already built stronger college résumés, including Dante Moore from Oregon, Julian Sayin from Ohio State, Jayden Maiava from USC, and Demond Williams from Washington. But the list also leaves room for movement. A strong year could push Iamaleava past names such as Josh Hoover from Indiana, Rocco Becht from Penn State, Bryce Underwood from Michigan, and Malik Washington from Maryland.
UCLA’s new setup gives him a better foundation than he had a year ago. Chesney arrives with a staff that helped him win a Sun Belt Championship and reach the College Football Playoff at James Madison, and he brought over players from that program who can help right away.
The biggest lift may come on the ground. Last season, Iamaleava was the Bruins’ leading rusher with 505 yards, while redshirt senior Jalen Berger led the backfield with only 364 yards and two touchdowns.
That should change with Wayne Knight stepping in as the lead back. Knight followed Chesney from James Madison after carrying the ball 207 times for 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns for the Dukes.
The passing game should look different too. UCLA has rebuilt that group, and Leland Smith and Landon Ellis are expected to give Iamaleava an underrated receiving duo.
If the pieces come together, UCLA could become a dark horse in the conference, and Iamaleava could climb all the way into top-five territory among Big Ten quarterbacks.
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