UCLA fired coach DeShaun Foster after a winless start to his second season on Sunday, a few days after a deflating 35-10 loss to New Mexico raised questions from decision-makers on how the program could progress forward under his watch. Offensive line issues, schematic disfunction and lackluster quarterback play from Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava highlight the litany of struggles the Bruins have endured this fall prior to the start of Big Ten play.
Iamaleava, who’s thrown for 607 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions through three starts, hasn’t looked comfortable at his new program after leaving the SEC for his native West Coast this spring.
And now Iamaleava and the rest of UCLA’s roster have a decision to make following this regime change. Given the timing of this early-season firing, UCLA players will be eligible to enter the transfer portal within a 30-day window beginning Monday.
Since the Bruins have only played three games this season, they would each be eligible to take a redshirt in 2025. The top-rated transfer in the 2025 recruiting cycle per 247Sports, Iamaleava is a former five-star prospect who initially redshirted at Tennessee before starring last season for the Vols.
Tennessee parted ways with Iamaleava during the spring amid a contract dispute ahead of his redshirt sophomore season. From the Iamaleava camp, there were concerns the Vols didn’t add enough talent in the transfer portal around him this offseason. Ironically, Iamaleava reportedly had some of the same worries prior to signing with the Bruins.
Before Iamaleava made it official, his team wanted to know what UCLA was doing to surround him with playmakers.
“During that time, Iamaleava’s camp was doing its due diligence on what life would be like with the Bruins,” CBS Sports’ John Talty and Chris Hummer reported before the season. “They had questions about UCLA’s O-line and wide receiver depth chart after a member of the camp attended a practice, mirroring their concerns about what they left behind in Knoxville.”
If Iamaleava chooses to leave Los Angeles for his third collegiate program, these same questions will be taken into consideration along with looking at the expected 2026 depth chart at respective potential destinations.
After taking a pay cut to sign with the Bruins, Iamaleava may suffer another decreased NIL package at his next stop given the baggage and hiccup in development this season.
Iamaleava’s topsy-turvy timeline
April 12, 2025: Tennessee holds its spring game without Iamaleava, a couple days after the breakup spilled onto social media and NIL contract negotiations went public. Heupel addressed his quarterback’s departure for the first time, saying “no one’s bigger than the program” and attributing the move to the “state of college football” in 2025.
April 20: Iamaleava signs with UCLA, leading to immediate expectations from those around the program that the Bruins were in for marked improvements during the 2025 season. After failing to get to a bowl game in Foster’s first campaign, the low-end expectations for at UCLA was to get to bowl eligibility with its new quarterback.
April 21: Joey Aguilar enters the transfer portal at UCLA just a few months after departing Appalachian State for an opportunity at the Big Ten program. It was a first of its kind “quarterback trade” of sorts in college football with both programs wondering how it would work out for each after swapping signal callers.
July 24: Iamaleava breaks his silence on leaving Tennessee at Big Ten Media Days, saying he did not leave the Vols for money. He cited it being a family decision and being closer to loved ones, downplaying controversial speculation relating to a contract dispute in the SEC. The family note makes sense from Iamaleava, considering UCLA was coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign under Foster without many well-know impact players returning.
Aug. 17: Josh Heupel names Aguilar his starting quarterback at Tennessee after the transfer beat out redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger early in fall campaign.
Aug. 30: Iamaleava’s debut goes south in a hurry for the Bruins during a 43-10 loss to Utah. Iamaleava finished 11 of 22 for 136 yards with one touchdown and one interception and was sacked four times. The following afternoon, Aguilar turned heads in his debut for the Vols during Tennessee’s win over Syracuse in Atlanta.
Sept. 6: UCLA takes another loss on the chin against first-year UNLV coach Dan Mullen and the Rebels, further putting Foster and Iamaleava under the microscope in the early going. UCLA previously signed Foster on a relative bargain, making him just the 58th-highest-paid coach among those at public schools in Year 1, according to the USA Today salary database, and the fourth-lowest-paid coach at the Power Four level.
Sept 13: Aguilar throws for 371 yards and four touchdowns against Georgia as Tennessee nearly snaps an eight-game losing skid to Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs. Tennessee sources told CBS Sports before the game that Aguilar was “more charismatic” than Iamaleava and his relationship with teammates has been ideal since he stepped on campus.
Sept. 14: The Bruins move on from Foster, firing the second-year coach just 15 games into his tenure. That leaves Iamaleava with a decision to make about his playing future and where.
Read the full article here
