UCLA’s 2026 hopes got a major boost when Nico Iamaleava announced his return to the Bruins for the next season. The sophomore QB was eyeing the 2026 NFL Draft but had a change of heart. That had a lot to do with who the program hired to coach the program. 

Nico Iamaleava revealed that the hiring of coach Bob Chesney weighed too heavily on the decision and expressed his excitement to work with a winner.

“Just looking at it from a different point of view,” said Nico Iamaleava on the December 23 episode of Bruin Report Online. “I obviously didn’t have the year I wanted to have, just as far as me, personally, and then for the team and everything we went through this past season. 

So I thought it was really important for me to come back, leave the place better than I found it. I think there’s a lot of stuff left on the table that was there last or this past year, and I really wanted to come back and give it another shot. I was following around on who was going to be the next coach heavy for sure. Just looking at it from a development standpoint. I wanted to make sure I was in the best position to be successful at the next level. Yeah, coach Chesney, definitely him coming from JMU, he’s a winner, and you can see that winning pedigree everywhere he’s been. So, that definitely played a huge part. I love what he’s about to do. I’m excited.”

Iamaleava’s unexpected transfer from Tennessee had all of college football baying for his blood. The only saving grace for the quarterback was that he was getting a chance to play closer to home. There was a big hype for the in-state five-star quarterback, but it didn’t turn out well. The Bruins, after a 0-4 start, fired their head coach, DeShaun Foster. Nico led UCLA, without a head coach, to a disappointing 3-9 season, marking the worst record since 2018.

Despite the school’s adversity, Nico brought real momentum with his powerful arm, mobility, and decision-making skills. He led the Bruins to win three straight games under the interim coach. One of those wins came against Penn State, where Iamaleava dismantled Jim Knowles’ defense.

Overall, he passed for just 1,928 yards and 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions, which is comparatively lower than his time at Tennessee. If he were to enter the 2026 NFL Draft at this stage, he would probably be a Day 3 prospect, per the scouting report.

Nico Iamaleava’s backup to enter the transfer portal

While Nico Iamaleava announced his return on Monday, his backup, Luke Duncan, left UCLA for the transfer portal. On3’s Pete Nakos announced on Tuesday, December 22, that Duncan has been planning to enter the transfer portal.

Duncan spent three seasons with the Bruins but saw barely any action in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He had his first collegiate start this year against Ohio State. He passed for 154 yards, completing 16 of 23 passes, and scoring a touchdown.

He played three games this season, replacing Iamaleava in the Michigan State and Washington games as a backup. In his limited time on the field, UCLA never really showed off Duncan’s arm. Graduating from Miramonte High School, the 6-foot-5, 195-pounder was a three-star prospect. He was projected as a Power 4 starter due to his pro-style QB body frame and consistent gameplay. However, Duncan didn’t stand out much at UCLA and got dumped in the depth chart.

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The QB already had offers from some big schools, including California, UNLV, San Jose State, and San Diego State.