A rookie head coach. A program desperate for wins. That was UCLA in 2024. DeShaun Foster went 5-7 as a first-time head coach. But with a new season comes new opportunities to rewrite his chapter. And one of them was snagging Nico Iamaleava, former Tennessee’s playoff QB. “I love how humble he is,” the HC said. “He’s always in there acting like one of the regular guys, like he’s been here the whole time.” He’s become everyone’s obsession, now that the season’s looming. But if the season doesn’t go as planned, who does he have behind his back to carry the load? 

DeShaun Foster didn’t flinch when asked who was standing behind Nico Iamaleava in the depth chart. “It’s still up for grabs,” he told The Orange County Register on August 20. “I don’t want to say that somebody has taken a step forward, but I think that [redshirt sophomore Luke Duncan] is trying to take advantage of these opportunities. I would say [redshirt sophomore Pierce Clarkson] is doing the same thing.” This isn’t an easy job to hope for because the backup QB is one rolled ankle away from becoming the most important man in the stadium. So let’s size up the contenders. 

Pierce Clarkson is a SoCal kid who boomeranged his way back from Ole Miss after realizing Lane Kiffin wasn’t exactly handing out snaps. He might’ve been the No. 128 QB in the transfer portal, but his St. John Bosco roots and 4-star pedigree still carry weight. Then there’s Luke Duncan, the returnee who backed up Ethan Garbers last year but never saw the field. Once penciled in as the guy, he now has to live with the fact that Nico Iamaleava’s shadow stretches so long. Both are hungry, but neither has separated yet. And then there’s the wild card. 

Family ties. Freshman Madden Iamaleava, Nico Iamaleava’s younger brother, followed him west after a short Arkansas detour. Madden is a 4-star in his own right, but unless DeShaun Foster feels like rolling the dice with a true freshman, little brother is more redshirt insurance than real threat. Toss in Henry Hasselbeck, the son of NFL bloodlines who stuck around through the portal storm, and you’ve got four names fighting for one ‘just in case’ role. It’s the most important question no one in Westwood wants answered until it’s absolutely necessary. And if the QB depth chart wasn’t enough intrigue, the WRs just threw another wrench into the mix.

Nico Iamaleava’s WRs hit by uncertainty 

Practice this week saw Kwazi Gilmer and Mikey Matthews standing in sweats, not pads. DeShaun Foster chalked it up to rest and monitoring devices. No need to panic, he says, but fans saw a thin WR room getting even thinner. Add in the legal block that shut down transfer receiver Kaedin Robinson’s eligibility, and suddenly UCLA’s offense feels like it’s held together with athletic tape and optimism.

DeShaun Foster didn’t blink when asked if losing receivers would change his plans. “It’s not changing anything,” he said. “He hasn’t been here. There isn’t anything to change.” Which right now means Ezavier Staples (one career catch) and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (294 yards last year) should get familiar with Nico Iamaleava’s spiral fast.

UCLA’s opener against Utah at the Rose Bowl on August 30 isn’t a cupcake. It’s a Big Ten bruiser. And if DeShaun Foster’s Bruins are serious about shaking off mediocrity, they’ll need more than just Nico Iamaleava’s rocket arm. They’ll need a backup plan that doesn’t feel like panic, and WRs who can actually line up on Saturdays.