UCLA fans can breathe easy: Nico Iamaleava is staying in Westwood. After a season of uncertainty, coaching changes, and speculation about another transfer, the Bruins’ quarterback has re-signed for 2026, giving the program stability at its most important position. On Monday, Iamaleava made it official with a highlight reel on social media.

“NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Back with my brothers. Same vision. Same goals. Same grind. Locked in. Time to work! #UCLA,” read the caption.

While coaching transitions often lead to transfers, Iamaleava took a different path. Instead of seeking a new opportunity, he chose to stay and adapt to Bob Chesney’s system, following Chesney’s hiring to replace the fired DeShaun Foster. With Chesney now focused fully on UCLA after JMU’s College Football Playoff exit, Iamaleava’s decision underscores his commitment to the program and its future.

Staying gives Iamaleava another season to raise his draft stock and refine his game. Surely, he flashed brilliance in 2025, but a 3-9 record wasn’t enough to fully sell scouts on an NFL-ready resume. While one more year changes that equation, the decision also reshapes the narrative. Choosing to stay boosts his reputation for loyalty after facing criticism for leaving the Vols.

Despite a porous offensive line, Iamaleava carried the Bruins in both passing and rushing even after being sacked 27 times. While he was responsible for 17 of the team’s 24 TDs, he delivered the Bruins’ biggest plays when they needed them most. Iamaleava rushed for 505 yards and four scores, including a statement performance against PSU.

To cap it off, he passed for 1,928 yards and 13 TDs, showing growth from his Tennessee days. More importantly, the year before departing, Iamaleava quarterbacked the Vols to a CFP appearance in 2024. With that level of talent on display, while the QB’s play should help the Bruins take a step forward next season, Iamaleava treated this rocky year as “a great learning year.”

That mindset could pay off in a much bigger way moving forward. Now, as the QB prepares to do his part on the field, the new head coach is doing his own work, bringing in key staff pieces by tapping into connections from his former program.

Nico Iamaleava’s team gets its OC and DC

Bob Chesney isn’t starting from scratch at UCLA. The new head coach is hiring his top two lieutenants from JMU, naming Dean Kennedy as offensive coordinator and Colin Hitschler as defensive coordinator.

Both served under Chesney at James Madison, where continuity turned into history, including the program’s first-ever CFP appearance. While Kennedy arrives with four years of experience alongside Chesney and Power Four credentials from Florida and Mississippi State, Hitschler brings a defensive resume that spans Wisconsin, Alabama, and the NFL.

While Kennedy is known for creative, aggressive schemes, he engineered one of the nation’s most efficient offenses with the Dukes. On the flip side, Hitschler built a reputation for building physical units. Together, the duo designed top-ranked groups at JMU.

Top Stories

Chiefs Announce Relocation From Missouri to Kansas to Build New Stadium

Is Philip Rivers Catholic or Mormon? Religion, Ethnicity & More About Colts QB

Kansas City Mayor Sends Strong Message to Clark Hunt After Chiefs Confirm Arrowhead Exit

LIV Golf Issues Statement as Pro Announces Shock Retirement After Getting Relegated

DK Metcalf Awaits Huge Punishment From NFL After Controversial Incident vs Detroit Lions

Another Almost Fatal Disaster Surfaces From Statesville Airport Amidst Ongoing Greg Biffle’s Crash Investigation

Now, they’re tasked with reviving a UCLA program that badly needs direction, while Chesney is exporting the winning formula from his former team.