DeShaun Foster’s UCLA Bruins had gone through a lot of wear and tear. Thanks to the Iamaleava brothers. It was an easy decision for the elder brother, Nico Iamaleava, to sign up with the Bruins after Josh Heupel pulled the brakes in Tennessee over the NIL hoopla. But his brother, Madden Iamaleava, gave UCLA a hard time. He had been committed to Foster’s program for seven months before decommitting from UCLA and committing to Arkansas on Dec. 4, 2025. Madden must have been having some FOMO. And as soon as big bro Nico jumped on Foster’s train, Madden, too, tagged along. Finally, he got some clarity about his role in the Bruins’ squad.

The younger Iamaleava brother was a four-star recruit in the 2025 class. The 6-foot-3, 191-pound phenom was the No. 22 quarterback and No. 271 overall player in his class. But in Foster’s squad, Nico grabbed the starter’s role. Going by the depth chart, Madden was pushed quite far. However, Foster’s QB room has been hit with an unfortunate event. Their quarterback, Pierce Clarkson, is now sidelined after being arrested. Now, where does Madden stand? 

On September 9, analyst Tracy McDannald tweeted, “Madden Iamaleava appears to be QB3 for UCLA, with Pierce Clarkson away from the team indefinitely.” Being the No. 1 overall transfer in the portal season, it was obvious for Foster to put Nico in the starter position. After all, he was the one who led Tennessee to the CFP. The next up in the depth chart was the redshirt sophomore Clarkson. Even though the Ole Miss transfer did not get many opportunities to prove himself, Foster counted high on the former four-star high school recruit. Carrying dual threat skills, he was said to be Nico’s backup.    

As QB3, UCLA had signed up 6’6″, 210 lbs star Luke Duncan. He returns to the Bruins after backing up Ethan Garbers last season and not seeing the field at all. So, initially, he was the one expected to be competing to grab the QB1 baton. But as soon as Nico entered, the scene changed. Then Foster placed the true freshman commit, Madden. But turns out that the quarterback room behind Nico changed. 

Foster’s quarterback backup, 21-year-old Clarkson, has been indefinitely suspended from the team after being arrested. The son of well-known quarterback trainer Steve Clarkson was booked on an unspecified felony charge. As per the reports, he was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on September 5. 

And Foster refused to comment on the incident and claimed, “I can’t really address that issue due to the legal process. It’s just a situation where we’re going to let the legal process take its course.” As if there weren’t already enough woes on Foster’s plate.

The clock is ticking on DeShaun Foster

The water is flowing over the UCLA head coach’s head. Foster inked a five-year deal with his alma mater when he arrived in 2024 and is scheduled to earn $3.1 million this season. But here comes the catch. If the Bruins decide to get rid of him on or before Dec. 1, they will owe 70% of his remaining total salary. But if they push the firing decision a bit further, after December 1, the buyout drops to 60%.

They are already running, carrying the burden of two back-to-back losses, and it has been only two weeks. A lopsided Week 2 defeat to UNLV, one that the 30-23 final score didn’t truly reflect. Along with it a 43-10 drubbing by Utah in the opener has already put Foster on the edge. So, the head coach’s upset meter is ticking its highest notes. When asked about his team’s lack of urgency in the opening half against the Rebels, Foster came up with a one-word reply. And it was a clear sign of his frustration as he said, “Unacceptable.” 

The fans expected highlight reels from Nico. But what did they get in return? A lousy first start with UCLA in a 43-10 loss to Utah. He was 11-for-22 passing for 136 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He rushed 13 times for 47 yards. He went 29-of-41 for 255 yards and a score, added 59 rushing yards and a 30-yard TD burst. But what put Foster’s QB in the bad books was his interception in UNLV territory with a chance to tie.

As Aaron Torres came with a blunt take, “Six months ago, Nico Iamaleava was a starter, on a College Football Playoff team, making two million dollars a year. Here is his reality today. ALL TIME bag drop 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️.” With a fractured QB room and a buyout axe looming over his head, DeShaun Foster stays on high alert.