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UCLA fired coach DeShaun Foster after a winless begin to his second season on Sunday, a couple of days after a deflating 35-10 loss to New Mexico raised questions from decision-makers on how this system might progress ahead below his watch. Offensive line points, schematic disfunction and lackluster quarterback play from Tennessee switch Nico Iamaleava spotlight the litany of struggles the Bruins have endured this fall previous to the beginning of Large Ten play.
Iamaleava, who’s thrown for 607 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions by three begins, hasn’t seemed snug at his new program after leaving the SEC for his native West Coast this spring.
And now Iamaleava and the remainder of UCLA’s roster have a choice to make following this regime change. Given the timing of this early-season firing, UCLA gamers shall be eligible to enter the switch portal inside a 30-day window starting Monday.
Because the Bruins have solely performed three video games this season, they might every be eligible to take a redshirt in 2025. The top-rated switch within the 2025 recruiting cycle per 247Sports, Iamaleava is a former five-star prospect who initially redshirted at Tennessee earlier than starring final season for the Vols.
Tennessee parted methods with Iamaleava throughout the spring amid a contract dispute forward of his redshirt sophomore season. From the Iamaleava camp, there have been considerations the Vols did not add sufficient expertise within the switch portal round him this offseason. Satirically, Iamaleava reportedly had among the identical worries previous to signing with the Bruins.
Earlier than Iamaleava made it official, his workforce wished to know what UCLA was doing to encompass him with playmakers.
“Throughout that point, Iamaleava’s camp was doing its due diligence on what life could be like with the Bruins,” CBS Sports activities’ John Talty and Chris Hummer reported earlier than the season. “That they had questions on UCLA’s O-line and broad receiver depth chart after a member of the camp attended a observe, mirroring their considerations about what they left behind in Knoxville.”
If Iamaleava chooses to go away Los Angeles for his third collegiate program, these identical questions shall be considered together with trying on the anticipated 2026 depth chart at respective potential locations.
After taking a pay lower to signal with the Bruins, Iamaleava could endure one other decreased NIL bundle at his subsequent cease given the luggage and hiccup in growth this season.
Iamaleava’s topsy-turvy timeline
April 12, 2025: Tennessee holds its spring sport with out Iamaleava, a pair days after the breakup spilled onto social media and NIL contract negotiations went public. Heupel addressed his quarterback’s departure for the primary time, saying “nobody’s greater than this system” and attributing the transfer to the “state of school soccer” in 2025.
April 20: Iamaleava indicators with UCLA, resulting in rapid expectations from these across the program that the Bruins have been in for marked enhancements throughout the 2025 season. After failing to get to a bowl sport in Foster’s first marketing campaign, the low-end expectations for at UCLA was to get to bowl eligibility with its new quarterback.
April 21: Joey Aguilar enters the switch portal at UCLA only a few months after departing Appalachian State for a possibility on the Large Ten program. It was a primary of its sort “quarterback commerce” of kinds in school soccer with each packages questioning how it will work out for every after swapping sign callers.
July 24: Iamaleava breaks his silence on leaving Tennessee at Large Ten Media Days, saying he didn’t depart the Vols for cash. He cited it being a household choice and being nearer to family members, downplaying controversial hypothesis referring to a contract dispute within the SEC. The household be aware is smart from Iamaleava, contemplating UCLA was coming off a disappointing 2024 marketing campaign below Foster with out many well-know influence gamers returning.
Aug. 17: Josh Heupel names Aguilar his beginning quarterback at Tennessee after the switch beat out redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger early in fall marketing campaign.
Aug. 30: Iamaleava’s debut goes south in a rush for the Bruins throughout a 43-10 loss to Utah. Iamaleava completed 11 of twenty-two for 136 yards with one landing and one interception and was sacked 4 instances. The next afternoon, Aguilar turned heads in his debut for the Vols throughout Tennessee’s win over Syracuse in Atlanta.
Sept. 6: UCLA takes one other loss on the chin towards first-year UNLV coach Dan Mullen and the Rebels, additional placing Foster and Iamaleava below the microscope within the early going. UCLA beforehand signed Foster on a relative discount, making him simply the 58th-highest-paid coach amongst these at public colleges in Yr 1, based on the USA Immediately wage database, and the fourth-lowest-paid coach on the Energy 4 stage.
Sept 13: Aguilar throws for 371 yards and 4 touchdowns towards Georgia as Tennessee practically snaps an eight-game shedding skid to Kirby Sensible and the Bulldogs. Tennessee sources advised CBS Sports activities earlier than the sport that Aguilar was “extra charismatic” than Iamaleava and his relationship with teammates has been excellent since he stepped on campus.
Sept. 14: The Bruins transfer on from Foster, firing the second-year coach simply 15 video games into his tenure. That leaves Iamaleava with a choice to make about his taking part in future and the place.
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