A New Chapter in Westwood
UCLA entered fall camp with a clear mandate after finishing last season at 3‑9 overall and 3‑6 in conference play. The Bruins have replaced a disappointing year with an aggressive overhaul led by first‑year head coach Bob Chesney.
Chesney arrives from James Madison, where he guided the Dukes to a Sun Belt Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance. In his opening offseason at UCLA he added 42 players through the transfer portal, reshaping both sides of the ball.
At the center of the offense is quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who in his debut season threw for 1,928 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Rather than replace him, Chesney has announced that Iamaleava will remain the starter, banking on his continued development.
The defensive line, which posted a conference‑low 10 sacks last year, should benefit from the arrivals of Sahir West, Ryan McCulloch and Aiden Gobaira, all brought in to inject pass‑rush pressure.
The receiving corps will look markedly different. Only one of last season’s pass‑catchers returns, and Chesney has infused the group with fresh talent including Brian Rowe Jr., Leland Smith, Landon Ellis, Semaj Morgan, Marcus Harris and Aidan Mizell. The primary question now is which of these newcomers will earn the No. 1 spot on the depth chart.
If the pieces click, the Bruins could move from the bottom of the Pac‑12 to a competitive stance in the conference, but the answer will unfold over the coming weeks as practice sessions intensify.