Just three weeks into the 2025 NCAA season, Nico Iamaleava and the UCLA Bruins might want it to end. Nothing has gone their way and more chaos is wreaking havoc in Los Angeles after DeShaun Foster was fired.
UCLA knew parting ways with its head coach early in the year would only raise more question marks. Still, the Bruins believed it was best to nip the problem in the bud before the season spiraled out of control. It might be too late for that as UCLA is 0-3 before facing a single Big Ten opponent. The college football program in Westwood faces trouble in a new front.
In the NCAA, recruiting is almost as important to build winning programs as actually winning games on Saturdays. The Bruins know this, yet it seems they might’ve underestimated the waves their decision would make all across the country. Firing Foster opened the door for Iamaleava’s potential escape plan, but that’s not even all of it.
In addition to the tense and dramatic atmosphere on campus, UCLA is witnessing the dominoes fall all across the nation with recruits decommitting from the school. In very short notice, 4-star defensive lineman David Schwerzel, 3-star linebacker Ramzak Fruean, and 3-star interior offensive lineman Cooper Javorsky backpedaled on their commitments to the Bruins.
Nico Iamaleava #9 of the UCLA Bruins throws a pass.
All three of them are members of the 2026 recruiting class. Their decisions cast doubt on UCLA’s status going into next season. As much as it hurts to admit in Westwood, the current campaign might very well be over.
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While Nico Iamaleava and UCLA face chaos, Josh Heupel brings calm to Tennessee despite loss to Georgia
Statements
“Due to the uncertainty at UCLA, and speaking with my family, I’ve made the tough decision to decommit,” Javorsky announced on his X profile. “Thank you to [offensive linemen coach] Andy Kwon and the entire UCLA staff for everything. Excited to find where home will be!“
“I am officially decomitted from UCLA, my recruitment is 100% back open,” Fruean said. Schwerzel voiced a similar comment: “Recruitment 100% back open! Continue to guide me through this process lord.”
Even teenagers in high school are aware of the drama going on in Los Angeles. It won’t be long before actual players on campus decide it might be best to enter the transfer portal and search for a new start in college football.
The show must go on
To say the 2025 NCAA season so far for UCLA has been disappointing and disheartening would be an understatement. With Iamaleava transferring from Tennessee, Bruins fans expected much better results from the 21-year-old signal caller and his teammates.
Though not many fans made their way to the Rose Bowl for the recent matchup with the New Mexico Lobos, those who did walked away in utter disgust and completely let down. Still, the show must go down, even if it’s an embarrassing one to watch.
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Up next, the Bruins will visit the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Illinois. It will be the opening game of UCLA’s Big Ten schedule, which promises to be anything but smooth sailing for Iamaleava and company. As it stands, UCLA will face four ranked opponents: Penn State (at home), Indiana, Ohio State, and rival USC (all on the road).
