After a long storm, the sun might finally be coming up for Nico Iamaleava and the UCLA Bruins. It wasn’t the start anybody imagined for the 2025 NCAA season, but there’s no reason to cry over spilled milk. Now, reports indicate there might be a frontrunner within the Big Ten to succeed DeShaun Foster.
Iamaleava and the Bruins put the rest of the league on notice. Taking down the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions and knocking them out of the rankings doesn’t go unnoticed in the Big Ten. UCLA may not be a juggernaut, but it can still put up a good fight against top programs in college football.
However, an interim coach can only take UCLA so far. It seems the brass in Los Angeles is in the search for the new mastermind behind the Bruins. In times of crisis and confusion, having a familiar face might be the wisest option.
According to reports from college football insider Pete Nakos and On3, current Washington Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch is one name to keep an eye on as the Bruins look to fill the vacant spot left by Foster’s firing.
Jedd Fisch of the Washington Huskies
Background
Fisch has had stints as an assistant coach in the NFL with several franchises—the Los Angeles Rams included. Moreover, he served as offensive coordinator for UCLA in 2017.
see also
Gridiron giants: Tracking the most successful college football programs ever
Following head coach Jim Mora’s firing, he was named interim head coach for the remainder of the campaign. Fisch has been perfecting his craft, with head coaching stints for the Arizona Wildcats (2020–2023) and Washington Huskies (2024–present).
Back to work
In the meantime, Iamaleava and the Bruins have no time to lose. Though a statement victory, the win over Penn State is only worth one in UCLA’s record. Entering Week 7 of college football with a 1-4 mark, the team in Westwood is far from being allowed to rest on its laurels.
Up next, Iamaleava and company will travel to East Lansing to take on the Michigan State Spartans on October 11. Though 2-3 in the NCAA, the Spartans are 0-2 in the league schedule, and the Bruins will hope to avoid conceding them their first conference win of the year.
Nico Iamaleava at Martin Stadium on September 27, 2025 in Evanston, Illinois.
Back on square one
The game against Michigan State goes beyond the gridiron. For Iamaleava and UCLA, it’s about pride, too. If the Bruins lose to the Spartans, they’ll find themselves with a 1-5 record in the 2025 NCAA season—the same mark UCLA had at this stage last year.
It’d mean that—with or without Iamaleava—nothing has really changed for the University of California in Los Angeles. Winning on the school’s visit to East Lansing is now just as much about keeping hopes alive for the season as it is about sending a message to the rest of the league.
