Nico Iamaleava Praised by Rivals, UCLA HC Bob Chesney 'Has Got Some S--t to Him That is Special'

The UCLA Bruins could surprise some teams in the 2026 season, led by quarterback Nico Iamaleava and new head coach Bob Chesney.

"I've been impressed with him, [Iamaleava's] got some arm talent," a coach told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. "I do think that head coach [Chesney] has got some s--t to him that is special, so we'll see."

Chesney, meanwhile, has been impressed with Iamaleava.

"He's not timid, he's not afraid. He's not sitting back there wondering what to do. He has a good grasp of the offense. He's very capable physically, and at the same time, he loves this game, and he plays it with a cool chip on his shoulder," he told Rittenberg this spring. "I don't want to put any limitations on him. It's important that we understand that not only this kid is special with his decision-making and his ability to throw, but when he pulls the ball down to run, he's 6'6", almost 6'7", with a 42-inch vertical and can really do some damage with his legs."

Iamaleava set career highs in rushing yards (505) and rushing touchdowns (four) last season, though he was less effective through the air (1,928 yards, 13 touchdowns, seven interceptions). UCLA changing both its head coach and offensive coordinator early in the season certainly didn't help.

But with Chesney installed at head coach—he was 21-6 the past two seasons lead James Madison—perhaps big things could be on the horizon for Iamaleava and the Bruins.