UCLA starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava is expected to miss the rest of the season due to a leg injury suffered during the first half against Oregon. His knee buckled as he was tackled, and although he returned for one play, he didn’t see action again in the second half. Backup Ty Dieffenbach took over and led the Bruins to a 17-15 victory.
Iamaleava finishes the season with 982 passing yards, completing 62.1% of his passes, with four touchdowns and four interceptions, plus one rushing score. He had a standout game against Purdue with 276 yards and three touchdowns, but overall, he didn’t live up to expectations as a former five-star recruit. With one year of eligibility left, he might return to UCLA.
It’s unclear who will start next, but Ty Dieffenbach is the frontrunner after his performance against Oregon. Coach Bob Chesney said the team is taking it week by week, and Madden Iamaleava, Nico’s younger brother, is also in contention. “We’re really on a week to week basis here,” Chesney noted. “Ty had a really nice week, and he put us in that spot. Madden would have done phenomenal too, but Ty was the guy we decided on.”
UCLA faces Wisconsin next, and we’ll update on the starting quarterback decision.
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