UCLA football might have more unknowns than knowns entering DeShaun Foster’s second season as head coach.
With 31 incoming transfers, coaching changes across the offense and a heralded starting quarterback, the Bruins will look – and all but certainly play – like a different football team on personnel alone.
Here are three things to watch as the Bruins begin fall training camp Wednesday morning in Costa Mesa:
A new-look offense
When UCLA and former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy parted ways in December, the offense vied for fresh blood – new ideas to spark improvements in 2025.
The Bruins posted just 18.4 points per game – eighth-worst in the NCAA – while struggling to gain on the ground. The running back room limped to just 88.6 rushing yards per game – the third-worst mark in the nation.
Foster moved swiftly. He brought in offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri (formerly Indiana’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach) and added redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee transfer).
Sunseri coached Kurtis Rourke a year ago, helping to boost Indiana’s points per game to second in the nation (41.3 points). His success with Curtis Johnson and Jordan McCloud at James Madison – where he served as quarterbacks coach – helped secure the Dukes their first FBS top-25 berth with the latter behind center.
Now, he’ll try to work magic with a pro-style offense at UCLA.
Iamaleava, the former top recruit in the 2023 class, according to On3, departed Tennessee after a lengthy NIL-related saga and returned to Southern California.
The 6-foot-6 Warren High alumnus led the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff in his first season. He struck for 2,616 yards (7.8 yards per attempt), a 63.8% completion percentage, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions.
If Iamaleava can quiet the uproar behind his return to Los Angeles, the former consensus five-star could instead make noise in the Big Ten.
Boost up front
Enter another transfer.
Junior Javian Thomas transferred from California after leading the Golden Bears’ running back room with 626 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, outgaining former Pac-12 first-team tailback Jadyn Ott.
Along with running backs coach A.J. Steward – who joined UCLA after helping Kansas State to the 11th-best rushing attack (215.5 yards per game) as an offensive analyst – Thomas could energize the running game along with returners Jalen Berger and Anthony Frias II.
Such an effort to outpace the aforementioned 2024 rushing woes will require an improved offensive line, however.
Offensive line coach Andy Kwon – whom UCLA hired away from Arkansas State – secured plug-and-play transfers. Redshirt senior Courtland Ford (Kentucky) and redshirt junior Julian Armella (Florida State) are likely candidates to slot in from Day One, matching with returners redshirt senior Garrett DiGiorgio and redshirt junior center Sam Yoon as potential starters.
Reserves Jaylan Jeffers, Oluwafunto Akinshilo and Reuben Unije should also play a role in a group attempting to cut down on sacks (2.83 sacks allowed per game in 2024).
Replacing defensive pros
Carson Schwesinger emerged as one of the best defensive players in the country a year ago.
From walk-on status to NFL draft pick, he was the heart and soul of the Bruins’ defense alongside fellow draftees Femi Oladejo and Kain Medrano.
Is there another Schwesinger hiding in the Bruins’ locker room, waiting to be unearthed? Redshirt senior linebacker JonJon Vaughns could be a candidate.
Vaughns, who is now a full-time football player after splitting time between the gridiron and baseball diamond, told reporters at Big Ten Media Day last week that this season was the first time he’d fully participated in spring camp.
Foster told reporters in Las Vegas to watch out for redshirt junior Jalen Woods and Oregon State transfer sophomore Isaiah Chisom to shore up the gap.
On the defensive line, redshirt senior Gary Smith III (missed 2024 with injury), redshirt senior Keanu Williams (season-ending injury after two games in 2024), and redshirt sophomore A.J. Fuimaono could help stabilize a front four that needs to replace Dallas Cowboys rookie Jay Toia.
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