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Biggest questions facing UCLA football entering fall camp

UCLA Bruins On SI · Jul 22, 2026 11:04 · 3 min read

Biggest Questions Facing UCLA Football Entering Fall Camp — May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What are the biggest questions facing the Bruins entering fall camp?

Last season, UCLA was one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, posting a 3-9 overall record and a 3-6 conference play mark.

After the end of the season, Bob Chesney was hired as he was one of the hottest coaching names in the cycle. Chesney spent two seasons at James Madison and is coming off a season in which he led the Dukes to a Sun Belt Conference Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance.

In his first offseason with the Bruins, Chesney has completely rebuilt the roster through the transfer portal, adding 42 players. While UCLA is projected to be a much better team compared to last year, there are still some questions entering fall camp.

Is Nico Iamaleava Ready To Take the Next Step?

We all know how Nico Iamaleava came to UCLA last offseason amid the drama between him and Tennessee. In his first year with UCLA, Iamaleava had a season he would like to put behind him, as he threw for 1,928 yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Last year, he was labeled by some as a “bust” and someone who would never have a great career in college.

Now, moving into this offseason, Bob Chesney decided to keep Iamaleava as the starting quarterback for the Bruins rather than bring in a transfer QB. Chesney has also brought in plenty of help from the portal, something that he did not have last year.

Now the question becomes “Can Nico Iamaleva take that next step?” If he can, the Bruins can be a good team in the Big Ten next year, but if he can't, UCLA will be looking for a new QB to bring the program out of the basement of the conference.

Can the Defensive Line Get After the QB?

Last year’s defensive line was absolutely atrocious to watch. In 12 games last season, UCLA finished with just 10 total sacks, which was dead last in the conference, and the Bruins' sack leaders were linebacker Jalen Woods and defensive lineman Anthony Jones, each with 1.5.

Chesney did go into the transfer portal and brought in key players like Sahir West, Ryan McCulloch, and Aiden Gobaira, who have had success sacking the quarterback. However, we have seen teams bring in good players via the portal and still not have success. Yet in this instance, with West and Gobaira familiar with Chesney’s defense, there shouldn't be much of a drop-off in production.

Who Is the No. 1 Receiver?

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. (18) celebrates a teammate’s touchdown against the South Carolina State Bulldogs in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bruins had to completely rebuild the wide receiver room, as only one receiver from last year, Mikey Matthews, has stayed with the team. Chesney brought in players like Brian Rowe Jr., Leland Smith, Landon Ellis, Semaj Morgan, Marcus Harris, and Aidan Mizell to fill out the room.

The biggest question becomes who will be the number one receiver on the depth chart. The most talented receiver is Rowe Jr., but both Leland Smith and Landon Ellis are much more experienced, and it will be an interesting position battle to watch through fall camp.