The moderate to heavy rain that pelted UCLA’s artificial turf Saturday morning was on point for one of its final spring football practices.
Everything, it seems, is fluid.
Given the overlap between spring practice and the transfer portal, the Bruins are missing at least a handful of players — including starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava — expected to be significant contributors next season.
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That means that almost everything the team does before its entire roster reports for fall training camp could deserve an asterisk. Coaches are clearly tinkering with lineups and positions before having their full complement of players.
Here are five takeaways as the Bruins head into the final week of spring practice:
Comings and goings
Among incoming transfers, coach DeShaun Foster said he could only talk about Iamaleava because his signing has been made official.
Several other players are on the way. Quarterback Madden Iamaleava (formerly of Arkansas) is expected to join his big brother at UCLA in addition to running back Jaivian Thomas (California) and defensive backs Rodrick Pleasant (Oregon) and Jamier Johnson (Indiana).
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Read more: ‘Something that we couldn’t pass up.’ Nico Iamaleava’s signing builds buzz at UCLA
Thomas could challenge for a starting role after rushing for 626 yards and seven touchdowns last season as the backup to Jaydn Ott, and Iamaleava could be the top backup to his sibling.
The arrival of the Iamaleava brothers prompted quarterbacks Joey Aguilar and Robert McDaniel to enter the transfer portal, with Demaricus Davis vacillating on his future, according to Foster. Other UCLA players who entered the transfer portal were running back Leo Kemp; offensive linemen Alani Makihele and Marquise Thorpe-Taylor; punter Brody Richter; linebacker Isaiah Patterson; and defensive back Khristian…
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Publish date : 2025-04-27 11:00:00
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