Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

College Sports

Bruins add another Eagle to pipeline

After years of sacrificing first- and second-round draft picks in pursuit of the elusive Stanley Cup, the Bruins believe they’ve now taken a big step toward replenishing their prospect coffers in this weekend’s NHL draft, in which the haul was four centers, a pair of defensemen, and a left wing. It’s been a long time […]

Published

on


After years of sacrificing first- and second-round draft picks in pursuit of the elusive Stanley Cup, the Bruins believe they’ve now taken a big step toward replenishing their prospect coffers in this weekend’s NHL draft, in which the haul was four centers, a pair of defensemen, and a left wing.

It’s been a long time coming, but after the team finally slipped out of contention for the first time in nine years, it had to be done. While GM Don Sweeney explored using some picks to pick up a roster player, they kept their No. 7 pick, choosing James Hagens on Friday, and then used both their second-round picks on center William Moore and defenseman Liam Pettersson.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve gone with a little bit of volume,” said Sweeney. “It didn’t stop us from trying to move back or going up in the draft to target some players we felt we might get in position to take rather that just the volume aspect of things. But the excitement is there. You get that with our scouting staff in general, with the disappointing season we had, there was energy in realizing we have to take advantage of missteps the club had.”

There was also an emphasis on high-end skill and competitiveness, which was made possible by their better drafting positions, according to director of amateur scouting Ryan Nadeau.

“I think having more picks and some higher picks allowed us to probably look at some players with a little more offensive ability and upside that sometimes in the areas that we tended to be picking, we didn’t have some of those players available, or some of those players that were (available), there’s a lot of risk associated sometimes with that player, whether they’re undersized or there’s a major lack of detail in their game, where there are other players sitting at the same spot that you really appreciate their attention to detail, their heaviness, their hardness,” said Nadeau. “We didn’t shy away from that, but I just think we ended up in a spot where we could really take some swings at some higher-upside offensive players that maybe in the past we hadn’t had as many swings on that style of player.”

To start the day on Saturday, the Bruins added another prospect into the Chestnut Hill-to-Causeway Street pipeline with the 51st pick.

In the second round, the B’s selected Moore, a 6-2, 175-pound center who played for the U.S. National Team Development program. From Mississauga, Ontario, he is a dual citizen of the Canada and the U.S. and will be headed to Boston College in the fall.

Moore is known for his intelligence, on and off the ice. If there’s such a thing as an 18-year-old Renaissance man, Moore is that. He is also an accomplished pianist and violinist while, in the athletic realm, he’s played soccer (thanks in part to his Brazilian mother), tennis and lacrosse before zeroing on his hockey.

“(Piano) was the first thing I tried, hockey was one of the last,” said the personable Moore. “It brings a lot of creativity to my game. Hands-wise, I think I’m very skilled with the puck and I think I have a lot of finesse and I have that on the keys, too. I think there’s a lot of translation. I played a lot earlier on but nowadays its more of a leisure thing. It’s tough to fit into a busy hockey schedule. But it’s been a big part of my life and I’ve still got it.”

Moore called being selected by the Bruins “incredible” after he had already chosen Boston for his college choice. Moore, whose family moved around a lot before laying down some roots in the hockey-mad Toronto area, gave his own self-scout.

“I think I have a very unique play-style,” said Moore, the first person in his family to play hockey. “I have a big frame that’s still filling out but I think I have a sort of high IQ and a creative aspect to my game, a lot of offensive skill and creativity and a lot of finesse. Big frame, very dynamic offensively and I’m just looking to bring that 200-foot game but also my offensive game. I’m super-excited.”

He joins Hagens, Dean Letourneau Oskar Jellvik, Andre Gasseau and Kristian Kostadinski, selected by the B’s last year, and will be an incoming freshman, as current or future Eagles in the B’s prospect pool.

Moore posted 27-32-59 totals in 54 games.

With their second pick in the second round (61st), the B’s chose Swedish defenseman Pettersson. At 6-2, 170 pounds, Pettersson clearly needs to fill out a bit and, as a left shot, he doesn’t address an organizational need at right D, though Sweeney pointed out that many left shots can play the right side. While he may not project to be a high-end prospect, his strength is in his transition game. He had 6-15-21 totals for the Vaxjo Lakers junior team.

The B’s then moved their third-round pick (69th) to Montreal for the 79th and 108th picks.

With the 79th pick, the B’s chose American left wing Cooper Simpson, who played Minnesota high school hockey, ripping it up for Shakopee High with 49 goals and 34 assists in 31 games. His shoot-first mindset was apparent with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, when he had seven goals and one assist in nine games.

“I think I’m a very offensively talented guy. I think I make plays other people can’t see and I shoot the puck very well,” said Simpson. “I stayed at Shakopee because I’m born and raised here. I had a goal of making the state tournament and winning it all and I came up a little short. But I think I left Shakopee a better place than I found it, so that’s the ultimate goal there. At Tri-City, I knew a lot of the guys going there so I had a confidence boost there, and being able to score goals at a high level helps you be confident and it went well there, so it’s good.”

The 6-1, 179-pound Simpson is committed to go to North Dakota, though it sounded like the B’s want him to do another year of development in junior before going to Grand Forks after the club had watched last year’s first-rounder Letourneau struggle in taking a big leap from Canadian prep school St. Andrew’s and going directly to BC.

With the 100th pick, the B’s took 6-foot-4, 183-pound left shot defenseman Vashek Blanar, a Czechia-produced player who played in Sweden, and then traded the 108th pick to the Lightning for a fourth-rounder in 2026.

The B’s selected center Cole Chandler, a 6-foot-2, 176-pound center who had 13-19-32 totals in 64 games for Shawinigan of the QMJHL, with the 133rd pick. Chandler’s regular season totals were modest but he then heated up in the Q playoffs, notching 5-7-12 totals in 16 games.

Finally, with the 165th pick, the B’s chose 6-foot, 170-pound Russian centerman Kirill Yemelyanov, billed by Elite Prospects as a smart two-way centerman.

Originally Published:



Link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

College Sports

President Trump’s executive order on ‘Saving college sports’: What does it mean?

COLUMBUS, Ohio — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday called “Saving College Sports.” Here is everything you need to know about the order and how it impacts college sports: Q: Why was this order created? A: Thanks to the constantly changing landscape and the introduction of college athletes now being paid for […]

Published

on


COLUMBUS, Ohio — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday called “Saving College Sports.”

Here is everything you need to know about the order and how it impacts college sports:

Q: Why was this order created?

A: Thanks to the constantly changing landscape and the introduction of college athletes now being paid for their name, image and likeness (NIL), the question has been raised of whether student-athletes should be considered employees of their schools.

For most of the last century under NCAA rules, college athletes were limited to receiving only scholarship aid, room and board and, in later years, often a stipend for playing their sport.

Athletes fought for years in court to move college sports to more of a professional model, with some success.

Today, college athletes receive compensation a number of ways, mainly: scholarship and room and board aid from their school; money payments from their school; and money for their name, image and likeness (NIL) through “collectives.”

These collectives, groups of boosters and other interested parties, work with college programs but are not part of them. And they have largely operated without regulation over the last few years.

As one example, a collective aligned with Michigan is paying a reported $10 million to incoming freshman phenom quarterback Bryce Underwood after he signed to play for the Wolverines earlier this year.

Trump’s order claims that these recent changes, and paying in some cases millions to football and basketball players, could hurt smaller, non-revenue-earning sports (such as softball, track or golf); and ruin the spirit of college sports.

This order directs the Secretary of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board to clarify that athletes are amateurs and not school employees, which would be a move back toward the 20th century model.

The order does allow normal, honest payments for NIL from things like brand endorsements and public appearances.

But this mandate would prevent schools from getting into bidding wars for players, particularly football and basketball players, on the recruiting trail and by way of transfer.

In short, Trump with this order wants to move the needle of college sports back toward where it was before NIL came along.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Bruins 2028-29 roster projection: How does the rebuild turn out?

The Boston Bruins have taken a big step forward in reordering their future. Fraser Minten and Will Zellers were among the returns in their selloff at the 2025 trade deadline. James Hagens was the prize for finishing with the NHL’s fifth-worst record in 2024-25. So what could this look like in three years? David Pastrnak […]

Published

on


The Boston Bruins have taken a big step forward in reordering their future. Fraser Minten and Will Zellers were among the returns in their selloff at the 2025 trade deadline. James Hagens was the prize for finishing with the NHL’s fifth-worst record in 2024-25.

So what could this look like in three years?

David Pastrnak will be 32 in 2028-29. Charlie McAvoy will be 31. The two cornerstones should be well within their windows of being franchise chain-pullers.

But will the quantity and quality of Pastrnak’s and McAvoy’s next-generation reinforcements be robust enough for the Bruins to be Stanley Cup contenders?

General manager Don Sweeney has made it a habit to spend liberally in free agency. There’s no reason to believe that pattern will break.

For this exercise, we’ll peek ahead to 2028-29 using only current Bruins and internal prospects. It should provide a sketch to determine how aggressively management will need to supplement their existing veterans and inbound youngsters with trades and signings:

Forwards

Left wing Center Right wing

Morgan Geekie

James Hagens

David Pastrnak

Will Zellers

Will Moore

Dean Letourneau

Marat Khusnutdinov

Elias Lindholm

Matt Poitras

Tanner Jeannot

Fraser Minten

Chris Pelosi

Morgan Geekie will be halfway through his six-year, $33 million contract. Geekie, who will be 29 years old, could still be paired with Pastrnak. 

As for their prospective center, Hagens will be 21 at the start of the 2028-29 season. By then, the 2006-born center could have two-plus years of professional experience. 

The question is how good Hagens will be.

Hagens’ upcoming sophomore season at Boston College should give the Bruins better insight into what he will become. He was good enough to produce at a point-per-game basis as a freshman while centering Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard in 2024-25. The Eagles will ask Hagens to assume more offensive responsibility in 2025-26. It won’t be easy without Perreault and Leonard as go-to wings.

“In some ways, it’s going to benefit him,” player development coordinator Adam McQuaid said of Hagens’ expected workload without his flammable linemates. “Just continue to ramp up the compete level and consistent impact he’s capable of having. That’s a big thing for a lot of young players — just bringing the consistency night in and night out. It’s not always going to be perfect. But just bringing the effort and wanting to be a driver and difference-maker.”

Unless Hagens turns into a top-tier smash, it’s unrealistic to project him as a legitimate No. 1 NHL center at his age. But if Pastrnak and Geekie can carry the day, Hagens can continue his on-site development without the expectations of driving the line.

The second line is full of wildcards. Will Zellers, the USHL’s leading goal scorer in 2024-25, has yet to play a shift of NCAA hockey. He has work ahead of him to ramp up his pace and build the rest of his game. While he has top-six potential, Zellers will need time to develop. He will be a freshman at North Dakota this fall.

“I think he can get stronger, certainly, in order to play an offensive game at the NHL level,” amateur and college scout Parker MacKay said. “That’s going to come, though.”

Will Moore is in the same category. He has second-line skill. But the incoming freshman at BC will need at least two seasons of college hockey to put on the weight required for NHL battle. 

Dean Letourneau has one year of NCAA experience. But it was a trying one. The 2024 first-rounder did not score a single goal. It’s possible he may have to transition to an in-the-corners right wing who uses reach, physicality and puck protection to earn a pro living. 

“He got much better with his stick,” McQuaid said of Letourneau once BC coach Greg Brown used him on the penalty kill. “Just little details. He took all that in stride. But yet was like, ‘I still want to do more. I believe I can do more.’ Those are all positive things.”

It’s much easier to project the third line’s performance because of their NHL experience. Elias Lindholm will be 33. He should be well into a phase of bottom-six, defense-first, penalty-killing shifts. Marat Khusnutdinov could develop more offensive presence by then. But he’s on pace to be a third-line fixture.

It’s not as easy to determine what Matt Poitras will become. He is a natural center, but whether he has the all-around game to work the middle in the NHL permanently is unknown. Shifting to right wing could ease him of responsibility.

On the fourth line, Tanner Jeannot will be entering the fourth season of his five-year, $17 million contract. Minten, who will be 24, is trending toward becoming a trustworthy checking center. Chris Pelosi, the team’s third-round pick in 2023, has the speed and puck-hungry approach to make it as a fourth-liner.

Players not in the 2028-29 lineup (projecting to be traded or not extended) include Viktor Arvidsson, Johnny Beecher, Mikey Eyssimont, Fabian Lysell, Mark Kastelic, Sean Kuraly, Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha.

Defensemen

Left defense Right defense

Mason Lohrei

Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm

Frederic Brunet

Nikita Zadorov

Liam Pettersson

The Bruins know what McAvoy is. It’s not so with Mason Lohrei. The left-shot defenseman has the skill set to be the Bruins’ version of Evan Bouchard: an offensive catalyst in charge of the power play. By 2028-29, Lohrei will be 27, perhaps more polished and more dependable defensively.

Hampus Lindholm will be 34. He may not have the jump needed to push the offensive pace like he’s currently capable of doing. It’s possible Lindholm will have shifted more toward a matchup defenseman. Frederic Brunet, meanwhile, will be 25 and reinforced with three more years of pro shifts. He is a smooth skater who likes to go up the ice.

On the No. 3 pair, the Bruins hope that Liam Pettersson, one of their two 2025 second-round picks, will have added the weight required for 200-foot shifts. The 6-foot-2 Pettersson was most recently listed at 170 pounds. Nikita Zadorov will be 33, still aligned with his defense-first window.

Traded or not extended: Michael Callahan, Jordan Harris, Henri Jokiharju, Andrew Peeke

Goalies

Jeremy Swayman

Philip Svedeback

Jeremy Swayman will start 2028-29 as a 29-year-old. Assuming 2024-25 was an exception, Swayman could still be peaking as a full-fledged ace. The Bruins do not currently have a high-end goaltending prospect, but they might not need one if Swayman is in elite form.

Philip Svedeback, the organization’s fourth-round pick in 2021, will be 26.

Traded or not extended: Michael DiPietro, Joonas Korpisalo, Simon Zajicek

Takeaways

A much-needed infusion of youth is helping. More is coming: two first-round picks in 2026 and two more in 2027.

But it’s still not enough to offset the four first-rounders the Bruins traded between 2018 and 2023. Hockey operations will have to be aggressive on the trade market and in free agency to add NHL players, especially up front. The Bruins need game-breakers.

(Photo: Rich Gagnon / Getty Images)



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Hood College starting sports entertainment and marketing minor this fall | Learning And Programs

State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Country United States of […]

Published

on







Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Atlanta Gladiators Sign Lanier Grad Connor Galloway for 2025-26 season | Sports

The Atlanta Gladiators announced Thursday evening that the ECHL ice hockey club has re-signed forward and Sugar Hill native Connor Galloway for the 2025-26 season. Galloway, a Lanier grad, signed with his hometown club for a second season with the Gladiators. The 25-year-old forward scored 3 goals and 4 assists in 47 games with the […]

Published

on


The Atlanta Gladiators announced Thursday evening that the ECHL ice hockey club has re-signed forward and Sugar Hill native Connor Galloway for the 2025-26 season.

Galloway, a Lanier grad, signed with his hometown club for a second season with the Gladiators. The 25-year-old forward scored 3 goals and 4 assists in 47 games with the Gladiators last season in his first season as a pro. He scored his first professional goal on January 12, 2025, vs the Cincinnatti Cyclones.

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound forward from Sugar Hill played three seasons of NCAA Division III hockey at SUNY-Brockport from 2021-2024 prior to joining the Gladiators, scoring 30 goals and 48 assists for 78 points in 75 career games with the Golden Eagles. In his final season at SUNY-Brockport in 2023-24, Galloway led the team in scoring with 7 goals and 12 assists in 25 games.

“Connor got his first taste of pro hockey last season and impressed everyone in the organization with his professionalism,” Gladiators director of hockey operations and head coach Matt Ginn said. “He did whatever was asked of him and competed day in and day out. We expect Connor to take another step now after having a year of pro hockey under his belt and are excited to see him continue to develop.”



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Penn State men’s hockey potential Hobey Baker candidates | Penn State Men’s Hockey News

This time last year, Penn State had one rostered player who had previously been named a nominee for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top Division I college hockey player. There have been no finalists, no Hobey Hat Trick finishers and no award recipients in program history. The Nittany Lions now have two […]

Published

on


This time last year, Penn State had one rostered player who had previously been named a nominee for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top Division I college hockey player.

There have been no finalists, no Hobey Hat Trick finishers and no award recipients in program history.

The Nittany Lions now have two skaters who finished in the top 10 of voting, seven draft picks and one of the most exciting talents in college hockey on their squad, resulting in no shortage of front-runners for the coveted trophy.

Although the award presentation is over nine months away, and the college hockey season has yet to begin, here are some early predictions for the blue and white’s top Hobey Baker candidates.

Gavin McKenna

Starting with the most obvious answer, incoming superstar forward Gavin McKenna is an early frontrunner for the MVP award.

McKenna is widely regarded as a generational talent, earning the consensus title of the highest-rated college hockey recruit ever, which is why his commitment to Hockey Valley made shockwaves across the athletic world.

The 17-year-old has it all — an unmatched creative ability, high hockey IQ levels and a physical skill set that rivals the best.

McKenna previously played in the Canadian Hockey League, dominating with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL and recording 129 points in just 56 games played, a staggering 2.30 points per game.

Though he has yet to play against college-level talent, the reigning CHL and WHL Player of the Year has the capability to be one of the best in the NCAA once he steps on the ice this winter.







Men's Hockey vs. Michigan Playoff, Aiden Fink Shoots

Forward Aiden Fink (18) shoots the puck during the Penn State men’s hockey playoff game against Michigan on Friday, March 7, 2025 in the Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Mi. The Nittany Lions beat the Wolverines 6-5 in overtime.




Aiden Fink

Aiden Fink has been spoken about at length around Pegula Ice Arena over the past year, and for good reason.

The 2023 seventh-round draft pick dominated Hockey Valley and the Big Ten last season, setting new Penn State single-season records in almost every category, leading the conference in points and ranking third nationally in points per game.

Fink racked up plenty of accolades, including being named a 2025 West ACHA second team All-American and a finalist for the Big Ten Player of the Year, but the one that jumps off the page is the forward’s top-10 finalist recognition for the Hobey Baker Award — the first one in program history.

The rising junior has only improved since his freshman campaign, and now with the ability to share the ice with players who will only help elevate his game to a new level, a return to the Hobey Baker spotlight doesn’t seem too far out of the picture.







Jackson Smith Team Canada Photo




Jackson Smith

Another new name headlining the incoming class this season is defenseman Jackson Smith.

Smith was drafted No. 14 overall in this year’s NHL draft, making history as the first Nittany Lion to be selected in the first round.

The 6-foot-4, two-way defenseman joined McKenna as a dominant force in the WHL, playing for the Tri-City Americans and tallying 54 points in 68 games played, which ranked 10th amongst all WHL defenseman.

Along with impressive speed and a strong two-way skillset, Smith will bring even more creativity and flashy plays to the ice in front of the Roar Zone this winter.

The defenseman will come into State College as a likely lock for a first-line pairing as one of the top defenders on the roster, and possibly, in the NCAA.

MORE HOCKEY CONTENT


‘He’s been through the grind’ | Penn State men’s hockey’s Gadowsky speaks on assistant coaching change

On Oct. 28, 2005, Guy Gadowsky and Keith Fisher stood side-by-side behind the visitors bench…

If you’re interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Putting controversial Tennessee exit to rest, Nico Iamaleava turns focus to championship aspirations at UCLA

LAS VEGAS — Three months after Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee for UCLA and shook the college football world amidst the most significant contract dispute in the NIL era, the star quarterback finally broke his silence. You just might not have been able to hear the soft-spoken quarterback Thursday when he stepped on stage near the […]

Published

on


LAS VEGAS — Three months after Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee for UCLA and shook the college football world amidst the most significant contract dispute in the NIL era, the star quarterback finally broke his silence.

You just might not have been able to hear the soft-spoken quarterback Thursday when he stepped on stage near the end of Big Ten Media Days. The main attraction during the final hours of the three-day media event spoke barely above a whisper as he faced a barrage of questions concerning his departure from the Vols, whom he led to the College Football Playoff in December, to return to his home state and play for UCLA this fall.

The big question was asked in several different forms: Did he leave Tennessee because he wanted more than the $2.2 million he was set to receive next season? 

“Not at all,” he told CBS Sports earlier Thursday, before facing a throng of reporters. “My family was strictly the main importance for me. I let my business team, my parents, handle that side of NIL. Just me being closer to family was the most important thing.”

Iamaleava said he came to Big Ten Media Days to clear the air about his sudden departure from Tennessee, where he sat out a pair of spring practices in April as reports surfaced about an apparent contract dispute in Knoxville. Several outlets reported he asked for a new $4 million contract. One week before Iamaleava’s absence in Knoxville, sources told CBS Sports Iamaleava may be interested in testing the portal waters with the West Coast as a possible destination. Whatever happened during those two days in April, the result was all that mattered: UCLA landed Iamaleava out of the transfer portal. Earlier this summer, coach DeShaun Foster asked the quarterback to join him at media days to face the noise that had enveloped the sport.

“It’s time to let you tell your story,” Foster said. “A lot of people wrote a book for you and didn’t talk to him about it. I wanted him to come out here, and not for me (to tell his story), because you guys are gonna ask me these questions, and now I’m speaking for him. I wanted him to be able to go out there and really tell his truth.”

Nico Iamaleava’s Tennessee saga wasn’t the professionalization of college sports—it was a train wreck

Richard Johnson

Nico Iamaleava's Tennessee saga wasn't the professionalization of college sports—it was a train wreck

Iamaleava’s decision irked Tennessee fans and riled up Internet sleuths, who labeled his decision as one driven solely by money. Again and again on Thursday, Iamaleava denied cash as the motivation behind his decision. Reports that he was unhappy with the Vols’ roster, specifically the offensive line that was built to protect him, were also not true, he said. “I love my O-line,” Iamaleava said. “I had a great O-line.” He told CBS Sports his mother, Marleinna, has a difficult time traveling across the country, and returning closer to home to finish his college career was a consideration. “I’ve always felt that way during this stage of my career,” he said.

If there are regrets, Iamaleava said it was how he handled his exit from Knoxville.

“I could have given a better explanation to Tennessee fans, but I thought at the time as it was all happening we were going through some personal stuff and you want to handle personal stuff privately,” Iamaleava told CBS Sports. “At this time, I felt it was the right time to speak out. I wish all the Tennessee fans nothing but the best and I really appreciated my time there.”

For Iamleava, the return to Los Angeles is a reunion with a dozen-plus players he once called teammates or competitors as a blue-chip preps player at Warren High in Downey, California. Senior linebacker JonJon Vaughns first met Iamaleava as an underclassman in high school. “He could sling it, and I saw how big his dad was,” Vaughns smiled. “Oh, he’s about to be, like, 6-6.”

Iamaleava, now indeed 6-6 and 215 pounds, passed for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns in his first full season as Tennessee’s starter in 2024. He padded his stats against inferior competition and threw for over 200 yards only twice against SEC teams.

He’s expected to elevate a new-look UCLA offense, which ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten last season, piling up only 328.8 yards and 18.4 points per game. Foster replaced offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy with Indiana co-offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri, who helped develop quarterback Kurtis Rourke and the Big Ten’s No. 1 scoring offense (41.3 points per game).

Foster loves Iamaleava’s arm strength, something he noted when he initially recruited him out of high school. 

“The sky is the limit,” Foster said. “We’re excited about this.”

He repeated Thursday that the quarterback never seems rattled. “Look, turn around, look at him,” Foster told reporters. “He’s on stage, people want to talk to him, but he’s composed and I just hope he brings it to the hill and continues to grow.”

“I’ve never been pushed like this by a staff before,” Iamaleava said. “I’m excited to go to work for these guys.”

Foster has long had connections to the Iamaleava family. He recruited Nico’s younger brother, Madden, who committed to UCLA but flipped to Arkansas on signing day in December after the Bruins made a change at offensive coordinator. Nico and his father, Nicholaus, traveled to Fayetteville the day after Nico departed from Tennessee to watch his brother’s spring game in Arkansas on April 19, but the game was canceled due to heavy rain. Hours later, Madden informed Arkansas he was entering the transfer portal and joined his brother at UCLA. Arkansas is pursuing buyout money totaling as much as $500,000, which is outlined in an NIL contract Madden signed with the Hogs in January, sources told CBS Sports.

Madden is expected to be Nico’s backup this fall. 

“I want to bring championships back to Westwood,” Nico said. “That’s our main goal. Coach Fos and our whole staff has set expectations for us that we’re going to meet. Everybody in the locker room truly believes in one another. I love the bond we got going.”

Iamaleava switches from his preferred jersey No. 8 at Tennessee to No. 9 at UCLA. Troy Aikman’s jersey is retired at UCLA, but that didn’t stop Nico from trying to persuade the Hall of Famer to allow him to wear the coveted No. 8 during a phone conversation, he told CBS Sports. “We had a good conversation,” he chuckled. He said the new significance of No. 9 is to represent his nine immediate family members: seven siblings and his parents.

UCLA returns six starters on offense but will primarily feature a new receiver corps led by returning starter Kwazi Gilmer, Cal transfer Mikey Matthews and Arkansas’ Jaedon Wilson. The Bruins rank 14th in FanDuel.com’s odds to win the Big Ten championship this fall.

“Man, I can’t wait for the season,” Iamaleava said.

Whether the noise around Iamleava subsides after his long-awaited appearance at Big Ten media days is up for debate, but Foster said he doesn’t mind the spotlight on UCLA.

“We’re probably gonna have to continue with that type of treatment, but we want noise,” the second-year UCLA coach said. “You want people talking about us, and in a couple months, you guys are going to be talking about us winning games and not the quarterback.”





Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending