Look, the 2025 season was a brutal pill to swallow for anyone wearing blue and gold. A 3-9 record? Ouch. Losing to UNLV and New Mexico? That's the kind of stuff that keeps boosters up at night. But if you’re just looking at the final scores of the ucla football roster 2025 and thinking the program is dead, you're missing the forest for the trees. Honestly, the real story wasn't the three wins; it was the total implosion and subsequent rebirth of the coaching staff and roster that’s happening right now as we head into 2026.
Things moved fast. DeShaun Foster was out after just three games. Tim Skipper tried to steady a sinking ship as the interim, but by December, the school decided to go in a completely different direction. They brought in Bob Chesney from James Madison. He didn't come alone. He basically brought the entire JMU brain trust with him, including offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy and defensive mastermind Colin Hitschler. It’s a total identity shift.
The Quarterback Room: Nico and the New Era
The centerpiece of the 2025 campaign was supposed to be Nico Iamaleava. Landing him out of the transfer portal from Tennessee was a massive win for the previous regime. He threw for 1,928 yards and 13 touchdowns, which sounds decent until you realize he was under fire basically every time he dropped back to pass.
The depth behind him was actually deeper than most people realized. You had Luke Duncan waiting in the wings, and then there’s the "other" Iamaleava—Madden, the freshman. It felt like a family affair in the QB room. Adding Pierce Clarkson from Ole Miss gave them a different look, more of a "run-around and make things happen" vibe, but the inconsistency at the top of the ticket made it hard for any of these guys to find a rhythm.
Breaking Down the Skill Positions
The running game was a bit of a committee mess. Jalen Berger and Jaivian Thomas both averaged over 4.5 yards a carry, but the play-calling often abandoned the run when the Bruins fell behind early. Which happened... a lot.
Wide receiver was a bright spot, sort of. Kwazi Gilmer emerged as a real threat, hauling in 50 catches for 535 yards. He’s got that "it" factor. Rico Flores Jr. and Mikey Matthews were reliable, but the vertical game just never quite took off. It felt like the offense was stuck in second gear for most of the Big Ten schedule.
The Defensive Shift
On the other side of the ball, the ucla football roster 2025 featured some guys who were absolutely playing their hearts out despite the scoreboards. Jalen Woods at linebacker was a tackling machine. In the secondary, Key Lawrence and Cole Martin were the primary enforcers. They combined for 135 tackles and were the reason the passing defense actually ranked reasonably well in a few metrics.
- Defensive Line: Keanu Williams and Jacob Busic anchored a group that was frequently gassed because the offense couldn't stay on the field.
- Linebackers: Sammy Omosigho, the big-time transfer from Oklahoma, is the name everyone is talking about for the next cycle, but Jalen Woods was the heartbeat of the 2025 unit.
- Secondary: They held opponents under 220 yards passing in almost every game. That’s a wild stat for a 3-win team.
What Went Wrong and What’s Changing
Basically, the 2025 roster was a collection of high-end talent that didn't have a cohesive plan. The coaching carousel—starting with Tino Sunseri and Ikaika Malloe both leaving within the first month—created a vacuum. You can't win in the Big Ten with interim coordinators. It’s just not happening.
The schedule didn't help. Opening against Utah (a 43-10 loss) set a grim tone. Then you had to go to Ohio State and Indiana (who, turns out, were actually good?). The 56-6 blowout in Bloomington was probably the low point of the century for Bruin fans.
Looking Forward: The Bob Chesney Impact
The new staff is already purging and rebuilding. They’ve already signed 35 portal additions for the upcoming cycle. That is an insane number. It’s not just about filling holes; it’s about changing the culture. Chesney’s staff at JMU was top-tier in terms of efficiency. Dean Kennedy’s offense at JMU averaged 37 points per game. UCLA averaged 18.2 in 2025. You do the math.
If you’re tracking the ucla football roster 2025, you need to keep an eye on these specific moves:
- Offensive Line Overhaul: Expect a lot of the JMU "dirtbag" mentality to move to the trenches.
- Defensive Aggression: Hitschler runs a system that prioritizes interceptions and havoc.
- Special Teams: Bringing in guys like long snapper Halakilangi Muagututia shows they are sweating the small stuff now.
Your Next Moves as a Fan
If you want to stay ahead of the curve on where this roster is going, don't just look at the 2025 stats. They're mostly garbage time anyway. Instead, do this:
- Follow the Transfer Portal Tracker: Specifically look for defensive back additions. Hitschler’s system lives and dies by elite corner play (remember he coached Sauce Gardner).
- Watch the Spring Game: This will be the first time we see Dean Kennedy's "Spread" hybrid in action with Nico Iamaleava.
- Check NIL Valuations: The "Men of Westwood" collective is getting aggressive again. If the money flows, the talent follows.
The 2025 season was a transition year that turned into a disaster. But the roster they’ve left behind, combined with the massive influx of talent Bob Chesney is bringing in, suggests that 3-9 is going to be a very short-lived memory in Pasadena.