The news everyone expected for a week became official Sunday when Nico Iamaleava signed with UCLA. But the top quarterback on the transfer market might have a greater impact on his new conference than his new school.
There’s no guarantee Iamaleava will transform the Bruins, who went 5-7 last year, into a Big Ten contender. The sophomore possesses substantial talent but was erratic with Tennessee, completing just 61 percent of his passes against Power Four competition.
He must adjust to a new playbook and a new offensive coordinator, Tino Sunseri, who was hired by UCLA a few months ago and will be the primary playcaller for the first time in his coaching career.
Also, the Bruins, who finished No. 117 in total offense and No. 126 in scoring offense last season, are not exactly oozing top-end playmakers at the skill positions. Or a first-class offensive line. Or the quality depth needed to adroitly navigate the Big Ten schedule.
Is Iamaleava good enough to elevate a mediocre offense with a rookie playcaller to the level necessary to win eight or nine games? We’re a tad skeptical.
But there’s zero doubt about Iamaleava’s ability to generate headlines, draw eyeballs and elevate the profile of the Big Ten’s quarterback collective.
It’s not exactly a star-studded group.
Prior to Iamaleava joining the conference, Penn State’s Drew Allar was the only nationally recognized name with a proven resume.
The projected starters for other marquee programs are either freshmen or in their first season as the team’s QB1: Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. and USC’s Jayden Maiava.
With Iamaleava in the conference, the pomp-and-circumstance factor rises exponentially, both for the final four months of the offseason and for the opening weeks of the regular season.
UCLA’s season opener (Aug. 30) against Utah instantly becomes a main attraction for the Big Ten’s network partners during a weekend that otherwise has just one marquee game (Texas at Ohio State).
Whether Iamaleava struggles in Westwood or lifts UCLA into the realm of the relevant, his journey will be well chronicled.
He makes the floor for Big Ten quarterbacks vastly more interesting while raising the ceiling.
Where does Iamaleava fit into the conference’s quarterback hierarchy?
The following Hotline rankings are based on three components: proven production, familiarity with the system/playcaller and surrounding talent.
1. Penn State’s Drew Allar. An easy pick for the top spot based on his performance last season leading the Nittany Lions to the CFP semifinals and the expectations for 2025. Allar stands as a top-tier Heisman Trophy contender with a fabulous running game — both Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton are back — and a proven offensive coordinator (Andy Kotelnicki). All Allar needs is decent production from his receivers, which isn’t the given you might think.
2. Illinois’ Luke Altmyer. The Illini quietly won 10 games last season as Altmyer threw for 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. There’s no reason to expect regression from the senior, who spent two years in the SEC (Mississippi) before moving to the Big Ten. Who figured Illinois would enter a season with a higher level of quarterback comfort than Michigan or Ohio State?
3. Iowa’s Mark Gronowski. What Kurtis Rourke was for Indiana last year — a little-known transfer quarterback who made a major impact on the conference race — Gronowski could be in 2025. All he did during a standout career at South Dakota State was win two FCS championships and throw 93 touchdowns.
4. Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola. The heralded prospect played like a rookie last season for the Cornhuskers, with just two more touchdowns (13) than interceptions (11). But the experience should serve him well, as will an entire offseason with Dana Holgorsen, who was named offensive coordinator in the final month of the 2024 season.
5. Michigan State’s Aidan Chiles. The rising junior was undervalued as a recruit when he signed with Oregon State and followed Jonathan Smith to East Lansing. An inconsistent 2024 season doesn’t diminish what Chiles can do when he’s in rhythm. With 358 career passes as a foundation, he should make a leap onto the conference’s top tier.
6. Oregon’s Dante Moore. Few quarterbacks in the country are Moore’s equal as a pure passer. Combine the 213 attempts at UCLA two years ago (under Chip Kelly) with Oregon’s stellar playmaking talent and Moore should have far more highs than lows in 2025.
7. UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava. This placement comes with an acknowledgment that we could look quite foolish six months from now. Sunseri, the playcaller, worked for one of the best, Indiana’s Curt Cignetti. How much of what he learned can be applied to his new pupil?
8. Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. The sophomore displayed his elite dual-threat talent with five combined touchdowns in the Sun Bowl. He is well aligned with coach Jedd Fisch, the skill position talent is substantial, and the offensive line should be solid. All the ingredients are present to support a breakthrough season for Williams. And if that’s the case, UW should leap into contention.
9. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. The Cal transfer had several impressive performances last season and will benefit from the stellar offensive coaching in Bloomington. That said, Mendoza will face more talented defenses in the Big Ten than he did in the ACC.
10. USC’s Jayden Maiava. The former UNLV transfer emerged as USC’s starter late last season — he replaced Miller Moss — and was no better than mediocre. The surrounding talent should approach USC’s standards, and Lincoln Riley is one of the nation’s best playcallers, but Maiava must outplay Sam Huard and Husan Longstreet to lock down the job.
11. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin. The next great Buckeyes quarterback (allegedly) was the presumptive starter when training camp began, and we believe he will ultimately secure the job over Lincoln Kienholz. The coaching is top-notch, and the surrounding talent is unmatched, especially at receiver.
12. Michigan’s Bryce Underwood. Let’s assume the freshman locks down the starting job in training camp — and that he encounters the same issues that plague all rookie quarterbacks in the crucible of conference play. If the good outweighs the bad, even by a fractional amount, Michigan will view the investment as worthwhile.
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13. Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis. Now in his second season with Rutgers — and fourth in the Big Ten — Kaliakmanis warrants a higher placement based on production and familiarity with the playbook. But we aren’t sold on his upside.
14. Wisconsin’s Billy Edwards Jr. We have reached the interchangeable tier of the rankings, when the floors are respectably high and the ceilings are indisputably low. Edwards threw 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions for Maryland last season.
15. Northwestern’s Preston Stone. The transfer from SMU is the best option for Northwestern, which had the worst passing offense (based on yards-per-attempt) in the Power Four last year for schools not named Michigan.
16. Minnesota’s Drake Lindsey. A name to watch throughout the fall, Lindsey has the football aptitude and bloodlines — a slew of relatives played for Arkansas — to zoom past expectations.
17. Maryland’s Malik Washington. Don’t be surprised if UCLA transfer Justyn Martin wins the job. Be very surprised if either player elevates the Terps onto the upper half of the conference standings.
18. Purdue’s Malachi Singleton. The starter in West Lafayette could be Evans Chuba, Bennett Meredith, EJ Colson or a player not yet on the roster. The situation is exactly what you would expect (chaotic) for the struggling Boilermakers. Count on first-year coach Barry Odom getting it resolved, eventually.
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