3 programs Nico Iamaleava could transfer to after DeShaun Foster's firing

Nico Iamaleava could eye fresh start with Miami, Texas Tech or Vanderbilt via transfer portal

After the firing of head coach DeShaun Foster, UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava has the option to enter the transfer portal. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Nico Iamaleava’s time at UCLA looks destined for a quick and bitter end. The Bruins fired coach DeShaun Foster after an 0-3 start, capped by an embarrassing 35-10 loss to New Mexico. For Iamaleava, a former five-star quarterback who left Tennessee for Westwood last spring, the experiment already feels like a bust.

The move to UCLA was supposed to be a reset after clashing with Tennessee’s NIL structure and staff. Instead, it has been a disaster. The Bruins are one of two winless Power Four programs. Their season has unraveled in September, and Iamaleava’s play has only heightened frustration. Once billed as a potential NFL prospect, he now looks like a quarterback in desperate need of a second transfer.

Iamaleava cannot enter the portal until December, but speculation has already started about where he could land. Programs with upcoming quarterback vacancies, proven developers on staff, or strong NIL resources could provide him with the fresh start UCLA has failed to deliver. Three possible destinations stand out.

1. Miami Hurricanes

Miami will need a quarterback to replace Carson Beck after this season, and coach Mario Cristobal has shown a willingness to lean on transfers to fill high-profile roles. Iamaleava fits the profile of a reclamation project that could work in Coral Gables. Despite the chaos surrounding his last two stops, his natural arm talent is difficult to dismiss, and Miami offers both a fertile recruiting base and a staff with a track record of building around quarterbacks quickly.

The narrative challenge is clear: Iamaleava justified leaving Tennessee for UCLA by citing a desire to be closer to family in California. Moving across the country to Miami would cut against that storyline, but the college football landscape rarely rewards sentiment.

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal will need a new quarterback after Carson Beck's departure. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

For Iamaleava, the priority must shift from geography to football development. Cristobal’s staff could provide the structure and discipline his career has lacked, and the Hurricanes’ offensive personnel offers an upgrade over UCLA’s.

With Miami expected to compete for ACC titles and CFP contention, the stage would be bigger, the stakes higher, and the scrutiny more intense. That environment could be exactly what Iamaleava needs to reclaim his trajectory and convince scouts he belongs back in NFL conversations.

2. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech faces an impending void at quarterback when Behren Morton departs, and the Red Raiders have the resources and vision to pursue a splash transfer. With billionaire booster Cody Campbell backing the program, Tech has invested heavily in facilities and roster upgrades. Adding Iamaleava would align with their ambitions to elevate beyond middle-of-the-pack Big 12 status.

The Red Raiders provide an appealing balance for a quarterback in Iamaleava’s position. Lubbock has proven to be a launchpad for signal-callers, with a history of high-volume passing offenses that showcase arm talent.

Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton will run out of eligibility after this season. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

More importantly, Tech offers stability in a way UCLA never did under Foster. The offensive system would allow Iamaleava to pile up production and highlight the tools that made him such a coveted recruit out of high school.

From an NIL perspective, Tech could also be aggressive. Iamaleava’s first transfer was partly driven by financial considerations, and while he likely will not regain the Tennessee-level valuation he once commanded, the Red Raiders’ infrastructure ensures he would be well-supported. The challenge would be handling expectations, but Tech’s fan base is eager to embrace a transfer quarterback capable of sparking Big 12 relevance.

3. Vanderbilt Commodores

The wild-card option is Vanderbilt, where Diego Pavia has quickly become a fan favorite. Pavia will not be in Nashville forever, and when he moves on, the Commodores could pivot to Iamaleava as his heir. For the quarterback, joining Vanderbilt would mark a full-circle turn after spurning Tennessee, potentially giving him a stage to play against his former team while writing a new narrative.

Coach Clark Lea, who was recently praised by Kirk Herbstreit, has built a disciplined, tough-minded roster that has already surprised doubters this season. While Vanderbilt remains a program battling uphill in the SEC, the opportunity for Iamaleava would be clear: SEC competition, heavy exposure, and a chance to prove himself in the league that once seemed to have left him behind. The Commodores may not match Miami’s prestige or Texas Tech’s newfound resources, but they could offer Iamaleava something just as valuable: a clean slate in a system designed around maximizing efficiency and resilience.

Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) is playing in his final college football season. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If the goal is to show NFL evaluators that he can endure adversity and lead an SEC team, Vanderbilt is an underrated landing spot. The path would be difficult, but for Iamaleava, so far every step of the journey has been.

The Bruins will attempt to regroup without Foster when they host Washington State on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.