Impact Offensive Transfers for UCLA Football Next Season

UCLA’s overhaul for the 2026 college football season is being driven through transfers, under new head coach Bob Chesney after a 2025 campaign that ended 3-9 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play. DeShaun Foster was dismissed early in the season after losses in the first three games, and quarterback Nico Iamaleava arrived from Tennessee following a complicated transition but threw for fewer than 2,000 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. To accelerate a culture shift, Chesney brought in 45 players via the transfer portal, including contributors from James Madison. The article highlights three transfers expected to reshape the offense: running back Wayne Knight, who produced 1,373 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 207 carries for James Madison; wide receiver Landon Ellis, who led the Dukes with 624 yards, 36 receptions, and five touchdowns; and offensive lineman Jordan Davis. Davis is coming off an injury, but in eight games at South Alabama he helped power a top-20 rushing attack, with the expectation to protect Iamaleava’s blind side as left tackle.