UCLA quarterback wants to return in 2027 — but is there mutual interest?

Signaling his unwavering loyalty, injured quarterback Nico Iamaleava intends to return to UCLA next season rather than enter the NFL draft or seek another school, agent Joe Barnes told the California Post on Thursday evening.

The plan for Iamealava is to undergo surgery next week on his torn knee ligaments, Barnes said, with the procedure performed by renowned orthopedic surgeon Neal ElAttrache. The expectation is that Iamealava would be fully recovered by the start of fall training camp.

Of course, Iamaleava’s return also would figure to be contingent on several factors, including what role he might play and what kind of compensation package he would agree to coming off a devastating injury that limited him to five games this season.

There’s also the matter of Ty Dieffenbach stepping up admirably in Iamaleava’s absence, helping the unbeaten and seventh-ranked Bruins (7-0) topple Oregon before guiding them to victories over Wisconsin and Oregon.

Dieffenbach has at least one more season of eligibility remaining, putting the UCLA coaching staff in need of a plan for 2027. Will they stick with Dieffenbach, who has performed at a high level since replacing Iamaleava? Will they go back to Iamaleava and his enticing upside, which includes a superior rushing ability, even with the uncertainty of his performance coming off a major injury?

Might the coaches also see who’s available in the transfer portal before making any commitments or commencing a quarterback battle?

Another factor in the coaches’ decision could be the presence of Madden Iamaleava, Nico’s younger brother and now Dieffenbach’s top backup. By next summer, with continued improvement, the younger Iamaleava might also be in a position to compete for the starting spot.

While Nico Iamaleava is a popular teammate admired for his grit and leadership, he was not playing at a particularly high level before he got crunched by two Oregon defenders earlier this month. Iamaleava completed 62.1% of his passes for 982 yards and 4 touchdowns with 4 interceptions while also rushing for 144 yards and 1 touchdown.

Since replacing Iamaleava, Dieffenbach has displayed supreme confidence while completing 61.4% of his passes for 505 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. The Bruins have not experienced an appreciable dip on offense with their new quarterback and remain in excellent position to contend for an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

In his first public comments since he was hurt, Iamaleava alluded to his return earlier Thursday.

“Well, I’m heartbroken the way my season ended,” Iamaleava wrote in an Instagram post. “I’ve finally accepted that this year is really over for me. This wasn’t a part of the plan, but I believe everything happens for a reason. I gave this game and my brothers everything I had and I’ll continue to lean on God and trust His plan. I’ll be back.”

If everything works out as Iamaleava hopes, that plan could involve throwing passes for the Bruins in 2027.