Wayne Knight has the potential to get the Bruins backfield back on the right track

Wayne Knight is a shiny new toy in the UCLA Bruins offense for 2026. He can run the ball and catch the ball out of the backfield. Putting him in position to possibly be the best all-purpose back in the nation. His ceiling is through the roof as he followed Bob Chesney and Dean Kennedy to UCLA from James Madison. Knight is a gadget player that can affect the game in a multitude of ways with his big play ability. UCLA missed that in 2025 and will look to get their ground game going again.

Knight draws comparisons to another bulky small back that UCLA had back in the day in Maurice Jones-Drew. That is a tall task to try and replicate, but if the Bruins can get anything of similar value, that will be considered a success. The running game will be crucial for the Bruins as they have completely retooled their offense. That starts with the offensive line opening up holes and protecting their quarterback.

Wayne Knight is a great player for Nico Iamaleava to rely on

Nico Iamaleava believed in what UCLA was doing and decided to come back for one more season. He could’ve easily seen value with another school, but chose to stay at UCLA. Buying into what Chesney is building and providing the Bruins with a steady presence at the helm to lead it all. Iamaleava looks to get back to the player that he was that led Tennessee to the playoff in 2024. The potential is there and now the weapons are around him.

Knight will have plenty of opportunities to make plays for the Bruins. He will be able to run the ball and then when plays break down, he can flank out to catch the ball. He was a First-team All-Sun Belt player as a running back and all-purpose player. This was a home run addition to UCLA one that will pay big dividends as the Bruins look to become a bowl team again. They can easily win six games with their upgrades they made.