Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) is injured on a play as he is tackled by Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Bear Alexander (1) during the first half at Autzen Stadium.
It appears that Oregon defensive tackle Bear Alexander is going to face no consequences for his punch to the head of UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava, and the reasoning from Ducks head coach Dan Lanning left many fans unsatisfied.
Alexander, who made stops at Georgia and USC before landing in Eugene, was seen throwing a haymaker that landed on the helmet of Iamaleava long after the Bruins’ signal caller had been dragged to the ground.
Iamaleava was forced to leave the game – albeit for a separate injury – and did not return, although the Bruins held on for an upset victory.
“I was talking to Nico, he’s like, ‘They keep punching me in the face.’ … I didn’t see it,” UCLA head coach Bob Chesney said of the incident. “But when you see it, it’s certainly egregious. It shouldn’t be a play that’s allowed to occur in this sport and it’s a shame that it was missed.”
The referees also didn’t see it, as Alexander was neither flagged nor ejected. The Big Ten did not act after the fact, and now it appears Lanning won’t either.
Dan Lanning Calls Bear Alexander’s Punch Of Nico Iamaleava An Accident
Lanning told members of the media on Monday that Alexander was aware that he hit Iamaleava late and in the head. However, he intended to hit the ball and didn’t realize the quarterback was already down.
“[Bear] feels bad about that. One of the first things he said to me was that he wasn’t trying to hurt [Iameleava],” Lanning said. “I don’t think that’s how he got hurt. I think it was actually on a lower extremity. You don’t want to see it play out that way, but you want your players to be aggressive in trying to punch the ball out.
“Obviously [the punch is] late and it’s not the way it needs to be done and wasn’t executed the right way,” Lanning said. “Bear knows that. One of the first things he said to me was, ‘I wasn’t trying to hurt the guy.’ … You don’t want to see it play out like that, but you want your players to be aggressive.”
I’m not sure feeling bad is enough to negate the initial action. And yes, punching the ball out is normal. But Alexander wasn’t close to the ball, and Iamaleava had been on the ground for a decent period of time before the wind-up and swing.
Fans were also quick to note that USC recently suspended linebacker Desman Stephens II for a game after his late hit on Oregon quarterback Dante Moore that left Moore concussed.
I used to like Dan Lanning but this is the quote of a complete fraud. He stood on his soapbox and cried about Moore getting hit late, and then defends this. @CoachDanLanning
— BeatinTheBookie.com®️ (@BeatinTheBookie) October 13, 2026
Oregon likely has to run the table if it wants to make the College Football Playoff. And losing Alexander for any period of time would make that more difficult. As Lanning’s seat begins to heat up, it’s fair to wonder if those factors played any role in his decision not to punish the player for his hit to Iamaleava.