Nico Iamaleava will get grilled by CFB followers after disastrous UCLA debut vs. Utah Utes

Nico Iamaleava had a disappointing start to his journey with the UCLA Bruins. The quarterback completed 11 of the 22 passes he attempted for 136 yards and one touchdown with one interception to his name. His team suffered a 43-10 loss at the hands of the Utah Utes.

Iamaleava left the Tennessee Volunteers due to disputes in his NIL contract. Thus, the team ended up acquiring Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar as his replacement. He had an impressive debut for the Vols during their 45-26 victory over the Syracuse Orange on Saturday. Aguilar completed 16 of the 28 passes he made for 247 yards and three passing touchdowns.

Fans on social media drew a comparison between Nico Iamaleava and Joey Aguilar’s performances over the weekend. They trolled the UCLA quarterback for his disastrous debut.

Nico Iamaleavea began his collegiate journey with the Volunteers in 2023. During his freshman campaign, he served as the backup to Joe Milton and saw time in five games.

Last season, he took over as the team’s starting quarterback and helped them to a 10-3 record and a spot in the 12-team playoffs. However, they lost to Ohio State in the first round. Iamaleava recorded 2,616 yards and 19 TDs passing.

This offseason, the quarterback demanded a better NIL deal from the Vols. However, Josh Heupel denied Nico Iamaleava’s request, which resulted in him joining the UCLA Bruins.

UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster shares his thoughts on Nico Iamaleava’s debut

In the post-game press conference, UCLA coach DeShaun Foster shared his thoughts on Nico Iamaleava’s debut.

He said that the quarterback put up a great effort to help his team. However, he also believes that they can do a better job in getting him prepared for the rest of the season.

“Nico’s a competitor, you know, he’s not gonna quit. Keep playing hard, kept motivating the guys around him. So, you know, we’ve gotta do a better job protecting him and keeping him upright.”

Last season, the Bruins finished with a disappointing 5-7 record, failing to qualify for the Bowl games. They are next scheduled to take on the UNLV Rebels on Sept. 6 at Allegiant Stadium. It will be broadcast on CBSSN at 8:00 pm ET.