For better or for worse, the UCLA Bruins will go as far as quarterback Nico Iamaleava will take them. The highly-touted transfer has shown promise in his first two games as a Bruin, but they’ve both resulted in losses for UCLA.
The struggles put both UCLA and Iamaleava in a tough spot. It’s just Year 2 of DeShaun Foster as the Bruins’ head coach, but it might be his last if Foster is gone after this season. Would Iamaleava find himself back in the transfer portal? UCLA has 10 more regular season games so much can still change, but it’d take some improvement for both sides to opt to run it back in 2026.
“I got to be better,” Iamaleava said postgame after UCLA’s 30-23 loss to UNLV last week. “I think overall, we got to clean up a lot of stuff.”
While it’s commendable that Iamaleava is willing to fall on the sword, the Bruins’ problems run much deeper than their new starting quarterback. The UCLA offensive line has been pushed around in both games and their defense has been unable to get off the field, leading to long drives and fewer opportunities for Iamaleava and the offense.
“We got to go back to the drawing board and execute what the coaches got for us,” Iamaleava said. “It’s tough man. I hate losing.”
Not only is Iamaleava dealing with the hardships of the Bruins’ struggles, his old team, the Tennessee Volunteers, are off to a terrific start to the season while Iamaleava runs for his life behind UCLA’s offensive line.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Nico Iamaleava and wounded Bruins must shake off horrendous start to the season
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
