The fixation on financial gain in college football overshadows the essence of the game, as exemplified by the case of UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Unfortunately for him, his reported demand of $4 million was not only dismissed but also ignored entirely, resulting in Tennessee entrusting the position to Joey Aguilar. It is worth noting that Aguilar is the same individual who guided the Vols to their inaugural playoff appearance, achieving a commendable 10-3 record, which includes a resounding 35-0 triumph over Iowa. Yet, the prevailing memory seems to be his pursuit of a higher salary. Is this not a natural human inclination? The desire to be compensated fairly for one’s contributions. Perhaps a new beginning at UCLA will finally afford Iamaleava the acknowledgment he merits, demonstrating that perseverance ultimately yields rewards.
Sure, Joey Aguilar has better stats than Nico Iamaleava had last season. On one side, Nico threw for 2,616 yards with 19 TDs, and Joey threw for 3,003 yards with 23 TDs, but what really set them apart is their accuracy, and Nico is surely better in that with just 5 picks and a completion rate of 63.8%, whereas Joey has 14 picks with a poor completion rate of 55.9%. And that inconsistency showed up in spring practice too, as Woods highlights: “You know, we watched Joey for one practice really because we had four open practices this spring where we could really dive in and watch quite a bit, and I saw him for one practice, and it was pretty rough. And so we’re walking away from that one, and I’m sure the coaching staff was walking away from maybe that first couple of weeks of practice and saying, ‘We don’t necessarily have our answer at quarterback right now.’”
So, there’s a reason why UCLA went 5-7 last season and the Vols were running in the playoffs. It’s Nico Iamaleava, yes, he’s the reason. “When there was the news about Nico, and you know, maybe there’s a sundering with Tennessee, I think that was an obvious opportunity for UCLA to jump in and try to get the hometown kid back. For UCLA, it’s a game changer, [as] the talent at the quarterback was not particularly good,” Woods said.
After Joey Aguilar’s exit, the quarterback situation at the Bruins looked shaky. “Robert McDaniel, a freshman who has since transferred out, is pretty talented, but there wasn’t a ton in this cupboard, so adding Nico, you’re adding the obvious starter for next year,” Woods said. So, in between an inconsistent QB and a QB yet to make a big splash, Nico Iamaleava seems like a perfect choice.
Nico Iamaleava was already earning a considerable sum at Tennessee through NIL agreements, reportedly around $2.4 million. However, when he sought a larger share of the earnings, the situation took an unexpected turn. Instead of receiving the anticipated increase, he was faced with UCLA’s $1.5 million NIL cap, resulting in a $900,000 decrease in his salary. Nevertheless, it was not entirely in vain. Nico is a valuable asset for UCLA’s offense, and David Woods is already promoting their strategic decision to include Nico in the team on The Cover 3 Podcast. But what is the reason behind this?
Now, it’s not like Nico Iamaleava did not have his share of ups and downs. Consider the Oklahoma game: 13 of 21 for 194 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, but two costly fumbles. While the stats seem decent, the context matters. Both fumbles stemmed from poor pass protection; one was a blindside sack, the other a collapsing pocket forcing him to scramble.
But it’d be unfair to pin all that on him when the offensive line folds like a cheap lawn chair. Still, fortune favored the Vols, as the defense miraculously recovered both fumbles immediately, rescuing Iamaleava. Sure, he didn’t dazzle, but he remained calm, played smartly, and secured the win. That’s exactly what UCLA needs right now. “He wasn’t good on the deep ball or wasn’t good at this and that, and it’s like you don’t know exactly what UCLA was working with, but take all of that; he’s still going to be an upgrade over what they were planning on throwing out there this year,” Woods said. So, with a promising QB, will UCLA bounce back this year?
Despite high hopes, self-inflicted wounds hampered their progress. A staggering 46 penalties in just five games surrendered yardage and momentum, notably in their 31-19 loss to Washington. The offensive line’s struggles made every drive an uphill battle, significantly impacting their performance.
With Foster’s growing pains came a flood of criticism. Even David Woods admitted the initial struggles and Foster’s poor choices. “I think they’ve—that’s the thing I’ll say about DeShaun is that, you know, was he an experienced head coach? Definitely not. And were there some flubs early in the season, like, throw away the media day thing? But, like, were there some fourth-down decisions you’re just, like, yeah, you’re just sitting there, like, what’s going on here? These are rookie mistakes, and the thing I’ll say about him is he learned from a lot of that stuff,” he said.
