What to Expect From Nico Iamaleava's First UCLA Season

There’s a new era in Westwood — and perhaps it’s exactly the jolt the rebuilding UCLA Bruins program needed.

After a contentious few weeks in April, former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is now donning the blue and gold. The former five-star recruit handled the SEC just fine in his first full season as a starter, but with that status — in that conference — comes heavy scrutiny.

Now, everyone has an opinion on the young man. And while we still haven’t heard from him — just "his camp" — a new chapter begins regardless.

With the Volunteers, Iamaleava threw for over 2,600 yards, completed 63.8% of his passes, tossed 19 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Not too shabby for a first-year starter in the SEC.

Wielding a cannon of an arm and sound decision-making, his only game with multiple turnovers came in Week 2 against NC State. After that, he threw just three picks over the final 11 games. That stretch included wins over Alabama, Florida, and Oklahoma.

Still, college football analyst Greg McElroy made headlines last week when discussing Tennessee’s preseason ranking with a new quarterback at the helm.

“They might have actually just accounted for the fact that Nico wasn’t good,” McElroy said.

It’s a strange critique from someone in McElroy’s position — especially given Iamaleava’s exceptional TD-to-INT ratio and battle-tested résumé.

Calling him “overhyped” is one thing — and that’s a label many fans have slapped on him. But “not good” feels a little egregious.

Much of the negative discourse started with the NIL drama and media speculation surrounding his situation at Tennessee. The public perception has taken a hit, but to his credit, Iamaleava has handled the noise well enough to earn a fresh start.

The biggest change in Westwood will be the talent around him. At Tennessee, Iamaleava had weapons like Dont’e Thornton, Squirrel White, and Chris Brazzell.

Now, he’ll be working with Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, Mikey Matthews, and Rico Flores — a trio of receivers with plenty to prove.

The L.A. market can be ruthless, sure, but its pressure is mostly reserved for pro teams. Moving west might allow Iamaleava to tune out the noise and just play football.

UCLA struggled mightily last year, but it was expected under a new coaching regime. With a proven quarterback in the building, it might be enough for the Bruins to finally take the next step.

Don’t write off Iamaleava just yet. The talent is still undeniable. He still needs to prove he can lead a championship team, but if he held his own in the SEC, he should be just fine in Westwood.