As Tennessee Celebrates, UCLA Football Second-Guesses

In return, Joey Aguilar went from being a starter at UCLA to becoming a star at Tennessee. Aguilar had an impressive 53-yard touchdown pass against Eastern Tennessee, with 288 passing yards and 247 passing yards. 

Tennessee’s most recent game against  Syracuse Aguilar showcased 34 rushing yards, three touchdowns, and 247 passing yards. 

The significance for UCLA is enormous, and they didn’t just ‘trade’ quarterbacks; the Bruins traded what seems to be stability. Aguilar is a senior quarterback, more polished, and doesn’t need much development. 

Nico is younger, and he is still adjusting to the speed of the college game. The hope was that UCLA’s staff could coach him up quickly by bringing in new staff hires like Tino Sunseri. But through two games, the results suggest UCLA may have underestimated just how steep the learning curve would be.

Joey Aguilar has had a nearly flawless start. He’s throwing deep touchdowns, managing games without costly turnovers, and guiding Tennessee to a 2-0 record. 

The Vols’ fans have embraced him, and even Aguilar’s father told On3, “Thank you for the trade,” making it clear that they believe Aguilar is being used to his full potential at Tennessee.

On the other side, Nico Iamaleava’s start has been quite rocky. While Iamaleava has shown potential, like a 30-yard rushing touchdown against UNLV, his mistakes have been costly.

Two interceptions in two games, including a game-sealer against the Rebels, have put UCLA in an 0-2 hole.

Instead of looking like a program on the rise, the Bruins look like a team still trying to figure itself out. 

What It Means for UCLA

 The switch is significant because UCLA was banking on Nico to be the face of the program. His presence was supposed to excite recruits and give the Bruins momentum as they enter the Big Ten for a second year.

If Nico continues to struggle while Aguilar excels in the SEC, then it will show that UCLA miscalculated. That hurts not just on the field but in recruiting battles and overall, the program's credibility.

This leaves UCLA with a challenge on its hands of turning raw talent into consistent results. The Bruins have often landed big names but struggled to maximize them. 

Aguilar’s success elsewhere makes it sting even more. It feels like UCLA gave away a quarterback who could have steadied the program, only to end up with losses instead of wins.

The season has just begun, and the story isn’t finished. Aguilar will soon face SEC powerhouses like Georgia, and we’ll learn if his early success holds up. 

Nico will get his chance to rebound against lighter competition and show why UCLA bet on him in the first place.

Nico still has time to grow into the star many believe he can be, and UCLA’s offense has the pieces to improve as the season goes on.

 If the Bruins can pick up wins and show steady progress, this “lost trade” talk could fade into just another early-season overreaction.