Sep 12, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) warms up before the game against the New Mexico Lobos at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Nico Iamaleava Comes to Defense of DeShaun Foster

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Sep 14, 2025 7:00 AM ET

No one is in a worse position than Nico Iamaleava, DeShaun Foster and the UCLA Bruins (0-3, 0-0 Big Ten) through three weeks of the college football season.

Following a depleting 35-10 loss to Jason Eck and the New Mexico Lobos on Friday, Foster's seat is the hottest it's been in his UCLA tenure, but his star quarterback has his back no matter what.

“I totally believe in Coach Foster," Iamaleava said following the loss. "He gives me so much belief to get in the building and go to work. He gives me that ‘want’ to go out there and practice, and practice hard. We’re doing him a disservice by not performing for him. He’s telling us everything we need to hear, he’s telling us everything we need to do, and we’re not executing as players. It all falls back on the players.

"Coach Foster’s done a great job, Coach Tino [Sunseri], and Coach Ikaika [Malloe] have all put us in great positions to win a game and we haven’t done that successfully.”

Foster isn't entirely to blame for UCLA's historically bad start to the season. The Bruins' defense has been among the worst defenses in college football and Iamaleava hasn't found a groove early in his Westwood tenure.

Grading Iamaleava's Week 3 UCLA Performance

Iamaleava notably struggled for the third consecutive week, missing open receivers all night and finishing with 217 passing yards on 22-for-34 throwing. He tossed in a touchdown to Titus Mokaio-Atimalala in the second quarter, but couldn't get anything going the rest of the game. He also scrambled six times for 33 yards.

For the second-straight game, though, Iamaleava threw a pass down the middle that was tipped up by an opposing linebacker and intercepted by a New Mexico defensive back, effectively sealing the game and leading to another Lobos touchdown.

The Bruins' star quarterback just hasn't gotten his footing right through three games. He's thrown for 608 yards, completing 62 of his 97 passes (63.9%) for three touchdowns and three interceptions. He has a 50.7 ESPN QBR on the season, which ranks 77th among all FBS quarterbacks,

I'd argue that Iamaleava has shown more promise on the ground through UCLA's three losses than he has through the air, but that's just because he's been among the most pressured quarterbacks in college football. He's scrambled for 139 yards on 30 attempts and one touchdown. He's been sacked 6 times.

His Week 3 performance was a considerable downgrade from Week 2 against UNLV. There's an argument that it was worse than his Week 1 blunder against Utah, especially because New Mexico is levels below the Utes.

With all that in consideration, we give Nico Iamaleava's Week 3 performance against the Lobos a 'D+' grade.

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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