Former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s high-profile transfer from Tennessee to UCLA looked like a costly mistake after the season opener. His disastrous debut in a 43-10 blowout loss to Utah at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night was a wake-up call he might not have expected.
Iamaleava’s camp had pushed for a $4 million NIL deal at Tennessee, nearly double his original $2.4 million contract. When the Volunteers refused to budge, he hit the transfer portal and landed at UCLA. Unfortunately the market didn’t match his previous valuation.
The move backfired spectacularly. Iamaleava went 11-for-22 for 136 yards with one touchdown, one interception, and took four sacks in his Bruins debut.
Nico Iamaleava’s UCLA Debut Falls Extremely Flat
The quarterback who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff as a freshman looked overwhelmed against Utah’s front seven. The most concerning part was that his 47 rushing yards on 11 carries was the team’s personal best.
UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava in his debut vs. Utah:
🔷11/22 PASSING
🔷136 PASS YDS
🔷1 TD/1 INT
🔷47 RUSH YARDS
🔷50.0 CMP%The Bruins were blown out by the Utes, 43-10. pic.twitter.com/Rg88tjdOOT
— Football Forever (@fballforeverhq) August 31, 2025
They managed just 84 rushing yards total, showing how badly the offensive line got whipped and how the entire offense failed to find any rhythm.
Utah’s defense smothered Iamaleava from the opening and never let him get comfortable in the pocket. The 20-year-old missed open receivers and sailed throws throughout the night.
Meanwhile, Utah quarterback Devon Dampier looked poised in his debut, everything UCLA fans expected from their California native signal-caller.
By the time Iamaleava stepped onto the field for his final drive late in the fourth quarter, the Bruins were down 43-10. At that point, the majority of fans still left at the Rose Bowl were wearing red, cheering for Utah’s win.
Despite the rough outing, the former No. 1 quarterback in the 2023 class took responsibility afterward. “All self-inflicted. Coach (Foster), Coach Tino, like I said, they put us in great positions to make plays. We didn’t execute well tonight,” Iamaleava said.
He added, “Everything we want is still ahead of us, man. It’s week one. Our whole mindset is shifting to who our opponent is week two and going out there and dominating and executing at a high level like our coaches are putting us in position to do.”
UCLA Coach on Nico Iamaleava’s Rough Performance
Head coach DeShaun Foster, who replaced Chip Kelly earlier last year, defended his quarterback despite the flat performance. The second-year coach focused on Iamaleava’s leadership qualities rather than his statistical struggles on the field.
“Nico’s a competitor,” Foster said. “He’s not going to quit; he keeps playing hard. Kept motivating the guys around him.”
He acknowledged that his quarterback didn’t get the shield he needed throughout the night. “We just have to do a better job protecting him and keeping him upright,” Foster added.
Iamaleava is reportedly earning around $1.2 million at UCLA in 2025, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. The amount is significantly less than what he sought at Tennessee. The gamble has backfired on and off the field, as the quarterback once seen as a bright star now faces questions about his choices and his future.
The Bruins need serious improvement from both their quarterback and their offensive line. For now, UCLA fans can only wait for next week and hope to salvage what was supposed to be a breakthrough season under Foster.
