NFL Alum Calls Out “Hot Garbage” Nico Iamaleava as QB Admits His UCLA Mistakes

On 30th August at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, with 10:06 minutes left on the second quarter clock, UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava had an incredible rushing first down. The O-line struggled to control Utah’s defenders, and Nico, after grabbing the snap, quickly jumped off the scrimmage as a defender tried to clutch his leg, but to no avail. Other defenders tried too, but Nico evaded a barrage of defenders for a 21-yard first down. But this was the only prime point for Nico in the entire game, because UCLA was humbled 43-10 at home by Utah. And ‘Nico Iamaleava’ is the problem one former NFL WR has highlighted.

UCLA’s defense, which was ranked 59th (in total defense) in 2024, didn’t help UCLA in any way as Utah’s Devon Dampier connected on 21 of the 25 passes he threw for 206 yards. UCLA’s D line looked helpless against Utah’s rushing unit, which garnered 286 yards and scored 4 touchdowns. In contrast, the UCLA rushing unit completed just 84 yards and failed to score any touchdowns. Meanwhile, the receiving regressed, courtesy of Nico Iamaleava’s inaccurate passing as the QB stared down receivers for too long in situations. And according to a former SEC and NFL WR, Nico’s woes aren’t new.

“I told Yal Nico was hot garbage when I saw him in pajamas at that one 7-on-7. Football is a mental sport. Was not a fit…,” wrote Da’Rick Rogers on X. Nico Iamaleava completed just 11 of the 22 passes, marred by overthrown and underthrown balls. For instance, in the first quarter, with 9:29 minutes on the clock, Nico overthrew a potential touchdown pass on 2nd and 10 to Mikey Matthews, which led to an incomplete pass. Moreover, the former Tennessee QB also showed poor reads and execution.

Of course, Utah leading 20-0 by the second quarter forced UCLA, and especially Nico, to a pass-heavy approach, making many of Nico’s plays predictable. False starts early in the game became common, and drives were getting easily disrupted. The O-line didn’t help at all, with the pocket collapsing frequently, and penalties plagued the unit. So, it’s not all on Nico, but can Rogers’ take be entirely wrong?

Nico was a five-star consensus recruit and had immense talent coming out of high school. And so, Da’ Rick Rogers, a former Tennessee all-SEC WR’s views may seem biased. But Nico, failing to avoid pressure (10 times) and getting sacked 4 times, isn’t a trait of a 5-star talent. Even the 47 yards Nico rushed mostly came on broken plays or through scrambling, giving no major benefit to the team; if anything, it showed that UCLA failed to maintain pocket stability, a dire need for Nico now. Still, can the QB make a comeback in the future?

Light at the end of the tunnel for Nico Iamaleava?

With 6:51 minutes left on the 2nd quarter clock, on 1st and 10, Nico’s 19-yard pass to Anthony Woods for a touchdown was still notable. Moreover, in the third quarter, the 16-yard run executed by Nico showed his individual rushing capability. The major factor then for Nico’s regression is UCLA’s O-line and a lack of chemistry with the receiving unit. It is of course hard to believe that the same QB, who led Tennessee to its first-ever playoffs, has regressed this much. But is there light at the end of this tunnel?

“We went out there, and we got punched in the mouth. Me, personally, I didn’t execute at a high level. So, me taking myself back to the drawing board and using this film as some learning experiences … will definitely help me out this year,” said Nico Iamaleava about his performance. Even head coach DeShaun Foster termed Nico to be a “competitor” and said the QB is “not going to quit.” So it seems a comeback, at least for Nico, if not for the team, is on the cards.

All in all, the offensive line’s inability to protect Iamaleava or open running lanes was a glaring issue, with four sacks and 10 pressures disrupting the offense. Furthermore, the team needs cohesion as UCLA has signed 55 new players this year, apart from diversifying their attack. If all these problems can be fixed, only then can Nico hope for a solid comeback.