When Nico Iamaleave joined the Bruins, things suddenly looked promising. DeShaun Foster needed a leader, and he got it in the Tennessee transfer. Both of them wanted to start their season with a bang. For Foster, it was recovering from a 5-7 record in his first year. But for Nico, it was more personal: a payback for the ugly college football reality he had to endure. A 0-3 start, and Foster was fired, and now, Nico is staring down at the dust. But it’s not over yet.

The UCLA roster might be at its lowest, but the adrenaline rush to prove their mettle is still pumping. The head coach is gone, but college football doesn’t stop for anyone. Especially when there are nine more games to play. Iamaleava has still got the faith in his boys. “Man, to keep the belief. The season hasn’t gone how we wanted it to go. But, you know, I still got faith in everyone of the guys. We trust coach Skipper, what he has for us,” he said to the media.

The defensive holes are easily noticeable. But the offensive line is no better. Out of 30 penalties over the three matchups, 27 of them were registered over the last two games. “Penalties are going through the roof. And I think just in situations, man, we shoot ourselves in the foot a lot. And you know that has cost us some big-time games to get a chance to go on wins,” he said, per On3. The target is to now focus on playing cleaner games.

The leader of the offense is going strong for his roster, but the adversity is taking its toll. Especially for Nico, whose controversial exit from Tennessee, the NIL allegations and unforgiving criticism fueled his motivations to pay back the critics. “I’ve never really been in this situation where, you know, I’m 0-3, so, you know, it’s just me continuing to lean on God. And you know, have him lead me. This is the path he chose for me.”

The former Tennessee QB1 completed 2,930 total yards at the Rocky Top over 18 games, including 21 passing touchdowns, along with five interceptions. But at Bruins, within three games, he threw three interceptions. For Nico, it is now a necessity to revive the roster at Westwood, under the leadership of interim head coach Tim Skipper, or else it will be a massive hit on his career.

For him, the effects of the consequences will create ripples and might be far more crippling. Already utilizing his redshirt year in 2023, he has two more years left in his NCAA eligibility. His only options are to rebuild the offense, brick by brick, or transfer again. According to the NCAA rules, if a coach is fired, the roster has 40 days to redshirt or enter the portal. Can he land somewhere else?

Nico Iamaleava’s transfer carousel

This year is not the QB year. Across football programs, you would witness QB woes surfacing. And if Nico Iamaleava’s stock is still on a surge, programs with their own set of QB dilemmas, NIL angles, or just sheer desperation might just be eyeing him. College Football Edits listed out six schools, and don’t be surprised if Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffs are featured on that list.

Going 2-2 into the season, Prime Time and his dilemma with the post-Shedeur QB position are not propelling the roster forward. With Ryan Staub, Julian Lewis, and Kaidon Salter on the block, the head coach has just one demand. Consistency. Another program is Jeff Brohm’s Louisville. Miller Moss transferred from the Trojans to enter Jeff Brohm’s roster. But before Moss hits the draft next year, Brohm will need a replacement.

Then, coming to Coral Gables. Mario Cristobal has his star quarterback in Carson Beck. But with Beck hitting the draft next year, he will be on the lookout for another star. Texas Tech and Vanderbilt are other programs that might be interested in pursuing Nico Iamaleava.