David Pollack questions what to expect from Nico Iamaleava at UCLA in 2025

One of the most intriguing storylines in the country heading into the 2025 season is the evolution of quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The former Tennessee standout transferred to UCLA after a much-publicized snag in NIL negotiations with the Volunteers.

Now he’s in a spot where he’ll be counted on even more heavily. Will that benefit him?

“Here’s my question. Honestly, though, what do you expect from Nico?” analyst David Pollack said on the See Ball Get Ball podcast. “Like what is your expectation? Do you expect to see the same type of numbers he had at Tennessee? Because here’s the thing: His team is not getting better. That’s what’s unfortunate. His system, is it more friendly and do you get better?”

Those numbers at Tennessee were as follows: 2,616 yards passing for 19 touchdowns, against five interceptions. He also ran for 358 yards and three more scores.

One thing Pollack expects to see from Nico Iamaleava this fall is a bit more running. That’s an element to his game that’s only just beginning to emerge.

“The experience is there, the running, by the way, we saw a lot with Nico,” Pollack said. “And he showed us late in the season he was tough, he took hits. He got dinged several times, man, that you kind of worried about his noggin. But new system, going out West. A lot, a lot, a lot of criticism. A lot of criticism. And a lot of talk. I’m very curious to see how all this goes down.”

Handling the hype and the scrutiny could be as key as anything else for Nico Iamaleava. There’s a way of negativity around him based on how things went down at Tennessee. Will that be fuel for the fire or something that Iamaleava finds difficult to overcome?

He’s got at least one fan in his corner. That’s Pollack.

“I’m cheering for the kid, I really am,” Pollack said. “”I mean I’m cheering for [Nico Iamaleava] to do well, because I don’t feel like this was his fault. I feel like he was kind of the… he kind of got used in this situation and he kind of got the bad end of this.

“He’s the one who’s got to strap on the pads and move across the country now, that his dad was trying to make more money. And listen, it’s a capitalist society, if you want to go make more money this is also the other side of the coin. I feel bad for the kid that he has to go start over, because it’s not easy.”