Tim Skipper on Nico Iamaleava: ‘Big-time players make big-time plays’

Very few quarterbacks and storylines were discussed as much throughout the offseason as the transfer of Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee to UCLA. Then, after a difficult start for the Bruins on the field, it quickly became a move that was maligned by fans around the country.

Amid all of that, Iamaleava and UCLA have been working to get better, and that boiled over with a massive upset win over Penn State on Saturday. That was a win that has the potential to redefine the season for the Bruins moving forward, and that starts with Iamaleava’s play. Certainly, interim head coach Tim Skipper was thrilled with his play, even if he wasn’t surprised by it.

“Big-time players make big-time plays,” Tim Skipper said. “That’s what he did out there. There’s times when we have drop-back passes and nobody is open and he just takes off, he makes a guy miss, and it springs an explosive run. He’s a player. I mean, he’s a football player. It doesn’t matter what the play call is, you have to always account for him.”

In the win against Penn State, Iamaleava completed 17 of 24 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. He’d also rush for 128 yards and another three touchdowns on the ground. That came in a game where UCLA put up 42 points, by far the team’s best offensive performance. For the season, Iamaleava is completing 66.2 percent of passes for 954 yards and six touchdowns to three interceptions. He’s also rushed for 332 yards and four touchdowns.

In some respects, that performance shouldn’t be a surprise. Nico Iamaleava, after all, is a former five-star recruit who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff a season ago. He’s won on big stages before. Now, it’s a matter of consistently winning with the Bruins.

“He rises to the occasion,” Skipper said. “That’s the thing I love about him. There’s no pressure too big for him. He applies pressure to defenses. I’m happy for him. He’s our leader of the team. He was the number one vote getter for captains, and I love that kid and appreciate him so much.” 

Now, the trick for Tim Skipper, Nico Iamaleava, and UCLA is to keep the momentum rolling. The 1-4 Bruins are hitting the road next week to take on Michigan State. It’s a tough road trip, but after beating Penn State, UCLA has a renewed confidence.

Nico Iamaleava describes the emotions of his first win at UCLA

It was an emotional win for Nico Iamaleava and UCLA. Immediately following the game, Iamaleava shared some insight into what that first win meant to him.

“Man, we got a great win,” Iamaleava said. “Finally, we were able to pull out a win. Man, the belief we had in each other was still there even after a tough start. This means everything to me. We put a lot of week in for this game and we had to go out there and execute. We did a great job, but we let it get a little close at the end and we’ve got to finish better. But I’m proud of these guys.”