WATCH: UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava looks back on changes entering Big Ten play
Things haven’t played out in Westwood like quarterback Nico Iamaleava imagined.
Still in search of the first win through three games, Iamaleava and UCLA are now under new direction following last week’s firing of head coach DeShaun Foster.
Iamaleava, in his first comments since Foster’s dismissal, told reporters after practice Wednesday that interim head coach Tim Skipper is looking to him to be the vocal leader.
“When I first got here, going through fall camp and this whole season, I think coach Tino (Sunseri) and Coach Fos have pushed me to take that leadership role and be more vocal with the guys. And, yeah, I think that’s continuing to take over with the team now,” Iamaleava said.
But the Bruins also need more up front on offense. Of the team’s 30 penalties, 27 have come over the past two games. The offensive line, in particular, has been the biggest culprit in stalling drives.
“I think just as a whole, we’ve got to play cleaner games,” Iamaleava said. “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.
“I think that’s just, as a whole, keeping our focus. You know, we got a lot of shifts, a lot of motions, and I think that can mess with them a little bit. So I think just them staying focused, playing play in and play out, staying locked in and disciplined.”
QB Nico Iamaleava after Wednesday’s practice (9/24)
Watch the full press conference below courtesy of UCLA Athletics:
