UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster addressed the addition of quarterback Nico Iamaleava for the first time Tuesday, calling the former five-star recruit’s transfer “something we couldn’t pass up.”
Iamaleava committed to the Bruins last week after leaving Tennessee, returning to his home state of California and instantly becoming the program’s highest-profile addition of the offseason.
“Being able to bring in the No. 1 player in the portal, just something we couldn’t pass up,” Foster told reporters.
Foster highlighted Iamaleava’s physical attributes and competitive nature.
“6’6″, this is a big guy,” Foster said. “A true competitor. Fiery. Big arm.”
Iamaleava won’t join the team immediately. He must first complete his academic obligations at Tennessee, according to ESPN’s Chris Low. UCLA operates on the quarter system with final exams scheduled for June 9-13.
The quarterback situation has created what many call college football’s first “quarterback trade.” Former Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar left UCLA after Iamaleava’s commitment and transferred to Tennessee.
Foster emphasized his priority of recruiting local talent.
“Keeping the California kids and L.A. kids here, you know? This is a big thing,” he said.
Iamaleava’s transfer has generated significant attention, with speculation about NIL demands and circumstances surrounding his Tennessee departure. Foster insisted the program conducted thorough evaluation before making the decision.
“You just have to go with your gut and with the people that you trust,” Foster said. “You can’t just read everything on social media and come to a conclusion from that. You have to do a little bit more homework. So I think we did a good job in vetting and figuring out what we wanted to do, and we were able to execute and now we’re here.”
The first-year head coach sees the high-profile addition as evidence of the program’s upward trajectory.
“You want to be in conversations, you want to play big-time ball, you want to have haters, you want all of this stuff,” he said. “Because that means that you’re trending in the right direction.”
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