What Nico Iamaleava Said After 35-10 UCLA Loss

The Bruins' quarterback came to the defense of his head coach.

Sep 12, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) warms up before the game against the New Mexico Lobos at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins are looking at a potentially catastrophic season after dropping their third consecutive game of the year, a 35-10 loss to the New Mexico Lobos.

There is only one way but up from the rock bottom that the Bruins hit Friday. Fans are calling for everyone's heads, and the prospect of an 0-12 season is becoming increasingly more likely with conference play starting in two weeks.

Here is a transcript of what Nico Iamaleava had to say following their third loss of the season:

On UCLA's response after falling behind early

“I think that’s on the offense. I think the defense did a great job executing. They got us a stop. We got down into the red area and we shot ourselves in the foot with penalties. We got to be cleaner. It’s costing us point and it’s forcing the defense to go back out there after a three-and-out. We have to help out defense out, and it’s on the players, we have to execute in the position the coaches are putting us in to do.”

Sep 12, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; New Mexico Lobos running back Damon Bankston (1) runs with the ball during the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

On UCLA's lack of discipline

“I think Coach Foster preached [discipline] in the locker room. When we’re at our best, we have it. It’s on us, all of us as a group. The coaches are putting us in great positions to go out and perform. I think we just have to go back to going out there and having fun. This is a game, that as a little kid, you love to play. I think a lot of our teammates and our group is treating this like a job. We have to go back to having fun and playing the sport that we love.”

On his belief in DeShaun Foster

“I totally believe in Coach Foster. He gives me so much belief to get in the building and go to work. He gives me that ‘want’ to go out there and practice, and practice hard. We’re doing him a disservice by not performing for him. He’s telling us everything we need to hear, he’s telling us everything we need to do, and we’re not executing as players. It all falls back on the players. Coach Foster’s done a great job, Coach Tino [Sunseri], and Coach Ikaika [Malloe] have all put us in great positions to win a game and we haven’t done that successfully.”

Sep 12, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster reacts to a play during the second half against the New Mexico Lobos at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

On the drive before the end of the first half

“We were going left, but another penalty hurt us again. That knocked us back another five yards and that just messes up the flow of our offense. We’re getting down there in the red zone, we’re getting down there in the red area, and we’re shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties that kicked us out of our rhythm. It’s just messing up a lot of stuff. Like Coach Foster said, we got to be discipline, we got to be cleaner in all operations, and we’re working to do that.”

On bringing more energy next week despite the 0-3 start

“You can look at it two ways. You can be 0-3 and you look at it and you fold, and you don’t care about the season. Or you can look at it as – we know that we’re not playing at our best out there for us, to lose these games. It’s one thing if the other team is just better than you, but we’re just shooting ourselves in the foot with so many costly penalties that are costing us in big time moments. For me, I’m looking at the season ahead of us, we’ve got seven or eight more games to play. It’s time to go get better.

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