It's All Coming Together for UCLA's Coach Foster

The biggest surprise for the UCLA Bruins this offseason was when Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava transferred to Westwood. With a big move like that, head coach DeShaun Foster suddenly felt a different air that was breathed into this football team.

While some questions arose at first targeting Iamaleava's character after his NIL dispute with the Volunteers, that's all dissipated after seeing him perform so far through Fall Camp.

CBS Sports insider Matt Zenith outlined UCLA's true feelings and evaluations of their new star quarterback, and so far, he's done nothing but impress and turn heads.

"There were a lot of people around the UCLA program that didn't know what to expect from Nico [Iamaleava]," Zenith said on a recent podcast. "Just coming out of that Tennessee situation, how everything went down, I'll just say he's been terrific. He's been beyond terrific, not only from a talent standpoint and what he showed on the field, but just the work he's put in behind the scenes. They have continued to beyond beyond rave about him and just feel like the outlook is so much different for this season there at UCLA compared to what it would've been if they had not gotten Nico. They legitimately feel at this point like they're going to be able to compete in any game that they play.

A grueling road to victory:

Zenith then pointed out the Bruins' scehdule. Although it's one of the toughest schedules in the Big Ten this season, he quoted the first portion as "doable," and a good way for Foster's squad to get a little momentum going before facing tougher opponents.

"The first 8-9 games, they only face two teams in the top-20, with Indiana being the other one (Penn State). There's an opportunity there for maybe UCLA to surprise some people. Not only because they have someone in Nico that they think is going to have a chance to be a first-round-type player next year, just based on what they've seen behind the scenes, but that they liked what they've added to that running back room, they feel like they have some talent at receiver. They are extremely high on Nico and have been very much impressed with him, even outside of just the talent part of it."

Iamaleava has a lot to prove this year, not just to UCLA or Tennessee, but he has to show that he has what it takes to be successful at the next level. If he plays as good in-game as he has been at practice, then the Bruins are in for an exciting year.

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