"We got a chip on our shoulder": Nico Iamaleava sends stern message after Tennessee exit to start for UCLA in 2025

Nico Iamaleava believes the UCLA football program as a whole, not just himself, has something to prove in 2025.

In an interview with NBC Sports on Thursday, Iamaleava was asked about his decision to transfer from Tennessee to UCLA. Specifically, the signal-caller was asked if he feels he has anything to prove after the transfer.

"Yeah, for me, I wouldn't say personal on my shoulders," Iamaleava said. "I think, you know, football is the ultimate team sport. So, you know, I believe in, you know, the ten other guys that are going to be on the field with me.

"And, you know, when we kick off week one, that, you know, we're all going to be united and unified together. So, I think, you know, as a team, I think, you know, we know we got a chip on our shoulder and, you know, a lot of expectations that we wanted to exceed."

UCLA finished with an overall record of 5-7 last year and has a lot of ground to make up before being considered contenders in the Big 10 conference. However, with the addition of a star player in Iamaleava, who passed for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and just five interceptions last season with Tennessee, that could all change quickly in 2025.

Why Nico Iamaleava decided to leave Tennessee for UCLA

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As a sophomore, Nico Iamaleava started all 13 games for Tennessee and helped the program to a 10-3 overall record. However, reports suggested that issues renegotiating his NIL deal led to Iamaleava deciding to find a new home for his junior season.

While this dominated headlines, it was also reported by ESPN that the decision for Iamaleava to leave for UCLA was much more than just wanting more money out of NIL. The report suggested that Iamaleava's family was concerned with Tennessee's offensive line and their pass protection. Having Iamaleava closer to home was also a big factor in the decision.

Iamaleava is a California native, so attending UCLA is much more practical for his family life. After an impressive sophomore season with the Volunteers, all eyes will be on Iamaleava in 2025 to see if he can replicate that success with UCLA and help the program get in the mix for a Big 10 conference title.