National media outlet grades the performances of Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar and UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava in Week 1
There were plenty of eyes on Tennessee Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar and UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava this past weekend. Aguilar and Iamaleava essentially switched places during the offseason. Iamaleava left Tennessee to return to his home state of California to play for the Bruins. Aguilar, who transferred from Appalachian State to UCLA during the […]
There were plenty of eyes on Tennessee Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar and UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava this past weekend.
Aguilar and Iamaleava essentially switched places during the offseason. Iamaleava left Tennessee to return to his home state of California to play for the Bruins. Aguilar, who transferred from Appalachian State to UCLA during the winter transfer window, left Los Angeles for Knoxville after Iamaleava’s addition to the Bruins’ roster.
In Week 1, it looked like the Volunteers got the better end of the de facto quarterback trade as Aguilar led Tennessee to a win against Syracuse while Iamaleava and the Bruins were blown out at home by Utah.
National outlet grades Joey Aguilar and UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava
On Tuesday, CBS Sports graded the performance of each quarterback in their first starts for their new program. They gave Aguilar an A for his start against Syracuse (247 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and 34 rushing yards).
From CBS Sports: Few players endured a more chaotic offseason than Joey Aguilar. After transferring from Appalachian State to UCLA, he was forced to find another landing spot once the Bruins brought in Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee. The move was as close to a “trade” as you will find in college football. Aguilar arrived late at Tennessee but quickly won the starting job. In his debut against Syracuse, he started slow before settling in with 247 passing yards and three touchdowns. Early returns suggest Aguilar is an ideal fit for Josh Heupel’s offense. Grade: A
CBS Sports gave Iamaleava a D for his start against Utah (136 passing yards, one passing touchdown, one interception, 47 rushing yards).
From CBS Sports: No transfer drew more attention this offseason than Nico Iamaleava. His high-profile exit from Tennessee, centered on NIL, became a defining moment for the sport. He landed at UCLA, a program in need of star power, and the move also brought him closer to home. You can’t fault him if geography played a role. Iamaleava’s debut, however, fell flat. He finished 11 of 22 for 136 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 43-10 loss to Utah. He overthrew open receivers, missed opportunities, and couldn’t rally the Bruins back from an early deficit. Facing Utah’s relentless defensive front was hardly an ideal first test, but Iamaleava didn’t resemble a former five-star prospect. Grade: D
Both quarterbacks will be back in action this weekend. Aguilar and the Vols are set to host East Tennessee State, while Iamaleava and the Bruins will travel to Nevada to take on UNLV.
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