Recruiting Forum Football Talk IX

[PlanetVolunteer]

Talent wise…who knows if Nico or Joey is better. Hell we may never know, different QBs with different circumstances.

No one believed the BS that Nico wanted to go to UCLA because they’re more talented, and that absolute beating against Utah should settle that debate.

But I will say if Nico had just put his head down & gotten to work for his 3rd year here he would’ve likely been getting drafted for real money after this season. I hope he has an absolute miserable season, stays 100% healthy and UCLA doesn’t win 5 games.

Maybe in the 6th round

the dude just can't process well enough and has no feel!

It's amazing how it just won't click with some guys. Look how Joey had those three on the move TD passes (one that was called back). Fluidly flipping the ball on the run to Star Thomas.

For whatever reason...Nico and Joe Milton just can't mentally and physically do that. There is some inexplicable disconnect...or they're dumb...or stubborn. Everything they do is mechanical. It really blows my mind how they can't just be fluid with their movement and have touch.

Nico would have sucked this year and everyone would have ended up hating him anyway, or would joke about him like Joe Milton.

 

[DD4ME]

This one slaps a little harder today.

Just waking up in the morning gotta thank God!

 

[jakez4ut]

Life is about choices.

 

[SKV84]

Yeah Wilson and Angeli where their whole offense. Gamers. That team will win games.

If Fran Brown wins another 8 or 9 games this year with all the productivity they lost from last year....he will be a hot commodity this next offseason

 

[Orange.]

This

 

[Volbucky]

If Fran Brown wins another 8 or 9 games this year with all the productivity they lost from last year....he will be a hot commodity this next offseason

Fran to bama

 

[Orange_Crush]

they are better than nc state, by a long shot

That was my thought as well. It's amazing that the mythical group of talent evaluators on here keep making the point that that 10-2 team from last year is completely rebuilt, so it obviously sucks. (If it's a completely different team, you have no idea how good they may be. If you do, quit your job and go into CFB.)

 

[Orange_Crush]

Our DB’s were very solid this game, and may have taken their WR’s out of the equation. Syracuse will play worse defenses this year than us and feast. I think they threw for 4,000 last year. They are no slouches on offense.

And their QB is very good, actually.

 

[Volnut]

Hahahahaha

Ha ha, Grok's interpretation:
struggled to process in a “pick and stick” system.

• Brooks Austin's post critiques Nico Iamaleava's transfer to UCLA, suggesting his struggle with Tennessee's "pick and stick" system—a simplified passing concept relying on quick reads—may worsen with UCLA's complex "full read system," a shift supported by UCLA's recent adoption of Eric Bieniemy's diverse offensive scheme, as noted in the Daily Bruin's April 2025 coverage.
• Web evidence from CBSSports.com on August 31, 2025, reveals Iamaleava's departure from Tennessee stemmed from dissatisfaction with the offensive line, a concern his camp pushed to address, indicating his move to UCLA might have been influenced by financial incentives rather than scheme fit, challenging the narrative of a strategic transfer.
• His debut performance against Utah, where UCLA trailed 30-10 by the third quarter, aligns with Austin's concern, as the game plan abandoned quick passes for Iamaleava's strengths, suggesting a mismatch with UCLA's new system, potentially validated by peer-reviewed studies on quarterback adaptation rates, which show a 60% performance drop in new schemes within the first season (Journal of Sports Analytics, 2023).

 

[Ten_Titans]

He’s going to fake an injury and quit on his team halfway through the season. Just watch.

Well it sucks they wasted all that money. But at least then they will be able to move on to

*Checks notes*

Nico's little brother who's worse

 

[Orange.]

I hope Big Nic has been investing all that NIL money wisely, because the chances of Nico getting drafted just went in the crapper IMO.

I hope he has already spent it all.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Well it sucks they wasted all that money. But at least then they will be able to move on to

*Checks notes*

Nico's little brother who's worse

UCLA went all in on the Iamaleava family and their program is going to suffer for it.

 

[jakez4ut]

Talent wise…who knows if Nico or Joey is better. Hell we may never know, different QBs with different circumstances.

No one believed the BS that Nico wanted to go to UCLA because they’re more talented, and that absolute beating against Utah should settle that debate.

But I will say if Nico had just put his head down & gotten to work for his 3rd year here he would’ve likely been getting drafted for real money after this season. I hope he has an absolute miserable season, stays 100% healthy and UCLA doesn’t win 5 games.

I agree with all this, in merit. I dunno about the draft part.

I do know the opportunity here is, was, will be better than anything UCLA could offer. And he, and/or his camp, just made a poor choice in how to handle the situation.

And to be honest, early returns say that it may actually be a good thing for us in the long run.

Addition by subtraction. Unanswered prayers. Whatever you want to call it.

I do think this has more to do with his camp than it does him, so on some level I feel bad for the kid.

I think there's a lot to learn from this whole 23 QB class, in general.

 

[Orange_Crush]

I agree with all this, in merit. I dunno about the draft part.

I do know the opportunity here is, was, will be better than anything UCLA could offer. And he, and/or his camp, just made a poor choice in how to handle the situation.

And to be honest, early returns say that it may actually be a good thing for us in the long run.

Addition by subtraction. Unanswered prayers. Whatever you want to call it.

I do think this has more to do with his camp than it does him, so on some level I feel bad for the kid.

I think there's a lot to learn from this whole 23 QB class, in general.

Here's what I know:

Ride or die with Heup.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Today, we are all Virginia Tech fans.

 

[Jack Burton]

He’s going to fake an injury and quit on his team halfway through the season. Just watch.

After seeing UCLA last night I’m thinking the same thing. Whether is a real or fake injury I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t finish the season and just starts getting ready for the draft.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I agree with all this, in merit. I dunno about the draft part.

I do know the opportunity here is, was, will be better than anything UCLA could offer. And he, and/or his camp, just made a poor choice in how to handle the situation.

And to be honest, early returns say that it may actually be a good thing for us in the long run.

Addition by subtraction. Unanswered prayers. Whatever you want to call it.

I do think this has more to do with his camp than it does him, so on some level I feel bad for the kid.

I think there's a lot to learn from this whole 23 QB class, in general.

One thing it forced was our staff had to just go get a nearly finished product at QB, instead of just raw talent they think they can mode.

Hendon Hooker was the last QB staff had that fit that bill. So hoping Joey keeps balling, would be awesome to get him drafted after the path he’s taken to get here (like Dalton Knecht for basketball)

 

[Orange_Crush]

So... Defense on rewatch. It seems if we can keep our guys from crashing inside, and to start sealing the edges, we'll be OK.

 

[Ten_Titans]

Hahahahaha

This was the second play I saw after I turned the game on.

You've got a man-beater mesh concept against zone. With FOUR DUDES in the middle of the field.

I don't know how he's supposed to read this, but if you can't see you have four guys in shallow zones over the middle and hit the wide open running back, you can't be a good QB. Instead he's locked on to the first guy and the play has no chance.

Seeing the same stuff on a different team, really makes me feel good about giving Joey Halzle and Heupel the benefit of the doubt again.

 

[Orange_Crush]

After seeing UCLA last night I’m thinking the same thing. Whether is a real or fake injury I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t finish the season and just starts getting ready for the draft.

He will not be drafted. His best prayer is to transfer and try to impress somewhere else next year.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

My only major concern about our defense are updates on Moi and Gibson.

need Hobbs back too. But yeah

 

[Type Orange+]

Hahahahaha

 

[DD4ME]

 

[Orange_Crush]

View attachment 769217

This was the second play I saw after I turned the game on.

You've got a man-beater mesh concept against zone. With FOUR DUDES in the middle of the field.

I don't know how he's supposed to read this, but if you can't see you have four guys in shallow zones over the middle and hit the wide open running back, you can't be a good QB. Instead he's locked on to the first guy and the play has no chance.

Seeing the same stuff on a different team, really makes me feel good about giving Joey Halzle and Heupel the benefit of the doubt again.

I don't think his 7v7 experience prepared him very well. He has lots of talent, but can't read or process.

 

[LargePairOfVols]

UCLA went all in on the Iamaleava family and their program is going to suffer for it.

Really who is the dumb one though? UCLA paid $1MM for that.

No plans to go to NFL. Hang with TN and SoCal coeds for a few yrs. Make several million. Get forgotten about. Never have to work again. Retire the family. Not bad really.