Nick Saban is not usually a fan of UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava. But today, he is. For one clear reason.
The Alabama coaching legend has a request for Iamaleava ahead of the Bruins' matchup against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday.
Saban selected UCLA as his "Super Dog" pick on ESPN's College GameDay, choosing the Bruins to cover 6.5 points against Northwestern. While making the selection, Saban spoke directly to Iamaleava.
"I'm taking UCLA, and if I was, I'm going to have a talk with Nico right here. I never rooted for you the whole time you were at Tennessee, but I love your a** right now," Saban said.
With UCLA off to a 0-3 start and having recently fired head coach DeShaun Foster, the Bruins are seeking a spark under interim coach Tim Skipper.
The Bruins are struggling to find their footing in the Big Ten.
On Wednesday, Iamaleava opened up about the season so far and whether it has been stressful for him.
"Yes, in some ways, you got to move on, though," Iamaleava said. "You can't dwell on these past three games, we really have to just focus on what's ahead of us. The season is still alive for us. Like I said, the guys, you know, we got nine more games to try and flip this around. So, yeah, it can be stressful at times, for sure."
The team is hoping the game against Northwestern will be a turning point for both the program and Iamaleava.