The Unfolding Drama: Nico Iamaleava’s Transfer from Tennessee to UCLA
In the world of college football, few stories have captured the attention of fans and analysts alike as much as the unexpected transfer of Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee to UCLA. This move, which seemed to come out of nowhere, was actually months in the making, with signs of discontent brewing long before the official announcement.
Back in December, just hours before the winter transfer portal window was set to close, sources from Tennessee revealed that Iamaleava’s representatives, including his father, Nic, had approached the Tennessee NIL collective, Spyre Sports Group. They were seeking to increase Iamaleava’s pay for 2025 to around $4 million, a figure that would align him with other high-profile transfer quarterbacks like Carson Beck at Miami and Darian Mensah at Duke. At the time, Iamaleava was set to earn around $2.4 million at Tennessee, according to sources.
However, those close to Iamaleava denied that they were seeking $4 million. The quarterback had stopped returning calls from coaches, with sources indicating he needed a “mental break” after Tennessee’s 42-17 loss to eventual national champion Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. Despite considering entering the transfer portal, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel managed to keep Iamaleava on board for 2025, though no new deal or increased pay was agreed upon.
The situation took a dramatic turn on April 11, when Iamaleava skipped practice a day before Tennessee’s spring game and entered the transfer portal. Coaches and teammates tried to reach him, but their efforts were met with silence. “As the day went on, it started to become obvious. He was gone and wasn’t coming back,” a Tennessee source said.
Within a week, Iamaleava had signed with UCLA. A source described his UCLA agreement as paying him less than what he was earning at Tennessee but more than the $1.5 million that some have reported. The day after UCLA announced Iamaleava’s signing, the Bruins’ expected starting quarterback, Joey Aguilar, left and reportedly joined Tennessee.
This series of events highlights the evolving landscape of college football in 2025, where million-dollar quarterbacks can become free agents each season, and Power 4 starters can essentially be swapped. The ripple effects of this transfer will be felt far into the next season, impacting both Tennessee’s playoff aspirations and UCLA’s efforts to turn things around quickly.
The Day of the No-Show
On the day Iamaleava failed to show up at Tennessee, UCLA coach DeShaun Foster was speaking with ESPN about the start of the Bruins’ spring practice session. Foster had made significant changes to the coaching staff and roster, including the addition of offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri and Aguilar, a transfer from Appalachian State.
Foster praised Aguilar, noting his experience and ability to adapt to the new system. “I don’t want to say he’s just a pocket passer, but he does a good job of getting the ball out of his hand, anticipating some throws,” Foster said. However, once Iamaleava entered the transfer portal, UCLA emerged as the front-runner for the Southern California native.
Sources close to Iamaleava were confident he could secure a deal for more than $4 million at his next school, but he faced limitations. SEC players cannot transfer to another SEC program in the spring and immediately play in the fall, so those schools weren’t involved. Iamaleava’s absence from practice also created a perception among coaches that he had attempted a holdout.
- High-profile players and their representatives seeking offseason pay raises is common in the NIL era.
- Rarely do these discussions devolve into a public feud.
- “It’s been going on in a lot of programs for a while,” a Power 4 personnel director said. “You just don’t hear about it.”
Sources at USC, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Texas Tech, and several other Power 4 programs told ESPN they weren’t getting involved with Iamaleava. Some had quarterbacks locked in; others were hesitant to deal with Iamaleava’s representatives. UCLA, however, saw Iamaleava as a clear upgrade despite the drama surrounding him.
The Attempted NIL Renegotiation
Iamaleava’s attempted NIL renegotiation was just the beginning of a tumultuous offseason. Multiple sources at Tennessee told ESPN that Iamaleava missed two offseason workouts in February, with his father advising him to skip workouts until issues with Spyre were resolved. Iamaleava’s camp contends the absence was over a payment issue, but a Spyre representative stated there were no missed payments.
Before Tennessee’s spring practices began in March, school officials were alerted by Oregon’s staff that Iamaleava’s camp had contacted the Ducks. However, Oregon was not interested. Sources close to Iamaleava said the family’s primary concern was Tennessee’s efforts to build a better supporting cast on offense, particularly regarding pass protection and his overall health.
Iamaleava’s camp expected Heupel to improve the offensive line and reload at wide receiver, but they felt the coach made “false promises.” The Vols must replace four starting offensive linemen in 2025 and brought in two transfers, Arizona’s Wendell Moe Jr. and Notre Dame’s Sam Pendleton, as well as five-star freshman tackle David Sanders.
The receiving corps will feature considerable youth in 2025 after Dont’e Thornton Jr. and Bru McCoy graduated and Squirrel White transferred to Florida State.
Despite participating in spring practice, a general uneasiness lingered throughout the program about whether Iamaleava would stay for the 2025 season. “We were just hoping we could make it to December [2025], and then we knew he was gone, either to the NFL or transferring somewhere else,” a source within the Tennessee program said.
The Final Days at Tennessee
As Tennessee’s spring practice reached its final week, Iamaleava reportedly told a teammate he planned to enter the transfer portal after the spring game. When Heupel met with Iamaleava, the quarterback assured his coach that everything was fine and that it was “all a bunch of rumors.”
However, a report from On3 emerged, claiming Iamaleava and Tennessee were in “active negotiations” for a new deal. Iamaleava’s camp denied these claims, stating they had not had any conversations with Heupel or Spyre since January regarding his deal.
As rumors swirled, Iamaleava felt pressured to make a decision about his future. He was ready to leave, but his father encouraged him to sleep on it. The next morning, Iamaleava didn’t show up for practice or meetings, and his locker was cleared out early Saturday morning.
Heupel addressed the team, stating, “There’s no one that’s bigger than the Power T. That includes me.”
UCLA’s Gain and the Future
Despite the drama, UCLA’s ability to land Iamaleava is considered a major move. His brother Madden is also transferring to UCLA, elevating expectations for the program.
Arkansas’s NIL collective, Arkansas Edge, is expected to attempt to recoup some of the money it paid to Madden Iamaleava, who departed within two months of joining the program. Meanwhile, Aguilar, who was expected to start for UCLA, entered the transfer portal and joined Tennessee.
Tennessee inquired with the agents of several Big 12, Big Ten, and ACC starting quarterbacks about their availability, but most were locked into seven-figure deals with their current teams. In the end, Tennessee’s best option was Aguilar, who had to leave UCLA.
The Iamaleava-Aguilar swap will be closely watched this season, as both programs navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with such high-profile transfers.
Originally Written by: ESPN.com
