Quarterback Carousel: Nico Iamaleava and Joey Aguilar Swap Schools
In a surprising turn of events, the college football world is buzzing with the news of a quarterback swap between two major programs. Just a day after Nico Iamaleava finalized his move from the Tennessee Volunteers to the UCLA Bruins, Joey Aguilar is making the reverse journey from UCLA to Tennessee. This unexpected quarterback trade has left fans and analysts alike eager to see how it will impact both teams in the upcoming season.
Aguilar, who transferred from Appalachian State to UCLA during the winter portal, was initially the front-runner to be the Bruins’ starting quarterback this fall. However, with UCLA’s announcement of Iamaleava’s signing on Sunday, Aguilar entered the spring portal on Monday, setting the stage for his move to Tennessee.
Tennessee’s head coach, Josh Heupel, had previously announced on April 12 that the program would be moving forward without Iamaleava and would be looking to add another quarterback in the spring portal. Aguilar’s availability caught Tennessee’s attention immediately. Standing at 6-3 and weighing 220 pounds, the senior quarterback has one year of eligibility remaining. During his time at Appalachian State, Aguilar passed for an impressive 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Originally from Antioch, California, Aguilar began his college career at Diablo Valley Community College.
Financially, the deal Aguilar is finalizing with Tennessee is similar to the one he had at UCLA. According to sources, Aguilar had $1.2 million left on his UCLA deal, and his new deal at Tennessee is close to that amount. Factoring in taxes, it’s a comparable pay for Aguilar, who had already earned more than $200,000 in his first few months at UCLA.
Iamaleava, who was Tennessee’s starter last season as a redshirt freshman, entered the portal on April 16, the first day it opened. His decision came as a surprise to many, as he skipped practice the previous Friday without notifying coaches or teammates. After several attempts to contact him, Iamaleava eventually informed offensive coordinator Joey Halzle that he was entering the portal. He did not attend the Vols’ spring game the following day. Coach Heupel, who never heard directly from Iamaleava, informed the team that Iamaleava would no longer be part of the program.
Heupel expressed gratitude for Iamaleava’s contributions but emphasized, “There’s no one that’s bigger than the Power T, and that includes me.”
According to sources, Iamaleava’s representatives were pushing for an increase in his NIL deal. On3 reported that negotiations were ongoing the Thursday before Iamaleava missed practice. Iamaleava was set to earn in the $2.4 million range this year from Tennessee. His initial contract with the Spyre Sports Group, a Tennessee-based collective, was reportedly worth $8 million, with the potential to reach $10 million had he stayed at Tennessee. Sources indicated that Iamaleava’s representatives were seeking around $4 million for him to remain at Tennessee for a third season.
Iamaleava redshirted his first season on campus and took over as the starting quarterback last year, leading Tennessee to the College Football Playoff. He finished the season with 2,616 passing yards and 19 touchdowns, though he passed for more than 200 yards only twice in nine games against SEC opponents and Ohio State in the playoff game.
Aguilar, on the other hand, was named the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2023 and started in 24 games during his two years at Appalachian State. He set a school record with 4,002 yards of total offense in his first season with the Mountaineers and set a school record for the regular season with 33 touchdown passes. Although his numbers dipped slightly in 2024, with 3,003 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, he had a career-high 424 yards on 32 completions in a win over East Carolina. Aguilar was intercepted 14 times last season and threw 24 interceptions during his two-year career at Appalachian State.
As news of Iamaleava’s likely move to UCLA broke, Aguilar’s representatives began reaching out to different schools to gauge their interest. UCLA’s coach, DeShaun Foster, had previously expressed confidence in offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri’s ability to work with Aguilar, citing Sunseri’s track record with one-year quarterbacks. Foster noted that Aguilar was settling down and becoming more comfortable running the offense during spring practices.
Aguilar will have a similar timeframe to prepare for the start of preseason practice at Tennessee. He will join redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre as the three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. Neither has played a meaningful college snap, making Aguilar’s experience a valuable asset for the Volunteers.
- Aguilar’s transfer marks a significant shift in the quarterback landscape for both UCLA and Tennessee.
- Iamaleava’s departure from Tennessee highlights the growing influence of NIL deals in college football.
- Both quarterbacks will face new challenges as they adapt to their respective programs.
Originally Written by: ESPN.com
