Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava declares his UCLA commitment.
A week after Tennessee announced the quarterback who led the Volunteers to the College Football Playoffs the previous season was leaving the program, Nico Iamaleava claims he is going to UCLA. On Sunday, Iamaleava posted a picture of himself wearing a UCLA uniform on Instagram.
Iamaleava wrote, “My journey at UT has come to an end,” in the post. “To be honest, I didn’t anticipate having to make this decision so quickly, and it was quite difficult. However, I have faith in God’s timing and think He is guiding me to the right place. Although this chapter is coming to an end, a new one has begun, and I remain dedicated to UCLA.” During the Volunteers’ spring game on April 12, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel had hinted that Iamaleava would no longer be playing for the squad. According to the coach, Heupel realized the Vols would not be able to use Iamaleava going forward when the quarterback was a “no show” the morning before and did not communicate with him.
Heupel refused to elaborate on any conversations he had with Iamaleava and his aides. Several sources claimed that after leading Tennessee to its first playoff berth, Iamaleava was requesting a significant increase in his name, image, and likeness pay. In his only season as Tennessee’s starter, Iamaleava completed 63.8% of his throws for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions, helping the Volunteers finish 10-3. On 109 carries, he also ran for 358 yards and three touchdowns.
In Tennessee’s 42-17 first-round playoff loss to eventual national champion Ohio State, he went 14 of 31 for 104 yards and ran for 47 yards and two scores on 20 runs. “To the amazing people in Knoxville, thank you for embracing and uplifting me throughout my time there,” Iamaleava wrote on his Instagram post. “I will always treasure the memories I had with my brothers and the relationships I formed there, and I will always be grateful for the assistance you gave me along the road. As a volunteer, I firmly believe that I gave it my all. I sincerely appreciate my experience at UT.
In January 2024, the attorneys general of Virginia and Tennessee filed a lawsuit against Iamaleava, the quarterback whose NIL contract brought him to Tennessee, and the NCAA opened an inquiry. Regarding the recruiting of the five-star quarterback from California and his NIL contract with Spyre, the NCAA was considering both Tennessee and The Vol Club, a NIL collective managed by Spyre Sports Group. The NCAA reached a settlement on January 31st over its regulations that forbid recruits from receiving remuneration for their names, images, and likenesses.