Chris LowApr 16, 2025, 05:37 PM ET
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- Faculty soccer reporter
- Joined ESPN.com in 2007
- Graduate of the College of Tennessee
The stay up for the place former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava performs subsequent in his school profession persisted Wednesday because the spring switch portal opened.
UCLA is one of the faculties considering Iamaleava, however now not for almost the cash he used to be inquiring for from Tennessee, assets advised ESPN. One supply stated UCLA used to be content material to “sit down tight” whilst Iamaleava thought to be his choices.
“We will see if it will get labored out. He is extraordinarily proficient with beginning revel in in opposition to elite festival. That is type of the place we’re at the moment,” the UCLA supply advised ESPN.
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Resources advised ESPN that Iamaleava sought after a minimum of $4 million from Tennessee and that what UCLA used to be ready to supply him wasn’t remotely as regards to that determine. Iamaleava used to be incomes $2.4 million at Tennessee below the contract he signed with Spyre Sports activities Team, the Tennessee-based collective, when he used to be nonetheless in highschool. It is a deal that may have paid him within the $10 million vary had he stayed 4 years at Tennessee.
Tennessee trainer Josh Heupel introduced Saturday after the Volunteers’ spring sport that this system used to be shifting ahead with out Iamaleava after he ignored observe and conferences Friday and did not alert any one at the crew or go back any calls or textual content messages later on.
Heupel thanked Iamaleava and known as the placement unlucky, however added, “There is not any one larger than the Energy T, and that comes with me.”
Iamaleava, a emerging redshirt sophomore, formally entered the switch portal Wednesday with a don’t touch tag.
Resources advised ESPN that Iamaleava’s representatives requested to redo his deal simply sooner than the shut of the wintry weather portal in December after Tennessee’s playoff loss to Ohio State, however his deal used to be unchanged and Iamaleava didn’t input the wintry weather portal. His father, Nic Iamaleava, additionally sought after Tennessee to enclose his son with higher receivers and a more practical offensive line in go coverage.
Ahead of the beginning of spring observe this 12 months, Iamaleava’s representatives reached out to Oregon to gauge its passion within the quarterback, however the college stated it wasn’t , assets advised ESPN. Oregon then notified Tennessee that Iamaleava used to be being shopped to the Geese.
Iamaleava, a five-star prospect from Lengthy Seaside, California, used to be recruited by means of UCLA out of highschool. His more youthful brother, Madden Iamaleava, dedicated to UCLA out of highschool however modified his dedication on the final minute and signed with Arkansas.
With Iamaleava an opportunity at UCLA, assets advised ESPN that representatives for the Bruins’ present quarterback, Joey Aguilar, had been overlaying their bases and making calls to different faculties to gauge their passion in Aguilar, who transferred from Appalachian State this offseason and exited spring observe as UCLA’s most likely starter.
A Energy 4 common supervisor advised ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Max Olson previous this week that he concept Iamaleava has “0 marketplace,” and added that it will be an “attention-grabbing check of the way good and disciplined schools are in taking a look at him.”
Iamaleava helped information Tennessee to the Faculty Soccer Playoff final season in his first 12 months as a starter. He handed for two,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, however in 9 video games in opposition to SEC warring parties and Ohio State within the playoff, he handed for greater than 200 yards handiest two times.
