It was on. Then it possibly wasn’t. Now, it is.
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava has announced that he’ll be playing for UCLA, following his departure from Tennessee.
“To the amazing people in Knoxville, thank you for embracing and uplifting me throughout my time there,” Iamaleava said on Instagram. “I’ll be forever thankful for the support you showed me every step of the way and I’ll always cherish the relationships I built there and the memories I created with my brothers. I believe with all my heart that I gave my all as a Volunteer. I’m truly grateful for the time I had at UT.
“My journey at UT has come to an end. This decision was incredibly difficult, and truthfully, not something I expected to make this soon. But I trust God’s timing, and I believe He’s leading me where I need to be.
“Even though this chapter is ending, a new chapter has begun and I am committed to UCLA!”
Widespread reports indicated Iamaleava tried to improve his $2.4 million NIL deal into $4 million for 2025. Tennessee balked, and that was that. The belated version from Iamaleava’s camp was that it has nothing to do with money, and that his departure was fueled by concerns about the offense.
He could be getting even less than the $2.4 million he was due to make from playing at Tennessee. If it even was $2.4 million. The problem with NIL payments is that there’s no objective resource for confirming what players are making.
Regardless, Iamaleava has swapped Tennessee for California. Which means he’ll go from paying no state income tax to paying 13.3 percent.
