College football’s highest-profile transfer is coming home.
After a falling out with Tennessee, Nico Iamaleava has agreed to play for UCLA next season in a move that will generate significant buzz for the Bruins after they added a quarterback who took his previous team to the College Football Playoff.
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But the nature of Iamaleava’s departure, which reportedly involved a desire for more name, image and likeness money from the Volunteers at a time when most teams had lined up a starting quarterback for next season, could make Iamaleava a polarizing figure before he sets foot on his new campus.
Iamaleava announced his commitment to the Bruins on his Instagram account Sunday, ending more than a week of speculation about his future.
“My journey at UT has come to an end,” Iamaleava’s post read. “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!”
Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is transferring to UCLA. (Wade Payne / Associated Press)
Read more: How UCLA coach DeShaun Foster was able to recruit Tino Sunseri to overhaul his offense
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It was not immediately clear how much Iamaleava, a Long Beach native whose initial college deal reportedly was set to pay him more than $2 million to pay for Tennessee next season, agreed to accept from the Bruins as part of his move back to Southern California. An unnamed friend of Iamaleava’s family told Front Office Sports that the dissatisfaction with the Volunteers centered on the need to bolster the offensive line and receiving corps, not a demand for additional compensation.
UCLA appeared to have substantial leverage in negotiations given…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/former-tennessee-quarterback-nico-iamaleava-211051078.html
Author : Ben Bolch
Publish date : 2025-04-20 21:10:00
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