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Why did Nico Iamaleava transfer to UCLA? QB left Tennessee after reported NIL dispute
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- Why did Nico Iamaleava transfer to UCLA? QB left Tennessee after reported NIL dispute
UCLA football and second-year coach DeShaun Foster made an offseason splash by bolstering their quarterback room by landing Nico Iamaleava in the transfer portal in the spring.
The addition of Iamaleava to the Bruins' roster didn't come without some drama, though.
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A starter in the SEC last season at Tennessee , Iamaleava — ranked as the No. 2-ranked prospect in the 2023 recruiting class according to 247Sports Composite — returned home to the Los Angeles area in April after a reported NIL compensation dispute with the Vols.
The decision by Iamaleava to transfer subsequently caused Bruins quarterback Joey Aguilar , himself a transfer from Appalachian State, to enter the portal. (Aguilar, ironically, transferred Tennessee, eventually taking over Iamaleava's spot at Tennessee).
With Iamaleava set to make his Big Ten and UCLA debut on Saturday, Aug. 30 against Utah, here's what you need to know on what led Iamaleava to transfer from Tennessee to UCLA:
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Where did Nico Iamaleava transfer from?
Following two seasons at Tennessee — one in which he started for the Vols and led them to the program's first CFP berth — Iamaleava transferred to UCLA over the offseason.
He announced his transfer on April 20 on his Instagram account.
"... 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," Iamaleava wrote in a statement.
