The move from the SEC to the Big Ten is officially on the way for Nico Iamaleava. The former Tennessee Vols quarterback entered the transfer portal earlier this week and all signs were pointing to him committing to the UCLA Bruins.
On Sunday, that became official, with Iamaleava announcing on social media that he indeed will be returning home to California to play for the Bruins. In his post, Iamaleava expressed his excitement for joining UCLA, but he also made sure to send a goodbye to Vols Nation.
Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava has officially committed to UCLA
"To the amazing people in Knoxville, thank you for embracing and uplifting me throughout my time there," Iameleava wrote as part of his commitment to UCLA. "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."
As you can see, this was not an easy decision for Iamaleava, who just wrapped up his first season starting for Tennessee and head man Josh Heupel. It led to a 10-win campaign in 2024 and trip to the College Football Playoff, which was great to see.
Unfortunately, Iamaleava and Tennessee reportedly couldn't meet in the middle on contract talks this offseason, leading to him skipping a practice and also the spring game. Heupel and the Vols decided to part ways instead of giving in to his NIL demands, which were supposedly in the $4 million per year region.
It's unknown at this time how much UCLA will be paying Iamaleava, but it's expected to be less than what the star QB was supposed to make playing for the Vols in 2025. Tennessee is now in the market for a new starting quarterback, with Heupel expected to add a veteran QB before the spring portal closes. Iamaleava will get to work once fall camp gets here in trying to learn a new system with UCLA, which is something we didn't even think would be possible earlier this month.