Gamecock Digest

Nico Iamaleava Story Puts Gratitude For LaNorris Sellers In Perspective For Gamecocks

The latest developments in the Nico Iamaleava story provide perspective and gratitude for the situation at hand with South Carolina and starting QB, LaNorris Sellers.
Brooks Austin|
LaNorris Sellers and Nico Iamaleava
LaNorris Sellers and Nico Iamaleava | LaNorris Sellers and Nico Iamaleava

The latest developments in the Nico Iamaleava story provide perspective and gratitude for the situation at hand with South Carolina and starting QB, LaNorris Sellers.

It’s a crazy world of college football these days, to put it lightly. As if conference realignment and college football playoff expansion weren’t enough change over the last several years in this sport, NIL and the transfer portal have only thrown gasoline onto the inferno of evolution. 

The latest bombshell story in college football resides in the SEC where the former starting quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, heldout of spring practice in an attempt to increase his already $2.5m estimated annual salary to a $4m contract from the Vols. 

Thus leading to Iamaleava being told by Tennessee and head coach Josh Heupel, to enter the transfer portal, they would be moving on without him. 

Now, both parties are four months from the start of the 2025 season with tremendous questions about their future. Tennessee is left looking into the portal themselves for a potential starter or hoping for an internal promotion, while Nico Iamaleava is set to transfer to likely UNC, Tulane, or UCLA. 

All the while, the South Carolina Gamecocks, who by all accounts have arguably the best quarterback in the SEC returning in the form of LaNorris Sellers, are watching by the wayside… grateful for their current circumstance. 

Sellers reportedly makes $2.7m dollars, according to On3.com. Sure, a lot of money for a collegiate quarterback, but it’s been a moot point throughout the process for Sellers. A former 3-star recruit, the Gamecocks have obviously given Sellers multiple raises during his time in Columbia, but it’s a non-topic for this football program. It’s earned value through development. 

Sellers has even gone as far as explored unpaid internships in the local Columbia, South Carolina business sector according to head coach, Shane Beamer. 

"I'll use the example of LaNorris Sellers. He's our starting quarterback. He will be a Heisman trophy candidate this next season, and he is on the path to the NFL. He is currently compensated very well from a Name, Image, and likeness standpoint. But on his own, he's already reached out to companies in Colombia about doing a summer internship with them, unbeknownst to me. But here's a young man that understands that football is not going to last forever and he wants to take advantage of all the educational opportunities available to him."

As Beamer mentioned, there’s no doubt Sellers is well-compensated. Though it goes without saying, the handling of Sellers’ price tag has been handled in a much better way than some other institutions and parties.

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Brooks Austin
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