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Tennessee May Lay Foundation for UCLA Player Contracts

UCLA may have to watch a Southern California prep legend reset NIL deals.
Brock Vierra|
Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) throws during the second half of the College Football Playoff first round game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 22, 2024. Ohio State won 42-17.
Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) throws during the second half of the College Football Playoff first round game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 22, 2024. Ohio State won 42-17. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Currently, the University of Tennessee's NIL collective and quarterback Nico Iamaleava are in contract negotiations, according to On3's Pete Nakos.

If both sides fail to come to terms, we could see Iamaleava depart Tennessee during the spring transfer window. More details have come out about the situation from CBS Sports' Chris Hummer, Brandon Huffman and John Talty.

A recent article from the three read the following:

"If Tennessee loses Iamaleava, it would shake up the national quarterback landscape. It could also unleash a fury not seen on Rocky Top since coach Lane Kiffin bolted for USC in the cover of darkness. Tennessee is determined to keep a player into which it has invested major capital — money, reputation, lawyers — to build up as the pillar of the program.

"Updated contract agreements have been made across college football the last several weeks ahead of April 16's opening of the spring window to no fanfare, which is why sources at Tennessee say they were caught off guard when they saw their business being aired out on social media Thursday.

"The act could provide interested schools daylight to gauge Iamaleava's interest. Sources around Tennessee tell CBS Sports there are multiple parties involved in Iamaleava's camp, though his dad, Nicholaus, runs the show."

"The family are happy (with Tennessee)," said Cordell Landers, a close friend of the Iamaleavas. Landers is a former assistant director of player personnel at Florida who also works with a number of notable players from California. "There are no (contract negotiations), they're happy with the contract they have."

This is the world of college football — secrecy, making moves through the media and misinformation. This is why contracts are coming. While things should calm down as long as Iamaleava returns to Tennessee, if he leaves because of money, that will virtually guarantee the SEC will push for player contracts as they desperately attempt to hold on to the monopoly they held over college football.

I reiterate what I wrote before:

There is no disputing, NIL collectives are pay-for-play systems. That's not going away. The transfer portal is not going away. The reason the negative things of NIL and the transfer portal exists is due to a lack of action by the NCAA. That cannot happen again, and player contracts could help minimize the issues caused in the modern game.

This is something UCLA must keep an eye out as this situation could change the trajectory of college football. Contracts, buyouts and conference realignment. The three most influential terms in college football.

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Brock Vierra
BROCK VIERRA

Brock Vierra, a UNLV graduate, is the Los Angeles Rams Beat Writer On Sports Illustrated. He also works as a college football reporter for our On Sports Illustrated team.

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