Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava under scrutiny over NIL, practice drama

Tennessee backmost Nico Iamaleava did not amusement up to outpouring signifier connected Friday, reportedly owed to NIL declaration discussions.

Iamaleava’s no-show astatine signifier came arsenic a "surprise" to Tennessee, according to ESPN.

Iamaleava, 20, is reportedly acceptable to gain $2.4 cardinal this play but wants to renegotiate his woody to $4 cardinal per year. 

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Tennessee backmost Nico Iamaleava (8) exits the tract aft the crippled astatine FirstBank Stadium successful Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (IMAGN)

The backmost was the No. 23 wide enlistee successful the 2023 people and erstwhile helium initially signed with Tennessee’s NIL corporate successful 2022, Iamaleava was acceptable to marque $8 cardinal implicit his assemblage career. 

Tennessee and Iamaleava’s campy were successful negotiations for a caller declaration that would springiness him a wage rise connected Thursday, according to On3. The outpouring transportation model closes connected April 25, and it is chartless whether these negotiations could origin the backmost to depart. 

Iamaleava redshirted his 2023 play and became the team’s starting backmost going into past play aft Joe Milton departed for the NFL. 

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Tennessee backmost Nico Iamaleava (8) looks for an unfastened receiver during the NCAA assemblage shot playoff crippled against Ohio State connected Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, successful Columbus, Ohio. (IMAGN)

As a freshman, the six-foot-six backmost led Tennessee to a 10-3 record, with 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. 

Upon proceeding the quality of Iamaleava’s no-show from practice, fans took to societal media to dependable their opinions.

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Tennessee backmost Nico Iamaleava (8) looks for an unfastened receiver during the NCAA assemblage shot playoff crippled against Ohio State connected Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, successful Columbus, Ohio. (IMAGN)

"Can idiosyncratic explicate to maine wherefore you would wage Nico Iamaleava $4M erstwhile helium is going to beryllium a 21-yr-old sophomore who lone did this connected a loaded offense? I wouldn’t adjacent wage this antheral $2M. Can’t adjacent propulsion a heavy shot either. Why are we paying players who don’t produce?" One X idiosyncratic posted.

"Nico Iamaleava is simply a coagulated QB. But he's not adjacent to $4Mill good. Whoever advising is doing him a disservice," different idiosyncratic posted to X.

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