Iamaleava: Left Tennessee to come back home

LAS VEGAS -- In his archetypal nationalist comments since his tumultuous transportation from Tennessee to UCLA successful April, Bruins backmost Nico Iamaleava said Thursday the determination to permission the Volunteers was "one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make."

"My driving origin to travel backmost location was my family, and I anticipation each Tennessee instrumentality understands that," Iamaleava said astatine Big Ten media days. "It was conscionable a batch of drama, but man, I'm excited to beryllium astatine UCLA."

Iamaleava made aggregate references to "false reports" astir him portion astatine Tennessee that centered connected him and his practice wanting higher NIL compensation. The Long Beach, California, autochthonal remained steadfast that the main information for his determination was not wealth but proximity to family. He said the reports made him consciousness "not comfy successful the presumption I was in."

"I deliberation conscionable the extracurricular world, successful general, thinks that it was thing that it wasn't," Iamaleava told ESPN. "Going backmost location was ever successful the backmost of my head. Just being backmost person to my family; [it] took a toll connected getting my household to Tennessee. It was conscionable a batch of traveling."

ESPN reported successful April that Iamaleava's practice had been pushing for his NIL declaration -- which had antecedently paid him $2.4 cardinal per twelvemonth and was acceptable to wage him much than $8 cardinal implicit his clip astatine Tennessee -- to summation to $4 cardinal for 2025. Sources told ESPN that Iamaleava's campy besides reached retired to Miami, Ole Miss and Oregon, among others, astir transferring aft past play ended.

"I don't talk connected wealth matters," Iamaleava said Thursday. "I'm conscionable present for shot and school."

Amid those NIL declaration negotiations, Iamaleava did not amusement up to a Tennessee outpouring practice. Shortly after, manager Josh Heupel said the programme was "moving on" from Iamaleava.

"I privation to convey him for everything he's done since he's gotten here, arsenic a enlistee and who helium was arsenic a subordinate and however helium competed wrong the building," Heupel said astatine the time. "There's nary 1 that's bigger than the Power T. That includes me."

On Thursday, Iamaleava called the events of that week "crazy" and said the acquisition was "a lot" for him. After the split, Iamaleava rapidly made his determination to transportation to UCLA. Quarterback Joey Aguilar, who had transferred to Westwood from Appalachian State successful hopes of becoming the program's starter, ended up transferring to Tennessee arsenic a result.

"My mindset was going into vie with whoever was successful determination for the starting spot," Iamaleava said of Aguilar. "I privation him thing but the best. I cognize he's going to get the champion fans retired there. Hopefully helium gets to acquisition each the affirmative things that I experienced."

Iamaleava redshirted successful 2023 and threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns successful his archetypal play arsenic a starter successful 2024, starring Tennessee to 10 wins and a College Football Playoff quality that ended successful a first-round nonaccomplishment to eventual nationalist champion Ohio State. Iamaleava is acceptable to beryllium the Bruins' starter this season.

"The anticipation is for maine to beryllium better," Iamaleava said. "I got to get better."

UCLA is coming disconnected a 5-7 grounds successful manager DeShaun Foster's debut season. Foster said Thursday determination was nary hesitation astir adding Iamaleava to the roster erstwhile the accidental presented itself.

"We're conscionable excited to person a playoff quarterback," Foster said. "Just being capable to travel backmost location and beryllium comfy and being successful a acquainted environment, I deliberation the entity is the limit."