The Nico Iamaleava saga continues, even months after his incident at Tennessee. Since he left, UCLA has experienced nothing but setbacks, including an 0-3 start and the firing of head coach DeShaun Foster. Because of this, Iamaleava is once again being called upon to transfer following the season.
“Transferring again would allow Iamaleava to correct what he got wrong last time. For starters, get a deal done in the winter, and not the spring. If Iamaleava had taken care of his business last December, rather than dragging out his situation at Tennessee into April, he would’ve had better options than UCLA,” USA Today’s Blake Toppmeyer wrote.
There are several programs likely to be in the market for a quarterback next season. One that has shown a willingness to pursue experienced players in the transfer portal is Miami, which could be a landing spot for him.
“Miami will need a quarterback to replace Carson Beck after this season, and coach Mario Cristobal has shown a willingness to lean on transfers to fill high-profile roles. Iamaleava fits the profile of a reclamation project that could work in Coral Gables. Despite the chaos surrounding his last two stops, his natural arm talent is difficult to dismiss, and Miami offers both a fertile recruiting base and a staff with a track record of building around quarterbacks quickly,” SI’s Matt De Lima wrote.
Beck is an interesting figure in this story. The Hurricanes reportedly paid him $4 million to join the program. The demand that started Iamaleava’s departure from Tennessee was also $4 million.
“Right before the winter portal closed, Iamaleava’s reps wanted to see his deal upped to $4 million range and again this time as the spring portal opens Wednesday, and according to sources, Tennessee officials said they ‘weren’t going to blink,’” On3’s Chris Low wrote.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
For Iamaleava, this situation becomes intriguing due to the money involved. Lately, he has earned nicknames such as the worst bag chaser ever or biggest bag fumbler. If the Hurricanes wanted him badly enough, they would pay him. Miami will be an interesting team to watch this transfer portal season, and it could include Iamaleava.