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

Nico Iamaleava makes statement about his Tennessee departure

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Apr 20, 2025 5:37 PM ET

Quarterback Nico Iamaleava has officially decided on his new school and made a statement about his controversial transfer.

Iamaleava has committed to UCLA, he announced Sunday on Instagram. That confirms previous reporting that said the quarterback planned to play for the Bruins in 2025.

Iamaleava briefly addressed his decision to leave Tennessee as part of the announcement. He thanked Volunteers fans for their support, and admitted that he had not planned on leaving as soon as he did.

“To the amazing people in Knoxville, thank you for embracing and uplifting me throughout my time there,” Iamaleava wrote. “I’ll be forever thankful for the support you showed me every step of the way and I’ll always cherish the relationships I built there and the memories I created with my brothers. I believe with all my heart that I gave my all as a Volunteer. I’m truly grateful for the time I had at UT.

“My journey at UT has come to an end. This decision was incredibly difficult, and truthfully, not something I expected to make this soon. But I trust God’s timing, and I believe He’s leading me where I need to be.”

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A post shared by Nico Iamaleava (@nico_iamaleava8)

Iamaleava controversially left Tennessee over a dispute regarding NIL money, though the quarterback’s camp has said there were other reasons for the transfer. Iamaleava seems to hint that Tennessee made the ultimate decision to move on, though that call was certainly not made without any provocation.

By most accounts, Iamaleava did not attract widespread interest after entering the transfer portal and may have actually lost money by making the move. The Bruins stand to benefit from that, at least for this season, while Tennessee has some big decisions to make about the quarterback position moving forward.

Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards with 19 touchdown passes and five interceptions for Tennessee last season in his first year as the team’s starter. He also rushed for 358 yards and three scores while helping the Vols reach the College Football Playoff.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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