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Ole Miss' Walker Jones Issues Strong Response to Nico Iamaleava Situation

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Levi Dombro | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Nobody can deny that college football has evolved over the last several years, as both the transfer portal and the rise of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for athletes have made the game unrecognizable from just a decade ago. However, Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava went a bridge too far this past week when he skipped spring practices in an attempt to stage an NFL-like holdout for more NIL money.

Thankfully, the Volunteers denied his request and moved on from Iamaleava, setting a new precedent for the sport. On Saturday, Walker Jones, a former Ole Miss defender and critical piece of the school's Grove Collective, spoke about the situation at the Rebels' spring football event.

“It’s not easy. It’s a challenging landscape as I’m sure you have probably seen,” said Jones. “There is supreme alignment and efficiency across the board (at Ole Miss). We’re never going to be in a check-writing contest.”

Rebel fans should revel in these words from a major piece of their football program. While forking out cash to college players is the name of the game these days and a surefire way to get access to the country's top talent, it is important to remember that no one player is more important than the entire Ole Miss team.

It is easy to lose sight of that fact in today's college football landscape, but fortunately, head coach Lane Kiffin, athletic director Keith Carter, and the school's chancellor, Glenn Boyce, see eye-to-eye on these important matters. Ole Miss will continue to be a top-flight football program in the SEC due to the coaching staff, the fan support, and the work of the Grove Collective, and they won't let one player ruin that.

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

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