UCLA head coach Deshaun Foster doesn't quite understand some of the drama surrounding quarterback Nico Iamaleava's departure from the Tennessee Vols earlier this spring. Specifically, Foster doesn't understand why folks are making noise about the NIL aspect of Iamaleava's departure from Tennessee.

UCLA bringing in Iamaleava, and the situation with transfer wideout Kaedin Robinson — who made public record his $500,000 NIL deal in an effort to successfully sue the NCAA for eligibility this season — signals that the Bruins, who went 3-6 in league play in their first year in the Big Ten, are now in the game.

Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava publicly pushed back against what he <a href=" "false reports" that his decision to transfer to UCLA was driven by an NIL dispute.

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning was surprisingly reportedly mentioned in the Nico Iamaleava drama with the Tennessee Volunteers earlier this offseason. The former five-star quarterback eventually hit the transfer portal and committed to the UCLA Bruins.

Joey Aguilar transferred to Tennessee and he is the presumed starter. However, ESPN believes he is better than Nico Iamaleava at avoided sacks.

Tennessee was the talk of the 2025 college football transfer portal cycle for all the wrong reasons as quarterback Nico Iamaleava departed from the program in arguably the most confounding saga of the spring.

Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava will return to Ohio Stadium later this year while behind center for UCLA.