Nico Iamaleava’s very public departure from Tennessee last month remains one of the defining stories of the NIL era to this point.

So does the fallout from it.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

Iamaleava’s decision to skip out on the Vols’ final spring practice amid reports of contract negotiations before entering the transfer portal and ending up at UCLA after two years in Knoxville was highly publicized and put Tennessee at the center of the latest chapter in the ever-changing NIL saga.

ESPN listed it among its 10 “must know” storylines 100 days before the start of the 2025 college football season.

“Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava and his brother, Arkansas transfer Madden Iamaleava, aren’t officially enrolled at UCLA yet,” ESPN’s Dave Wilson wrote. “But during UCLA’s Spring Showcase, they watched as Luke Duncan took first- and second-team reps while Nick Billoups, who is in the transfer portal, also took some snaps, according to the Los Angeles Times. Meanwhile, Joey Aguilar, who had transferred to UCLA initially after a standout year at App State, is now transferring to Tennessee to replace Nico. By this fall, Aguilar will be in Knoxville and the Iamaleava brothers could be Nos. 1 and 2 on the Bruins’ depth chart.

“Coach DeShaun Foster said ‘it’s just comforting’ having Nico around, which is not the way Tennessee felt after a dispute over NIL money. He heads to Los Angeles after throwing for 2,616 yards with 19 TDs and 5 INTs. The soap opera will continue into the fall.”

Josh Heupel and the program’s decision not to cave on a reported new contract for Iamaleava, a former five-star prospect who started just one season, was largely supported nationally and potentially set a precedent that could lead to even more changes in the landscape.

But Tennessee was left with a void to fill in its quarterbacks room, which at the end of the spring featured just two scholarship players in redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre.

Enter Joey Aguilar, a record-breaking quarterback at Appalachian State two years ago before transferring to UCLA in January.

In an ironic twist, Iamaleava bolting from the Vols led Aguilar to Tennessee where he will he will compete for the starting job with Merklinger and MacIntyre in fall camp.

Though it remains to be seen who will start for the Vols once they open their season against Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Aug. 30 (Noon ET, ABC), Aguilar holds the edge in experience.

Aguilar set single-season passing and scoring records with 3,757 yards and 33 touchdowns with the Mountaineers in 2023.

He passed for 3,003 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions last season.

“(Aguilar) has starts. He’s played at a high level. He’s the got the ability to throw the ball vertically,” Heupel told reporters last month. “He’s accurate and on time in the intermediate passing game. He has the ability to use his feet to extend plays and in the quarterback run game too. It’s similar to the traits that we have with guys on campus right now.”

Former Ohio State and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier is sounding the alarm about what college football might be losing in the process. During a candid conversation with fellow former Steeler Arthur Moats on his podcast, Shazier didn’t mince words about the sport’s evolving culture.

The former first-round NFL draft pick, who saw his playing career cut short by a devastating spinal injury in 2017, expressed both support for players getting paid and concern that the focus on financial gain is eroding what once made college football special. As NIL collectives drive over 80% of the booming market, Shazier’s perspective offers a rare glimpse into how veterans of the pre-NIL era view the transformation.

More Money, Less Meaning? Former Steelers Star Points to NIL’s Unintended Side Effects on Player Mindset

In the podcast discussion, Shazier acknowledged the obvious benefits of NIL that he missed as a college athlete. “I wish I had NIL,” he admitted candidly. “Hey, you might would have stayed a little longer, maybe,” suggested Moats.

Despite supporting financial opportunities for players, Shazier expressed concerns about how the current system affects athlete motivation. “It’s like guys are so focused on like their money now and not just the love of the game. It’s not as many guys in my opinion that love ball as much as we did.”

Shazier contrasted this with his own mindset during his playing days: “When I used to play, I used like bro, the money going to come, bro. If I do what I’m supposed to do, If you the best, if you top five in your position, you going to be paid top five.”

Beyond NIL itself, Shazier took issue with how the transfer portal has created a constant leverage game among players. “The one thing I don’t like though for real is, just the transfer aspect of it because guys can just constantly leverage what somebody else is giving them.”

While acknowledging that leveraging offers makes business sense, Shazier questioned its educational value: “So to me, like in business, it’s nice to leverage, but just to leverage every year just in business and life, it doesn’t really teach you much. It doesn’t really allow. You don’t build a relationship.”

While strongly supporting player compensation, Shazier pushed back against standardized payment models. “I do feel that everybody should get paid. I do feel like everybody should get the most they can get, right? But when you get player unions and things like that as well, that’s when everybody think everybody should get the same amount.”

KEEP READING: College Football’s 16-Team Playoff Plan Sparks Outrage—Why Experts Say It Could Break the Sport

As the college football landscape continues transforming with direct revenue sharing expected to begin in July 2025, Shazier’s concerns highlight an important balance that financial empowerment is long overdue but preserving the sport’s core values such as passion, relationship-building and love of the game, remains essential for college football’s future.

College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!