Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. This entire ordeal involving the Iamaleava clan has enveloped the College Football sphere like nothing before it. Nico Iamaleava’s unprecedented scenario being promptly followed by his younger brother Madden Iamaleava’s own ancillary side plot. Ironically, it’s not just the fact both have essentially “fooled” their schools. They’ve actually done it for the second time in either case. Figure that. Naturally, the contingent on the receiving end of this “shame” isn’t pleased. A new wrinkle has been introduced into a saga that’s equal parts intriguing and grievous.
Both Madden and Nico Iamaleava’s situations are an allegory for the children’s tale about the Scorpion and the Frog. For the uninitiated, let me walk you through how. Both players were highly sought-after recruits out of high school. In Nico’s case, he went to the highest bidder in terms of NIL, a la Tennessee. The Vols made had to offer him the biggest NIL deal ever, worth $8 million in its entirety, to attain his services. So when Nico attempts to squeeze more juice out of the proverbial orange, can you blame him? Akin to the scorpion, he showed his natural instinct and tendency right from the outset. Nico Iamaleava’s wish to renegotiate and rake in a bigger sum got thwarted and he wound up at UCLA via the portal. Madden Iamaleava also transferred to UCLA from Arkanasas mere hours later. Madden, too, did foreshadow this scenario transpiring.
Class of 2025’s Madden Iamaleava was committed to UCLA before the early signing period. Then, he sensationally flipped to Arkansas on Signing Day. At the time, there was discourse about Arkansas offering him a bigger NIL bag being the reason. So again. When Madden hits the spring portal months later, without ever playing for the Razorbacks, can their athletic director Hunter Yurachek really say he couldn’t have seen trouble coming down the pipeline? Alas, these moves have rubbed people the wrong way. Whether they were independent of each other or some sort of bigger ploy, the Iamaleava bros clan could face repercussions. There’ve been suggestions but nothing concrete about Tennessee pursuing action with Nico. However, Arkansas has already put things in motion.
AD Hunter Hurachek took to X and posted a very resounding bit of official communication. “I have spoken with the leadership team at Arkansas Edge [NIL collective] and expressed my support in their pursuit to enforce their rights under any agreement violated by our student-athletes moving forward,” read an excerpt. Translation? We won’t sit around and allow players to take us for a ride. FOX Sports’ Aaron Torres addressed the elephant in the room- the timing of this not-so-subtle statement by Yurachek. “Arkansas AD says that he supports the NIL collective pursuing legal action against athletes that break any legally binding NIL contract. Comes a day after Nico Iamaleava’s brother left Arkansas and entered the transfer portal. Sure that’s a total coincidence.” wrote Torres on his own X handle.
Arkansas AD says that he supports the NIL collective pursuing legal action against athletes that break any legally binding NIL contract.
Comes a day after Nico Iamaleava’s brother left Arkansas and entered the transfer portal.
Sure that’s a total coincidence https://t.co/XUDBKxCOtO
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) April 22, 2025
The post Arkansas AD Announces Legal Action as Nico Iamaleava’s Brother Madden’s Abrupt Exit Leads to Consequences appeared first on EssentiallySports.