If you want to know how will things look like this season with the House v NCAA settlement coming in and the dark side of the NIL, just search Nico Iamaleava on Google. The story of Nico Iamaleava this off-season is nothing short of a full-fledged drama movie. There’s betrayal in it, there are accusations of ‘greed’, and most of all, a full-blown new rivalry is potentially on the cards. All credit to just two parties: Nico Iamaleava and the Tennessee Volunteers.
As the news broke that Nico Iamaleava would be going to transfer, all hell broke loose on the internet. The move happened after On3’s Pete Nakos reported Nico to be in contract negotiations with Tennessee for an improved and lucrative NIL deal. Then there were disagreements and the next day the QB didn’t attend the team’s practice. ESPN reported that Josh Heupel had even announced the decision to move forward from Iamaleava at a team meeting after that. Now that the transfer of the QB is on the cards, there are speculations as to where he will be going, and one team is making rounds quite aggressively.
The team is USC Trojans where Nico will be replacing another ace QB Jayden Maiava, who looks to be fully ready to lead USC. We asked Grok AI the same question, “Where do you think he (Nico Iamaleava) might end up, or is there a specific program you’re curious about?“. While the AI chatbot gave four names initially, but later picked the USC Trojans as its first choice. The AI mentioned.
Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) moves the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio (97) moves in during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
“I’d lean toward USC as the frontrunner due to Riley’s system, Iamaleava’s California connection, and USC’s ability to meet his NIL expectations. However, no confirmed offers or visits have surfaced, so this is educated guesswork. If Iamaleava prioritizes winning over location, Oregon or Notre Dame could edge out“.
Well, Nico Iamaleava’s abilities do stand out for the USC Trojans since he is also a dual-threat QB like Jayden Maiava and is fairly better in many areas. Just last season, the Tennessee QB ran for 358 yards, passed for another 2,616, and had 22 touchdown involvements. Moreover, the QB will also fit in Riley’s offense like a glove. The Trojans’ head coach primarily follows air raid offense but has tweaked it over the years with his intricate meshes and RPO plays. This will essentially ensure that Nico will thrive at USC. Still, there may be other teams too in contention.
Other ‘power’ teams are also speculated to be frontrunners for the QB’s services
The AI chatbot Grok, which is known for its recent accurate and blunt take on issues provided other teams too who could be in contention to land the QB. The chatbot primarily highlighted UCLA, Oregon, Notre Dame, and Ohio State to rope in the QB’s services. All of these teams are currently in need of a QB. Moreover, since the SEC programs are out of the picture, the NCAA rules won’t allow the QB to sign for an SEC team this spring. So this opens a whole new dynamic.
The chatbot said about Oregon, “Their quarterback situation post-Dillon Gabriel could open a spot, and their fast-paced offense aligns with Iamaleava’s experience under Heupel“. While the chatbot might have speculated on the Irish QB battle before giving its verdict. “Their quarterback depth isn’t settled beyond CJ Carr, and their brand could offer lucrative NIL deals“. Lastly, Grok AI termed the Ohio State’s move “less likely” but also ended its statement with, “Ohio State’s NIL war chest makes them intriguing“.
UCLA, on the other hand, could stand out amongst all the teams. Since Nico Iamaleava is a Long Beach, California native, and would like to stay in proximity of his home. Furthermore, this is a team that is looking to make its mark in Big10 as a new member of the conference. However, the only concern would be UCLA’s NIL capabilities, as the QB had a cumulative $8 million deal at Tennessee and was demanding around $4 million per year from the team in a new deal when negotiations broke down.
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