"I can’t worry about everyone else’s house": Kirby Smart shares brutally honest reaction on Nico Iamaleava fiasco

Nico Iamaleava’s contract fiasco with Tennessee was the highlight of the weekend in the world of college football. The Volunteers parted ways with the quarterback on Saturday after he had attempted to renegotiate his NIL contract at the tail end of the program’s spring camp.

The development has generated a lot of reactions among the media, fans, coaches and decision-makers across the landscape. Georgia coach Kirby Smart was questioned about the situation after the G-Day spring game on Saturday. However, he wasn't ready to talk much about it.

“I don’t know enough about that situation to fairly comment on it,” Smart said. “I basically know what (has been reported in the media), and then you don’t know what’s real, what’s being reported, what’s being leaked. What are the reasons for all of it?

“I worry about my house, and I try to control what goes on in my house. I can’t worry about everyone else’s house. So the climate is, is, is uh … different. But again, I’m focused on the kids that we’ve got that want to be here.”

Nico Iamaleava will enter the transfer portal when it opens on Wednesday, as he's set to continue his career elsewhere in the landscape.

The quarterback showed glimpses of brilliance last season, throwing for 2616 yards and 19 touchdowns as Tennessee sealed its place in the College Football Playoff.

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Brian Kelly believes there will be more standoffs like Nico Iamaleava

The concept of NIL has changed the college football world drastically in the last couple of years.

Athletes have continued to avenue to make their earnings grow bigger. With the NIL landscape still not regulated, LSU coach Brian Kelly believes there will be more Nico Iamaleava-like cases.

"Well, I think we're in this period of adjustment," Kelly said after LSU concluded spring camp. "I think we've got a settlement that is in the throes of being decided.”

“The House settlement is coming close. That will bring us, most likely, some form of revenue sharing. I think there's changes coming in NIL. I think this is the first version of corrections, maybe. I think that we're going to see a lot of this."

However, Brian Kelly believes the landscape will learn to adapt and navigate with the demand of NIL in the coming years.

He noted that programs will handle their athlete compensation business as the days go by. Nonetheless, it will take a lot of Nico Iamaleava-like fiascos to fully adapt with the needs.