"What an embarrassment in Knoxville": Josh Pate rips Nico Iamaleava's Tennessee exit reports as NIL takes over CFB

Nico Iamaleava could leave the Tennessee Volunteers after a contract dispute, leading to the quarterback not attending the spring training.

College Football analyst Josh Pate shared his thoughts on the situation. According to Pate, there are no winners in this situation, with college football being the biggest loser.

"What an embarrassment in Knoxville. There are no winners. College Football continues to benefit people outside the sport at the expense of everyone in it," Pate posted on X.

Iamaleava holding out of his team's practice sessions over his contract is a first for college football. This is something that has become common in the NFL, reflecting the ever-changing college football landscape.

This ability to do so wouldn't have been possible without the introduction of the NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) in 2021. It gave college football players the opportunity to earn money by allowing them to be involved in sponsorship deals with brands.

Due to the ever changing rules (and sometimes little regulation) on NIL deals, it has morphed into a system where programs (through collective deals between team and player) are essentially paying players to play, with the value of the deal being seen as the "wage".

It means there are always going to be players not satisfied with the deal and wanting more: Nico Iamaleava, in this instance. His actions (refusing to train with his team) don't help paint college football in a positive light. But it's not just the sport as a whole that loses in this situation, as the Volunteers are another party that loses out.

Tennessee has had a long-term quarterback in Iamaleava on its roster. He was a good project for the team and had shown potential to lead a big program like the Volunteers. But now Iamaleava might not be a part of the program, which means Tennessee will need to find a new starting quarterback.

Iamaleava's absence could cost the Volunteers a spot in the College Football Playoff as well.

---

How does it affect Nico Iamaleava's career?

Nico Iamaleava doesn't benefit from this. The freshman quarterback had a decent season in 2024 and led the team to a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, the Volunteers were eliminated by eventual national champions Ohio State Buckeyes.

Iamaleava hoped to enter the 2025 season as one of college football's rising stars and was expected to improve on his performance from the previous year. However, he's now no longer a part of Tennessee's plans. It has been reported that he will enter the transfer portal when it opens next week.

The spring transfer portal differs from the winter transfer portal, especially for SEC programs like Tennessee, due to rules set by conference commissioner Greg Sankey. As per these rules, a player cannot transfer between SEC schools and become immediately eligible to play. They would have to wait a year before being eligible again.

It means Iamaleava is likely not going to any SEC school (including Alabama or Georgia, schools that could benefit from him as QB) if he wants to play in the fall. That would mean heading to a much weaker team, whose CFP chances are significantly lower than the Volunteers'.

Due to his desire for a few more dollars, Nico Iamaleava's College Football career could forever change, as he has lost the opportunity to lead one of the biggest programs in the sport.