Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is expected to transfer to UCLA, according to reports by The Athletic and sports radio host Colin Cowherd.

Iamaleava left the Volunteers under a cloud last weekend after what was reported as a dispute over his NIL deal. After Iamaleava skipped practice and meetings last Friday, Tennessee “moved on” from the former 5-star recruit.

“It’s unfortunate,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said after the team’s Orange and White spring game on Saturday. “I want to thank Nico for everything he did here. Obviously we’re moving forward as a program. There’s no one bigger than the Power T, and that includes me.”

Iamaleava passed for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns as a first-time starter in 2024, leading Tennessee to a 10-3 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff. He reportedly received an NIL deal worth upwards of $2 million per year when he signed with the Volunteers in the 2023 class, but was looking for a significant raise on that figure.

UCLA finished 5-7 in 2024, its first season in the Big Ten and first under head coach DeShaun Foster. Iamaleava attended Warren High School in Downey, Calif., some 30 miles southeast of the UCLA campus and about 20 miles south of the Rose Bowl, where the Bruins play their home games.