Nico Iamaleava is reportedly at the center of the new NCAA investigation into Tennessee's NIL dealings
Tennessee Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava is reportedly at the center of an NCAA investigation into UT's NIL dealings. Sports Illustrated first reported on Tuesday that the NCAA is investigating Tennessee in regards to NIL deals with student athletes. The investigation reportedly spans multiple sports. But according to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd, Iamaleava is at the […]
Tennessee Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava is reportedly at the center of an NCAA investigation into UT's NIL dealings.
Sports Illustrated first reported on Tuesday that the NCAA is investigating Tennessee in regards to NIL deals with student athletes.
The investigation reportedly spans multiple sports. But according to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd, Iamaleava is at the center of the investigation.
From CBS Sports: The NCAA is investigating Tennessee for what are believed to be alleged major violations related to NIL dealings, sources confirm to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd. The case centers around quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who signed a record contract with Spyre Sports Group, Tennessee's primary collective. Tennessee has not received a formal notice of allegations from the NCAA, but it is common in some cases for the governing body to send a draft notice of preliminary violations it is investigating.
Florida is also under investigation due to a failed NIL deal with former four-star recruit Jaden Rashada.
It sounds like the NCAA is starting to investigate multiple NIL deals that are worth a substantial amount of cash — likely in a last ditch effort to keep up the illusion that "pay for play" isn't a thing. If this is the path that the NCAA is taking, then they better be investigating every single NIL deal in college football — even the ones worth less than five figures. Otherwise, they're unfairly targeting programs like Tennessee and Florida.
Additionally, if this is how the NCAA is going to approach these deals, then I can only assume that they'll also be opening an investigation at Georgia after Dawg Nation reported late last year that Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck was seeking $4 million to return to UGA for the 2024 season (Beck is indeed returning to Athens next fall).
From Dawg Nation: Multiple sources have said an offer for Beck — UGA/NIL — has been in the works, with the rising fifth-year senior seeking upwards of $4 million.
I guess we'll soon find out how consistent the NCAA is in these situations. Because the situation with Beck certainly sounds like "pay for play".
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