Nico Iamaleava gets asked about the rumors that he left the Tennessee Vols in part because of concerns about the offensive line
There's been plenty of speculation over the last couple of months about why Nico Iamaleava decided to leave the Tennessee Vols for the UCLA Bruins.
From NIL to concerns about the offense to wanting to get closer to home, there's been no shortage of rumblings/rumors about Iamaleava's decision.
One of the popular theories is that Iamaleava's camp was unhappy with the state of the Vols' offensive line.
Tennessee lost four members of its starting offensive line, a unit that allowed the sixth-most sacks per game in the SEC in 2024.
The Vols added Arizona transfer Wendell Moe and Notre Dame transfer Sam Pendleton to the roster after the 2024 season. Tennessee also signed five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr during the 2025 recruiting cycle.
At Big Ten Media Days on Thursday, Iamaleava was asked about the rumors that concerns over Tennessee's offensive line played a role in his decision to enter the transfer portal.
"I'm not sure where that (offensive line rumors) was from," said Iamaleava. "I loved my O-line last year. I had a great O-line. Lance Heard, Cooper Mays, John Campbell, (Javontez) Spraggins, and Andrej (Karic). I loved all those guys and they were a great O-line."
There's no doubt that Tennessee's offensive line could've played better last season, and Iamaleava definitely took some hard hits. But it sounds like Iamaleava has a lot of respect for the five guys that were tasked with protecting him last season on Rocky Top.View the to see embedded media.
This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bubba Wallace reflects on cementing his name as a Brickyard 400 champion
Bubba Wallace shares what it meant to him becoming the first Black driver to win a major race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Florida QB DJ Lagway practices for the 1st time in camp while recovering from a calf injury
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway practiced Saturday for the first time since camp opened, a sign of progress for the highly touted and oft-injured sophomore. Lagway is dealing with a strained calf and was expected to take limited practice reps. He wore a sleeve on his left leg, the same one that caused him to miss a game and a half last season. He strained a hamstring against rival Georgia and missed the following week's game at Texas. Coach Billy Napier has offered no timetable on his star player's return. It's the latest injury issue for Lagway, who missed spring practice with a shoulder injury after undergoing sports hernia surgery. The Gators opened training camp Wednesday. Napier, unlike in previous years, closed viewing periods to media for the first three days. Lagway, who went 6-1 in seven starts as a freshman in 2024, is widely considered a Heisman Trophy contender heading into this season. But he's barely been on the field at a time when he could be making significant strides. He was limited during spring practice because of the right shoulder injury that could eventually need surgery. He resumed throwing in late April and said earlier this month at Southeastern Conference media days he would fully participate in camp. But then he strained a calf muscle while running with the team last week. Lagway completed 60% of his passes for 1,915 yards, with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024. He took over the starting role after Graham Mertz tore a knee ligament at Tennessee in October. Behind Lagway are journeyman Harrison Bailey and sophomore Aidan Warner. Bailey played at Tennessee, UNLV and Louisville before transferring to Florida earlier this year. Warner subbed for Lagway last year and was mostly ineffective. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Yandy Díaz's leadoff homer (19)
Yandy Díaz hits a solo home run to right field that a fan catches in his drink, giving the Rays an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st
