"This is freaking HILARIOUS!!": CFB world has another reason to troll Nico Iamaleava after Tennessee exit

Nico Iamaleava’s exit from Tennessee was not a clean one. Just one day before the team’s spring A-Day game, the quarterback skipped practice without informing coaches, reportedly due to a contract dispute. His representatives were seeking to raise his NIL deal from $2.4 million to $4 million, in a move akin to an NFL-style holdout.

The situation escalated, and by Wednesday, Iamaleava entered the transfer portal. He signed with UCLA on Sunday. His exit left Tennessee without a veteran quarterback until Joey Aguilar, formerly of UCLA, committed to the Volunteers on Monday. This has been dubbed by some fans as college football’s first unofficial trade.

Since the switch, oddsmakers have come into play, and the early Heisman verdict favors Aguilar. According to FanDuel, Aguilar now has +4500 odds to win the Heisman Trophy next season, compared to +8000 for Nico Iamaleava.

Iamaleava’s abrupt exit hadn’t sat well with many. The Heisman odds have given fans another reason to troll the quarterback.

“This is freaking HILARIOUS!! 🤣🤣,” a fan said.

“Because people realize Nico is so mid,” another fan wrote.

A barrage of similar comments continued flooding in.

“Well neither of them will win it anyways,” one fan commented.

“Trust in Heupel!” another fan wrote.

“He’s still not winning it regardless,” a fan said.

A reason for these odds is team success. Tennessee had a great season last year, going 10-2 and making the playoffs. UCLA finished 5-7 and missed out on a bowl game.

Still, UCLA hopes Nico Iamaleava can help turn things around. Last season, he threw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran for 358 yards and scored three rushing TDs.

Aguilar had a strong year, too. He passed for 3,003 yards and 23 touchdowns, though he did throw 14 interceptions. He also added 207 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

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Insider believes Jake Merklinger is the man to take over Nico Iamaleava’s QB1 spot

Joey Aguilar will compete with Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre in spring camp for Nico Iamaleava's former QB1 spot. While many believe the job is Aguilar’s to lose, CBS Sports’ Cameron Salerno is backing Merklinger.

“Even with Aguilar coming in via the transfer portal, there is no guarantee the UCLA transfer will win the starting job,” Salerno wrote. “One name to keep an eye on heading into fall camp will be Merklinger, a former top-250 recruit from the 2024 recruiting cycle.”

Merklinger is a skilled quarterback and already has a 15-month advantage learning Tennessee coach Josh Heupel’s system, so it remains to be seen how the competition between him and Aguilar plays out.