Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers have implemented new strategies on the NIL front this offseason in order to revamp the roster in Baton Rouge via the NCAA Transfer Portal.
After signing the No. 1 Transfer Portal Class in America headlined by Florida State’s Patrick Payton, Oklahoma’s Nic Anderson and Kentucky’s Barion Brown, among others, LSU is cruising.
Last week, Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava took the college football scene by storm after holding out of practice in Knoxville due to a contract dispute, according to multiple reports.
He skipped the Volunteers’ Friday practice where headlines began swirling that the signal-caller was demanding more money.
According to 247 Sports, Iamaleava, “sought an upgraded NIL contract near the end of Tennessee’s spring practices, and the dispute reached a new level when the former five-star quarterback, to the team’s surprise, did not show up for practice on the eve of the Vols’ spring game.”
“I haven’t heard anybody say they’re worried about NIL ruining College Football..
What they’ve said is I’m worried about zero structure ruining the sport..
Nico Iamaleava is the face of this but it’s the people who represent him that are the problem” @JoshPateCFB #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Ww4bwZxix8
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 14, 2025
From there, Tennessee elected to move on from Iamaleava where he will now enter the NCAA Transfer Portal during the spring window.
But with the spring window opening in less than 48 hours, Kelly foresees NIL disputes becoming more of the norm in college athletics.
“Well, I think we’re in this period of adjustment, right?” Kelly said after LSU concluded Saturday’s Spring Event. “I mean, I think we’ve got a settlement that is in the throes of being decided. The House settlement is coming close.
“That will bring us, most likely, some form of revenue sharing. I think there’s changes coming in NIL. I think this is the first version of corrections, maybe. I think that we’re going to see a lot of this.”
Kelly isn’t the only Power Four head coach that has spoken out since Iamaleava’s disput.
Miami Hurricanes shot-caller, Mario Cristobal, echoed the same sentiment:
Strong words from Canes Head Coach Mario Cristobal in the wake of Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava’s hold out-turned departure.
“If they wanna play hold out, they might as well play get out.” pic.twitter.com/pqJZbIVqmk
— Clay Ferraro (@ClayWPLG) April 12, 2025
LSU has navigated the new era of college athletics to the best of their abilities, and with a new strategy in place led by guru Austin Thomas in Baton Rouge, the program is in a solid spot.
“You know, this was a new world,” said Kelly. “I think we’re going to navigate it the best that we can, but I think that there’s going to be other situations that come, and we’re just going to have to do the best we can.
“I think there’s going to be better information out there that will allow people to look at comps for positions and say, ‘That makes sense, that doesn’t make sense.’ It’ll allow us to navigate this a lot more reasonably moving forward, for good or bad.”
Kelly and the LSU Tigers will wrap up Spring Camp on Thursday in Baton Rouge after a productive 15-plus practice slate.
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