Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. This entire ordeal involving the Iamaleava clan has enveloped the College Football sphere like nothing before it. Nico Iamaleava’s unprecedented scenario is being promptly followed by his younger brother Madden Iamaleava’s own ancillary side plot. Ironically, it’s not just the fact that both have essentially “fooled” their schools. They’ve actually done it for the second time in either case. Figure that. Naturally, the contingent on the receiving end of this “shame” isn’t pleased. A new wrinkle has been introduced into a saga that’s equal parts intriguing and grievous. 

Both Madden and Nico Iamaleava’s situations are an allegory for the children’s tale about the Scorpion and the Frog. For the uninitiated, let me walk you through how. Both players were highly sought-after recruits out of high school. In Nico’s case, he went to the highest bidder in terms of NIL, a la Tennessee. The Vols made had to offer him the biggest NIL deal ever, worth $8 million in its entirety, to attain his services. So, when Nico attempts to squeeze more juice out of the proverbial orange, can you blame him? Akin to the scorpion, he showed his natural instinct and tendency right from the outset. Nico Iamaleava’s renegotiation maneuver got thwarted, and he got told to kick rocks by Tennessee, winding up at UCLA via the portal. Madden Iamaleava also transferred to UCLA from Arkansas mere hours later. Madden, too, foreshadowed how this scenario transpired. 

Class of 2025’s Madden Iamaleava was committed to UCLA before the early signing period. Then, he sensationally flipped to Arkansas on Signing Day. At the time, there was discourse about Arkansas offering him a bigger NIL bag being the reason. So again. When Madden hits the spring portal months later, without ever playing for the Razorbacks, can their athletic director, Hunter Yurachek really say he couldn’t have seen trouble coming down the pipeline? Alas, these moves have rubbed people the wrong way. Whether they were independent of each other or some sort of bigger ploy, the Iamaleava bros clan could face repercussions. There’ve been suggestions, but nothing concrete about Tennessee pursuing action with Nico. However, Arkansas has already put things in motion.

AD Hunter Hurachek took to X and posted a very resounding bit of official communication. “I have spoken with the leadership team at Arkansas Edge [NIL collective] and expressed my support in their pursuit to enforce their rights under any agreement violated by our student-athletes moving forward,” read an excerpt.

Translation? We won’t sit around and allow players to take us for a ride. FOX Sports’ Aaron Torres addressed the elephant in the room- the timing of this not-so-subtle statement by Yurachek. “Arkansas AD says that he supports the NIL collective pursuing legal action against athletes that break any legally binding NIL contract. Comes a day after Nico Iamaleava’s brother left Arkansas and entered the transfer portal. Sure that’s a total coincidence.” wrote Torres on his own X handle.

It’s unclear at this current juncture whether Arkansas plans to or will get back at Madden Iamaleava in the courtroom. Or if they even have grounds to pursue action. While College Football is continually closing the gulf on its professional counterparts, the legislature governing the sport is still very amateur. There’s a world in which Madden got paid a sum of money by the NIL collective without ever lining up for the team. Yurachek’s statement actually implies that it was the case. Which is shrewd on Madden’s part, but a travesty in the grand scheme of things. Hopefully, the imminent House Settlement can iron out such wrinkles and fill in loopholes in the legislature. This episode has brought eyeballs to the game, but it has also exposed its flaws.

Madden Iamaleava could be forced to pay Arkansas back

Looking for a bigger bag is standard practice across all walks of life. So are ultimatums and leverage plays to feel out the other end of the bargain. But the concept of money, at least legally, is still fairly new in the CFB world. The framework to handle money is still not in place. So much so, that there’s a world Madden Iamaleava has already got money from Arkansas’ NIL collective. Which he can keep, without ever suiting up for them. How ’bout them apples? It’s probably the underlying message behind Hunter Yurachek’s pledge.

In reply to Yurachek’s aforementioned post, ESPN reporter Chris Low wrote, “Sounds like the Hogs are looking to reclaim some money.” In return for the money, players have certain deliverables they have to reciprocate. As is the case with any transaction in the world. For CFB players, these deliverables can be merchandising or showing up for events, among similar things. Alongside, of course, playing football games. The implication here is that Madden Iamaleava got an advance payment, but is leaving without holding his end of the bargain. So the collective is trying to “reclaim” those funds, and the AD backs it.

It’s safe to assume this is far from settled. Now that the actual moves have occurred, the tentacles stemming from it are beginning to rear their ugly heads. As a fan of the game, you hope talented players such as Madden and Nico Iamaleava don’t lose sight of the bigger picture, and that this stuff doesn’t permeate into their game. You may not be as fond of him anymore, but Nico is a stud on the gridiron. In a vacuum, you want to see that ilk of talent flourishing – despite his, or his family’s, actions.