By ELLIOT AVE-LALLEMANT

Recently, the University of Tennessee football program announced that they are going to be moving on from quarterback Nico Iamaleava after Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) disputes. The Tennessee Volunteers reported that Iamaleava missed spring practice on Friday, and that Iamaleava told his coaches that he was currently in the process of entering the NCAA transfer portal. For some, this strange move sparked a debate about student athletes and the impact that NIL has had on the college football sphere. When asked about his opinions on NIL, Division III lacrosse goalie and Round Table Editor-In-Chief Eric Seo’25 said that “To me, it makes sense for [NIL] to be allowed for athletes whose name, image and likeness are valuable. People like Caitlin Clark when she was still in college, or someone well known enough so that it would be profitable. Some deserve to profit off of that brand.” When asked about Nico Iamaleava’s unwillingness to attend practice, Eric said that “you kinda always need to show up to practice.” Eric also acknowledged that he really does not have an effective understanding of the NIL landscape as a DIII athlete. However, I still value his opinion! Other NFL players like Micah Parsons have also made their opinions known, saying that college is time for growth and skill building. But who knows, maybe one day, Nico Iamaleava will come play for Beloit!

Featured image: Rivals.com