The transfer portal is still buzzing with talent, and plenty of big names have yet to find their next landing spot. Over in Miami, Mario Cristobal is wasting no time, eyeing the portal like a savvy shopper at a clearance sale as he gears up for a major squad overhaul in 2025.

So far, the Hurricanes have picked up five players while waving goodbye to twelve—but they’re not calling it a day just yet. The latest buzz? Rumors swirl around Jayden Maiava, possibly packing his bags for Miami, even though his name hasn’t officially hit the portal. And over in Los Angeles, we might have to wonder—does Lincoln Riley have a brewing quarterback drama on his hands?

A college insider, reportedly Randy Knight, disclosed a bombshell on Jayden Maiava’s transfer in a recent video of the USCJ Lost In THA SAUCE podcast: “I got to address the ‘Jayden Maiava to Miami’ situation. There’s several people that hit me yesterday in reference to this and it was somewhat concerning, because there are reports coming from a Miami message board. Supposedly from a guy that really has the information [about] everything that goes on with Miami. Apparently, this guy: He’s on point. He’s accurate. He’s a longtime member, I guess, of this message board. He said, apparently, within the next 48 hours, Jayden Maiava is going to announce that he’s in the portal and that he is Miami now.” For those who are curious about the “message board guy”…

Gary Ferman, the founder and publisher of CaneSport.com and a 45-year veteran of Miami coverage, reportedly posted this information on the Miami Hurricanes message board. “He’s our quarterback guys should happen within the next 48 hours,” the insider scoop read.

Knight also revealed another vital piece of information: “I got information as well from a person that’s close to Jayden Maiava…he’s pretty much with him almost every day…I asked him. I said, ‘Look man, this is the story that’s coming out. What do you know? What are you hearing?’ He told me…, ‘Look, he feels like it’s nothing to it’…That Jayden Maiava is fine, he’s okay, he’s here. But look, here’s the thing: It was Miami allegedly reaching out to him. And this is what I told you guys. I told you how the transfer portal works. I told you that they recognize talent and they see talent…they already start hitting these guys up.”

On the contrary, it would be a huge understatement to say that Maiava had a rough game in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Trojans’ signal caller only completed 56.4% of his passes and made several grave errors, including three expensive interceptions. Maiava’s currently garnered 1,201 yards, 11 TDs and six interceptions. He did, however, improve in the closing minutes, spearheading many crucial touchdown drives. However, despite his late improvements, Maiava’s performance received national criticism, casting doubt on whether he will start at quarterback for USC in 2025.

On a separate note, the buzz around Nico Iamaleava points to a concerning situation for the Vols as well! He is speculated to be joining Lincoln Riley and maybe competing for USC’s positions. Nico’s potential entry into the transfer portal has generated a great deal of talk, especially after the QB’s cryptic messages. Is it accurate? If that’s the case, where does he play?

Is Nico Iamaleava connected to Lincoln Riley’s USC?

Do you recall when the five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava—who currently flaunts a massive $3.1 million On3 NIL Valuation—chose Tennessee over USC? Despite receiving offers from prestigious universities like USC, Alabama, Oregon, and others, he spoke of feeling like family with the program. His future in the Knoxville family is now the subject of rumors. Recently, there has been a lot of excitement about the Tennessee transfer portal! Dylan Sampson’s announcement that he was heading to the NFL was the catalyst for everything. However, that was only the start. Squirrel White, the wide receiver, shocked everyone by leaving as well.

Notably, White is the fifth wide receiver from the Vols to use the transfer portal to search for playing opportunities elsewhere following the regular season. The quarterback for the Vols, Nico Iamaleava, is fully aware of this. Has he had a grievance? Reportedly, he doesn’t. Despite the Trojan Blade podcast’s host saying, Lincoln Riley will undoubtedly make an effort to enlist Nico Iamaleava: “I could definitely see Lincoln taking a swing on,” things are still in the Vols’ favor. Iamaleava did not enter the transfer portal as per Sports Illustrated—transpiring into a collective sigh of relief for his current team. But how did the rumors even start?

Well, it was all the QB’s own doing. “Merry Christmas! First and foremost, to God be the glory. Love you Mom and Dad for instilling morals and values in me. To my coaches and brothers, thank you! Thank you for the brotherhood, the time together, all the hard work, and always uplifting me. Rocky Top fans, I appreciate the love and support you pour into me and into our team,” he had posted on Instagram, sparking rumors of a transfer. What’s more? In another story, the 20-year-old had used the same emoji White used before transferring.

Thankfully, his gestures didn’t translate into a transfer. So now all eyes are on Jayden Maiava…