Iamaleava Enters Transfer Portal After NIL Standoff With Tennessee
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava has entered the transfer portal and is not expected to return to Tennessee following an unusual NIL contract dispute, according to two people briefed on the situation who spoke to The Athletic on Saturday.
The third-year quarterback unexpectedly missed practice and team meetings on Friday after his representatives attempted to renegotiate his original four-year, $8 million NIL deal with Tennessee\'s collective. On3 first reported that Iamaleava\'s camp was seeking to increase his compensation from $2.2 million to approximately $4 million for the upcoming season.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel confirmed after Saturday\'s spring game that the program is moving forward without Iamaleava, noting there had been no communication with the quarterback about his absence from Friday\'s practice.
\"Today\'s landscape of college football is different than what it has been. And, you know, it\'s unfortunate, just the situation and where we\'re at with Nico,\" Heupel said. \"I want to thank him for everything that he\'s done since he\'s gotten here.\"
\"I said to the guys today, there\'s no one that\'s bigger than the Power T. And that includes me,\" Heupel added.
Iamaleava led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff last season as a redshirt freshman, throwing for 2,616 yards with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions as the Vols finished 10-3. The former five-star recruit from Southern California made headlines in 2022 when he signed his unprecedented $8 million NIL contract with Spyre Sports Group while still in high school.
\"I\'m proud of the stand we took as a university,\" former Tennessee coach and athletic director Phillip Fulmer told The Athletic.
The quarterback\'s representatives reportedly had conversations with other schools, including Miami, during the winter transfer portal window. Due to SEC rules, Iamaleava cannot transfer to another SEC school during the spring window.
Tennessee will now turn to redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre at quarterback, with Heupel indicating the program will likely seek additional help through the transfer portal when the spring window opens Wednesday.