Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee appear to be going their separate ways.
Iamaleava is expected to enter the transfer portal amid stalled talks for a new NIL contract between he and the Volunteers, according to multiple reports. ESPN's Pete Thamel was first to report the news.
Per Thamel, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel informed players of the decision at a team meeting Saturday, just hours before the program's spring game. Iamaleava, in pursuit of a new NIL contract, missed team meetings and, most notably, Tennessee's spring practice on Friday, actions that became a source of frustration for the Volunteers.
ON3 Sports's Pete Nakos first reported earlier this week that Iamaleava and Tennessee were in ongoing discussions about a new contract, a report that the quarterback's father bristled at. The former five-star recruit, who committed to the Volunteers in March 2022, at the time signed what was effectively a three-year contract that paid him roughly $2.2 million per year.
But the going rate for a quarterback in college football's ever-changing landscape is rising. Georgia's Carson Beck, after entering the transfer portal in January, agreed to a NIL contract with the Miami Hurricanes that will pay him $4 million in the 2025 season.
Iamaleava, in what was college football's first holdout playing out publicly, is reportedly believed to be seeking a contract that will net him $4 million per year. College football's spring transfer portal opens Wednesday.
In 13 games played in 2024, his first year as a starter, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. Given Iamaleava's previous stature as a high-profile recruit, there will likely be a frenzy in the transfer portal among QB-needy teams for his services.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava Expected to Enter Transfer Portal After NIL Holdout .
