Following a College Football Playoff appearance with Nico Iamaleava starting under center, Tennessee is now headed in a different direction.
“Tennessee is moving on from starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Saturday morning. “Tennessee coach Josh Heupel informed the team of the decision at a team meeting this morning. Iamaleava missed meetings and practice on Friday, which was the driver of this decision.”
Iamaleava has been in the news for the past few days for the rocky week that has led to this decision.
It was first reported that Iamaleava was in NIL contract disputes with Tennessee, which was noteworthy considering the Spring transfer portal opens April 16.
He then didn’t provide the Volunteers or their fans any confidence or clarity surrounding the situation when he skipped Friday’s practice amidst the contract negotiations.
His absence at practice reportedly came as a surprise to coaches and players, as it was becoming increasingly clear that drama was stirring on ol’ Rocky Top.
This move comes just hours before Tennessee plays its annual spring game today, where Iamaleava will evidently not be present.
Iamaleava’s departure leaves just two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, with redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger the likely starter moving forward and true freshman George MacIntyre as the backup. Both youngsters were four-star prospects coming out of high school.
The Volunteers will surely hit the portal looking for a new addition to the quarterback room, but with summer camps beginning soon, it would be difficult to project the potential addition as a starter right away come kickoff in the Fall.
Thamel reported that “officials from Tennessee’s collective have already begun reaching out to third parties tied to potential Iamaleava replacements for 2025.”
Iamaleava now becomes likely the most sought-after player in the transfer portal when it officially opens on Wednesday.
But similarly to Tennessee’s new situation, Iamaleava likely won’t find a smooth and easy transition directly into a team’s starting quarterback position as a late addition like this could disrupt plans that teams have had in place for some time now.
Iamaleava originally hails from Southern California and has three years of eligibility left following his redshirt freshman season where he posted 19 touchdowns and five interceptions.