The Tennessee Volunteers were 10-2 for the 2024 college football season and made it to the playoffs before they lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Nico Iamaleava was a redshirt freshman last season and will look forward to his redshirt sophomore season.
He has a chance to be one of the top quarterbacks in college football during the 2025 college football season. The Volunteers star quarterback however may need a new NIL contract before stepping on the field for the season.
Tennessee Volunteers Quarterback Nico Iamaleava No Shows At Spring Practice
The Volunteers star quarterback did not show up to spring practice on Friday because of not having a new NIL contract and this came as a surprise to many people. This is what would happen in the NFL if a player does not have a new contract and is unhappy.
Well, hopefully this does not become a trend in college football. Iamaleava has been in talks with the Volunteers about a new contract. Chris Low of ESPN reported,
“Right before the winter portal closed, Iamaleava’s reps wanted to see his deal upped to $4 million range and again this time as the spring portal opens Wednesday, and according to sources, Tennessee officials said they “weren’t going to blink.””
He got off to a hot start to begin the 2024 college football season but cooled down after that. He completed 63.8% of his passes for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions. His QBR (quarterback rating) was 70.5. He also rushed for 358 yards on 109 carries and three touchdowns, along with averaging 3.3 yards per carry.
Fans React
That’s $800k per passing TD against non-Vandy SEC defenses.
— Doug Keegan (@doug_keegan) April 11, 2025
Why I wish that NIL money was held in trust until an athlete completes his or her eligibility &/or graduates.
— Wendy King 🇺🇸😀🍊 (@TennWen) April 11, 2025
Duke pays their QB $4 million and you guys want to get mad at Nico for asking for more money?🤣
— Dhoniem (@Ottothapilot) April 11, 2025
Nico may be the first qb fired in the pay for play era of college football.
You can’t have your leader picking and choosing when he will show up, so if he blew off practice as a negotiating tactic he needs to be told to GTFO.
Save the money and spend it on the basketball team.
— Thatch (@THATCH_ARISES) April 11, 2025
He obviously is not a team player. Let him go. After the NC State game last year he never really impressed me.
— cmcdade (@CharltonMcDade) April 11, 2025
Iamaleava is having Tennessee fans go nuts on him. It will be interesting to see what the Volunteers and he can decide on when it comes to a new NIL contract. If the Volunteers are going to make the college football playoffs for the second consecutive season under head coach Josh Heupel, Iamaleava will need to be on the field practicing and having a big role with this football team.
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