Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is reportedly attempting to renegotiated his NIL deal with the Volunteers program. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
(Johnnie Izquierdo via Getty Images)
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is raising plenty of questions about his future in Knoxville after not attending spring practice on Friday.
The no-show comes amid reports that the junior is attempting to renegotiate his NIL contract. (Iamaleava’s father disputed a report by On3 after it published.)
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Ranked by Rivals as the No. 2 QB in the 2023 recruiting class out of Warren High School in Downey, California, Iamaleava signed a four-year deal to play with the Volunteers for a reported $8 million, with $2.2 million of that to be paid for the 2025 season.
However, the NIL market for quarterbacks has changed considerably in recent months. Two prominent examples are Carson Beck reportedly receiving $4 million from Miami after transferring from Georgia, while Darian Mensah will get the same in his deal with Duke after he transferred from Tulane.
Iamaleava’s absence at spring practice was reportedly unexpected. His attempt to renegotiate his NIL deal has frustrated people within the Tennessee program. Iamaleava’s agreement with the Vols Club collective was the richest in college football at the time.
That deal essentially changed the rules of college football with Tennessee’s attorney general suing the NCAA when the organization raised objections to Iamaleava’s deal. That led to a federal judge ruling that the NCAA could not prevent NIL funds from being used as inducements to recruit players.
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Tennessee’s Orange & White spring game is scheduled to be played on Saturday.
The spring transfer window opens on April 16 and will close on April 25. At this point, if Iamaleava transferred, he would have to play at a school outside the SEC to be immediately eligible. The deadline for transferring within the conference and playing the following season was Feb. 1. Yet the winter transfer window was from Dec. 9-28 and Tennessee was playing in the College Football Playoff.
Last season in his first full year as the starting QB, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns (to five interceptions), completing 63.8% of his passes. He also rushed for 358 yards and three scores on 109 carries. Against Ohio State in the CFP, Iamaleava completed 14-of-31 passes for 104 yards while rushing for 47 yards and two TDs.
This news was originally published on this post .
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