The University of Tennessee football team and starting QB Nico Iamaleava are at a bit of an impasse.
After rumblings of a rift between the Volunteers’ starter and the team began a few months ago, the first public shot has been fired, with Iamaleava holding himself out of Tennessee’s spring practice session on Friday until he gets a new name, image and likeness (NIL) deal, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Sources: Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava did not attend Tennessee spring practice today. He’s been in conversations with Tennessee about a new contract. The no-show of practice came as a surprise. pic.twitter.com/VXsXTPDZpu
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 11, 2025
As Thamel stated, this holdout was unexpected by the Vols, and is the first prominent example of a player holding out at the college level.
So, how did we get here, and where will this go?
How did we get to this point?
Iamaleava had been in talks with Tennessee about a renegotiated NIL deal since the middle of December. The QB’s current deal was for about $2.4 million, sources told ESPN. After the season ended, Iamaleava and Tennessee went to the negotiating table for a reworked contract. It was reported by On3 that Iamaleava’s representatives were looking for an increase to the $4 million range for his deal but the Vols wouldn’t budge on their stance. According to On3, the two sides met Thursday in regards to a reworked deal, but nothing else came from it. Iamaleava’s holdout on Friday came as a “surprise” to the team. This is from ESPN’s Chris Low:
Iamaleava’s reps were adamant Thursday to news outlets that there was no NIL renegotiation going on. But sources tell ESPN there has been growing frustration among the administration and players about the situation, especially when Iamaleava didn’t show for practice.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) April 11, 2025
When Iamaleava first committed to Tennessee, his deal was unprecedented at the time for a high school recruit, paying him over $8 million across the span of his career. That math works out to about the $2.4 million we discussed earlier, and Iamaleava wants to add more to it.
What other QBs have gotten big NIL deals this offseason?
When Carson Beck transferred to Miami and Darian Mensah transferred to Duke, both QBs earned “significantly more” money than Iamaleava was set to make this upcoming season, according to ESPN. There’s been no reports that Iamaleava wants a deal around those numbers, but a $4 million tag seems about right.
What are the important dates to know in this case?
Tennessee’s spring game is on Saturday, but the bigger date comes next Wednesday, April 16. That is when the transfer portal opens for the football spring window. Hypothetically, if Iamaleava doesn’t get the deal that he’s looking for, he could enter the portal and test the waters there. Tennessee might also be feeling the pressure here as well, because they would end up in a scramble for a starting QB who can at least be SEC competitive.
How good is Nico Iamaleava?
Well … it’s complicated.
Iamaleava finished the season with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions, but eight of those touchdowns came in games against Chattanooga, Kent State, and UTEP. Against SEC competition, Iamaleava looked overmatched and the Tennessee offense which is notoriously Mickey Mouse-caliber ended up looking even more watered down than before. This culminated in a disheartening 42-17 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff where Iamaleava went 14-for-31, didn’t throw any touchdowns and was sacked four times.
However, he was a top recruit coming out of high school, with some scouting sites comparing him to Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert. The potential might be there, but the production and tape hasn’t shown so far.
Who has the leverage here?
Honestly, it’s Tennessee. With Iamaleava’s performance leaving a lot of fans and media uninspired, the Vols could let the QB walk and enter the portal, taking a risk at finding someone who can produce better in the offense. If Iamaleava doesn’t want to leave, he’s gotta take that same NIL deal and bear it until the end of the 2025 season, or he’s SOL.
However, the thing that’s working in Iamaleava’s favor is time. With the spring portal opening, Iamaleava could leave and force Tennessee to scramble for a QB with four months until fall practice begins. That might not be enough time for a QB to come in and learn the ins and outs of the offense, so if Iamaleava wants to push this, time is working with him.
Who could get Iamaleava out of the portal, if he entered?
Iamaleava is from California, so USC seems like a leading candidate. They didn’t portal in any QB and last year’s starter, Miller Moss, is now at Louisville. They might have some faith in QB Jayden Maiava, who transferred in from UNLV, but Iamaleava would give them someone with much more potential. Staying in California, UCLA added former App State QB Joey Aguilar in the portal, but could make a move for Iamaleava if they wanted to.
What happens next?
Now, we have to play the waiting game. Tennessee and Iamaleava’s reps have under a week before the transfer portal opens to figure this out, or they risk losing their starting QB to the portal. With the frustration growing and time running out, it would be surprising to me if they got a deal done.
I don’t think this is going to lead to more high-profile names holding out for better deals, but I also think it’s dependent on the outcome of this holdout. It feels like a cop out answer, but if more players see this holdout go poorly for Iamaleava, not many will feel bold enough to take that risk again. However, if Tennessee folds and gives the QB what he wants, I think more players will have the power to ask for more money, applying the pressure on the university.
Either way, this holdout could have major implications for the future of college football.
