Tennessee is reportedly moving on from starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava a day after the quarterback was a no-show at practice due to NIL contract negotiations.
Head coach Josh Heupel informed the team of the decision to move on from Iamaleava during a team meeting on Saturday morning, according to ESPN.
Iamaleava’s decision to skip practice and meetings on Friday was the “driver” of the decision to move on, according to the report.
Iamaleava’s no-show at practice was a “surprise” to the team, according to the report.
Iamaleava, 20, will enter the transfer portal and look for a new team after just one season as Tennessee’s quarteback, according to On3.
Iamaleava was reportedly set to earn $2.4 million this season but wanted to renegotiate his deal to $4 million per year and skipped practice to holdout for a new NIL contract.
TENNESSEE’S NICO IAMALEAVA UNDER SCRUTINY OVER NIL, PRACTICE DRAMA
The quarterback was the No. 23 overall recruit in the 2023 class, and when he initially signed with Tennessee’s NIL collective in 2022, Iamaleava was set to make $8 million over his college career with the Vols.
He was at offensive coordinator Joey Halze’s house for dinner with his teammates on Thursday night, according to OutKick, which is why his absence from practice and meetings on Friday was such a surprise.
Teammates were concerned about Iamaleava’s safety, as he had not responded to texts from teammates or officials, according to the report. Not even 48 hours after dinner with his teammates, Iamaleava was no longer with the Tennessee football program.
In his lone season as Tennessee’s starting quarterback, the six-foot-six quarterback led the Vols to a 10-3 record as a freshman, with 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns and five interceptions.
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