Report: Notre Dame Rejects Controversial Transfer Quarterback

Nico Iamaleava was interested in Notre Dame but the Irish weren't so much in him

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman greets his players during a Notre Dame football spring practice at Irish Athletic Center on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame is in the midst of a quarterback competition it hasn't seen anything like in almost a decade. While CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey are the two remaining potential starters, veteran Steve Angeli recently transferred to Syracuse.

As packed as the Notre Dame quarterback room is, a report says that Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish may have had a chance to add another talented signal caller, but that they turned him and his camp away.

Nico Iamaleava drew headlines two weeks ago when he suddenly demanded more money from Tennessee and then entered the transfer portal. According to a report from ESPN, Iamaleava tried to get a meeting with Notre Dame, but that the Fighting Irish declined.

Notre Dame Football Turns Down Nico Iamaleava

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) throws during the second half of the College Football Playoff first round game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 22, 2024. Ohio State won 42-17. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Per the report by Chris Low, Max Olson, and Adam Rittenberg, Notre Dame was one of the names on Iamaleava's potential landing list, but the Fighting Irish were turned off by how he left Knoxville.

“Sources at USC, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Texas Tech and several other Power 4 programs told ESPN they weren't getting involved with Iamaleava. Some had quarterbacks locked in, others were hesitant to deal with Iamaleava's representatives. The Bruins, meanwhile, were debating whether to move forward but would be interested if the price was right,” the ESPN report stated.

Iamaleava wound up transferring to UCLA a short time later.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeaway:

Apr 12, 2025; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman waits to run onto the field during the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

When Marcus Freeman speaks about culture and buying into the team its obvious that he isn't going to fold to a player like Iamaleava tried to make Josh Heupel and Tennessee do. It's not surprising at all considering Notre Dame's recent history with transfer quarterbacks that Iamaleava's representatives reached out, but its even less surprising that Notre Dame quickly declined.