Volunteer Country

Nico Iamaleava Plans to Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava announced his intentions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Evan Crowell

Nov 30, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) warms up before a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) warms up before a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
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Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava announced his intentions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is officially searching for a new home. The redshirt sophomore announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on, ending a two-year partnership that saw Iamaleava lead the Volunteers to their first College Football Playoff berth in program history.

Turmoil began when On3's Pete Nakos reported that Tennessee and Iamaleava were in "active negotiations" ahead of the 2025 season. He stated it was "unclear" if the negotiations would affect whether Iamaleava would enter the transfer portal. Nakos's story quickly made social media rounds, prompting Iamaleava's father to respond on X.

On Friday, Iamaleava skipped practice ahead of Tennessee's annual Orange and White game. Tennessee didn't hear any communication from Iamaleava's camp before or after his absence, which created frustration on the Volunteers' end. ESPN's Chris Low reported Iamaleava wanted a deal worth $4 million annually. Now, his partnership with Tennessee has concluded.

Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns against five interceptions during his lone season as the starter. He added 353 rushing yards and three scores with his legs. Iamaleava went 11-3 as a starter at Tennessee, earning Citrus Bowl MVP honors during his true freshman season for a standout performance against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

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Evan Crowell
EVAN CROWELL

Evan Crowell is currently pursuing a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and has various media experiences throughout his young career. He's been committed to marrying the fan's perspective of the game of football to the technical intricacies installed in each game by coaches and players. Crowell has been working at Fan Nation since 2020 and has covered high-profile college football games, recruiting events, and more during that five-year tenure. While he never played football, he's worked relentlessly to continue improving his understanding of the game while still covering the unique stories of each individual he covers.

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