Tennessee football and quarterback Nico Iamaleava are in contract negotiations ahead of Saturday’s Orange-and-White game, On3’s Pete Nakos reported on Thursday afternoon.
According to Nakos’ reporting, Iamaleava’s team is looking for a new deal with the market value for quarterbacks increasing in the time since the two sides agreed to the contract. Nakos says it’s unclear whether the negotiations will affect whether Iamaleava will enter the portal when it opens up later this month.
Iamaleava is entering his redshirt sophomore season and his second as Tennessee football’s starting quarterback. He completed 64% of his passes for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions during the 2024 season.
The 6-foot-6 signal caller had an up-and-down first season as a starter struggling in the first half of SEC play before playing well down the stretch of the season. While Iamaleava’s play was up-and-down, Tennessee had success on the field going 10-2 (6-2 SEC) in the regular season and earning a birth in the 12-team College Football Playoffs.
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Pass protection and receiver play were shaky around Iamaleava last season but it was Tennessee’s run game and defense that led the Vols to the College Football Playoffs.
Leverage is always key in any contract negotiation and it’s no different in college football. Tennessee is short on quarterback play behind Iamaleava with redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre being the only other scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.
But at the same time, most college football big spenders already paid up for their quarterback in the winter portal period. How many schools need a quarterback and are willing to pay what Tennessee is already paying Iamaleava? And how many of those are true College Football Playoff contenders like the Vols? The list is likely quite small.
Tennessee is holding its 2025 spring game this Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. ET but the game will not be broadcasted or streamed.
2 Responses
I am done with college football. Now you can get
Negotiations? What does he think he has done to deserve more money? It’s not like he is a returning All American or even All SEC, not even close. Call his bluff, if he walks, he walks.
He won’t!