The Nico Iamaleava era is officially over at Tennessee with head coach Josh Heupel informing his team that they’re moving on from the quarterback on Saturday morning.
Iamaleava has been one of the most prominent names around the Vols since committing to Tennessee in March 2022. He’s totaled with 3,359 total yards and 27 total touchdowns in two seasons at Tennessee including one season as the starting quarterback.
So what does Iamaleava’s departure mean for Tennessee football? Taking a look here.
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Does Anyone Follow Iamaleava To The Portal?
This is the most immediate fallout for Tennessee is whether anyone will follow Iamaleava to the transfer portal. The Vols are already incredibly thin at receiver and can’t afford for any of their top pass catchers to leave.
Sophomore Mike Matthews flirted with the transfer portal back in December and Iamaleava was part of the reason he decided to return for a second season instead of pursuing options elsewhere. Redshirt freshman Braylon Staley also now has a good deal of leverage since he’s expected to start in the slot next season.
It also wouldn’t be surprising if two-way sophomore Boo Carter uses this chaos to get another pay day. He flirted with the portal back in December.
But even past receiver, Arizona offensive line transfer Wendell Moe and his family are close with the Iamaleava’s. That relationship was a major reason why he chose Tennessee out of the portal. Could he try his hand in the portal again?
What Does Tennessee’s Quarterback Room Look Like Without Iamaleava?
Tennessee is incredibly thin at the quarterback position. The Vols not only have just two other scholarship quarterbacks on the roster but they have only those two quarterbacks on the roster at all.
Jake Merklinger, a former four-star recruit, redshirted in 2024 where he earned limited playing time. Merklinger completed six-of-nine pass attempts for 48 yards while playing in blowout wins over Chattanooga and Kent State.
George MacIntyre is a an early enrollee quarterback who is going through his first spring practice with Tennessee currently. The Brentwood native ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 150 player in the country in the 2025 recruiting cycle according to the 247sports composite rankings.
So how come Tennessee has no walk-on quarterbacks on its roster. Navy Shuler graduated last season, Ryan Damron transferred to Stephen F. Austin and Gaston Moore, who was the backup quarterback, entered the transfer portal. Moore never found a home in the portal. Maybe Tennessee could convince him to return.
Will Tennessee Go Get A Quarterback In The Transfer Portal?
Based on the pure numbers, Tennessee has to go get at least one quarterback in the transfer portal. The transfer portal opens on Wednesday and the Vols will be on the lookout for anyone worth while who jumps with Iamaleava moving on.
The problem Tennessee will face is that most of the transfer portal movement at quarterback happens in the winter. All the big transfer quarterbacks already went through the transfer process and found a new home back in December and January. That makes it very difficult for Tennessee to find a sure fire starter.
But the Vols must add a body anyway and likely will bring someone in who is good enough to at least compete with Merklinger for the starting quarterback job.
5 Responses
I wouldn’t renegotiate much less give him 4,000,000. He had an average year at best. He may find the grass is not greener on the other side.
I would try to get Gaston Moore back. He doesn’t have the arm or the mobility that Iamaleava had, but he may be smarter. And he certainly knows Heupel’s offense better than anyone else you can find in this solar system. I say find him a good NIL deal and move on.
Moore could be UT’s next Daryl Dickey, only with a full season instead of a partial one to shine. And if Merklinger can beat Moore out for the job, then go with him.
But frankly, this portal and NIL crap is getting old. The NCAA doesn’t have the brain cells to figure out how all this needs to work to deliver a college football product that’s good enough to keep fans on board. This may be my last season to give a damn about college football. I’m so old that it could easily be my last one anyway. So the hell with it.
Screw the $@$@@ transfer portal and NIL — it’s ruined college football and basketball. I’m done.
I agree with you guys. The transfer portal and NIL has ruined college sports. The NCAA is about as powerless in college sports as the UN is in world affairs. The Division One schools need to get hold of these two disasters and replace the NCAA with a new governing body. I feel for the coaches who have to deal with this situation. When college athletes can make more money than NFL rookies–something is deeply wrong. I will always be a Vol fan….but I am old, and really sad to see college football and athletics take the path that they are on. I admire Coach Heupel and his outlook on moving on. Which team end ups with Nico may end up with more problems than positives based on his recent behavior.
I agree with old flyer!!!!!