Tennessee football held its final spring practice before Saturday’s Orange-and-White game on Friday morning. The practice was not open to the media but quarterback Nico Iamaleava was not present, Volquest’s Austin Price first reported.
Iamaleava’s absence from practice comes just a day after On3’s Pete Nakos reported that the quarterback and his team were negotiating for a larger NIL deal and a day before Tennessee holds its annual spring Orange-and-White game.
The redshirt sophomore quarterback had been active and present for Tennessee football throughout spring practice before Friday’s final practice of spring. It is unclear at the current moment whether or not Iamaleava will participate in Saturday’s Orange-and-White game.
Iamaleava’s father, Nic, posted to X late Thursday night criticizing Nakos’ report and took a shot at Tennessee while claiming that they leaked the rumor to Nakos.
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The 6-foot-6 signal caller completed 63.8% of his passes for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions for Tennessee in 2024. He added 358 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Tennessee posted a 10-3 (6-2 SEC) record in Iamaleava’s first season as the Vols’ starting quarterback, making the 12-team College Football Playoff before losing to Ohio State in the first round. Iamaleava’s play was up-and-down throughout the course of the season. He struggled in the first half of SEC play before playing well down the stretch of the season.
While the receiver and offensive line play around Iamaleava was not great, Tennessee’s run game and defense undoubtedly led them to the program’s second 10-win season in the last three.
Behind Iamaleava on Tennessee’s quarterback depth chart is redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and early enrollee freshman George MacIntyre as well as multiple walk-ons.
