It’s only been less than a year since Nico Iamaleava’s exit from the Tennessee Volunteers football program, yet the moment has now been enshrined in the history books of the Jeopardy! TV show.
During the season 42, episode 141 episode of Jeopardy! with host Ken Jennings, Iamaleava’s departure from Tennessee wound up as a question and answer on the show. The category was “Fitting Sports Names” and the point value was 200.
“In 2025, star quarterback Nico Iamaleava said ‘I am a-leav-ing’ this school’s Volunteers for UCLA,” Jennings read off the board.
Contestant Erin Howard had no problem answering the question, saying, ‘What is Tennessee?” in quick fashion. She was correct and had 200 points added to her score.
NO WAY! 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Xh9QqQJcaJ
— ZehDuck (@ZehDuck) March 24, 2026
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With Tennessee Football currently going through spring training camp this month in Knoxville, we’re getting closer and closer to the one-year anniversary of Iamaleava’s dramatic departure from the Vols’ program. The transfer officially happened on April 16, the first day of the spring window being open, but the drama really began unfolding just a few days before. ESPN reported that Iamaleava skipped the Vols’ April 11 practice, which came as a major surprise to the coaches and the players. ESPN also reported that Iamaleava’s camp had been “in conversations with the Vols about a new NIL contract” during that time.
Josh Heupel addressed the Nico Iamaleava situation after the Vols’ 2025 Orange & White spring game on April 12, saying that the program was moving forward without the quarterback and that no one person was bigger than the Power T.
“I’m sure I’m going to get asked about this here in a second, so I’ll address it on the front end,” Heupel said with Iamaleava’s rumors swirling. “Today’s landscape of college football, it’s different than what it has been. And it’s unfortunate, just the situation and where we’re at with Nico. I want to thank him for everything that he’s done since he’s gotten here. That’s as a recruit to who he was as a player and how he competed inside of the building. So a great appreciation for that side of it. Obviously, we’re moving forward as a program without him. I said it to the guys today, there’s no one that’s bigger than the Power T and that includes me.”
Iamaleava’s departure led Tennessee to acquire former App State and UCLA quarterback Joey Aguilar out of the transfer portal. Aguilar won the starting job during fall camp just a few months later, and wound up throwing for 3,565 passing yards in total. Aguilar’s lone season at Tennessee resulted in the third-most single-season passing yard mark in UT program history.
A year after Iamaleava’s departure from Tennessee, the Vols are going through another quarterback battle with Joey Aguilar’s eligibility having expired. Tennessee’s contestants for this battle include redshirt freshman George MacIntyre, true freshman Faizon Brandon, and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee Football coverage during UT spring camp this month, leading into the Orange & White spring game on April 11 in Neyland Stadium.
