Nico Iamaleava Friday practice update amid negotiations with Tennessee

In the midst of reported ongoing negotiations, Tennessee redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava was absent from Friday morning’s Spring practice, according to VolQuest’s Austin Price. Price posted about the absence on the site’s message board “The General’s Quarters.”

On Thursday, On3 insider Pete Nakos reported Iamaleava and Tennessee were in active negotiations on a new NIL deal ahead of the 2025 season. It is unclear how those negotiations might impact Iamaleava’s decision about the Spring transfer portal, which opens next week. Sources told Nakos that Iamaleava “is happy at Tennessee and has a strong relationship with head coach Josh Heupel.”

Nakos suggested Iamaleava is seeking to amend the original multi-million dollar NIL deal he received when he signed with Tennessee as a five-star recruit in the Class of 2023, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. At the time, Iamaleava’s deal was considered one of the first significant NIL contracts issued. But the market has since adjusted significantly — especially at the quarterback position.

Iamaleava’s absence Friday morning “came as a surprise” to Tennessee officials, according to fellow ESPN insider Pete Thamel.

Sources: Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava did not attend Tennessee spring practice today. He’s been in conversations with Tennessee about a new contract. The no-show of practice came as a surprise. pic.twitter.com/VXsXTPDZpu

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 11, 2025

Following the VolQuest report Friday morning, ESPN insider Chris Low revealed that “there has been growing frustration among the (Tennessee) administration and players” regarding the Iamaleava situation, which only seemed to escalate after Friday’s absence from practice. Low added that Iamaleava’s representation sought to increase his NIL deal to the “$4 million range” prior to the Winter portal window closing, but suggested Volunteer officials “weren’t going to blink” at the time.

In his first season as Tennessee’s starting quarterback, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 358 yards and three more scores on the ground. Iamaleava started every game for the Volunteers in 2024, helping guide Tennessee (10-3) to its first College Football Playoff berth last season.

With Iamaleava expected back for the 2025 season, the Volunteers are considered a serious contender to win the SEC next season. Iamaleava also has +1800 odds to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy, per FanDuel.

Joey Halzle reveals Nico Iamaleava called out Tennessee players in practice

The Tennessee Volunteers made the College Football Playoff in 2024, which was the first season that Nico Iamaleava took over as the full-time starter at quarterback. Now, the Volunteers are looking to build on that success and improve in 2025.

A key to that improvement is going to be the growth of Iamaleava. That includes his role as a leader. However, as Vols quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle explained, Iamaleava’s not the type of person to often get into other people’s faces. That is, with the exception of a recent example that he was able to share following a recent Spring practice in mid-March.

“If he tried to start going rah rah right now it wouldn’t hit,” Joey Halzle said. “Because that’s just not him and he doesn’t do that. But what he did, like he did it today, he didn’t like something he saw, he called the guys up and said, ‘Hey,’ he addressed it right now and we moved on.”

— On3’s Pete Nakos and Dan Morrison contributed to this report.