There appears to be a stand-off ongoing between Tennessee and star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, and a developing situation that illustrates the new climate in college football around NIL.
Iamaleava didn’t show up for practice on Friday at a time when it’s been reported that he is hoping to negotiate a new NIL deal with the football team.
Now, we may have a better idea of what the quarterback is asking for.
Iamaleava is seeking a revised NIL agreement with the Vols that pays him around $4 million for the upcoming football season, according to ESPN’s Chris Low.
That doesn’t appear to be a demand Tennessee is willing to accept, as Low reported the school “wasn’t going to blink and pay him any more money.”
Iamaleava’s reported demands come as the NIL market for quarterbacks has seen a notable increase in value over the last several months.
Iamaleava’s current deal with Tennessee is estimated to be worth around $2.5 million, below the perceived market value for a player who was in the College Football Playoff a year ago.
Carson Beck and Darian Mensah both secured NIL packages for a reported $4 million annually at Miami and Duke, respectively.
Michigan is said to have given incoming freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, the top player in the 2025 recruiting class who is yet to take a snap, a deal worth $3 million.
The situation puts Tennessee in a very uncomfortable position.
Not only because the spring football transfer window is set to open on Wednesday, but because of the reverberations its decision could have across college football.
If the school gives Iamaleava the kind of money he’s apparently asking for right now, then that could set a precedent of other players around the country skipping practice in the hopes of using their leverage to get a better deal for themselves.
And that could create a climate of instability for coaches as they form rosters and decide who belongs where on depth charts, and properly judge how their players are progressing on the field.
But if the Vols don’t give him a raise, he could potentially enter his name into the transfer portal, where he’s bound to get some very attractive offers from other schools who would jump at the chance of acquiring a player of his stature.
Not to mention, losing Iamaleava would critically hinder Tennessee’s offensive capacity at a time when he’s expected to take a bigger leadership role as other offensive players depart for the NFL.
Now the ball is in Tennessee’s court, to pay or not to pay, and to live with the results of the decision it makes, not only for itself, but potentially for the sport as a whole.
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