As Tennessee wraps its spring practice slate, the Volunteers and starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava are gridlocked in contract negotiations. The talks have escalated to the point that Iamaleava did not attend Tennessee’s practice Friday ahead of its Orange & White spring game on Saturday, according to 247Sports.
The whole saga became public on April 10 when reports emerged that the two sides were working on a new deal. The timing, not only in regards to Tennessee’s spring schedule but also with the spring transfer window opening on April 16, is notable.
In the wake of the initial reports, those close to Iamaleava maintain that he’s satisfied with his position in Knoxville.
“The family are happy (with Tennessee),” Cordell Landers, a close friend of the Iamaleavas, told CBS Sports. “There are no (contract negotiations), they’re happy with the contract they have.”
The latest turn, with Iamaleava sitting out of a practice, suggests at least a slight turn in the relationship. Tennessee has already invested significant financial effort into landing and retaining Iamaleava.
He was the gem of Tennessee’s 2023 recruiting class, where he ranked as the No. 2 prospect nationally. Iamaleava landed a reported $8 million NIL deal while the Vols were recruiting him, a landmark figure in the high school recruiting sphere.
With the saga unfolding quickly, keep track of Iamaleava and Tennessee’s contract negotiations with updates below.
CBS Sports will be here to update this story with the latest developments from the Tennessee, Nico Iamaleava situation as they become available.
The team at GoVols247 is providing on-the-ground updates on every development in the Nico Iamaleava saga and spring practice. In addition to breaking news and scoop, subscribers get insights from Patrick Brown, Ben McKee, Wes Rucker while Ryan Callahan has Vols recruiting on lockdown.
