The college football rumor mill is working overtime — and Tennessee finds itself right in the center of it.
On a recent episode of The Andy and Ari Show on On3, college football insiders Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman poured gasoline on the growing speculation around star quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s future in Knoxville.
Nico to LA? Staples and Wasserman floated both USC and UCLA as potential landing spots for Iamaleava if his reported NIL standoff with Tennessee isn’t resolved. They also mentioned Notre Dame as a possible destination should the former five-star recruit hit the NCAA Transfer Portal.
So what would that mean for the Vols?
According to Staples, Tennessee might not just be dealing with the threat of losing its starting quarterback — the Vols could also be in line to add a surprise name from the portal.
“I bet we’re gonna see a QB that we weren’t expecting to enter the portal, with a ‘do not contact’ tag,” Staples said. “And I’ll probably post a checkerboard endzone as soon as that happens.”
That’s about as subtle as a neon sign pointing back to Neyland Stadium.
In transfer portal lingo, a “do not contact” designation typically means a player has already lined up their next school. Combine that with Staples’ reference to Tennessee’s famous checkerboard end zones, and speculation is swirling that Josh Heupel’s staff could be preparing to add another high-profile quarterback if Iamaleava departs.
For now, Tennessee fans are left to wonder: What’s next for their rising star?
Iamaleava — the centerpiece of Heupel’s explosive offense and one of the most highly-rated recruits in program history — flashed his enormous potential late in the 2024 season. But his absence from practice today has raised eyebrows and sent shockwaves through college football.
Will he suit up for Tennessee’s Orange-White Game on Saturday? Or will this NIL dispute mark the beginning of the end for Iamaleava’s time in Knoxville?
Either way, with the NCAA Spring Transfer Portal window opening on Wednesday, all eyes will be on Tennessee — and all notifications will be on.
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