Tennessee moves on from Nico Iamaleava after QB skipped practice amid NIL negotiations: reports

Tennessee is reportedly moving connected from starting backmost Nico Iamaleava a time aft the backmost was a no-show astatine signifier owed to NIL declaration negotiations.

Head manager Josh Heupel informed the squad of the determination to determination connected from Iamaleava during a squad gathering connected Saturday morning, according to ESPN. 

Iamaleava’s determination to skip signifier and meetings connected Friday was the "driver" of the determination to determination on, according to the report. 

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Tennessee Volunteers backmost Nico Iamaleava (8) walks disconnected the tract aft the triumph against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the 2nd fractional astatine FirstBank Stadium connected November 30, 2024. (Steve Roberts-Imagn Images)

Iamaleava's no-show astatine signifier was a "surprise" to the team, according to the report. 

Iamaleava, 20, volition participate the transportation portal and look for a caller squad aft conscionable 1 play arsenic Tennessee's quarteback, according to On3. 

Iamaleava was reportedly acceptable to gain $2.4 cardinal this play but wanted to renegotiate his woody to $4 cardinal per twelvemonth and skipped signifier to holdout for a caller NIL contract.

TENNESSEE’S NICO IAMALEAVA UNDER SCRUTINY OVER NIL, PRACTICE DRAMA

Tennessee backmost Nico Iamaleava (8) throws the shot during the archetypal 4th astatine FirstBank Stadium successful Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (IMAGN)

The backmost was the No. 23 wide enlistee successful the 2023 class, and erstwhile helium initially signed with Tennessee’s NIL corporate successful 2022, Iamaleava was acceptable to marque $8 cardinal implicit his assemblage vocation with the Vols.

He was astatine violative coordinator Joey Halze’s location for meal with his teammates connected Thursday night, according to OutKick, which is wherefore his lack from signifier and meetings connected Friday was specified a surprise. 

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Tennessee backmost Nico Iamaleava (8) exits the tract aft the crippled astatine FirstBank Stadium successful Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (IMAGN)

Teammates were acrophobic astir Iamaleava’s safety, arsenic helium had not responded to texts from teammates oregon officials, according to the report. Not adjacent 48 hours aft meal with his teammates, Iamaleava was nary longer with the Tennessee shot program. 

In his lone play arsenic Tennessee’s starting quarterback, the six-foot-six quarterback led the Vols to a 10-3 grounds arsenic a freshman, with 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. 

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