Nico Iamaleava's transfer options: Latest on QB's future - ESPN

The shock waves that came with the breakup of quarterback Nico Iamaleava and the Tennessee football program continue to reverberate.

Iamaleava's case, which involved contract discussions, a skipped practice before the spring game and quick roster exit, has produced a flurry of action since Saturday, when coach Josh Heupel told reporters that «no one is bigger than» the program. It's also a case study into the changing world of college football and has produced heated reaction, hyperbole and countless theories on how to fix the sport as the entire collegiate model awaits a judge's blessing on how it will move forward.

But the most interesting aspects of the Iamaleava saga are still unresolved. His departure from Tennessee leaves a brand-name school and player at a compelling crossroads as both sides scurry to find answers for the 2025 season.

The early read after talking to sources in college football is that neither Tennessee nor Iamaleava is likely to have far better options for next season.

Iamaleava's future is in the hands of his father, Nic, and a trusted family friend named Cordell Landers, a former Florida personnel staffer. Both are representing the quarterback in discussions with schools. Iamaleava's next step is tied to a tricky spring transfer portal market where headwinds for a desirable landing place include awkward timing and the reputational damage from his Tennessee exit.

Finding a better football fit than Iamaleava had at Tennessee, where he was entering his third year, will be difficult. He's coming off a season in which he threw for 2,616 yards with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions, and the Volunteers had the talent around him to again be one of college football's top offenses. At his new school,