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, however, he'll need to win the starting job, learn the offense and be surrounded by a strong enough supporting cast to show significant enough improvement to stay on the radar of NFL teams. He also needs to win over the locker room.
And then there's the money. Multiple sources have told ESPN that Iamaleava's camp is seeking much more through the portal than the $4 million they hoped to earn with the Vols this year. The read after talking to sources, however, is that he's unlikely to find a situation that gets him to that number.
"I think he has zero market," said a general manager at a Power 4 school. "It will be an interesting test of how smart and disciplined colleges are in looking at him."
There has not been a flood of immediate interest in Iamaleava from big brands. Schools with less-than-established quarterback situations such as Notre Dame, USC, North Carolina and UCF have not expressed significant interest, according to team sources. Big paydays come from leverage, and there appears to be little out there.
Sources caution that Iamaleava is talented enough that some market will form. He led the SEC's ninth-best scoring offense in conference play and finished ninth in QBR (70.5) last season. There will be a place for a solid SEC starter with a five-star pedigree somewhere in the sport. But can he find a contender willing to invest millions and guarantee him a starting job?
SEC rules prohibit immediate eligibility for players who transfer within the conference during the spring portal window. That's a limiting factor that cuts into the market. And the timing of the move has made coaches hesitant to go all-in.
Iamaleava's camp strongly considered entering the transfer portal at the end of December, according to sources close to the quarterback. Had he made a move at that time, fresh off a 10-win season and College Football Playoff appearance, he likely would've been greeted with a strong list of options from teams desperate for an experienced arm and willing to pay top dollar, as Miami was for Georgia's Carson Beck in January.
USC and Notre Dame have been linked to Iamaleava, but sources at both schools have denied interest. The Trojans are moving forward with Jayden Maiava, who started their final four games last season. The Fighting Irish are in the middle of a three-man competition between Steve Angeli, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey.
North Carolina is in the market for an upgrade at quarterback in the spring portal window, but sources expect the Tar Heels to focus their efforts on South Alabama's Gio Lopez when he officially enters the portal Wednesday.
UCF has an Iamaleava connection with quarterbacks coach McKenzie Milton, who worked with the quarterback during his stint as a Tennessee offensive analyst. But the Knights have already brought in Indiana transfer Tayven Jackson this offseason and are not expected to be in the mix.
With Nico Iamaleava leaving the Tennessee program and headed for the transfer portal, the quarterback job is up for grabs between Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre
UCLA has been perceived as a contender for the Southern California native almost by default, despite adding veteran App State transfer Joey Aguilar in the winter portal window. It's worth noting the Bruins previously held a commitment from Iamaleava's younger brother, Madden, before he flipped to Arkansas in December, so there's already a hurdle for his camp to overcome. Madden Iamaleava had been the local gem of UCLA coach DeShaun Foster's first full recruiting class, but he and Long Beach Poly teammate Jace Brown bailed on the Bruins on signing day for Arkansas.
From the timing to the public nature of the exit to the attention he'd draw upon arrival, there's a general vibe of hesitancy around the market. Essentially, coaches see a narrow path to success with the time frame, learning the offense and the pressure on Iamaleava to produce at the amount he's expected to be paid.
"Absolutely zero interest," another Power 4 general manager said.
Meanwhile, Tennessee will need to find an immediate and significant upgrade who can seamlessly transition and thrive in 2025. This would involve a transfer learning a new offense, winning over the team and having the arm talent to be an adequate maestro in Heupel's up-tempo system. If this is going to be an established Power 4 starter, he'd also have to be OK walking away from a locker room, coaching staff and teammates who he's bonded with for months ahead of the season.
"This is a terrible time," said an industry source familiar with the quarterback market, with observations applying to both the quarterback and Tennessee. "You are setting yourself up to fail. You are so late. You get no spring ball, and all new wide receivers and a new system. The kids being paid a lot of money are already in the system, or they are four months into it."
So far, Tennessee has appeared to have little luck in its search for talent. Sources told ESPN that at least one starting quarterback has received a raise thanks to an inquiry his agent received from Tennessee. Expect the agents of nearly every established starter in the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 to get a call.
"I feel 100% confident that we have nothing to worry about," one general manager of a Big 12 program said, "but how do you ever truly know?"