Just what in the world is going on in Knoxville? Over the past 24 hours or so, there's been plenty of drama surrounding the Tennessee football team and Nico Iamaleava, with the two sides reportedly going through contract talks. Now, the latest news is eye-opening, to say the least.
According to reporter Pete Thamel, the standout quarterback was a no-show for practice on Friday morning, which of course arrives right before the team's spring game on Saturday. Per Thamel's sources, Iamaleava's absence was not expected by the Tennessee coaching staff and head man Josh Heupel. This is obviously a bit concerning:
Sources: Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava did not attend Tennessee spring practice today. He’s been in conversations with Tennessee about a new contract. The no-show of practice came as a surprise. pic.twitter.com/VXsXTPDZpu
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 11, 2025
Nico Iamaleava skipping practice on Friday is a troubling sign for Tennessee
This latest update comes as a bit of a surprise, especially after Iamaleava's dad slammed the report that his son was looking for a new deal. Now, though, a statement has been made by the young quarterback with him deciding to skip out on a key practice session.
According to ESPN's Chris Low, Iamaleava indeed caught the staff off guard, but his teammates were also surprised that he wasn't suited up with the rest of the squad. Iamaleava is widely considered one of the top SEC quarterbacks for 2025, but it looks like he's not happy with his current NIL package.
Per multiple reports, he put the pen to paper on an $8 million NIL contract before making his way to Knoxville. With the way the QB market has changed, however, it might have led for Iamaleava to look for a fresh, updated deal with the Vols.
We don't want to speculate on things there, but the fact that the QB was a no-show on Friday is a bit telling and it's got to be a bit of a concern for Heupel and his staff. Next week, the spring transfer portal will open and there's going to be a lot of movement across the country. All of a sudden, there's worry among the UT fanbase that Nico could end up bolting for a new program.