Tag: Nico Iamaleava

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) throws a pass during Tennessee football preseason practice, in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 31, 2025.

Vols tab Joey Aguilar as starting QB after Nico Iamaleava transfer

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A former UCLA quarterback has been named the starter for Tennessee after the Volunteers lost their star QB to the Bruins during the offseason.

Joey Aguilar was named QB1 for Tennessee on Sunday, replacing former Volunteer Nico Iamaleava, who transferred to UCLA in April. Aguilar, who played for Appalachian State in 2023-24, initially transferred to the Bruins and was expected to take over as the starting quarterback.

But a day after the Big Ten program landed Iamaleava, Aguilar decided to leave for Knoxville, Tenn.

Volunteers coach Josh Heupel said on Friday that the senior QB was “handling himself extremely well,” noting that Aguilar seemed “extremely comfortable” guiding the Tennessee attack.

Aguilar, who beat out redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger for the starting role, threw for 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns in two seasons with Appalachian State.

He looks to continue where Iamaleava left off after Tennessee finished No. 7 in the final College Football Playoff rankings before falling to eventual champion Ohio State in the first round of the playoffs last season.

The Volunteers open their regular-season schedule against Syracuse in Atlanta on Aug. 30.

–Field Level Media

Sep 19, 2024; Boone, North Carolina, USA; Appalachian State Mountaineers quarterback Joey Aguilar (4) throws a warmup pass before the game against the South Alabama Jaguars at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Reports: QB shuffle has UCLA’s Joey Aguilar headed to portal

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Quarterback Joey Aguliar will enter the transfer portal, multiple outlets reported Monday, less than four months after he transferred to UCLA from Appalachian State.

Aguilar was poised to be UCLA’s starter in the fall and had participated in spring practices as the No. 1 QB. But the depth chart was altered over the weekend when quarterback Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee and transferred to UCLA.

Speculation has centered on Aguilar possibly moving to Tennessee to take the spot of Iamaleava.

A native of Northern California, Aguilar played at the junior college level at Diablo Valley before he transferred to Appalachian State. In two seasons at Appalachian State, he completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 6,760 yards, 56 touchdowns and 24 interceptions in 25 games.

With Tennessee in 2024, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns, with the Volunteers going 10-3 and making the College Football Playoff.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) looks for an open receiver during the NCAA college football playoff game against Ohio State on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.

Reports: QB Nico Iamaleava headed to UCLA

Posted on | by Field Level Media

It didn’t take long for quarterback Nico Iamaleava to find a new home.

Days after Iamaleava entered the transfer portal following a disagreement with Tennessee over his name, image and likeness money, multiple reports indicate the former Vols starter is headed to UCLA.

Iamaleava is from Southern California and went to high schools in Downey, Calif., and Long Beach, Calif., before heading to Tennessee with an NIL deal for $8 million over four years.

But after a season in which he threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns, with Tennessee going 10-3 and making the College Football Playoff, Iamaleava didn’t show up for practice last week and eventually decided to transfer.

“It’s the state of college football,” Volunteers coach Josh Heupel said last week. “At the end of the day, no one is ever bigger than the program. That includes me too.”

UCLA, in its first year in the Big Ten with new head coach Deshaun Foster, went 5-7 after a 1-5 start.

Bruins senior quarterback Ethan Garbers threw for 2,727 yards with 16 touchdowns and a conference-high 11 interceptions.

UCLA did bring in a transfer QB, Joey Aguilar of Appalachian State, this offseason. Aguilar passed for 6,740 yards with 56 TDs and 24 INTs in two seasons with the Mountaineers.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) walks off the field after the win over Kentucky after an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn.

Nico Iamaleava’s next team? Hometown programs among favorites

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Nico Iamaleava stunned the college football world — and further rocked the Name, Image and Likeness landscape — with his departure from Tennessee over the weekend.

Tennessee balked at Iamaleava’s holdout for additional NIL money, and the former five-star recruit immediately became the biggest name on the market for the spring transfer window that opens Wednesday.

Whether Iamaleava can land the reported $4 million NIL deal he was seeking from the Volunteers remains to be seen. He cannot transfer and play immediately for an SEC team, which somewhat limits his options.

Some schools may also shy away from a player who sought to double his contract after just one season. But after leading the Vols to the College Football Playoff as a redshirt freshman, Iamaleava does figure to have several suitors, with one sportsbook creating odds for his next destination.

NICO IAMALEAVA NEXT TEAM ODDS*
UCLA (+200)
North Carolina (+250)
Southern California (+300)
Texas Tech (+500)
Colorado (+600)
Arizona State (+700)
Notre Dame (+900)
Maryland (+1100)
Oregon (+1200)
California (+1600)
Syracuse (+2000)
*Odds provided by SportsBetting.ag for entertainment purposes only.

UCLA
The Bruins immediately emerged as a likely destination, although 247Sports reported that the school may lack the funds to land Iamaleava. The Bruins signed former Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar, but Iamaleava would provide a significant upgrade for coach DeShaun Foster.

It could also help significantly that Iamaleava is from Downey, Calif., southeast of downtown Los Angeles. At one point, his younger brother Madden, also a quarterback, was committed to UCLA before flipping his choice to Arkansas.

NORTH CAROLINA
The second-shortest odds belong to Bill Belichick’s program. The Tar Heels currently project Max Johnson under center, although he is returning from a leg injury. UNC also has Purdue transfer Ryan Browne and freshman Bryce Baker, so it’s already a crowded depth chart.

However, Belichick offers a staff laden with NFL coaches and the potential for Iamaleava to make an immediate impact in the ACC.

USC
The Trojans have a returning starter in former UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava, who took over for Miller Moss late last season, and also have incoming freshman Husan Longstreet. But coach Lincoln Riley is a noted quarterback guru, and the Trojans also offer the lure of playing in Iamaleava’s hometown after Riley also offered him out of high school.

Could Iamaleava follow in the footsteps of Caleb Williams, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield and Jalen Hurts to tutor under Riley’s direction?

NOTRE DAME
The Irish have only the seventh-shortest odds but offers an intriguing potential landing spot. They did not dip into the earlier transfer portal to add an established veteran to replace Riley Leonard.

Coach Marcus Freeman is currently relying on Steve Angeli or CJ Carr to step up and win the job — unless a big-time talent like Iamaleava is brought into the fold.

OREGON
Another longshot odds-wise is Oregon, but don’t sleep on the Ducks. Coach Dan Lanning also recruited Iamaleava out of high school and has dipped into the transfer portal before for Dillon Gabriel and Bo Nix. The Ducks have former Bruins quarterback Dante Moore and Austin Novosad currently.

While Lanning declined to comment on Iamaleava over the weekend, it’s known that he grew up as a big fan of former Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota. What’s not known is how well Iamaleava could learn Oregon’s complex offense ahead of the 2025 season.

–Field Level Media

Dec 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) throws against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second half of the College Football Playoff first round game at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 42-17. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images

Nico Iamaleava out as Tennessee QB in NIL dispute

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava is out at Tennessee amid a contract dispute, multiple outlets reported Saturday.

Tennessee will play its spring Orange & White game without Iamaleava on Saturday, and he is no longer with the program, per reports. Coach Josh Heupel is expected to talk about the situation after the game.

Iamaleava and the school had been in discussions over his name, image and likeness money. The Knoxville News Sentinel reported that Iamaleava, 20, wanted an increase from his more than $2 million annual NIL package, with ESPN adding he was seeking to double that amount.

He didn’t show up to practice on Friday and is not speaking with coaches, and that apparently was the final straw for Heupel and Tennessee.

The spring transfer portal opens Wednesday, and Iamaleava can enter then. As a redshirt sophomore, he will have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Without Iamaleava, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre move into the lead for the starting job. Heupel also could look to the portal for an experienced QB.

ESPN reported that officials from Tennessee’s NIL collective already are in contact with representatives for potential 2025 quarterbacks.

Iamaleava played sparingly as a freshman in 2023 before taking over the starting role last fall. In his first season as a starter, he completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns against five interceptions, leading Tennessee to a 10-3 record and a College Football Playoff appearance.

The Vols finished ninth in the final AP poll following their 42-17 first-round loss to eventual champion Ohio State.

When Iamaleava was in high school in Southern California, 247Sports ranked him as the No. 2 quarterback and the No. 2 player in the nation, behind Arch Manning, in the Class of 2023.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) walks off the field after the win over Kentucky after an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn.

Reports: Vols QB Nico Iamaleava out of practice amid NIL talks

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tennessee football received a surprise when quarterback Nico Iamaleava opted not to attend Friday’s spring practice, according to multiple media reports.

Iamaleava, 20, is attempting to negotiate for more NIL money, per On3.com, with his absence presumably tied to those conversations.

Tennessee is scheduled to hold its Orange & White Spring Game Saturday, while the spring transfer portal window opens on Wednesday.

The current situation might qualify as one of college football’s first-ever contract holdouts.

ESPN reported that Iamaleava’s existing deal, which is scheduled to pay him more than $8 million over his entire college career, is being rejected by Iamaleava and his camp, who desire $4 million a season instead.

Iamaleava played sparingly as a freshman in 2023 before taking over the starting role last fall. In his first season as a starter, he completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns against five interceptions, leading Tennessee to a 10-3 record and a College Football Playoff appearance.

The Vols finished ninth in the final AP poll following their 42-17 first-round loss to eventual champion Ohio State.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) throws against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Saul Young/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Vols QB Nico Iamaleava expected to play at Georgia

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Sixth-ranked Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava should be “in great shape” for this week’s showdown at No. 11 Georgia, Volunteers coach Josh Heupel said Monday.

Iamaleava did not play in the second half of Saturday’s 33-14 victory against Mississippi State because of what a team spokesperson called an “upper-body injury.”

“(He) was with us today … had a really good day,” Heupel said at his weekly press conference Monday. “Feel like he’ll be in great shape for Saturday. But you guys can monitor (the SEC availability report) on Wednesday and track it throughout the week. (We) certainly feel like he’ll be in a good spot.”

Tennessee (8-1, 5-1 SEC) was ranked No. 7 and Georgia (7-2, 5-2) No. 3 in the first College Football Playoff poll released last week, but the Bulldogs fell 28-10 on Saturday at Ole Miss.

Heupel did not provide any additional details about Iamaleava’s injury.

The 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman has completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 1,879 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions in nine games this season. Iamaleava has also rushed for 215 yards and one score.

Gaston Moore replaced Iamaleava against the Bulldogs and completed 5 of 8 passes for 38 yards.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III (7) throws the ball during the NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt on Saturday, November 25, 2023 in Knoxville, Tenn.

Tennessee QB Joe Milton III opts out, Vols to start freshman

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III has opted out of the Citrus Bowl game against Iowa on New Year’s Day, leaving 5-star true freshman Nico Iamaleava to make the start under center for the Volunteers.

Milton announced his decision Tuesday on social media to skip the bowl and begin preparation for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Milton threw for 2,813 yards and 20 touchdowns against five interceptions this season. He rushed for another 299 yards and seven scores. He finishes his six-year collegiate career with 5,353 passing yards and 37 TDs for Michigan (2018-20) and Tennessee. He added 12 rushing TDs.

The 6-foot-6 Iamaleava was the No. 2 overall prospect in the Class of 2023, according to the 247Sports composite ranking. He has appeared in four games this season, throwing for 163 yards and a TD.

The 21st-ranked Volunteers (8-4) play No. 17 Iowa (10-3) on Monday afternoon in Orlando.

–Field Level Media