College Football

Texas quarterback Arch Manning is now the only signal-caller ranked in the top five of the high school class of 2023 who has remained with his original school after Tennessee reportedly decided to move on from Nico Iamleava.

RJ Young of Fox Sports spotlighted the trend on Saturday:

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, Tennessee is in search of a new starting quarterback after NIL contract discussions went south, with the "tipping point" being him missing practice on Friday.

Iamaleava is out of town after initially looking for a raise to $4 million, up from $2.4 million, per Thamel. After the missed practice amid the negotiations, ties were severed, and Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel informed the team Saturday morning that Iamaleava was no longer on the Vols.

And with that, Manning is the only top-five QB left with his original school.

Manning certainly isn't going anywhere. After sitting behind Quinn Ewers for two years, Manning will finally get his shot as QB1 in Austin. The Longhorns are one of the top national title contenders on paper alongside teams like Penn State, Notre Dame and defending national champion Ohio State.

He also happens to have the top NIL valuation in the country, per On3, at $6.5 million. The next-closest college player is Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg at $4.8 million.

Manning will officially debut as QB1 for Texas on Aug. 30, with a highly anticipated matchup against Ohio State in a rematch of last year's CFP semifinal.

The University of Tennessee football program is reportedly preparing to be active in the spring transfer portal as it relates to the quarterback position.

According to On3.com's Pete Nakos, the Volunteers have "begun due diligence" on which quarterbacks may be available when the spring transfer portal opens Wednesday.

On Saturday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Tennessee and quarterback Nico Iamaleava decided to part ways after Iamaleava skipped practice Friday in the midst of name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation negotiations.

Iamaleava, who is preparing to enter his junior season, started 13 games for the Vols last season, posting a 10-3 record.

He completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions, while also rushing for 358 yards and three scores.

After going 10-2 in the regular season, Tennessee qualified for the College Football Playoff. However, the Volunteers got crushed 42-17 by the eventual national championship-winning Ohio State Buckeyes in the first round.

Iamaleava struggled through injuries in that game, going just 14-of-31 for 104 yards and no touchdowns, along with rushing for 47 yards and two touchdowns.

Thamel suggested that Iamaleava will be the "most notable" player available in the spring transfer portal, leaving Tennessee to consider other options.

In terms of in-house possibilities, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger is the leader in the clubhouse. A 4-star prospect and the No. 13 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, per 247Sports, Merklinger went 6-of-9 for 48 yards in limited action last season.

True freshman George MacIntyre, who was 247Sports' No. 17 quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class, could also be in the mix.

As far as spring transfer portal quarterbacks go, Athlon Sports college football editor Steven Lassan lists Georgia's Jaden Rashada and UCF's Dylan Rizk as the best available.

Rashada was notably 247Sports' No. 44 overall recruit and No. 6 quarterback in 2023, but he has bounced around regularly during his brief collegiate career.

Just before he was supposed to report to Florida in 2023, Rashada requested a release from his letter of intent after an NIL deal fell through. Rashada transferred to play at Arizona State in 2023 and then transferred to Georgia in 2024.

Rashada saw no playing time last season at Georgia, but he started three games at ASU in 2023, going 1-2 and completing 53.7 percent of his passes for 485 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

While Rashada is the highest-upside option available, Rizk may be a bit safer, albeit with a lower ceiling.

Rizk appeared in six games and made four starts at UCF last season, going 1-3 and throwing for 904 yards, five touchdowns and two picks.

Preparing to enter his redshirt sophomore season, Rizk may have the best combination of experience and youth among the options available to Tennessee.

The contract standoff between Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee has come to a swift end with the quarterback no longer being part of the team.

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel told the team on Saturday they were "moving on" from Iamaleava after he skipped meetings and practice on Friday.

Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger added Iamaleava submitted paperwork to the school to enter the transfer portal. Adam Gorney of Rivals and Yahoo Sports reported that USC will not be pursuing Iamaleava once he enters the portal.

Pete Nakos of On3.com reported on Thursday that Iamaleava and Tennessee were having "active negotiations" about a new NIL deal for the 2025 season.

When no agreement came to be prior to the Vols' first spring practice on Friday, Thamel reported Iamaleava was a no-show for the event in what was said to be a "surprise" to coaches and players.

Thamel also noted the situation has "become a growing source of frustration" among Tennessee administrators and within the locker room.

Among the teams Iamaleava expressed interest in joining in the transfer portal was Oregon, according to Thamel. Tennessee "was aware that Iamaleava's representatives had reached out to at least one other school, Oregon, prior to the start of spring practice," per Thamel.

However, the Ducks said they weren't interested in the quarterback, Thamel added.

It's unclear what type of deal Iamaleava is seeking. He originally committed to the Volunteers in 2022 on an NIL contract that was reportedly worth up to $8 million.

The quarterback market has changed significantly in the three years since that agreement. Carson Beck and Darian Mensah are believed to be making $4 million in 2025 after transferring to new schools in December.

According to Thamel, it could be "difficult" for Iamaleava to potentially find an NIL deal roughly equivalent to the mid-$2 million range he would have made at Tennessee in the transfer portal right now because schools have already structured their salaries for 2025 already.

Iamaleava's departure also leaves Tennessee with a void to fill at starting quarterback for next season.

Jake Merklinger, a 4-star recruit in the 2024 class, is the top signal-caller on the roster. He made two appearances as a true freshman, completing six of his nine pass attempts.

George MacIntyre was penciled in as the No. 3 quarterback on the roster. He is a 4-star prospect and No. 13 quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class, per 247Sports.

Thamel reported Tennessee officials have started reaching out to third parties who could potentially replace Iamaleava.

Jaden Rashada, who spent last year at Georgia, is the top-ranked uncommitted quarterback in the transfer portal. He has had contact with three Group of Five programs, including Connecticut, Tulane and Western Kentucky, per Nakos.

The spring transfer window runs from April 16-25.

Iamaleava took over as Tennessee's starter last season. He threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns in 13 games, leading the Vols to a 10-3 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff where they lost to Ohio State in the first round.

Nico Iamaleava has not spoken to Tennessee since skipping the program's spring practice on Friday, according to On3's Andy Staples.

According to Staples, Iamaleava had dinner with Tennessee's quarterback group at offensive coordinator Joey Halzle's house the night before the missed practice.

"We're talking about less than 18 hours ago, he was very much in the fold. And then he was not at practice," Staples said.

Staples also said about Iamaleava: "The transfer portal opens on Wednesday. I bet we're gonna see a QB that we weren't expecting to enter the portal, with a do not contact tag. And I'll probably post a checkerboard endzone as soon as that happens."

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Friday the Volunteers were surprised by Iamaleava's absence, which came amid "conversations with Tennessee about a new contract."

Adam Sparks of the Knoxville News Sentinel also previously reported that Tennessee hadn't heard from Iamaleava as of late afternoon after the skipped morning practice.

On3's Pete Nakos first reported Thursday that Iamaleava and Tennessee were "in active negotiations on a new NIL deal" and hoped to finalize negotiations before the Orange and White Game takes place on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.

Nakos also reported that Iamaleava's current contract with Tennessee is believed to be worth somewhere in the range of $2.2 million to $2.5 million.

Iamaleava is seeking to earn around $4 million on his next deal, per Low:

Iamaleava's father, Nic Iamaleava, wrote on social media he had "no idea" what Nakos was writing about in his report, and ESPN's Chris Low noted that Iamaleava’s representatives "denied Thursday there was any renegotiation talk."

Both Low and Thamel then reported the Volunteers were surprised by Iamaleava's absence on Friday.

Iamaleava is looking to take another step forward next season after throwing for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns with five interceptions in his first 13 games as the Vols' starter last season.

If his split from the program is part of a holdout for a new contract, it could mark the beginning of a new era of college football as programs brace for the negotiations involved in being allowed to share revenue with players likely starting next fall.

Redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger was expected to back up Iamaleava next season. He could potentially be called up to start should Iamaleava part ways with the Vols.

Nico Iamaleava is apparently holding out while waiting for a new NIL deal from the University of Tennessee.

Austin Price of On3.com first reported that Iamaleava was not at Tennessee's spring practice on Friday.

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, the third-year quarterback skipped the practice amid ongoing contract talks with the program.

Thamel noted Iamaleava's absence came as a surprise to Tennessee's coaching staff.

While holdouts have not yet become common practice in the NIL era of college football, it is a tactic that has been used before.

UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka announced on Sept. 25 he was utilizing a redshirt year to sit out the remainder of the season after playing in three games. Sluka's representatives told ESPN's Max Olson his client left the program after only receiving $3,000 on a verbal promise to pay a minimum of $100,000.

Pete Nakos of On3.com reported on Thursday that Iamaleava and the Volunteers were in "active negotiations" about a deal for the 2025 season.

Nic Iamaleava, Nico's father, denied the report in a post on X, writing he "had no idea" what Nakos was talking about when asked to comment on the story.

A 5-star recruit coming out of Warren High School in 2022, Iamaleava reportedly received an NIL deal worth up to $8 million from Tennessee when he committed to the program.

Chris Low of ESPN reported Iamaleava's reps "wanted to see his deal upped to $4 million range." However, Low reported that Tennessee officials said they "weren't going to blink."

There has been speculation that Iamaleava is seeking a boost in pay, particularly in the wake of other quarterbacks using the transfer portal to secure lucrative compensation deals.

Carson Beck and Darian Mensah are believed to be making $4 million annually at their new schools after transferring in December. Beck went from Georgia to Miami, while Mensah left Tulane to join Duke.

Iamaleava's decision to skip Tennessee's spring practice comes days before the spring transfer window opens on April 16.

CBS Sports' Chris Hummer, Brandon Huffman and John Talty reported there have been rumors over the past week that Iamaleava could be interested in exploring the transfer portal, but one person at Tennessee "expressed little concern" about the program's standing with the 20-year-old.

After playing behind Joe Milton during his freshman year in 2023, Iamaleava was the Vols' starting quarterback last season. He threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns in 13 games.

Tennessee finished 10-3 and made the College Football Playoff as the No. 9 seed. The Vols lost 42-17 in the first round to eventual national champion Ohio State.