Former Chargers star demands stern action against people behind Nico Iamaleava’s controversial decision to hit the portal

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava, one of the best young QBs in college football, was expected to play a big part for the program in the 2025 season. However, on Thursday, insider Pete Nakos reported that Iamaleava could enter the transfer portal if things did not go well with the Vols. However, Iamaleava's father denied the reports.

On Saturday, Iamaleava reportedly skipped practice on Friday. He made this decision following the Volunteers' decision to withdraw from contract negotiations after the same went public.

This report caused a big reaction in the college football world. It is uncommon for a star QB to enter the transfer portal in the spring window. Former Chargers star Shawne Merriman said:

"I hate to see this happen and don’t know everything but this should be a learning experience for everybody involved. Anybody who had a hand in this needs to be evaluated."

Nico Iamaleava cannot transfer to an SEC team if he wants to play next season

While Nico Iamaleava reportedly wants a better NIL deal, transferring might not be the solution. He is free to enter the transfer portal in the spring window. However, SEC rules prohibit transferring within the conference in the spring window if the player wants to maintain their eligibility.

This means that if a player transfers from one SEC to another during the spring transfer window, they will be ineligible to play in the following season. Nico Iamaleava redshirted during his true freshman year. This was his first year as a starting quarterback, and he is unlikely to want to miss another season.

As a result, Iamaleava's options are limited. He can transfer to a team outside the SEC, but the most prestigious programs already have QBs, or he can return to Tennessee. It also puts the Volunteers in a bad spot as they need to try to replace their star QB on short notice.