“Texas has it good with Arch Manning”: Longhorns Insider rubs salt in Tennessee’s misery amid Nico Iamaleava fiasco

Tennessee has found itself in a difficult situation with its starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava, as the program wraps up its spring practice. According to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos, the former five-star recruit has attempted to renegotiate his NIL contract with the school.

The speculation intensified on Friday following the reports that Iamaleava was absent from the team’s practice. The no-show was said to have come as a surprise to coaches and players within the program, as the quarterback was present at the team's dinner on Thursday.

On Friday, insider CJ Vogel of “On Texas Football” criticized the Tennessee football program, comparing the situation to that of Arch Manning at Texas, where such a fiasco has been avoided despite a higher level of attention on the player.

“Texas has it good with Arch Manning. Not having to deal with any of this.” Vogel wrote on X.

Manning takes over Texas’ starting quarterback role next season following the departure of Quinn Ewers. There's a lot of anticipation and confidence about the new era in Austin following the performance of Manning as a backup in 2024. The situation is not similar in Knoxville, where Iamaleava's future remains uncertain.

Nico Iamaleava's father pushes back on Pete Nakos' report

Following the reports by Pete Nakos that Nico Iamaleava is attempting to renegotiate his NIL deal with Tennessee, the quarterback’s father Nic, took to X on Thursday to challenge the accuracy of Nakos’ claims. He suggested the narrative being shared by the reporter did not reflect the truth about his son’s situation.

"More games being played off the field than on the field," Iamaleava's father wrote. "B---- Nakos from On3 Sports called and asked me directly, I told him I had no idea on what he's talking about.

“He said his "close source" that he trusts with his life from the University of Tennessee staff gave him this information. So y'all can ask them what's going on, cuz it ain't from us!"

The Iamaleava-Tennessee fiasco comes just days before the spring transfer portal opens, raising the possibility of the quarterback transferring to a different program. He is reportedly already in discussions with other schools regarding a deal.

ESPN's Chris Low has made it known that this isn't the first time the quarterback has spoken with other schools. Nico Iamaleava joined Tennessee on a reported $8 million contract, the second-biggest in college football at the time.