The new world of college football—and the NCAA as a whole—is nothing short of chaotic. While the rise of NIL and the transfer portal has brought plenty of positives, there are undeniable downsides. The Tennessee Volunteers experienced one of those firsthand this week with star quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Following an NIL dispute, Iamaleava began holding out of practices and team meetings. In a fast-developing situation, he reportedly informed Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle late Friday night that he intends to enter the transfer portal. It now appears that head coach Josh Heupel and the Volunteers are prepared to move on as well.
With a high-profile name like Iamaleava set to hit the portal when it reopens on Wednesday, April 16, several programs are expected to express interest. One team frequently mentioned in early speculation was the USC Trojans.
However, according to John Brice of Football Scoop, both USC and Notre Dame are not planning to pursue Iamaleava.
“IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE: Am told EMPHATICALLY that neither Notre Dame nor USC haas any interest whatsoever in Nico.” Brice posted
USC currently has Jayden Maiava, who is considered the favorite to win the starting job, along with Husan Longstreet and Sam Huard. Last season, head coach Lincoln Riley turned to Maiava after a sluggish nine-game stretch from Miller Moss.
In four starts, Maiava led the Trojans to a 3–1 record, throwing for 1,201 yards, 11 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. His wins came against UCLA, Nebraska, and Texas A&M, with the only loss coming to national championship runner-up Notre Dame.
Bringing in Iamaleava without a clear path to the starting job may not appeal to him—and may not make sense for a program like USC. Despite the early rumors, that’s likely a key reason the Trojans are choosing to look elsewhere.
Last season, Iamaleava averaged 201 passing yards per game, threw for 19 touchdowns, and posted a 63.8% completion rate, which ranked 43rd in the nation. He struggled mightily in Tennessee’s College Football Playoff matchup against Ohio State in Columbus, where the Volunteers fell 42–17.
