Without Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee should be even more optimistic about reaching the College Football Playoff for the second-straight season.

For a moment on Saturday, Tennessee football seemed united after Nico Iamaleava’s abrupt departure. But now it must work quickly to replace him.

As Tennessee wraps its spring practice slate, the Volunteers have decided to move on from star QB Nico Iamaleava amid NIL contract negotiations. The talks escalated to the point that Iamaleava did not attend Tennessee's practice Friday ahead of its Orange & White spring game on Saturday,