The Tennessee Volunteers’ 2025 off-season took an unexpected turn when quarterback Nico Iamaleava suddenly entered the transfer portal, ultimately committing to UCLA. Reports indicate that Iamaleava sought an increase in his NIL compensation, aiming to raise his earnings from $2.4 million to $4 million. That was the most rational decision he could make amidst the huge NIL conundrum everywhere around the mix. But in reality, when it comes to a potential replacement, Heupel doesn’t know the answer.
In a swift response, Tennessee secured Joey Aguilar, who had recently transferred to UCLA from Appalachian State. Well, his journey is notable so far. After a productive tenure at Appalachian State, he briefly joined the Bruins before making his way to Knoxville. This resulted in an effective quarterback swap between Tennessee and UCLA. Another potential name that keeps resurfacing in Tennessee’s roster was Luke Altmyer, who began his collegiate career at Ole Miss, transferred to Illinois ahead of the 2023 season. In 2024, he started all 13 games, leading the Fighting Illini to a 10-3 record, their first 10 season win since 2001. Altmyer has been extremely loyal to the Fighting Illini.
But with the Tennessee offer lurking behind, can he move past that? “There were opportunities for me to venture onward to the next level, but also to be able to play in another program,” Luke Altmyer told On3. “That’s just the reality of it, and the NCAA and the college football world that we live in. Being from Mississippi and in SEC country, that’s very, very attractive to be able to play in that conference, play in front of people that I know, and in stadiums that I’ve been in before and grew up watching and loving. It was certainly an attraction and a real thing.”
So, is this a green light for Heupel and his squad? Not really. In today’s NIL saga, it’s common for players to ditch their loyalty for a bigger paycheck or a better career growth prospect. But Altmyer is rather reversing the norm. He said, “It was a difficult decision, but I know what’s important. I know what is being created here, and the trust, unity, and connection that I have amongst my teammates, this community, and my coaches.” The Illinois quarterback doubled down on his firm loyalty to the school: “Success is waiting for me here. It’d be foolish to pick up and start over and take a risk when I have a lot of trust that’s been earned and built.”
Altmyer played a total of 30 career games, with a 15−8 record entering the 2025 season. He threw for 22 touchdowns to just six interceptions last year and added four scores on the ground in the blue and orange jersey. In his four-year collegiate career, he racked up a total of 4917 yards. So, stopping the wheel mid-way through an expansion can fire back. The new conference, new team, and new coaching system might pose a challenge to him that can badly impact his crucial career stats.
However, there’s one reason why the Vols kept their hope high for longer than they should.
The Vols had their reasons to hold on to Luke Altmyer
Luke Altmyer, a Mississippi native, began his collegiate football career at Ole Miss. During his time there, he had very limited playing opportunities. In January 2023, seeking a more significant spotlight, Altmyer transferred to the University of Illinois and was named the starting quarterback for the 2023 season.
Jeff Lebby served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ole Miss during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. While there was an overlap in 2021, Altmyer’s playing time under Lebby was minimal. Lebby and Vols HC Josh Heupel have a professional history, having worked together at UCF, with Lebby serving as quarterbacks coach in 2018 and OC in 2019. This faint connection built hope for the Vols that this might sway Altmyer, but his fit in Heupel’s offense was speculative, and ultimately Altmyer chose to stay put, rejecting the idea of a move.
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