Notre Dame is currently experiencing one of its most intense quarterback battles in nearly ten years. With CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey as the remaining contenders for the starting role following Steve Angeli’s transfer to Syracuse, the competition is heating up.
Despite the already crowded quarterback situation, a recent report suggests that head coach Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame staff may have had an opportunity to bring in another high-profile quarterback—but chose not to pursue it. Nico Iamaleava made headlines recently after reportedly demanding more money from Tennessee before entering the transfer portal. According to ESPN, Iamaleava sought a meeting with Notre Dame, but the school declined the request.
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Notre Dame Football Turns Down Nico Iamaleava
According to a report by Chris Low, Max Olson, and Adam Rittenberg, Notre Dame was among the schools considered as potential destinations for Nico Iamaleava, but the way he exited Tennessee reportedly turned off the Fighting Irish.
ESPN noted that programs like USC, Notre Dame, North Carolina, and Texas Tech chose not to pursue Iamaleava—some because they already had their quarterback situations settled, and others due to concerns about dealing with his representatives. UCLA was still weighing its options at the time but was open to interest if financial terms were favorable.
Ultimately, Iamaleava transferred to UCLA shortly after.
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Nick Shepkowski’s Quick Takeaway:
When Marcus Freeman talks about culture and team buy-in, it’s clear he won’t compromise those values for a high-profile player—especially one like Nico Iamaleava, who appeared to test Tennessee and Josh Heupel’s resolve on his way out. Given Notre Dame’s recent approach to the transfer portal and quarterbacks, it’s no surprise Iamaleava’s camp reached out. But it’s even less surprising that the Irish didn’t entertain the idea for long. Freeman has shown he’s building a program around commitment, not quick fixes.
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