SEC Rules Leave Tennessee and Iamaleava Stuck — No In-Conference Transfers Allowed This Spring Amid Portal Drama

As speculation continues to grow around the future of Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, both the player and the program face a significant hurdle — the SEC’s strict intraconference transfer rule.

Under SEC Bylaw 14.5.5.1, players are prohibited from transferring from one SEC school to another during the spring NCAA transfer portal window — even graduate transfers.

That means if Iamaleava enters the transfer portal this spring, he would not be eligible to play immediately at another SEC program. The rule applies across all sports and classifications and was designed to prevent offseason roster raids and protect competitive balance within the conference.

For football, the only way an SEC player can transfer within the conference and play right away is by entering the portal during the winter window — immediately following the conclusion of the sport’s championship season.

This rule doesn’t just impact Iamaleava — it also limits Tennessee’s search for a potential replacement. The Volunteers cannot add a quarterback from another SEC school this spring, forcing them to look outside the conference or develop an internal option.

With the spring transfer window now open, Tennessee’s quarterback situation is complicated not only by NIL drama — but also by SEC policy.

Don’t expect any SEC-to-SEC quarterback moves this spring — at least not involving Iamaleava or the Volunteers.