Heupel really had no choice here.
Has the past week felt like an entire year? In an instant, Tennessee football is searching for a new starting quarterback, as Nico Iamaleava has left the team to enter the spring transfer portal. What’s next for Nico?
Multiple sources have reported that Iamaleava is set to join UCLA, but everyone is awaiting the official confirmation. It has also been mentioned that Iamaleava will be taking a pay cut to play for the Bruins, despite his camp claiming that his departure wasn’t about money but rather dissatisfaction with the offensive strategy under Josh Heupel. Come on.
On Friday night, Iamaleava took to social media to respond to accusations claiming he threatened to sit out of the playoff game against Ohio State and that he “threw the game.” No matter your opinion on Iamaleava, those accusations are ridiculous. Furthermore, based on the way his contract negotiations have unfolded, it’s clear that Heupel and the Vols were justified in not meeting his lofty NIL demands.
Per source, new UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava’s NIL deal is under $2 million.
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) April 17, 2025
Tennessee was never going to reach Nico Iamaleava’s NIL demands
What stings for many Tennessee fans is that they were fully supportive of Iamaleava ever since he arrived in Knoxville. They stood by him through tough times and cheered for him when he made outstanding plays for the Vols last season.
If you’re still angry with him, we understand, but it’s undeniable that he played a significant role in the Vols winning 10 games in 2024 and making it to the CFP for the first time. However, given the shifting landscape of the quarterback market, it’s clear that he was simply looking for a higher payday.
Nico Iamaleava’s Dad said that leaving Tennessee wasn’t about the money but bc of Josh Heupel’s offense.
If we are gonna talk about sports we are gonna do it with factual information.
Here’s how Nico’s 2024 season compared w/ every other QB Heupel’s had since 2017. Not great. pic.twitter.com/qqT38EQnXf
— Chris Marler (@VernDumbquist) April 17, 2025
Josh Heupel took Hendon Hooker from the transfer portal, someone that no one had heard of or was excited about, and proceeded to give us the most fun year of Tennessee Football in nearly two decades.
It’s not always about the popular name, but it’s always about the right dude.
— Tennessee Williams (@TN_Williams) April 17, 2025
Retweet if you stand with Josh Heupel 🍊🍊 pic.twitter.com/OOOzVUIDUH
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) April 12, 2025
Nico just proved that Josh Heupel made the right decision
Last thing I’ll say about it
— SullenSerf (@SullenSerf) April 18, 2025
Nico just proved that Josh Heupel made the right decision! #GBO #VFL #Tennessee
— Toni Long 🇺🇸 (@TonivLong) April 19, 2025
His team is promoting the idea that Tennessee’s offense wouldn’t adequately prepare him for the next level. This came at a time when reports revealed that no one was likely to offer close to 4million,withsomeschoolsonlypreparedtoofferaround 1 million.
Looking ahead to next season, Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre are currently competing for the starting position. It’s uncertain whether someone like Steve Angeli will join the QB room, or if another intriguing quarterback will enter the transfer portal. That remains uncertain, but Heupel and Danny White weren’t interested in getting into a drawn-out negotiation with Iamaleava’s representatives. Ultimately, parting ways was the right decision, as money was clearly the main factor in this situation, rather than the offense.
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