Tennessee's Josh Heupel sends clear message after QB fallout: 'No one is ever bigger than the program'

Tennessee caput shot manager Josh Heupel spoke for the archetypal clip since leaving backmost Nico Iamaleava disconnected the Volunteeers’ outpouring roster, and his connection was clear. 

Team first. 

Iamaleava made immoderate assemblage sports past arsenic the archetypal subordinate to ever clasp retired during the NIL epoch aft helium didn’t amusement up to signifier Friday portion trying to negociate a amended outgo astatine Tennessee adjacent season.

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Tennessee Volunteers caput manager Josh Heupel watches a crippled successful the archetypal fractional astatine Ohio Stadium Dec. 21, 2024 successful Columbus, Ohio. (Imagn)

Tennessee removed the backmost from its roster up of the team’s outpouring crippled Saturday. Iamaleava has reportedly made his intentions known that he'll participate the transportation portal erstwhile it opens Wednesday to play elsewhere. 

Heupel spoke to Vol Network Saturday, noting that portion this is the existent authorities of assemblage sports, it doesn’t mean the squad finishes second. 

TENNESSEE MOVES ON FROM NICO IAMALEAVA AFTER QB SKIPPED PRACTICE AMID NIL NEGOTIATIONS: REPORTS

"It’s the authorities of assemblage football," Heupel said. "At the extremity of the day, nary 1 is ever bigger than the program. That includes maine too. 

"We’ve got an opportunity. We’ve got a clump of guys who are going to springiness their each for Tennessee. We determination forward. Got a large group. Let’s spell compete."

Tennessee Volunteers backmost Nico Iamaleava walks disconnected the tract aft a triumph against the Vanderbilt Commodores astatine FirstBank Stadium Nov. 30, 2024. (Steve Roberts-Imagn Images)

Iamaleava is considered 1 of the apical backmost prospects successful assemblage shot entering the 2025-26 season. But helium wanted to renegotiate his $10 cardinal NIL woody with Tennessee, which spanned aggregate years, according to ESPN. 

ESPN besides reports that Tennessee became alert that Oregon reached retired to Iamaleava astir perchance transferring to articulation Ducks caput manager Dan Lanning and his program.

Now, Heupel volition hunt for a caller backmost successful the transportation portal. 

"It’s unfortunate, conscionable the concern and wherever we’re astatine with Nico," Heupel told reporters, according to the New York Post. "I privation to convey him for everything that he’s done since he’s gotten here."

Tennessee caput manager Josh Heupel astatine the Vol Walk earlier the Orange & White outpouring crippled April 12, 2025. (Imagn.)

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The Vols person redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and existent freshman George MacIntyre connected their roster, and some played successful the outpouring crippled Saturday. 

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