Urban Meyer reacts to Nico Iamaleava leaving Volunteers due to NIL rift: 'Tennessee is screwed'

The assemblage shot satellite saw the archetypal subordinate holdout owed to NIL negotiations astatine Tennessee with backmost Nico Iamaleava, which led galore to speculate who was close and incorrect successful the first-of-its-kind dilemma. 

Add erstwhile assemblage shot manager Urban Meyer to that mix.

Meyer discussed it connected his "The Triple Option" podcast. And no, helium isn't each for Tennessee and caput manager Josh Heupel making a basal and not giving into Iamaleava's NIL demands. 

"Here's the world — Tennessee is screwed," Meyer explained. "They got a problem. You suffer a imaginable precocious draught pick. You person the backup backmost near past year, and present you person a redshirt freshman that threw 9 passes arsenic a freshman. You person zero experience, and the portal opens arsenic we speak. They are going to person to spell get one."

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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)

The aforesaid transportation portal Iamaleava is heading to is wherever Tennessee is expected to beryllium looking for a imaginable caller starter heading into the 2025 season. Heupel and his programme did not expect to beryllium successful this position, but helium sent a stern connection erstwhile asked astir the backmost dilemma helium finds himself in. 

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

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"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."

As Meyer mentioned, Iamaleava is expected to beryllium a first-round endowment heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. He wanted to renegotiate his reported $10 cardinal NIL woody with the Vols, which spanned aggregate years, according to ESPN. 

The rift betwixt backmost and squad was irreconcilable, and Tennessee made it known erstwhile Iamaleava was near disconnected the outpouring crippled roster. 

Many commended Tennessee for its stance, which included Miami Hurricanes caput manager Mario Cristobal, who made it wide to his ain programme that NIL holdouts wouldn't beryllium tolerated. 

Tennessee backmost Nico Iamaleava (8) throws during the archetypal 4th astatine FirstBank Stadium successful Nashville Nov. 30, 2024. (Imagn)

"We're not going to bash that astatine Miami, and I accidental that without immoderate hesitation," helium said astatine the Hurricanes' outpouring game, according to the Sun-Sentinel. "If anyone's reasoning that — and they could beryllium the champion subordinate successful the satellite — if they privation to play holdout, they mightiness arsenic good play get out."

Meyer, though, thinks fans are going to hide astir Tennessee's stance if it's not winning. After all, Iamaleava led the squad to the College Football Playoff this past season.

"Everybody's saying, ‘Nice occupation Tennessee, making a stand.’ I've got a small remark connected that. Tennessee plays Florida usually each twelvemonth successful October. Can you ideate that game's going the different mode and manager Heupel grabs the microphone and stands connected the 50-yard enactment successful Neyland Stadium and says, ‘It’s OK, I made a basal mode backmost when.'"

Meyer said helium doesn't person the close reply for Tennessee present that it divided with Iamaleava. But arsenic idiosyncratic who has seen conscionable astir everything successful assemblage football, helium can't judge the concern today. 

Urban Meyer during a first-round NCAA Tournament crippled betwixt the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Maryland Terrapins astatine Legacy Arena astatine the BJCC March 16, 2023, successful Birmingham, Ala.  (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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"I, arsenic a feline that's been progressive astir 40 years successful this game, I can't judge this happened," helium said. 

Iamaleava has been linked to Oregon arsenic a imaginable destination, according to aggregate reports. 

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