The college football world saw the first player teamout due to Nil negotiations in Tennessee with Quarterback Nico Iamaleeava, which led to many speculating who was right and wrong in the first-of-stroke dilemma.
Add the former college -football coach Urban Meyer to that mix.
Meyer discussed it on his “The Triple Option” podcast. And no, he’s not all for Tennessee and head coach Josh Heupel, who puts a stand and doesn’t give in to Iamaleeava’s zero requirements.
“Here’s the reality – Tennessee is screwed,” Meyer explained. “They got a problem. You lose a potential choice of high draft. You have backup -quarterback back last year, and now you have a red shirt -Nydogner who threw nine passports as a beginner. You have a zero experience and the portal opens while we’re talking. They’ll have to get one.”
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Tennessee Volunteers Quarterback Nico Iamaleeava goes off the field after a win against Vanderbilt Commodores at Firstbank Stadium 30 November 2024. (Steve Roberts/IMAGN -Pictures)
The same transfer portal Iamaleeava is on the way to where Tennessee is expected to be looking for a potential new starter that goes into the 2025 season. Heupel and his program did not expect to be in this position, but he sent a strict message when asked about the quarterback dilemma he is in.
“It’s the state of College Football,” Heupel told Vol Network on Saturday. “At the end of the day nobody ever is bigger than the program. It also includes me.
Tennessee’s Josh Heupel sends a clear message after QB Fallout: ‘No one is ever bigger than the program’
“We have an opportunity. We have a lot of guys who will give everything for Tennessee. We move on. Got a fantastic group. Let’s go in competition.”
As Meyer mentioned, Iamaleeava is expected to be a talent in the first round that enters the 2026 NFL draft. He wanted to renegotiate his reported $ 10 million NIL Agreement with Vols spanning several years, according to ESPN.
The rift between Quarterback and the team was incompatible, and Tennessee made it known when Iamaleeava was left by the spring slide.
Many praised Tennessee for his attitude, which included Miami Hurricane’s main coach Mario Cristobal, who made it clear to his own program that Nil Holdouts would not be tolerated.
Tennessee Quarterback Nico Iamaleeava (8) throws in the first quarter at Firstbank Stadium in Nashville November 30, 2024. (IMagn)
“We don’t want to do it on Miami, and I say it without hesitation,” he said at Hurricanes’ Spring Game, according to Sun-Sentinel. “If someone thinks that – and they could be the best player in the world – if they want to play teamout, they might as well play come out.”
However, Meyer believes fans will forget Tennessee’s attitude if it doesn’t win. After all, the Iamaleeava led the team to College Football Playoff this last season.
“Everyone says, ‘nice job Tennessee that makes a standpoint.’ I have a little comment on that.
Meyer said he doesn’t have the right answer for Tennessee now that it split with Iamaleeava. But as a person who has seen almost everything in college football, he cannot believe the situation today.
Urban Meyer during a first round of NCAA tournament games between West Virginia Mountaineers and Maryland Terrapins at Legacy Arena in BJCC March 16, 2023 in Birmingham, Ala. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
“I, as a guy who has been involved almost 40 years in this game, I can’t believe this happened,” he said.
Iamaleeava has been linked to Oregon as a possible destination, according to several reports.
