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Urban Meyer Issues Bold Take About Tennessee, Nico Iamaleava Situation

Urban Meyer drops a bold take on Nico Iamaleava's departure from Tennessee.

Ben Cooper

Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer broadcasts for the Big Ten Network prior to the College Football Playoff National Championship against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025.
Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer broadcasts for the Big Ten Network prior to the College Football Playoff National Championship against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer has dropped his take on quarterback Nico Iamaleava's departure from Tennessee.

Iamaleava has entered the transfer portal with a do not contact designation after failing to reach a deal on NIL compensation.

“Here’s the reality: Tennessee is screwed,” Meyer said. “They got a problem. You lose a potential high draft pick. You have the backup quarterback left last year and now you have a redshirt freshman that threw nine passes as a freshman. You have zero experience, and the portal opens as we speak. They are going to have to go get one.”

Iamaleava led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff and a 10-3 record. He completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Iamaleava also rushed for 358 yards and three touchdowns.

"Everybody’s saying, ‘Nice job Tennessee, making a stand.’ I’ve got a little comment on that. Tennessee plays Florida usually every year in October. Can you imagine that game’s going the other way and coach Heupel grabs the microphone and stands on the 50-yard line in Neyland Stadium and says, ‘It’s OK, I made a stand way back when.'”

As Meyer stated, some are applauding Tennessee for not meeting Iamaleava's NIL demands, but it leaves them weak at the quarterback position.

With Iamaleava on the way out, the Volunteers could be "screwed" as Meyer said heading into the 2025 season.

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Ben Cooper
BEN COOPER

Ben Cooper is a sports journalist. In addition to covering the NFL, college football and college basketball in the On SI Network, he writes for LakersAllDayEveryday and covers key stories around the NBA and NFL for ClutchPoints. Ben began his sports journalism career during high school and plans to become a reporter after graduating from California Lutheran University.

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