Vols coach Josh Heupel speaks after Nico Iamaleava leaves program

Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel has spoken publicly for the first time since the bombshell news that star quarterback Nico Iamaleava would leave the program after an attempt to rework his NIL deal with the Vols fell through.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) hugs Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel before the Citrus Bowl NCAA College football game on Monday, January 1, 2024 in Orlando, Fla. between Tennessee and Iowa. / Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tennessee hosted its spring football game on Saturday, the same day it was revealed that star quarterback Nico Iamaleava would leave the program amid failed NIL contract talks.

Before the spring scrimmage, Vols head coach Josh Heupel addressed the shocking development.

Listen here to comments from Josh Heupel at the beginning of today’s broadcast. pic.twitter.com/PmpMRmWAYO

— Vol Network (@VolNetwork) April 12, 2025

“It’s the state of college football,” Heupel said, via the Vol Network.

“At the end of the day, no one is bigger than the program. That includes me, too. We’ve got an opportunity. We’ve got a bunch of guys who are going to give their all for Tennessee.

He added: “We move forward. Got a great group. Let’s go compete.”

NIL contract negotiations between Iamaleava and Tennessee went public on Thursday, and the relationship between the two sides quickly deteriorated in the two days since then.

First, it was revealed that Iamaleava was interested in securing a new NIL deal from the football program in the days before the spring transfer window is set to open.

Then, someone close to the quarterback’s family said that no such negotiations were taking place and that Iamaleava was content to stay with the Vols.

After that, it emerged that Iamaleava didn’t show up for Tennessee’s football practice on Friday, the day before the team’s spring game, and that UT wouldn’t budge on a new deal.

From there, a report emerged that Iamaleava’s representatives had been in contact with other schools for the last few months, fueling speculation that he was searching for an exit route.

And then, over the weekend, it became official: Heupel told his team that Iamaleava would be moving on and enter the transfer portal.

Where does that leave Tennessee? Namely, with two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, as Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre do battle for the right to replace Iamaleava.

“We got two guys in that room,” Heupel said. “Excited to go watch them play. They’ve had a really good spring.”

Now, we’ll see who has a good fall.

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