Josh Heupel details Tennessee moving on from Nico Iamaleava
Tennessee ended spring football practices on Saturday with its Orange & White Game. Team Orange tied Team White, 14-14, at Neyland Stadium.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava did not play in the Orange & White Game and intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel discussed Iamaleava not playing in the Orange & White Game.
"Today's landscape of college football, it's different than what it has been, and it's unfortunate, just the situation and where we're at with Nico," Heupel said. "I want to thank him for everything that he's done since he's gotten here. That's as a recruit to who he was as a player and how he competed inside of the building, so a great appreciation for that side of it.
'Obviously we're moving forward as a program without him. I said it to the guys today, there's no one that's bigger than the Power T and that includes me, and they hear me say that a lot inside of that team room. This program's been around for a long time with a lot of great coaches, a lot of great players that came before that laid the cornerstone pieces, the legacy, the tradition that is Tennessee football. It's going to be around a long time after I'm done and after they're gone, and that's what's special about being here is that there is a legacy and a tradition that is so rich and a logo that's recognized not just across the nation but across the world too."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'It came down to me wanting to be back home': Nico Iamaleava details move to UCLA
Wearing horn-rimmed glasses, a light blue suit with a UCLA lapel pin and tan wingtips, Nico Iamaleava settled into his seat on an elevated platform in front of about 30 reporters. 'How's everybody doing?' the new Bruins quarterback asked casually inside the convention center hall late Thursday afternoon, giving no hint that this was the most pressure he had faced since an attacking Ohio State defense sacked him four times in the opening round of the College Football Playoff. These reporters were almost as relentless. For more than 25 minutes during the final Big Ten media day, they peppered Iamaleava with questions about his decision to leave Tennessee on the eve of its spring game for a program with a lesser pedigree, prompting UCLA quarterback Joey Aguilar to take Iamaleava's spot in what essentially amounted to a college football trade. Read more: A year after stumbling at Big Ten media days, UCLA's DeShaun Foster is poised and confident What was Iamaleava's motivation in making his move? Was his dissatisfaction with Tennessee's name, image and likeness package a factor? Did he have to take a pay cut to come to UCLA? What was it like dealing with the fallout from jilted Tennessee fans? While failing to offer many specifics, Iamaleava patiently engaged every question, the Southern California native saying he was driven by a desire to play for a top program closer to his family in Long Beach. 'Ultimately,' the 6-foot-6 quarterback had told a small group of Los Angeles-based reporters earlier in the afternoon, 'it came down to me wanting to be back home, you know, be back home next to my family while still competing at the highest level.' Iamaleava pinned the timing of his departure from Tennessee on 'false reports' about financial demands that 'made me not feel comfortable in the position I was in. But, you know, in the back of my head, I always wanted to come back home and be closer to my mom, be closer to my dad.' Tennessee was reportedly set to pay Iamaleava more than $2 million to play for the Volunteers this season. Declining to discuss his new NIL deal at UCLA, Iamaleava said he was focused on football and academics while trying to revive a program that has not won a conference championship since 1998. 'The realistic expectation for us,' Iamaleava said, 'is to bring championships back to Westwood, and, you know, the first day I stepped into the locker room, I felt that from every guy in there, that they've got a chip on their shoulder and that they want to go out there and prove people wrong.' Iamaleava will have to do it wearing a new number after attempts to get his preferred No. 8 — retired in honor of Troy Aikman — failed, leaving him with No. 9. He said he'll proudly wear the number to represent his seven siblings and two parents whom he credited for his humble nature. One of those siblings is now a teammate. Freshman quarterback Madden Iamaleava, who verbally committed to UCLA before signing with Arkansas, flipped his allegiance back to the Bruins in the spring after his older brother decided to come home. Depending on how he fares in training camp, Madden could become Nico's top backup. 'I think he's ready, man,' Nico said of his sibling. 'My little brother was a bonus from me, you know, for him to come home with me. And just being a helping hand to him in anything he needs, I think, was the biggest thing for me.' If everything goes as planned, Nico acknowledged, his stay at UCLA will be a short one. Should the Bruins win a lot of games and Iamaleava further establish himself as a top NFL prospect, the redshirt sophomore will move on after this final college season. 'This is a year where, you know, I'm really trying to get out after,' Iamaleava said. 'So, you know, I'm going to give my all to UCLA, and, you know, if I have the year I want, you know, I want to get out.' Everything about Iamaleava's stay might have an accelerated feel. He said he received the offensive playbook after signing in April and has participated in player-run practices since arriving on campus in June, quickly impressing his new teammates with not just his talent but also his savvy. 'He's good at looking off people,' linebacker JonJon Vaughns said of Iamaleava's ability to deceive a defense, 'and his arm is big, it's powerful.' Read more: Three years after USC and UCLA led mass defections, Pac-12 adds Texas State as 8th member There will be no easing into a training camp that starts next Wednesday in Costa Mesa given that UCLA opens the season exactly one month later against Utah on Aug. 30 at the Rose Bowl. The strength staff has already provided Iamaleava an indication of the high expectations he'll face on the field. 'I've never been pushed like this by a staff before,' Iamaleava said, 'so I'm excited to go to work for these guys.' Calling it 'a fun challenge,' Iamaleava said he was trying to quickly absorb a pro-style offense that he described as 'a little more condensed formations' than what he ran at Tennessee. The chance to play for offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri, who has a history of immediate success with new quarterbacks, has invigorated Iamaleava. 'He's a high-energy guy,' Iamaleava said of Sunseri, 'and I wanted to go play for him the first day I met him.' Praising his entire wide receiving corps, Iamaleava said he had already developed good chemistry with Kwazi Gilmer, Mikey Matthews, Ezavier Staples and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala. He's gotten to know the offensive linemen through a bowling outing that also included the quarterbacks. Read more: Wide receiver Kaedin Robinson suing NCAA in bid to play for UCLA this season 'He's a great person,' right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio said. 'He's got a good heart, and he really cares.' Not always. Iamaleava said he tuned out social media during his departure from Tennessee, shielding himself from the vitriol. He found solace in video games such as NBA 2K25 and UFC. 'I was playing a lot of video games with my friends and my cousins, man, and, you know, really paid no mind to it,' he said. 'Sometimes I had no idea [what was happening]; my cousins would come and tell me about stuff they would see and I was like, 'I don't care.' So, you know, I think a lot of that just comes with, you know, protecting your peace.' Later, as he rose from the platform and thanked reporters, Iamaleava appeared fully zen. After all the speculation about his future, he'll have the final say on the field. Sign up for UCLA sports for big game takeaways, recruiting buzz and more UCLA sports insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
23 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
‘It came down to me wanting to be back home': Nico Iamaleava details move to UCLA
LAS VEGAS — Wearing horn-rimmed glasses, a light blue suit with a UCLA lapel pin and tan wingtips, Nico Iamaleava settled into his seat on an elevated platform in front of about 30 reporters. 'How's everybody doing?' the new Bruins quarterback asked casually inside the convention center hall late Thursday afternoon, giving no hint that this was the most pressure he had faced since an attacking Ohio State defense sacked him four times in the opening round of the College Football Playoff. These reporters were almost as relentless. For more than 25 minutes during the final Big Ten media day, they peppered Iamaleava with questions about his decision to leave Tennessee on the eve of its spring game for a program with a lesser pedigree, prompting UCLA quarterback Joey Aguilar to take Iamaleava's spot in what essentially amounted to a college football trade. What was Iamaleava's motivation in making his move? Was his dissatisfaction with Tennessee's name, image and likeness package a factor? Did he have to take a pay cut to come to UCLA? What was it like dealing with the fallout from jilted Tennessee fans? While failing to offer many specifics, Iamaleava patiently engaged every question, the Southern California native saying he was driven by a desire to play for a top program closer to his family in Long Beach. 'Ultimately,' the 6-foot-6 quarterback had told a small group of Los Angeles-based reporters earlier in the afternoon, 'it came down to me wanting to be back home, you know, be back home next to my family while still competing at the highest level.' Iamaleava pinned the timing of his departure from Tennessee on 'false reports' about financial demands that 'made me not feel comfortable in the position I was in. But, you know, in the back of my head, I always wanted to come back home and be closer to my mom, be closer to my dad.' Tennessee was reportedly set to pay Iamaleava more than $2 million to play for the Volunteers this season. Declining to discuss his new NIL deal at UCLA, Iamaleava said he was focused on football and academics while trying to revive a program that has not won a conference championship since 1998. 'The realistic expectation for us,' Iamaleava said, 'is to bring championships back to Westwood, and, you know, the first day I stepped into the locker room, I felt that from every guy in there, that they've got a chip on their shoulder and that they want to go out there and prove people wrong.' Iamaleava will have to do it wearing a new number after attempts to get his preferred No. 8 — retired in honor of Troy Aikman — failed, leaving him with No. 9. He said he'll proudly wear the number to represent his seven siblings and two parents whom he credited for his humble nature. One of those siblings is now a teammate. Freshman quarterback Madden Iamaleava, who verbally committed to UCLA before signing with Arkansas, flipped his allegiance back to the Bruins in the spring after his older brother decided to come home. Depending on how he fares in training camp, Madden could become Nico's top backup. 'I think he's ready, man,' Nico said of his sibling. 'My little brother was a bonus from me, you know, for him to come home with me. And just being a helping hand to him in anything he needs, I think, was the biggest thing for me.' If everything goes as planned, Nico acknowledged, his stay at UCLA will be a short one. Should the Bruins win a lot of games and Iamaleava further establish himself as a top NFL prospect, the redshirt sophomore will move on after this final college season. 'This is a year where, you know, I'm really trying to get out after,' Iamaleava said. 'So, you know, I'm going to give my all to UCLA, and, you know, if I have the year I want, you know, I want to get out.' Everything about Iamaleava's stay might have an accelerated feel. He said he received the offensive playbook after signing in April and has participated in player-run practices since arriving on campus in June, quickly impressing his new teammates with not just his talent but also his savvy. 'He's good at looking off people,' linebacker JonJon Vaughns said of Iamaleava's ability to deceive a defense, 'and his arm is big, it's powerful.' There will be no easing into a training camp that starts next Wednesday in Costa Mesa given that UCLA opens the season exactly one month later against Utah on Aug. 30 at the Rose Bowl. The strength staff has already provided Iamaleava an indication of the high expectations he'll face on the field. 'I've never been pushed like this by a staff before,' Iamaleava said, 'so I'm excited to go to work for these guys.' Calling it 'a fun challenge,' Iamaleava said he was trying to quickly absorb a pro-style offense that he described as 'a little more condensed formations' than what he ran at Tennessee. The chance to play for offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri, who has a history of immediate success with new quarterbacks, has invigorated Iamaleava. 'He's a high-energy guy,' Iamaleava said of Sunseri, 'and I wanted to go play for him the first day I met him.' Praising his entire wide receiving corps, Iamaleava said he had already developed good chemistry with Kwazi Gilmer, Mikey Matthews, Ezavier Staples and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala. He's gotten to know the offensive linemen through a bowling outing that also included the quarterbacks. 'He's a great person,' right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio said. 'He's got a good heart, and he really cares.' Not always. Iamaleava said he tuned out social media during his departure from Tennessee, shielding himself from the vitriol. He found solace in video games such as NBA 2K25 and UFC. 'I was playing a lot of video games with my friends and my cousins, man, and, you know, really paid no mind to it,' he said. 'Sometimes I had no idea [what was happening]; my cousins would come and tell me about stuff they would see and I was like, 'I don't care.' So, you know, I think a lot of that just comes with, you know, protecting your peace.' Later, as he rose from the platform and thanked reporters, Iamaleava appeared fully zen. After all the speculation about his future, he'll have the final say on the field.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Now at UCLA, Iamaleava tries to move beyond the drama and focus on football
LAS VEGAS (AP) — College football's future wore a baby blue suit, a gold pin that said 'UCLA' and a pair of diamond-encrusted hoop earrings. He glided toward the mic, sat down, then prepared for the grilling about how much money he makes, why he left Tennessee, who betrayed who when he departed, and what it all means for the college football world that his story now defines. Bottom line: If quarterback Nico Iamaleava handles the rest of the season as well as he did with his half hour of Q&A at Big Ten media days Thursday, chances are, UCLA will be good — maybe even very good — in 2025. 'I think, it's just, keep my head down and be humble,' the 20-year-old lightning rod of a quarterback said. 'And try not to let the outside noise affect you.' If he succeeds at that, he will have more discipline than a great majority of college football fans, experts and journalists who have filled the internet and air waves with timelines and tick-tock analysis of a decision that shook the sport and seemed to say everything about the burgeoning power players wield in a world of name, image, likeness deals and a rapidly rotating transfer portal. The thumbnail of the story is that Iamaleava was a successful quarterback who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff last season, then abruptly picked up stakes to head closer to home and play for UCLA. Money seemed to be the most obvious motive. Reports circulated that he was looking for a raise — maybe a doubling to nearly $4 million a year — to come back to the Vols. Then, one day last spring, Iamaleava missed practice. Just as abruptly, he was gone. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel handled it diplomatically. 'Today's landscape of college football is different than it has been,' he said. 'It's unfortunate, the situation, and where we're at with Nico.' Before he'd even enrolled at Tennessee, Iamaleava was causing his share of turmoil. It was his NIL deal with the Vols that triggered an NCAA investigation and a lawsuit by the attorneys general of Tennessee and Virginia in January 2024. The NCAA settled that lawsuit, and though there aren't as many questions about who makes the payments to the players (the colleges can do it themselves now), recriminations that flowed when Iamaleava enrolled at Tennessee kept flowing after he made his move to UCLA. Asked about what triggered his move and exactly when it happened, Iamaleava said it came around the time 'false stuff about whether it was a financial thing or not' started coming out that made him 'not feel comfortable in the position I was in.' Then, in a revelation that not everyone appears quite ready to accept, he said moving closer to where he grew up, in Long Beach, California, about 30 miles from the UCLA campus, was the biggest piece of the puzzle. 'My driving factor to come back home was my family, and I hope every Tennessee fan understands that,' he said. 'It was really one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make.' He will not delve into finances, though most of the reporting has shown that Iamaleava will make about as much, or just barely more, with UCLA than he was making at Tennessee. 'All that stuff is for my business team and my agents to handle,' he said. 'I just focus on football.' Among the other questions consuming college football, and that Iamaleava's saga reflects as well as anyone's, is how a player who makes more money and generates more hype than anyone else in the locker room can possibly fit on a team that is still, at its core, filled with teenagers whose football lives will end in college. UCLA's second-year coach, DeShaun Foster, said he scouted that part when the prospect of Iamaleava coming to Westwood became real. 'He's a team guy and a family guy,' Foster said. 'It just felt good that we were getting the right kind of quarterback.' From a pure talent standpoint, hardly anyone argues that. Iamaleava was considered one of the country's top prospects coming out of high school. He threw for 2,616 yards and 19 TDs last year in leading the Vols to the playoffs. But, as one of the theories about his departure goes, he and his family were less than thrilled about Tennessee's ability to protect him. None other than ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit dove into the mix when he said he'd heard Iamaleava's dad had gone to Heupel in December and said 'like, hey, listen, you've got to get better at offensive line, better at receiver.' Speaking not so much about that specific story, but to the realities of football, Foster said he knows keeping things clean in the pocket for Iamaleava will be key to his success. 'If he stays upright, things are going to go the right way,' Foster said. And if they do, there's at least a chance Iamaleava could be a one-and-doner at UCLA. He is widely thought to have NFL talent if he improves his mechanics and accuracy — two areas that will be helped by better protection. During his back-and-forth with reporters, the quarterback brushed aside questions about pro football. He also said he pays no mind to the billion-dollar questions swirling around the college game every day — all revolving around money, freedom to transfer and other issues that have turned UCLA's quarterback into a villian in some places, a hero in others, and a player to watch everyhwere. 'I love college football,' he said. 'Everything that goes on with my name, that's not going to change my love for the game. Obviously, everyone has to move on. I'm excited about what's next for me. But I'm where my feet (are), and right now, I'm a UCLA football player and I'm excited to go to camp.' ___ AP college football: and
