Tennessee moving on from Nico Iamaleava 🚨 'It's the right call' - Finebaum | SportsCenter
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- Опубликовано: 12 апр 2025
- Paul Finebaum joins SportsCenter to explain why he thinks the Tennessee Volunteers made the right decision by moving on from Nico Iamaleava.
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Now he's known as Nico Imagonnaleava.
No it’s still iamaleva….I-AM-A-LEVA is how it’s pronounced
😂😂😂
Not a good time to be named Nico RN
@@sav5191 I think he made the wrong move trying to force a programs hand this soon.... Them coaches stick together for the most part
@@LouisianaVol if only he was this loyal towards your team😂
Tennessee did the right thing. I agree with them.
I think tennessee should have kept him. Experienced QBs are highly valued today. Look at what experienced transfers like Will Howard and Riley Leonard, dillan Gabriel and bo nix did
@@Mike-sp7zv Then what, next season get held hostage again?
He didn't have a great season last year, they did the right thing move on.
So basically they released him
@@utcnc7mm Nico didn't tell the team to warm up in 24 degree temperature shirtless. You're making nico into a Boogie man. Just make sure you continue to also criticize the rest of the team and coaches.
@@Mike-sp7zv warming up without shirts was a team decision. Holding out of practice a day before the spring game that’s not being a team player. He should’ve started this a few weeks ago.
Personally, I think it’s his dad or his agent doing this, until they get a salary cap or some kind of collective bargaining, this is only going to continue.
I’m a diehard Georgia fan but I’m proud of Tennessee for this decision. NO ONE IS BIGGER THAN THE TEAM!
I think we're gonna see more of this unless the ncaa puts some rules in place. I think maybe a salary cap would be a start.
GO DAWGS!!!!
Yea that’s why teams fire coaches and still let them collect 50 million dollars left on their contract. 🤡
Tell that lawyer to give you the 2 1/2 million that told you to quit
I remember when people were proud of their school, alumni would be proud to say I spent 4 years at Georgia, nowadays these kids just have dollar signs in their eyes. I get it, they want cash, they have lives to set up, ut NIL has taken the loyalty and pride from college sports IMO
I am a Dawg fan and hate Tennessee, but LFG Josh Heupel. Never cave in to these ridiculous kids and their parents. This is a big deal for college football.
100% think there's no place for holdouts in college sports. But "these ridiculous kids" are the actual product generating the revenue. The "ridiculous coaches" making 10mn+ a year?
As a vols fan he’s acting like he’s Josh Allen but in reality he’s Josh Rosen
@@BigNate23 hah
@@John-h3e7d the coaches earned their money
@@John-h3e7d the university is the product not the players. I'm a buckeye fan no matter who the QB is. Maybe down in the SEC players are bigger than the school but I doubt it.
I also don't know if we should be congratulating Tennessee for anything. I think Nico told them he was going in the portal and they are trying to do damage control. He probably realized he could go to any other mid tier program and get the same pay or better with less unrealistic fans.
Good for Heupel stood on business and told him to hit the road. Saban was right yet again about NIL & the portal
No this not the way to go
@@allenedwards9394 why?? The logo on the helmet should matter more than the name on the back of the jersey.
Stood on stupid
Facts good for Tennessee to move on this guy.
@@LetsJustBeRealAboutItPod-ye4ts for an average QB that was carried by Sampson & defense, especially in the two wins Finebaum was referring to????
I’m a bama fan, can’t beleive I’m saying I’m GLAD Tennessee did this. Nico was not all that good last season at all to be demanding a re-up ! Tenn is setting a good precedent rn🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️
Vols took NCAA to court for Nico... and everyone else. Kid has no class
I hope he goes to OSU like caleb downs and Justin fields did.
@@Mike-sp7zv if OSU pays a guy that’s going through this style of negotiation and team quitting that’s on them.. Feilds didn’t quit and downs left bc Saban was the DB coach and is the best ever, so Caleb’s incentive to stay at bama wasn’t there. Neither guy left bc they felt they were better than what they were and deserved unwarranted $
@@Mike-sp7zvOSU needs their heads checked if they take him and pay what he’s asking. He’s barely better than average.
Auburn fan, very first thought I had was , good for Huepel and Tennessee for not letting A player hold the University hostage.
As A Texas fan, we are proud of you Tennessee. I would be over the moon if no team is willing to give him more money! Stand on business.
I actually hope he gets shunned from all high end programs
That would be awesome but not going to happen.
Tennessee has always been an example for Texans to look up to. Thanks for the acknowledgement!!
@@user-lt3lm6me9klow shot and uncalled for on this subject bub. Save the bias during the season.
I’d love to see him end up at Nevada, or western Michigan. If that happens I’ll need oxygen from all the laughing. He is now known as a locker room cancer.
About time somebody stood up for the SPORT
These boys never should have been allowed to earn a dime off of their name, image, or likeness. They were getting free tuition, room & board, tutoring, and school supplies. The Supreme Court will overturn this and get back to the old system so that we have real student-athletes again who know their places.
@@RobbieStacks90 Having no regulations is the problem, The players should get paid off of their value but not like this
@@aaronlampkin284they should receiver a stipend but millions of dollers to non professionals is a bit too much
@@HunchoTooClean100 percent agree with you. College Basketball shouldn’t be getting paid more than G league/international players either
@@HunchoTooCleanit's a pro-sport and has been for 4 years plus. If your job wanted to "pay" you with food/housing coupons you would hate it too.
Nico wasn't even the reason Tennessee got to the playoffs, it was absolutely the running game with Sampson, and the defense.
Defense lol, Ohio State made them look like a high school team
@mikeposey7358 Okay cool story, tell us something we don't know. Doesn't even defeat my statement, because what I said still holds merit and is true.
@@matthewerwin7806 hahahahaa little touchy I see
@@mikeposey7358 he said got them to the playoffs. You can't read.
@@mikeposey7358 ohio st. had a team of 95% blue chip players while Tennessee was around 50%, so yeah I think their was a little bit of a talent gap as well as a road game on top of that.
After last year's performance Nico should have offered to play for half the pay this season.
He didn't exactly set in on fire, he played well and managed the game well. But that scheming against him and the offense was causing problems.
lol
It’s sad that College Football has come to this
Saban left because of this.
You're actually stupid. People deserved to be compensated for their work. Nico didn't do enough work and will therefore not be compensated🤷
It's because of the Ed O'Bannon lawsuit about 15-20 years ago. They never should have paid these guys. I was against it from the beginning. There was nothing wrong with the way things were. If you're going to pay them, don't allow them to attend classes. They are no longer student-athletes if they are admitted to play sports.
Pay them, but pay them like 50-100g per year. Plus full ride scholarship. That’s good money for a college kid.
@@RobbieStacks90💯 percent
As Tennessee alumni, I hate this situation and how it played out. I’ve backed Nico 100% in every way possible. But coach Heup and Tn made the right move. For sure.
You gonna keep the same energy if Tenn goes 7-5 this year? 🤔🤔🤔
@@MichaelBrown-ti1un you mean 5 wins, exactly I dont wear no excuses the standard is the standard he helped get them to a CFP, thats the standard
I dont want to hear well we got a new freshman QB so we're cool with 6 wins
Mizzou fan here, and we don’t like Heupel around these parts. But have to give credit where credit is due. Right call in my opinion.
Iamaliava tucked! Defense gave us our wins, PERIOD!
No they didn't. Billion dollar school doesn't wanna pay someone who makes the entire city millions each game. Cheap idiots. We are gonna blow next year because our team is average at best.
Arkansas!?!??!! The Defense is braindead and our Oline are on the spectrum. And not in a good way
Paul’s right on it. This is an inflection point. Sad for CFB.
You were probably one of the people on board with paying these... I won't say the word. They never were entitled to any money. It was bad enough that they were being admitted to schools well below those schools' GPA and SAT/ACT standards.
@@RobbieStacks90Ur videos suck and ur racist
Man ...this story being reported like it's the NFL😂
Not a Vols fan but much respect for this move.
I didn't know they could release you if u don't do right
Solid move by Tennessee!
His dad is ruining his own son
That list is growing from Dante Moore to Jaden Rashada.
Why did his Dad lie about knowing anything?
His son sucks!
@@StoicBehavioRwait till you add juju Lewis and his dad to the list lol
I support Tennessee 100000%! Stand on business. I want to go support them. This guy is low character. Tennessee stood on business. I really respect that brand for doing this. Shout out to the Vols! ✊🏿
I don't think anybody else is going to pay him near what he was getting at Tennessee. He's a mid tier SEC quarterback!
He's done with competitive SEC!
Well done Tennessee! You did the right thing.
GREAT JOB TENNESSEE
I’ve been a Vol’s fan for58 years and am proud of them. It’s about time they put their foot down. These kids need to realize they are good but so are a bunch of other people that are just a good but might have been looked over. I’m so excited to see colleges that are looking forward and giving these others a chance. GO VOLS
I'm a Washington fan, but we're in the Big Ten, so I'm now rooting for Tennessee in the SEC next season. Go Vols!
I’m a Georgia fan.. and TN could have easily won it all last year with there running game and defense.. but it was Nico that held that team back.
You are on the money!!!!
Facts
Good For Tennessee and I respect them for not allowing this kid to bully them and hold their team hostage
Sooner fan and by default JH fan! Glad he stood his ground and didn't cave in.
I hope he's blackballed by every D1 school and has a go down a level . Can't let this become the norm..
Yesssss!!!!
Unfortunately, a desperate program will pay him.
Why!?!? That’s weird-the NIL is not his idea!! Good for UTenn for setting a top dollar-but let him find his way-he may or may not regret it
@marcusharris8016 just dumb people who want to control othe people futures. He's wrong for holding out, but wishing no one else would offer him is a little overkill.
@@GeorgiaPeach87🤡🤡🤡🤡
Good riddance he’s acting like he’s Josh Allen but in reality he’s Josh Rosen he’s mid
Maybe this will be enough to cause rule implementation
I hate Tennessee but good on them for standing on business, he did nothing last season to warrant a pay raise lol
100%, he sucked
Good for Tenn. Gotta start setting boundaries
You could not beat Georgia or a Big Ten team and you asking for some more money? Hit the road jack.
And don't you come back no more no more no more
The reality of today's football environment is we can no longer plan on a 4 year player development plan, we have to take advantage of and get the best out of each player 1 year at a time and should adjust our development models to account for that reality. The $8MM dollar man never lived up to the hype and can now go disappoint another fan base for an even higher price. I hope TN gets a PLAYER that delivers on the field rather than in the media.
He isn’t that good! Tennessee will be fine
Lmao
Tennessee isn't that good.....
@@BeachBallCrusher your mom was good
Way to go TN so much respect!!!
I beleive the 4M ask was a ploy knowing Tennessee would balk thereby giving Nico the excuse to leave. JMO........also I agree with Tennessee. Also keep in mind if he lands back home in California.......his contract will take a huge hit regarding taxes. Tennessee is tax free taxing only the dividends reported. Income is not
Right so now I’d like to know why he wasn’t happy in Knoxville…
Adults in the room ruining a kid's future.
Kids a idiot
His dad ruined his future by telling him to sit out of practice. Absolute idiot. These family members think they're helping but they have no idea what they're doing and they're screwing players.
not a vols fan the opposite actually but bravo ut. the only way this nonsense is going to stop is if teams put a stop to it now and not play this game with these guys. your already getting paid 2 million a season with your current NIL deal like come on now.
Saw him at Clemson during recruiting. He was all upset that Dabo didn't offer him after he showed off some of his throwing techniques. Arch Manning was there too. I wasn't impressed by either of them
Tennessee went to bat for him. Did he do this the right way? No …. Good bye
Screw Nico. If you don’t wanna be Vol, then see ya. We are the Volunteers for a reason
🧡☘️fan
NIL was suppose to be so they could get $ for autographas and or sponsors.....NOT $$$ contracts from the universities................they are getting paid already with a full ride free education.
Yes! I hate the NIL.
Hitting the nail on the head
Unfortunately this will also effect his draft stock in a couple of years. You heard it here
Hot take. He won't get drafted.
Blame NCAA for making this NIL era about the school paying kids directly. It should've been about the kids reps making deals outside of schools directly with companies and leaving schools to be a scholarship and platform
I’m not a Tennessee fan but don’t let the doorknob hit ya on the way out.
I'm proud of Tennessee's Coach Josh H for not giving in to Nico
I don't know why the kid pulled this stunt. If he had had a 2019 Joe Burrow season, by all means -- you proved you were worth it. But you had a pedestrian season last year, sonny. No one's gonna pay you 4 million dollars to be a mid-tier QB.
Go Vols moving in the right direction…Sometimes you have to weed your garden so it can flourish.
No 1 player is above the rest of the team, good for Tennessee.
Also the “he beat Florida and Alabama” NO HE DID NOT. He played so mid vs Alabama and dylan Sampson carried them, Nico only threw like 4 TDs in conference play , he was average
He had 4 TDs just vs Vandy dude lol
@ insane, he was so far below average this year I’m shocked they even tried to renegotiate
@ he was average not so far below average.
@@BlindVeganRescue he was below average, maybe not far below, but 19 passing TDs and only 4 in conference is below average
@@TheBlackestKnight21 he was 8th in sec in passing yards, 7th in completion %, 7th in TDs, 4th lowest in INT%, 7th in passer rating. There’s no debate he was slightly above average.
Rated as the 6th-8th QB in the conference ????? I thought he was a shoe in for the Heisman, multiple natty's, 1st pick in the draft. Oh wait, that was the orange colored glasses. Props for UT for standing their ground. Just may have done college football a big favor.
I agree with Coach H
tennessee fans better have realistic expectations this year
They won't lol. They're talking tough now, but if they go 6-6 or 7-5, Fibebaum will be leading the whinin' and cryin' about why Heupel should be on the "hotseat."
Just look at their schedule, worst possible scenario is probably 8-4. Highly doubt they’d make the playoffs again, but they’ll probably be back to the citrus bowl or something
The crazies are always the loudest and most active on the net, so it probably won't look like it from the outside, but most of us actually will.
@@New-SeasonCO 8-4? Who they losing to other than Georgia and Maybe Bama or Florida
@@zappbrannigan2415 I literally said worst possible scenario. 🤦🏻♂️ But if all goes south, and Merklinger or MacIntyre just have a mid to bad year, loss to UGA, FL, Bama and a drop somewhere along the way (like Arkansas last year). But MacIntyre looked pretty solid in the Orange and White game today, so who knows.
GREAT JOB TENNESSEE!!
Nico isnt worth $2.4 million!
AND NO SCHOOL WILL WANT TO DEAL WITH HIS DAD!
They seem like a fit for UCLGay
This highlights the disease that is NIL. If you want to pay players, fine. Introduce hard caps based on class at the college, basically a salary tier. Everything else should be banned.
He wasn’t worth what he was getting! He should get 4 million pesos not dollars!
Ended his own career because of greed.
Ended? It's just starting. Look at what experienced transfer QBs did last year.
@@Mike-sp7zvI doubt any school pays him close to what Tennessee was giving him he’s super mid. So yeah probably lost a lot of money.
Cmon man. Somebody gonna pay
@@kennethkennair that’s top of the market price for a mid qb, who now has a bad reputation, if you listened he also can’t go to the SEC. So I highly doubt it.
Hes just getting started. QB is a top position in the sport. Someone will give him a shot.
good we got guys coming in that can end up being better anyways
I'm from Tennessee... I'm so glad he's GONE!!!!!
He was so terrible last season
I think 2025 is playing with house money for the Vols. If one of the current QBs hit for them it’s a massive win. If not, then it’s a mulligan year till Faizon Brandon shows up in 2026.
He over played his hand & was told to go kick rocks …
Good for Heupel / entire Tenn staff to stand their ground against selfish money hungry AVERAGE Nico and his agent. I bet the rest of the team despised him.
We really got iamaleava living up to his name before coach season 6
“ i am a leava” omgosh😭😭😭
Selfish player doing a selfish thing. I hope no one signs him.
Someone will sign him. But it won’t be for the kind of money he’s looking for.
@@GDoggy-em2xc someone out west will give him 4 million and probably more. He'll win 6-8 games and it won't matter
@@GDoggy-em2xc It would be funny if it ended up being less than he got at Tennessee.
@@Titan6290 Oregon already told him they weren’t interested
But now I won't get to hear announcers avoid or struggle with saying "Iamaleava."
Hope he never touches another playoff game
Josh Heupel - “You’re not that guy pal”
Why wait to till the spring? Did he think he’d have more leverage? Great teammate.
He was already in the top 10 QB's for NIL money. If the report is accurate, the requesyed amount would make him #2. He is not remotely the second best QB in the FBS.
This NIL sht is getting ridiculous!!!!! NCAA needs a commissioner and FAST!!!
Good for the coach. When will all this big money stop.
The kid wanted to leave, so he put tennessee in a no win situation
He doesn’t have what it takes.
Everyone is missing the point in terms of why Heupel decided this. It's not just about the NIL money being ridiculous. It's about the fact that Nico became the first ever college football holdout. And something you NEVER see with QBs (except the idiot Jamarcus Russell who was a flop), because the QB is supposed to be a LEADER. Nico decided he was not only bigger than the fanbase (who has supported him) and the University (who paid him)... He also decided he was bigger than his team. He abandoned his teammates. That shows you EXACTLY who he is. You do NOT want that on a team.
So yes him asking to DOUBLE his money after a mediocre at best year is crazy. But what really caused this to happen is the fact that he abandoned his teammates. So absolutely Heupel made the 100% correct decision.
I'm a Vanderbilt alumni. Yeah, I know what am I doing here?! Brains is not something I expect much from UT. But, this time, much respect to Coach Heupel and the rest of the UT brass who stood firm on this and said goodbye to this young man. Go 'Dores!!! Anchor Down!!
IM UMICH BUT BLESS YA TENN, ABSURD YOUNG MAN
THIS COMING FROM A BUNCH OF CHEATERS!!!
OSU fan here, and this is proof that we can agree on at least something
Nico benefited from a solid run game and good defense his play was mid
You got to prove you're good enough to get what you're making at the present time before you ask for more money he didn't even wait till the ink was dry on his first contract he hadn't even proved he's good enough to deserve what he's making now much less wanting more money lol
A deal in when both parties agree. Tennesse was right to let him go, and he was right to walk if he feels he is worth more. The problem is people think they own you so they can throw some money to force you to make a decision. This young man said no I am worth more, so he is right. Tennessee did an evaluation and said he is not worth that or we are not going to pay that, and they are right as well. We will never know what decision was the best until he get on the field and prove it. He is not the only QB that a university has paid bid money to.
He wasn't worth the money he was getting. He sure ain't worth 4 million
Except it wasn’t him making that negotiation, it was his father acting as his agent. Parents ALWAYS have a higher perception of what their kids are “worth”. Kid didn’t start but 1 game his first year, added nothing to the team during the season but TN still paid him $2 million.
Be honest with yourself, his family was just being greedy. That’s it. Now they’ve hurt his potential future anywhere he goes.
This was decidedly not the right decision for Nico. His dad and "friend" who acted as his agents screwed him in the long run. Y'all are missing the point... It's not just the asking for more money. He didn't show up to practice. He abandoned his teammates. That was the worst possible decision you could make. Who's going to want to play with a guy like that? Thinking you're worth more money, fine. But do abandon your teammates because you (mistakenly) think you're worth more money is inexcusable.
@TheSpaniard agreed 100%
Just wasn’t good enough
"Immaleaveya"
I hate Tennessee, but I applaud this move by Josh Heupel. NIL in this current state is atrocious and this is another reason why. Until this gets regulated it’s going to get worse.
UNLV has done that last year. There is a fan who held a sign 🪧 that said, “This is UNLV, not UNiLV.”
Gotta stand on business! Love it!!!
Next man up. It's a business.😊
Unlv Qb did same thing last year...
Should have known from the beginning with a name like I AM A LEAVA
If they had agreed, this would have started a firestorm...GBO!
BYE GBO... 4 LIFE BABY!!!
Nico, your fired. It's a great day to be a vol and college football!
NCAA opened Pandora’s box with no rules. Incompetent.
Keep on paying these kids millions of dollars and watch your ticket prices go through the roof people like me can't afford both
Let’s keep a real he sucks Who remembers the Arkansas game?
Exactly lmao
Reported Last Night - Nico’s Agent is in Contract Talks With Univ of Southern California & UCLA- HE’S GONE April 16th
That’s surprising that those school would even consider a mediocre quarterback with mediocre stats..
@@Mariano21882 He's From California and His Agent and HIS DAD Are Running the Show
Good job coach I’m glad stick up to these
No way Tennessee was a favorite to win the SEC lol
Good on Tennessee!! This was ridiculous... He's no leader nor team player
Good job Tennessee.
Tennessee invested so much in him. He got more than what he's worth and still got greedy. I was proud to see another poly on the rise, then he pulls this? He's making the poly sports community look bad. Shameful. I hope he comes to his senses and realize what his greed has cost him. Wise up young brother.
This is a problem with transfer portal. If your school can't come up with the money you want you just transfer. You should have to stay 2 years before you can transfer.
he pulled a AB-Leveon Bell in College 😂😂😂
I hope the absolute worse for him and his agent. (No injuries, just career wise)
Good call by Tennessee. He was gonna cost them substantially more money and it was based off of his average production last year. NOT WORTH IT.