Tennessee Telling Entitled QB Nico Iamaleava To Kick Rocks Is Great For College Football

Finally, a college football program – and coach – grew a set of balls. It's been a while. Frankly, ever since Nick Saban retired, there's been a void in this area. 

But Tennessee and head football coach Josh Heupel just filled it. Good for them. Bravo. And I'm a Gators fan!

This morning – less than 24 hours after starting QB Nico Iamaleava sat out Friday's practice because he wants MORE money – Heupel announced that the school was moving on. Just like that. They're done. Finished. Over it. 

They called Iamaleava's bluff, and, frankly, it's the best thing that has happened to this sport in a long time. 

NIL be damned! Let's get back to basics a little here. 

NIL is fine, but only to a point

I don't want to step on Trey Wallace's toes here, because he's the best in business. I'll let him explain before I offer up my amateur opinion:

Sources close to the program have confirmed the quarterback's exit and that he's submitting his paperwork to enter the transfer portal for when it opens Wednesday. 

Most of this started back during the winter transfer portal period, when there were plenty of rumors floating around that Nico Iamaleava was being shopped around to other potential programs, Miami being one of them. 

While he never entered the portal, or asked for paperwork, the people behind the scenes working for Nico made it clear that Tennessee needed to invest in ‘weapons’ for the quarterback. 

From that point on, Nico's representatives and Tennessee's collective did have conversations about a potential contract renegotiation, but not to the point where the pen was ready to be put to paper. 

While Iamaleava was still playing on the first contract that he signed out of high school, which was for a reported eight million dollars over a number of years, with Nico set to make around $2.4 million this year. 

Yeah, piss off, buddy. I'm sorry, but this is nonsense. I'm all for college athletes getting paid when they make money for the school. I said it during the Tebow years at Florida and the Johnny Manziel years at Texas A&M. It makes sense. It's fair, in my opinion. 

But holding out when you're already set to make $2.4 million this season on a contract YOU signed? Come on. What are we doing here? This kid ain't good enough. Sorry. He's not. He's no Tebow. He's no Manziel. Hell, he's no DJ Lagway!

Ok, that one might be my UF bias coming out a bit, but still. You get the picture. 

This NIL stuff has gotten out of hand. It's driven away guys like Nick Saban, whether he wants to admit it or not. Same with Miami basketball coach Jim Larranaga, who abruptly retired midway through this past season. 

College kids ain't good enough to be holding out of football practice. That's ridiculous. It's one thing when grown men do it. But a 19-year-old telling Josh Heupel and an entire university what he will and won't do? Get outta here. 

A reality check was needed here. Not just at Tennessee, but for all of college football. 

Nico wasn't a world-beater last year, from what I recall. Good numbers, good talent, good upside. But come on. Let's not act like he was the greatest thing to ever grace a football field – especially in a place like TENNESSEE! 

The Vols are better than that. I'm glad they sacked up. Good for them. 

That being said, go Gators.