Tennessee’s chief coach, Josh Heupel, spoke for the first time since he left the Nico Iamaleva Mariscal from the spring list of the volunteers, and his message was clear.
Team first.
Iamaleva made some history of university sports such as the first player to endure during the null era after he did not appear to practice on Friday while trying to negotiate a better payment in Tennessee next season.
CLICK HERE for more sports coverage at Foxnews.com
The coach of the Volunteers of Tennessee, Josh Heupel, observes a game in the first half at the Ohio stadium on December 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (IMAGN)
Tennessee withdrew to the field marshal from his list before the spring game of the team on Saturday. According to reports, Iamaleva has announced its intentions that will enter the transfer portal when you open on Wednesday to play elsewhere.
Heupel spoke with Vol Network on Saturday, noting that while this is the current state of university sports, it does not mean that the team ends in second place.
Tennessee advances from Nico amaleoa after QB practice was omitted in the midst of null negotiations: reports
“It’s the state of university football,” said Heupel. “At the end of the day, no one is bigger than the program. That also includes me.
“We have a chance. We have a group of types that are going to give everything for Tennessee. We advance. We have a large group. We are going to compete.”
Tennessee’s voluntary field marshal, Nico Iamaleva, leaves the field after a victory against Vanderbilt’s commoders at the FirstBank Stadium on November 30, 2024. (Steve Roberts-Imagn images)
Iamaleaava is considered one of the best fields of Mariscal de Campo in university football that enters the 2025-26 season. But he wanted to renegotiate his null treatment of $ 10 million with Tennessee, which covered several years, according to ESPN.
ESPN also reports that Tennessee realized that Oregon contacted Iamaleva about the potential transfer to join the coach of the Ducks, Dan Lanning and his program.
Now, Heupel will look for a new quartback on the transfer portal.
“It’s unfortunate, only the situation and where we are with Nico,” Heupel told reporters, according to the New York Post. “I want to thank him for everything he has done since he has come here.”
Tennessee chief coach Josh Heupel, at Vol Walk before the spring game Orange & White on April 12, 2025. (Imagn.)
The VOLS have the first year student of Red T -shirt Jake Merklinger and the true first -year student George MacIntyre on his list, and both played in the spring game on Saturday.
