Hypothetical - would Tennessee take him back?

[WillisWG]

 

[vavolfan6]

I still don't think the whole story is being shared from Nico's side. I think it is entirely possible Nico looked around the offensive room and felt there wasn't enough done in the offseason to improve this offense. We also don't know what, if any, changes were made from a playbook perspective.

Let's be honest. We added some 3 star RB from Duke and some 3 star WR transfers in the portal along with some low 4 star freshman WRs. That isn't necessarily a huge investment to the offense. It's a bunch of developmental pieces that may or may not turn out to be helpful this season. For all we know, Nico could have been promised premier help, didn't receive any, gave them a chance in spring practice, but came away unimpressed.

Either way, I think fans are making too strong of a stance without fully knowing both sides of the situation or trying to understand Nico's position. We may not like the direction of college football and the amount of money these kids are being paid, but this is what the environment is like for right now. Hopefully it will change and I expect it to soon. But in the meantime, the kid probably had a chance to get paid 3+ mil and thought he could go back to that offer, but is learning the hardway that the spring portal and winter portal demand are much different. There are so many hypotheticals that we plain do not know. That's why I would keep the door open to Nico coming back. But I also, wouldn't have publically moved on so quickly. Maybe this is a learning point to move the O&W game until after the spring portal opens.

 

[Blackburn]

Hell No!!! He and his dad can piss off at this point.

 

[Voltopia]

I still don't think the whole story is being shared from Nico's side. I think it is entirely possible Nico looked around the offensive room and felt there wasn't enough done in the offseason to improve this offense. We also don't know what, if any, changes were made from a playbook perspective.

Let's be honest. We added some 3 star RB from Duke and some 3 star WR transfers in the portal along with some low 4 star freshman WRs. That isn't necessarily a huge investment to the offense. It's a bunch of developmental pieces that may or may not turn out to be helpful this season. For all we know, Nico could have been promised premier help, didn't receive any, gave them a chance in spring practice, but came away unimpressed.

Either way, I think fans are making too strong of a stance without fully knowing both sides of the situation or trying to understand Nico's position. We may not like the direction of college football and the amount of money these kids are being paid, but this is what the environment is like for right now. Hopefully it will change and I expect it to soon. But in the meantime, the kid probably had a chance to get paid 3+ mil and thought he could go back to that offer, but is learning the hardway that the spring portal and winter portal demand are much different. There are so many hypotheticals that we plain do not know. That's why I would keep the door open to Nico coming back. But I also, wouldn't have publically moved on so quickly. Maybe this is a learning point to move the O&W game until after the spring portal opens.

The idea of "keeping the door open" for Nico is so absolutely, emphatically ridiculous that I can't even begin to process it.

Iamaleava gets no excuses, and he gets no forgiveness. They can't ambush their program and their teammates by sitting out before a damned spring game demanding double the pay and get any leeway. They can't shop around behind the team's back and get any empathy.

No. They get nothing. Absolutely nothing. And they can get the hell out.

Never darken Tennessee's door again. Not ever. They will never be welcome.

 

[Pride85]

No. Pretty Simple and not hypothetical.

 

[Vol1976]

It’s not that it’s cold blooded, but this has garnered a lot of national attention with most being on Tennessee’s side. We’d look ridiculous if we let him back after all the antics like no-showing for practice. Nico wasn’t very good anyway, and you can tell his dad he isn’t welcome on campus, but you can’t end their relationship and expect that Nic wouldn’t still be telling the kid what to do.

I agree. Right now consensus in media and fans of the game seems to be in favor of Heupel and Tennessee. We take him back on any conditons any we look like fools. Not to mention, Nico needs to learn a few salutary lessons about life and living up to your responsibilities. Last thought - NIL was supposed to be about use of NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS, not pay for play. Failure to show up for practice isn't an NIL issue - it's a an issue about your commitment and obligations to your teammates, your program, and your fans. So, to Nico, don't let the door hit your skirt on the way ou!

 

[rocketskates]

If that’s the case I’d feel a tiny bit of sympathy toward Nico for trying to extend the olive branch, but as this point he’s lost the locker room and the fanbase. You’ll never see that kid near Neyland again unless he’s flying over it to other schools being shopped around by his dad.

 

[Vol1976]

No and you’re seeing other teams publicly distance themselves from Nicos camp.

A team like Colorado under Sanders is the perfect fit for both parties. Nico needs a team, good chance he’ll have to settle for less money, maybe not but Colorado is an ideal P4 spot. He’ll get exposure and Sanders is a coach that’ll take the heat and spin it as Nico is a good kid and make the NCAA the villain.

For one year, he’s too toxic for most major programs.

I heard that Sanders indicated he wouldn't take him.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

@vavolfan6

Nico may have been upset with our roster additions and may have thought he could come back to his deal BUT

he skipped a team walk thru without tell anyone then apparently went silent to everyone at UT. No other player would still be playing if they did that Friday, then failed to show up Saturday for the O&W game without a call.

There are ways to handle your displeasure in a situation but when you walk off unexpectedly the day before a scrimmage and don't pick up the phone to talk about it then skip the scrimmage too, you don't get the privilege of a "do over."

Nico isn't being singled out. The team has rules for everyone and no one gets a pass unless there's a terrible emergency. This was a disagreement about business: perhaps the money and the roster.

Players don't get to make roster decisions for the University of Tennessee Athletic Department.

Players don't get to make money decisions for Spyre.

There's no door to keep open for Nico. He climbed out of the window instead of leaving via the door.

 

[vavolfan6]

The idea of "keeping the door open" for Nico is so absolutely, emphatically ridiculous that I can't even begin to process it.

Iamaleava gets no excuses, and he gets no forgiveness. They can't ambush their program and their teammates by sitting out before a damned spring game demanding double the pay and get any leeway. They can't shop around behind the team's back and get any empathy.

No. They get nothing. Absolutely nothing. And they can get the hell out.

Never darken Tennessee's door again. Not ever. They will never be welcome.

You are saying all this without knowing what was promised to Nico in the offseason. It's being alledged he was seeking 4 mil, which is technically not double the 2.5 mil he was slated to get paid. It's also called a negotiation. You throw out a high number and meet somewhere in the middle.

And you don't know the timeline. You are hearing second hand versions of it. He could have been negotiating or waiting out all offseason and didn't take a stand until the very last moment hoping Tennessee would counter, but did not. It's very possible Tennessee was just trying to wait things out hoping it would just all go away. There is a lot we don't know. To act like the staff as perfect in all this would be very naive.

Afterall, we don't know all that was promised to Nico in the offseason to keep him here. It was initially reported he wasn't concerned with money, but moreso with personnel and playcalling. Did Tennessee keep their end of the bargain there? Is a 3 star RB and backup transfer portal WRs really the answer? We lost Sampson, Bru, Donte Thorton, Squirrel, Cooper Mays, John Campbell, Spraggins, Holden Staes, Cam Seldon, etc on offense. And who are we replacing them with? Sure, I like some of the young talent we have in Mike Matthews, David Sanders, and Peyton Lewis. But we are inexperienced and really thin. Did we really do enough in the portal? Was there enough changes in the playbook? My fear is that we may understand Nico's side of things once we are in conference play again next season. I hope not, but there is the possibility.

 

[ButchPlz]

You are saying all this without knowing what was promised to Nico in the offseason. It's being alledged he was seeking 4 mil, which is technically not double the 2.5 mil he was slated to get paid. It's also called a negotiation. You throw out a high number and meet somewhere in the middle.

And you don't know the timeline. You are hearing second hand versions of it. He could have been negotiating or waiting out all offseason and didn't take a stand until the very last moment hoping Tennessee would counter, but did not. It's very possible Tennessee was just trying to wait things out hoping it would just all go away. There is a lot we don't know. To act like the staff as perfect in all this would be very naive.

Afterall, we don't know all that was promised to Nico in the offseason to keep him here. It was initially reported he wasn't concerned with money, but moreso with personnel and playcalling. Did Tennessee keep their end of the bargain there? Is a 3 star RB and backup transfer portal WRs really the answer? We lost Sampson, Bru, Donte Thorton, Squirrel, Cooper Mays, John Campbell, Spraggins, Holden Staes, Cam Seldon, etc on offense. And who are we replacing them with? Sure, I like some of the young talent we have in Mike Matthews, David Sanders, and Peyton Lewis. But we are inexperienced and really thin. Did we really do enough in the portal? Was there enough changes in the playbook? My fear is that we may understand Nico's side of things once we are in conference play again next season. I hope not, but there is the possibility.

This was reported by one guy, and it's a local Knoxville media guy that has no connections within the program. Knock this garbage off.

 

[vavolfan6]

@vavolfan6

Nico may have been upset with our roster additions and may have thought he could come back to his deal BUT

he skipped a team walk thru without tell anyone then apparently went silent to everyone at UT. No other player would still be playing if they did that Friday, then failed to show up Saturday for the O&W game without a call.

There are ways to handle your displeasure in a situation but when you walk off unexpectedly the day before a scrimmage and don't pick up the phone to talk about it then skip the scrimmage too, you don't get the privilege of a "do over."

Nico isn't being singled out. The team has rules for everyone and no one gets a pass unless there's a terrible emergency. This was a disagreement about business: perhaps the money and the roster.

Players don't get to make roster decisions for the University of Tennessee Athletic Department.

Players don't get to make money decisions for Spyre.

There's no door to keep open for Nico. He climbed out of the window instead of leaving via the door.

As much as the O&W game means to us as fans, it's an open scrimmage that many programs are moving away from. The timing of it being 5 days before the transfer portal opens does not help either side. It's the last bit of leverage a player can use openly. I think fans are making a bigger deal out the optics of it. We don't know the context leading up to it or privy to any private conversations or promises that were made.

 

[vavolfan6]

This was reported by one guy, and it's a local Knoxville media guy that has no connections within the program. Knock this garbage off.

It was widely reported on during the winter transfer portal for being the reason why Nico was displeased. And it's been reported by multiple people as well this cycle for this reason, not just one guy.

 

[ButchPlz]

It was widely reported on during the winter transfer portal for being the reason why Nico was displeased. And it's been reported by multiple people as well this cycle for this reason, not just one guy.

...and if there was a fraction of truth to it, Nico would have been advocating for some of that $4M he wanted for himself to go elsewhere, not asking for more and holding out from practice. His dad wouldn't be calling media people "bitch" online, either, for reporting on simple negotiations.

Turn on your brain. Excusing a holdout in college football is such a monumentally stupid side to take that literally nobody- even the dumbest in national media- is taking it.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

As much as the O&W game means to us as fans, it's an open scrimmage that many programs are moving away from. The timing of it being 5 days before the transfer portal opens does not help either side. It's the last bit of leverage a player can use openly. I think fans are making a bigger deal out the optics of it. We don't know the context leading up to it or privy to any private conversations or promises that were made.

Nico went through Spring practice KNOWING essentially who his teammates would be. Way fewer people hit the Spring portal and UT had made their choices. He KNEW shortly after the playoffs if they had misled him about getting other guys, announce your intentions and sit out Spring practice. Don't waste your time and our training and reps if don't like your roster.

If he was leveraging money and walking off and going silent was his "last resort move" it's an extremely disrespectful move to his teammates and the coaching staff and the fans.

It's not that he left...... it's HOW he left that soured me. I can respect leveraging his worth to the team for a raise as a d*ck move but in the NIL world, a strong move like Gibson pulled earlier.

I cannot respect no show, no call as a "bargaining strategy." That will get you dismissed every single time from a team. Man up. Call and let your team know you're leaving.

 

[vavolfan6]

...and if there was a fraction of truth to it, Nico would have been advocating for some of that $4M he wanted for himself to go elsewhere, not asking for more and holding out from practice.

Turn on your brain. Excusing a holdout in college football is such a monumentally stupid side to take that literally nobody- even the dumbest in national media- is taking it.

Actually, I would expect him to do exactly what he is doing if he felt the program didn't do enough to add talent in the offseason. In his mind, if the university isn't going to go out and use money on adding high caliber talent in the transfer portal, than they should be able to afford to pay him more money to shoulder the load.

Like I said, we don't know what was promised to Nico and if the program upheld their side of he bargain. Maybe he was already promised they would go out and spend money. Maybe that was part of these negotiations as well. All I know is that if I was in his shoes, I would have wanted more than a 3 star ACC RB and backup receivers to fill the void of an offense that was already coming off a down year.

 

[ButchPlz]

Actually, I would expect him to do exactly what he is doing if he felt the program didn't do enough to add talent in the offseason. In his mind, if the university isn't going to go out and use money on adding high caliber talent in the transfer portal, than they should be able to afford to pay him more money to shoulder the load.

Like I said, we don't know what was promised to Nico and if the program upheld their side of he bargain. Maybe he was already promised they would go out and spend money. Maybe that was part of these negotiations as well. All I know is that if I was in his shoes, I would have wanted more than a 3 star ACC RB and backup receivers to fill the void of an offense that was already coming off a down year.

So you solve it by taking less money to leave your playoff team and (if rumors hold true) join a sub-.500 team that is literally filled with 3-star ACC talent and a washed up coach that failed out of the NFL?

Like I said- turn on your brain, man.

 

[vavolfan6]

Nico went through Spring practice KNOWING essentially who his teammates would be. Way fewer people hit the Spring portal and UT had made their choices. He KNEW shortly after the playoffs if they had misled him about getting other guys, announce your intentions and sit out Spring practice. Don't waste your time and our training and reps if don't like your roster.

If he was leveraging money and walking off and going silent was his "last resort move" it's an extremely disrespectful move to his teammates and the coaching staff and the fans.

It's not that he left...... it's HOW he left that soured me. I can respect leveraging his worth to the team for a raise as a d*ck move but in the NIL world, a strong move like Gibson pulled earlier.

I cannot respect no show, no call as a "bargaining strategy." That will get you dismissed every single time from a team. Man up. Call and let your team know you're leaving.

I remember Heupel talking about adding portal talent and alluding to how they had acquired talent late in January in recent offseasons. But we only added a total of 4 players all together. When the transfer window closed in December we only had 1 transfer from the portal. We didn't add any premier talent.

You frame it as wasting reps as if Nico was the only decision maker. But the staff was likely privy to how he felt, and he very well could have been asked by the staff to go through spring practice and give the new guys an opportunity to build a connection. What did he have to lose? I get everyone is happy the staff did not oblige to Nico's demands, but how do we know they didn't string him along this whole time too?

 

[vavolfan6]

So you solve it by taking less money to leave your playoff team and (if rumors hold true) join a sub-.500 team that is literally filled with 3-star ACC talent and a washed up coach that failed out of the NFL?

Like I said- turn on your brain, man.

The situation changes very rapidly. What his opportunities may have been last week are not the same as they are today due to the perception of how things transpired. He is a young kid with inexperienced people representing him. You should use your brain and not just assume things by how they end up. There is a process. It's very likely he could have had a deal worked out with Oregon secretley if the price was right, but it was not and Lanning tipped off Heupel. It's possible becuase he may have had multiple teams interested in him in the winter transfer window that he thought the demand was still going to be the same this time around, but it was not.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Actually, I would expect him to do exactly what he is doing if he felt the program didn't do enough to add talent in the offseason. In his mind, if the university isn't going to go out and use money on adding high caliber talent in the transfer portal, than they should be able to afford to pay him more money to shoulder the load.

Like I said, we don't know what was promised to Nico and if the program upheld their side of he bargain. Maybe he was already promised they would go out and spend money. Maybe that was part of these negotiations as well. All I know is that if I was in his shoes, I would have wanted more than a 3 star ACC RB and backup receivers to fill the void of an offense that was already coming off a down year.

Nico can build an SEC roster when he's coaching an SEC team. It's amazing you think he should have input on the roster like he's head and shoulders above his teammates. He's not a Patrick Mahomes caliber player with a lot of clout. He's a college QB.

No college player should have that kind of clout. Seriously, very, very, very few pro players should have that kind of clout. It's toxic to the ability of the coaches to lead the team. (I'm looking at you, LeBron)

If he got lied to, announce you're leaving in January. Go. I get it. You're not happy with your team. The coach let you down. They may have even lied to you. Go. Please. Do what is good for you. Go.

Wait until the last week of Spring ball and just ghost the team? That's butt beating territory if I'm your teammate. Waste my time working with you, my time sweating to make this work, my time thinking you're going to be there....... in that, I can see why he ghosted his O Line. Those boys might've snapped him like a twig.

 

[deezvols]

No

 

[vavolfan6]

Nico can build an SEC roster when he's coaching an SEC team. It's amazing you think he should have input on the roster like he's head and shoulders above his teammates. He's not a Patrick Mahomes caliber player with a lot of clout. He's a college QB.

No college player should have that kind of clout. Seriously, very, very, very few pro players should have that kind of clout. It's toxic to the ability of the coaches to lead the team. (I'm looking at you, LeBron)

If he got lied to, announce you're leaving in January. Go. I get it. You're not happy with your team. The coach let you down. They may have even lied to you. Go. Please. Do what is good for you. Go.

Wait until the last week of Spring ball and just ghost the team? That's butt beating territory if I'm your teammate. Waste my time working with you, my time sweating to make this work, my time thinking you're going to be there....... in that, I can see why he ghosted his O Line. Those boys might've snapped him like a twig.

You act like these kids are in the same position as they were in before NIL. It's very likely the market let Nico know privately was the demand for his services were. It's also very possible, he could have transferred for more money during the winter portal, but wanted to some assurances from the staff and the staff agreed to it. You may not like it, but it's very possible. All becuase this isn't the NFL, doesn't mean anything. The contract structures in place that protect team and player aren't in place either.

Also, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to assess the situation. We lost a lot of talent on offense - Sampson, Bru, Thorton, Squirrel, Cooper Mays, Spraggins, etc. But also, it was clear that Heuepel's offensive scheme was not as effective. Sure, Nico missed some throws, but it was apprarent to most that defenses were better adjusted to his scheme. So in light of both of these things - loss of talent and ineffective playcalling - it is fair to want some major steps taken to improve the situation. Most of us wanted the same too. Can we honestly say that the staff did enough to massively upgrade this team for next season? On paper, I would say not. It's easy to think everyone is going to turn out to be studs until the pads are put on and the season starts.

 

[Sudden Impact]

You act like these kids are in the same position as they were in before NIL. It's very likely the market let Nico know privately was the demand for his services were. It's also very possible, he could have transferred for more money during the winter portal, but wanted to some assurances from the staff and the staff agreed to it. You may not like it, but it's very possible. All becuase this isn't the NFL, doesn't mean anything. The contract structures in place that protect team and player aren't in place either.

Also, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to assess the situation. We lost a lot of talent on offense - Sampson, Bru, Thorton, Squirrel, Cooper Mays, Spraggins, etc. But also, it was clear that Heuepel's offensive scheme was not as effective. Sure, Nico missed some throws, but it was apprarent to most that defenses were better adjusted to his scheme. So in light of both of these things - loss of talent and ineffective playcalling - it is fair to want some major steps taken to improve the situation. Most of us wanted the same too. Can we honestly say that the staff did enough to massively upgrade this team for next season? On paper, I would say not. It's easy to think everyone is going to turn out to be studs until the pads are put on and the season starts.

Too much speculation. Unless the private conversations are confirmed by all parties we have no idea. What ifs and she said, he said.

We know some things for sure, Nico was missing his NIL appointments. Nico's agent was shopping him around at Nico's request? Nico's dad? or the agent's freelancing.
Nico did not show for meetings. Nico did not put up the anticipated numbers. Nico was a serviceable QB but not great. Nico's group demanded more than he was produced? He is snake bit right now it will blow over. I suspect.

 

[mackievol]

Uhh. No. Next question.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

You act like these kids are in the same position as they were in before NIL. It's very likely the market let Nico know privately was the demand for his services were. It's also very possible, he could have transferred for more money during the winter portal, but wanted to some assurances from the staff and the staff agreed to it. You may not like it, but it's very possible. All becuase this isn't the NFL, doesn't mean anything. The contract structures in place that protect team and player aren't in place either.

Also, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to assess the situation. We lost a lot of talent on offense - Sampson, Bru, Thorton, Squirrel, Cooper Mays, Spraggins, etc. But also, it was clear that Heuepel's offensive scheme was not as effective. Sure, Nico missed some throws, but it was apprarent to most that defenses were better adjusted to his scheme. So in light of both of these things - loss of talent and ineffective playcalling - it is fair to want some major steps taken to improve the situation. Most of us wanted the same too. Can we honestly say that the staff did enough to massively upgrade this team for next season? On paper, I would say not. It's easy to think everyone is going to turn out to be studs until the pads are put on and the season starts.

I'm fine with Nico being unhappy and wanting to leave even in the Spring portal and, grudgingly, though I disagree I can accept that he felt going through Spring practice was okay, but to do that then just quit showing up and quit answering the phone....... that's not going to be okay.

Again, you've put out a decent case that Nico might have been unhappy, he might have felt he wasn't going to have the teammates he felt he'd been promised, he might have felt underpaid. I'll give you those things and I'd be fine with him announcing he's hitting the portal like every decent kid does it these days.

I'd have read his little social media "thank you" blurb, been upset that he's leaving so late, and go on from there.

The guy just walked off apparently. No sign of a man that says: "Coach, that's it for me. Either the money goes up and we get some guys signed like you promised or I'm leaving before the O&W game."

I'd have preferred Nico stay but you can't disrespect the team on your way out and think in any way you'd have a chance to come back.

Even if he has a case that he was lied to, he was promised things, etc, etc..... he's destroyed any goodwill he could've gotten by STATING his side of it.

I'm not keeping him from saying anything. Are you? I'll bet the phone is ringing and his DMs are full of journalists looking to give him a platform to speak.

If we've not heard Nico's side, that is on Nico.