Per Thamel: Heupel informed team this morning that Vols would move on from Nico.

#627
#627
CDB said:
Yeah, we need to quit paying top dollar to develop players that have the possibility of not sticking around.

We are not going to get an experienced quarterback that will make a difference out of the portal. We will go with what we got. Hopefully they’re ready…
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Think Merk is a RS freshman which is what Nico was last season. So he's not exactly a newb. You run out and grab a guy from the portal to start and you might lose someone from the room. Plus, do you want to bring in another guy chasing a dollar? I'm fine rolling with what we have. Think it's the best move for the locker room and team overall right now.
 
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#628
#628
As far as I'm concerned, CJH got exactly what he deserved with this whole NI situation. H has treated this brat and his family with kid gloves since day one. Agreeing to red shirt him as a freshman, while having the collective pay him 2.4 million to set on his ass. Then when he does play as a red shirt freshman, he is average at best. Middle of the pack in the SEC, yet garners another 2.4 million. IMO, this is why his Dad and agent were seeking more money. The realization hit them squarely in the face, that NI simply isn't nearly as good as the hype that surrounded him, and they better make all the bank they can, while they can. If he does get drafted at some point, the way he left UT will bite him in the ass. Character flaws matter to many NFL franchises, and the way he handled, or allowed others to handle his departure from UT is a major flaw in character. The best thing that can happen from this is for CJH to learn a valuable lesson. He has done many great things as UT's head coach, but the one area he has struggled mightly in is decision making at QB, and that is so strange given his success as a QB himself. I sure hope FB proves to be the answer moving forward. In the mean time let's support the young men we have, who want to be here and win.
 
#632
#632
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
My thought problem earlier was could Carson Beck transfer to the SEC now, since he'd be coming from Miami. Everyone thought I meant would we want him but I'm wondering if transferring to an out of SEC school, enrolling, then transferring to an SEC school might work to give the SEC the finger.

Mathews could enroll at GA State officially, then decide to go to UGA. He'd be following the letter of the SEC rule.
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Is it the period of time or is it direct transfer? If it is you can’t play for another SEC school for 12 months, it would not matter.
 
#633
#633
ITSGR82BATNVOL said:
As far as I'm concerned, CJH got exactly what he deserved with this whole NI situation. H has treated this brat and his family with kid gloves since day one. Agreeing to red shirt him as a freshman, while having the collective pay him 2.4 million to set on his ass. Then when he does play as a red shirt freshman, he is average at best. Middle of the pack in the SEC, yet garners another 2.4 million. IMO, this is why his Dad and agent were seeking more money. The realization hit them squarely in the face, that NI simply isn't nearly as good as the hype that surrounded him, and they better make all the bank they can, while they can. If he does get drafted at some point, the way he left UT will bite him in the ass. Character flaws matter to many NFL franchises, and the way he handled, or allowed others to handle his departure from UT is a major flaw in character. The best thing that can happen from this is for CJH to learn a valuable lesson. He has done many great things as UT's head coach, but the one area he has struggled mightly in is decision making at QB, and that is so strange given his success as a QB himself. I sure hope FB proves to be the answer moving forward. In the mean time let's support the young men we have, who want to be here and win.
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I suspect any coach or program pushing they are the high integrity or religious types are going to avoid Nico. There will always be a coach on a hot seat who needs a QB to keep the AD off his donkey that would take the gold out of a corpses mouth in the casket for a win that will sign Nico in a flash. I seriously doubt Nico and his family are going to get offers from where they want and it will be more like they'll take offers from what they can get before it's over IMO. You know a guy like Hugh Freeze before his conversion would be prime to sign Nico or even Kiffin.
 
#636
#636
CDB said:
Is it the period of time or is it direct transfer? If it is you can’t play for another SEC school for 12 months, it would not matter.
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I think it's direct transfer. I'm sure Sankey would be pissed off if someone tried it but it's also unlikely he wants to see that policy in court. It's unlikely to stand.
 
#638
#638
BigOrangeMojo said:
UCLA or Washington is my guess
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Couple that with the fact that reports are already surfacing saying Notre Dame and USC have no interest in him.

It isn't the fact that he entered the portal, it's the fact that he tried to ransom the school for money on the eve of our spring game, after going through all of spring practice, and also after putting up mediocre numbers last year.
 
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#640
#640
jsc1973 said:
Would Heupel even take him back? It sounds like he basically kicked Nico off the team. He could negotiate all he wanted, but he left the team to try to get leverage, and Heupel wasn't going to accept that.

I don't wish ill on Nico, but let's face it. He was good, but he wasn't great, and great is what it's going to take to get to the next level. He wanted to be paid for great when he wasn't. Someone mentioned Henry To'oTo'o, but at least he left when UT was in a coaching change and facing NCAA sanctions. Not because making a million dollars for a 10-3 season wasn't good enough anymore.

Jake Merklinger, here's your chance to step up and be great...wanna be a millionaire?
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I think Coach would take him back, mostly because he would be one of the better options in the portal at the price we are targeting. That is, provided he uses some of those new found apology skills with coach Heupel.
 
#641
#641
I'm pretty excited about trying out the new guys. Nothing Nico did last year made me look forward to him this year. He never took over a game and was down right awful against the really good teams. I don't think he's an SEC caliber QB. I was hoping this is how it would turn out. For the above reason and for providing evidence that this university does not put any single player over the team. This is a big win for the university.
 
#642
#642
UTwild82 said:
Anyone else getting the feeling we already have a replacement in hand?
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Yep. Wonder how Merks stats look in the O/W game? I think they give him the keys....or at least I hope they do unless Mac beats him out.
 
#644
#644
jsc1973 said:
I said several times last season that a lot of folks owed Joe an apology. But at the same time, the most popular player on any team when something goes wrong is always the backup quarterback.

It doesn't matter now. Joe is a VFL and Nico isn't, and good luck to Nico wherever he goes, and hopefully Joe gets a chance to kick ass and take names for the Cowboys this fall. I'll have to hold my nose to root for Dallas if that happens, but I will. At least Nico is gone now when there's still four and a half months for someone else to get ready. The last time UT broke an inexperienced QB in against Syracuse, I recall that the season turned out pretty good.
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Gave you a like for that last sentence
 
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#645
#645
Reports are starting to come out that it was Dan Lanning who initially reached out to Heupel and told him Iamaleavin was sniffing around for more money.

**Edit** Didn't see this had already been posted. Been away for awhile.
 
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#648
#648
HalfullVol said:
Yes

He’s already on the team.
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I think it depends. We have 2 scholarship QBs without a Gaston quality backup (that we know of) on the bench. I could see some really good guys with quality starting experience wanting to come here and make a name for themselves. But if there isn't a clear QB1 option, I think we add a depth piece.
 
#650
#650
I'm actually happy with this. I've not been on the Nico bandwagon since about half way through the season. He's not been on the same page with our receiver core the entire season. You put up gaudy numbers against crap quality teams, but got exposed every time we play the quality opponent. It's easier to get rid of the quarterback than the entire receiver corps. Send the message to all future recruits and current players. You are not "the team". And most of all, I'm so happy to have a program with a spine. Even if we lose a couple of games, I would rather send the message then start the circus with a bunch of players always jockey for more money
 
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