Recruiting Football Talk VIII

#150,929
#150,929
TrippieRedd said:
Mike probably wanted to play with Nico, but didn’t know his true colors till all of this went on.

I wouldn’t be sad to see him (Nico) leave. I’d say Mike is fine.
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Agree. I’m hearing it was actually the team leaders that put nail in coffin for Nico. In the end, I believe a net positive, and cautionary tail for some of the players on the team. This will be a good thing for the squad.
 
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#150,930
#150,930
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#150,932
#150,932
PlanetVolunteer said:
Anyone else feel like our trauma as Vol fans has prepared us for this moment?

I feel desensitized.
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Didn’t faze me in the slightest.

What surprised me was all the outpouring of support from national media and others. Never thought I’d see the day where they sided with Tennessee! 🤠
 
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#150,941
#150,941
Few things:

First: I see a lot of articles saying we’ve moved on. He’s reported in the portal. Reports of telling the team this morning in a meeting. Reports that Nico said he’s gone but I don’t see any statement from him. I’m appalled that we’re hearing all this through the media. We should hear nothing until the university and player speaks on it. I haven’t seen that.



Shocked that this is where we’re at. Not shocked how quickly the fanbase has reacted and sent the snowball flying downhill. On that note, I agree with protect the program and culture over ANY one player, if it has to come to that. I also think it didn’t need to come to that, that most of us fans are being too prideful and overreactive as opposed to level headed and patient, and I don’t think there’s a single soul that truly believes we would be a better offensive product with RS Freshman Merk over third year second year starter Nico.

Very disappointed in how this was handled (from both sides), EXCEPT the silence from university (only route to be taken to ultimately control the resolution to the narrative). Makes the Mike Matthews offseason drama look insignificant (and not happy that there’s drama around our stars - while other blue bloods seem to not be having such issues). Should have been done behind closed doors and handled with expediency.

Concerned about a lack of stability vibe. Concerned about how this became public, though if it was shopping around then that would suggest it came out of that process and Nico’s camp is to blame. Big boy programs don’t let news become news until final resolutions have been made. I’m almost positive there was sabotage from another team involved, and if Nico leaves and goes to OSU or UGA we’ll know exactly how it happened. I can see it now, held onto David sanders, punked in Columbus, lost Nico to them or UGa, might ultimately lose David back to them if that happens as well as MM. This is my nightmare, a story that shows how clearly we don’t belong with elite, unable to get and retain that talent.

I think from here forward the two camps decide, hopefully together, before the O&W game, what the outcome will be. Nip this story in the butt quickly one way or another. Either (my preferred option) present a united front, committed to fielding the most successful and tight-knit team possible this fall (what the university will convey either way), apologizing to teammates and fans for the distraction, denouncing the media for running with “information” to build a story that hadn’t yet been written, sweeping it under the rug, OR the dramatic route of throwing the blame on Nico camp and moving forward publicly without them - this is the story the media is writing, though thankfully the university has been tight lipped and so when what’s written is out there and there is nothing to do but to provide resolution, they have all the power to proceed how they want to.

I still absolutely think a happy ending is possible where Nico stays, we field a competitive team this fall that makes the CFP again. Maybe that’s a pipe dream. As much as I like Merk and his potential, I do not think that happens with him as the starter this fall.


This sucks. With the amount of emotional energy and money (relative to my income) that I’m pouring into our program, struggles with NIL related retention and recruiting make it feel completely wasted.

EDIT: Seems my thoughts are all too late and for not. First official anything I’ve seen: Nico Iamaleava not listed on the roster on utsports.com. Guess that’s that.
 
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#150,946
#150,946
Volnut said:


Someone earlier said, “Let the stories begin!” The BS one’s will be the best!
Click to expand...

I think this one is simple to discredit. It’s pretty obvious, at least to me, that the Nakos source was from someone within TN. They got sick and tired of the games, so they went to the court of public opinion, and they won.
 
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#150,948
#150,948
Adam Sandler said:
Few things:

First: I see a lot of articles saying we’ve moved on. He’s reported in the portal. Reports of telling the team this morning in a meeting. Reports that Nico said he’s gone but I don’t see any statement from him. I’m appalled that we’re hearing all this through the media. We should hear nothing until the university and player speaks on it. I haven’t seen that.



Shocked that this is where we’re at. Not shocked how quickly the fanbase has reacted and sent the snowball flying downhill. On that note, I agree with protect the program and culture over ANY one player, if it has to come to that. I also think it didn’t need to come to that, that most of us fans are being too prideful and overreactive as opposed to level headed and patient, and I don’t think there’s a single soul that truly believes we would be a better offensive product with RS Freshman Merk over third year second year starter Nico.

Very disappointed in how this was handled (from both sides), EXCEPT the silence from university (only route to be taken to ultimately control the resolution to the narrative). Makes the Mike Matthews offseason drama look insignificant (and not happy that there’s drama around our stars - while other blue bloods seem to not be having such issues). Should have been done behind closed doors and handled with expediency.

Concerned about a lack of stability vibe. Concerned about how this became public, though if it was shopping around then that would suggest it came out of that process and Nico’s camp is to blame. Big boy programs don’t let news become news until final resolutions have been made. I’m almost positive there was sabotage from another team involved, and if Nico leaves and goes to OSU or UGA we’ll know exactly how it happened. I can see it now, held onto David sanders, punked in Columbus, lost Nico to them or UGa, might ultimately lose David back to them if that happens as well as MM. This is my nightmare, a story that shows how clearly we don’t belong with elite, unable to get and retain that talent.

I think from here forward the two camps decide, hopefully together, before the O&W game, what the outcome will be. Nip this story in the butt quickly one way or another. Either (my preferred option) present a united front, committed to fielding the most successful and tight-knit team possible this fall (what the university will convey either way), apologizing to teammates and fans for the distraction, denouncing the media for running with “information” to build a story that hadn’t yet been written, sweeping it under the rug, OR the dramatic route of throwing the blame on Nico camp and moving forward publicly without them - this is the story the media is writing, though thankfully the university has been tight lipped and so when what’s written is out there and there is nothing to do but to provide resolution, they have all the power to proceed how they want to.

I still absolutely think a happy ending is possible where Nico stays, we field a competitive team this fall that makes the CFP again. Maybe that’s a pipe dream. As much as I like Merk and his potential, I do not think that happens with him as the starter this fall.


This sucks. With the amount of emotional energy and money (relative to my income) that I’m pouring into our program, struggles with NIL related retention and recruiting make it feel completely wasted.

EDIT: Seems my thoughts are all too late and for not. First official anything I’ve seen: Nico Iamaleava not listed on the roster on utsports.com. Guess that’s that.
Click to expand...
I firmly believe that Nico and his family were shopping behind the scenes and it got back to Heupel.

If that’s the case than yeah, he deserves all this.
 
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#150,949
#150,949
volinbama256 said:
I guarantee you Dad went shopping him around at the end of the season when he saw that we weren't going to fill the WR room back up with elite talent. (bit of egg on Heup and Danny's face here for taking such a big gamble and everyone questioning why we didn't spend the money needed to reload the WR room) Bet this has more to do with it than anything... He got some offers, more than what Nico was getting now, came back wanting TN to counter (win/win situation- he stays and the team struggles with no offense but gets paid more, or he leaves for a fresh chance and gets paid more) and Danny/Heup said they weren't going to counter... Bye.
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Seems so simple to just do what you need to do to arm your star qb with the necessary talent.

How telling is the whole WR room leaving end of the season? Biggest roster mismanagement since Butch decided 8 offensive lineman on the roster was enough?
 
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