Tennessee & Nico Iamaleava are in active contract negotiations ahead of the 2025 season

[TennesseeTarheel]

So, he feels he’s given us 8 million dollars worth so far?

 

[Sstterry]

Time for this crap to stop. Giving Tee Martin a car was one thing. This is absurd.

Surely you are not suggesting that we were provideing outside benefits to players back then?

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

 

[cncchris33]

Let him walk, spread that money around the rest of the roster. He’s nowhere near what we have been paying him, let alone more.

That's fine, but is short-sighted. You let Nico walk and Merk wins the job, you think he's going to play for $100k?

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

You had me until Sellers

Sellers is better than Nico

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

That's fine, but is short-sighted. You let Nico walk and Merk wins the job, you think he's going to play for $100k?

He’s not gonna demand whatever Nico is demanding

 

[Ttucke11]

That's fine, but is short-sighted. You let Nico walk and Merk wins the job, you think he's going to play for $100k?

I think he will play for less than 8M and be just as good. Nico was slightly better than 2019 JG and a little worse than 23 Milton. Those two got loads of crap on here constantly, but Nico somehow gets a pass.

 

[Volle]

I’d be happy if Nico actually turned out to be any good if he stayed here, but Heupel’s QB evals at UT haven’t been great. He lucked into Hendon Hooker because Joe Milton got hurt. If not for that, Heupel would probably be coaching for his job this fall.

Yep, there was a YouTube QB coach last year breaking down Nico's film, and said he was mis-evaluated in high school, and has some fundamentally low footwork and throwing motion skills. Basically it shows up in his overthrows when he gets hurried.

 

[kiddiedoc]

The ignorance in here is unreal. It’s not like the university is paying Nico, who gives a rip what outside money is spent? I say the more of it the better for us. Just leaving this here for the ignorant.

Universities do not directly pay athletes for NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals. NIL money comes from outside sources, such as companies or individual sponsors who want to use the athlete's name, image, or likeness for promotional purposes. Universities are not allowed to pay their athletes directly, according to the NCAA's interim NIL policy

Actually, the above post is completely inaccurate. There is only so much NIL money to go around, unless you think companies and private donors have unlimited funds. Teams need more than a QB to be successful. As to the second paragraph, athletes will now be receiving direct compensation from universities as "revenue sharing," after a court ruling last year.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

That's fine, but is short-sighted. You let Nico walk and Merk wins the job, you think he's going to play for $100k?

How do you know GMac wouldn’t win the job?

 

[RockyTop140]

That's fine, but is short-sighted. You let Nico walk and Merk wins the job, you think he's going to play for $100k?

I’m not sure how Nico’s NIL deal is structured exactly, but I’m assuming if he were to leave we wouldn’t pay out the rest of his deal.

Merk would surely negotiate a pay raise but it wouldn’t be near what Nico is making.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Yep, there was a YouTube QB coach last year breaking down Nico's film, and said he was mis-evaluated in high school, and has some fundamentally low footwork and throwing motion skills. Basically it shows up in his overthrows when he gets hurried.

Nico is mid at best.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

You had me until Sellers

Watch both play. Sellers is better and he was only a true freshman last year. Think about that. SC has a better QB than we do.

 

[camp_steveo]

I would offer him more money. But first he would have to prove it. Same pay this year, but a raise if we make the playoffs and a bonus if we win one game.

 

[smoltie29``]

Let him walk if the first $8 million isn’t good enough. What a joke!

If 8 million isn't enough, what in the world would an all sec type qb cost???

 

[Rocky Top T]

If Nico leaves then Mike Matthew's will prolly be out as well

He can leave with him if that's the case

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

It's been mentioned a couple of times in the thread but if Nico walks in the Spring so do some others that we would like to keep.

That's the big rub. We CAN let Nico walk but the portal will be open in the Spring for everyone. If someone like Matthews decides, nah....... Imma head out with Nico, we're not in a good position.

It sucks. We need a pro league, as employees, with contracts, with a draft from high school, with salary cap, etc, etc. The NCAA model is dead.

 

[Rocky Top T]

Watch both play. Sellers is better and he was only a true freshman last year. Think about that. SC has a better QB than we do.

You are correct

 

[RockyTop140]

It's been mentioned a couple of times in the thread but if Nico walks in the Spring so do some others that we would like to keep.

That's the big rub. We CAN let Nico walk but the portal will be open in the Spring for everyone. If someone like Matthews decides, nah....... Imma head out with Nico, we're not in a good position.

It sucks. We need a pro league, as employees, with contracts, with a draft from high school, with salary cap, etc, etc. The NCAA model is dead.

How do you know guys would leave with Nico? It’s not like our backups are nobodies… they were both pretty highly rated

 

[OrangeInKy]

I think GMac probably could as well.

Based on what?

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

If Nico leaves then Mike Matthew's will prolly be out as well

So what? Then all that tells us is that he really wasn’t here to be a Vol. Give me a player like Ladd McConkey who is loyal over Matthews who just wants to play for a certain QB. Look at some point a stand is gonna have to be taken. What business do you know of where the employees have all the power? It’s bull crap. Nico has done nothing to warrant the money he is getting. If the coaches keep caving to player demands, this isn’t gonna end well.

 

[sjt18]

That's fine, but is short-sighted. You let Nico walk and Merk wins the job, you think he's going to play for $100k?

No. But he won't play like Nico and then think $8 million isn't enough.

Nico has shown potential and flashes... not $8 million in value.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Based on what?

Talent

 

[GiveHim6InSC]

From what I hear it's Nico's Dad who is negotiating a new deal for him. Nico is happy here but Dad is apparently the one stirring up the trouble.

Isn’t his dad the one who caused problems before?

 

[Flogballs]

Pete Nakos is incredibly well-connected for a 16 year old.