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Kirk Herbstreit joined millions of fans in watching Nico Iamaleava leave Tennessee football in controversial fashion. Except the longtime analyst revealed new details on why the quarterback bounced from Knoxville.
Herbstreit claimed he heard “different stories” involving the much publicized fallout. Iamaleava left Tennessee for UCLA in April. Many speculate that NIL rose as the reason for his college football transfer portal entry. Others say Josh Heupel and his offensive structure played a role.
So what did Herbstreit hear? He appeared on the Try That in a Small Town podcast to dive into what he learned.
“Some people thought it was about money. I’ve heard from close sources it was more about Nico’s dad going to Josh (Heupel), back in December before they played Ohio State, like, hey, listen, you’ve got to get better at offensive line, better at receiver,” Herbstreit shared.
Herbstreit dipped further into what he got told about the departure.
“You’ve got to get better around him if you want us to stick around – which blows my mind that a college quarterback’s dad would do that to a head coach,” Herbstreit said. “And I think, at the end of the day, when they got into spring ball, it was still more of, you haven’t brought people in to make him and this offense better.”
Kirk Herbstreit doesn't believe money led to Nico Iamaleava Tennessee exit
Herbstreit went on to deny that money played a central figure in the dual-threat quarterback's departure.
“I don’t think it was necessarily about the money. I think it was more about, is Nico going to be able to play well enough to eventually be a first pick in the draft with the players that they had around him?” Herbstreit shared.
The former Ohio State quarterback is believing Iamaleava's potential draft status, not NIL, contributed to his move out of Tennessee. He then lit into Iamaleava's father. Calling his tactic “disgusting.”
“That’s disgusting to me if that’s true,” Herbstreit stated. “I wouldn’t expect Drake Maye to go to Mike Vrabel, or Drake Maye’s dad to go to Mike Vrabel, in the NFL and say, hey, listen, you guys are doing a s—– job. Think about that. In the NFL, you wouldn’t do that. And, a college parent is doing that?”
Heupel now has a QB battle to address ahead of the season. Meanwhile, UCLA already rolled out a plan for Iamaleava during spring practices.
