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

[C-south]

Pay the man! You let him walk you will regret it imo. Some people think they know better than Heupel? Why not direct your hate toward him, he’s gonna do whatever he can to keep Nico

Stop paying all of them. Universities should come together and just refuse to pay these unproven clowns. It won’t happen but that’s how you get a hold of it now until something is put in place.

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

I hope we dump Nico. It’s ridiculous to be held hostage to his average ass every few months. He wasn’t even a Heisman contender. Move on from him and beef up the roster after spring. I’m done with him!

If we can do it and beef up the roster for sure in other positions, I am all for it.
Take our chances with backup or landing someone else in the portal with a shot of being decent, and at least get the pieces we need in place for Faizon to succeed.
I'd be willing to bet if it was put to fans what we were doing they would be OK with what played out next year as far as our record.
I mean, it's not like Nico has shown he is poised to be a world beater next year or something.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

You think Faizon is going to hold his commitment? You can’t count on athletes these days and we could lose players (like Matthews) to the portal now. It’s possible it could have a domino like effect.

I’m not saying it will happen, but this could be bad.

TN will pay him the going rate at the time, if he plays and lights it up, i'm sure they'll up the pay but Nico didn't live up to the hype and still wanted more money, there's a reason we saw him wearing a go pro this year when no one else is doing that

 

[CobbWebb71]

Are we having fun yet?

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

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I'm about ready to say fudge next year's football seaon and dump the money we save into building a powerhouse Basketball team and some to Baseball.
I know football brings in the most money but our fans have shown they'll show up regardless of our record.
They could get away with doing what I said it for a year or so anyways. lol

 

[Boca Vol]

This thread is priceless!

 

[BP4Prez]

You think Faizon is going to hold his commitment? You can’t count on athletes these days and we could lose players (like Matthews) to the portal now. It’s possible it could have a domino like effect.

I’m not saying it will happen, but this could be bad.

Caving has a domino effect too. At some point you walk away. We are beyond that point here. No coming back from this. Not with this fan base.

 

[CPVOL]

Paying him would be the worst decision. It sets an awful precedent for one, but mainly because you’d lose the locker room before the season even starts.
Nico would have to walk on water for this fan base to get behind him now. And it’s such a shame bc I did believe this would be his breakout year. I was down on him early but during the middle of the year I began to think that he just needed one more off season to go with his experience and he’d be very good.

 

[MurphyVol]

Stop paying all of them. Universities should come together and just refuse to pay these unproven clowns. It won’t happen but that’s how you get a hold of it now until something is put in place.

Schools have been paying players forever. The ability to transfer without sitting out a year is what's causing the chaos

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

Stop paying all of them. Universities should come together and just refuse to pay these unproven clowns. It won’t happen but that’s how you get a hold of it now until something is put in place.

Yeah let’s stop paying them. And then let Ohio state keep dog walking our team for the rest of time. Gotta pay whether anyone likes it or not

 

[C-south]

Schools have been paying players forever. The ability to transfer without sitting out a year is what's causing the chaos

Yea I remember the simpler times. Passing out Mickie Ds and chick fil a bags.

 

[C-south]

Yeah let’s stop paying them. And then let Ohio state keep dog walking our team for the rest of time. Gotta pay whether anyone likes it or not

lol. Like that isn’t happening regardless. If you attempted to comprehend what I said then you would know all schools would have to get onboard to stamp this nonsense out. It’s not happening just the only way this mess could be resolved.

 

[Vfl83]

I'm debating now on wearing my Nico jersey tomorrow or not

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

Schools have been paying players forever. The ability to transfer without sitting out a year is what's causing the chaos

You nailed it, if you had to sit out if you transferred it would slow it down a lot. Even if they just said you cannot transfer within your conference without sitting out 1 year it would limit it dramatically. I think the market will stabilize in time, at some point the money will stabilize and folks in the NIL will be more cautious how they throw their money around. At some point players with average to slightly above average numbers will find it hard to find someone to pay them double. A school will get burnt like the Aggies did with that ballyhooed spending they did with Jimbo in the first NIL year. Teams will learn and adjust.

 

[Nerwen Aldarion]

I'm debating now on wearing my Nico jersey tomorrow or not

Maybe if you want beer dumped on you

 

[loservol]

If I was the AD, probably be worried about riots if Nico shows up.

 

[orangemadam]

Most likely situation is to regress if Nico stays?

Loss Ga and Fla and the annual “game we should’ve won but choked” (ala Ark, Miss)

 

[BeardenVol]

He ain't gone yet....

 

[vol24/7/365]

Hard to ask for more money when you haven't really done anything , he's not worth what he's making now, had he set the world on fire last season that's one thing, but paying all that money in hopes that he reaches his potential is insane, Your not against him? So your for him leaving for more money

I agree! I don’t think he should ask for more money. But someone has offered him more and I think someone is in his ear! That’s the devil of NIL

 

[orang3krush]

Save the kay$h and use it to lock in Faizon.

 

[knoxchief]

I’m done with Nico. To ghost your team and coaches the day before the O&W game is a level of immaturity I can’t respect. He’s not a leader.

He's nothing more than a whining, want-to-be QB. He's okay, but not great! Besides, he already makes more than most of us put together!

 

[bpalmer28]

He ain't gone yet....

Might as well be.

 

[vol24/7/365]

Pay the man! You let him walk you will regret it imo. Some people think they know better than Heupel? Why not direct your hate toward him, he’s gonna do whatever he can to keep Nico

I agree but that’s what’s effed up about the NIL!

 

[UTK]

Loss Ga and Fla and the annual “game we should’ve won but choked” (ala Ark, Miss)

i think 10-2 was still way more likely

 

[knoxchief]

Dude is making more than Brock Purdy is. F### him, let him walk.

What really pisses me off is that these kids make millions a year and still not happy. I left UT after my first year and spent 22 years in the military (Viet Nam and the Persian Gulf Wars) for a whole lot less. As a matter of fact, barely enough to make it. But back then, it wasn't about the money. I am glad I did my time in the service but not to come back to see these crybabies wanting more millions to toss a football around. Heck, as a disabled VET, I don't even make enough to buy a ticket most of the time. But I am still a VFL! Let this guy go somewhere else and move on!