KNOXVILLE – The hottest topic in college football has made its way to South Florida, as the saga between Tennessee and Nico Iamaleava was discussed by Miami coach Mario Cristobal on Saturday afternoon. 

As the news continues to fester around college campuses, it’s certainly been a hot-button topic for other coaches in the business. While Tennessee’s Josh Heupel discussed the situation involving Nico Iamaleava not showing up for practice on Friday, leading to both sides going their separate ways, the question about what would happen at other schools is now becoming a talking point for other coaches. 

While Heupel handled the situation on Saturday afternoon by choosing a certain way to discuss his former quarterback leaving his team high and dry one day before their annual spring game, Miami’s Mario Cristobal was not as polite about a potential situation like this occurring within the Hurricanes’ football program. 

“We’re not going to do that at Miami, and I say that without any hesitation,” Cristobal told reporters on Saturday. “If anyone’s thinking that — and they could be the best player in the world — if they want to play hold out, they might as well play get out. We don’t want to do that, and we don’t want Miami to become that. Too many guys have sweat and bled and laid it on the line on that field to ever become that kind of program.”

Josh Heupel Wishes Nico Iamaleava luck, But Tennessee Is Moving On

The past 72 hours inside the Tennessee football building have been filled with emotions running high, amid the chaos that transpired when Nico Iamaleava decided to not show for practice on Friday, as word started to spread on Thursday evening that both sides were involved in contract negotiations. 

According to multiple sources, once Iamaleava did not show for practice, or communicate with anyone on Tennessee’s staff Friday, it was a clear sign that it was time to just go in a different direction. And, this was clearly a sentiment that was mutual. But, Josh Heupel was not going to wait until after the spring game on Saturday to discuss it with the team, head-on. 

After gathering his players this morning, Heupel told the group that one player will not define a program, or turn things into a frenzy within the locker room. Clearly, this was taken to heart by some of the veterans on the Vols roster, one of them being Miles Kitselman, who was obviously still fuming on Saturday afternoon, judging by the look on his face. 

As for Josh Heupel, he was not just talking to the fans watching. No, Heupel had to make a statement that would resonate with recruits across the country who are thinking about playing for his team. So, it wasn’t as if the Tennessee head coach was going to go scorched earth on Nico Iamaleava during his first meeting with reporters since this started. 

“Today’s landscape of college football, it’s different than what it has been,” Heupel stated. “And it’s unfortunate, just the situation and where we’re at with Nico. I want to thank him for everything that he’s done since he’s gotten here. That’s as a recruit to who he was as a player and how he competed inside of the building. So a great appreciation for that side of it. 

“Obviously we’re moving forward as a program without him. I said it to the guys today, there’s no one that’s bigger than the Power T and that includes me.”

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see where Iamaleava lands, with options available for the quarterback. But, in terms of situations like this happening across college campuses, it’s not hard to notice that coaches are ready to speak about what transpired at Tennessee, looking to prevent a similar thing transpiring within their own buildings. 

This story is far from over, and while the Nico situation caught some folks off-guard, it’s bound to happen again in college athletics.