• Coach Josh Heupel expressed disappointment, emphasizing that no player is bigger than the team.
• Iamaleava’s departure contrasted with Heupel’s own playing career, where he prioritized his team above anything else.
• The situation highlighted the complexities of NIL deals and their potential impact on team dynamics.

It was Josh Heupel’s shortest reaction to Nico Iamaleava’s departure, but it revealed the most about the anger simmering underneath the usually affable Tennessee football coach.

On Saturday, hours after Iamaleava’s exit became permanent, Heupel was asked when he knew the relationship had been severed beyond repair.

“Friday morning, when he’s a no-show. You come off the practice field and there’s no communication,” said Heupel, clenching his lips to keep from saying anymore.

The initial take is that Heupel was ticked off that Iamaleava ignored coaches, administrators and the boosters that funded his NIL contract, which reportedly paid him more than $2 million per year.

But that was secondary to Heupel’s primary frustration that a quarterback – his starting quarterback – left teammates high and dry.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Keep in mind that Heupel was a scrappy quarterback who got to Oklahoma against the odds, earned his teammates’ trust, led them in word and action and won the 2000 national championship while concealing an injury that ultimately cut his playing career short.

So when Iamaleava skipped practice and cut off contact, it hit a nerve.

It’s something Heupel the quarterback would’ve never done or even considered. It’s something that Heupel, the son of a football coach, would’ve never been allowed to do. It’s something that Heupel as a team captain couldn’t bring himself to do.

Sure, Heupel was frustrated with Iamaleava as a coach. But he was furious with him as a quarterback.

Nico Iamaleava’s NIL negotiations complicated his leadership

Iamaleava wasn’t a problem at Tennessee.

He worked hard on the field. He encouraged teammates. He was courteous to media, polite to fans and respectful to staffers. He had good relationships with Heupel and offensive coordinator/quarterback coach Joey Halzle.

Heupel even thanked Iamaleava after his departure, and they’ll reconcile one day. There’s too much respect between them for that to not happen.

But in hindsight, something was missing with Iamaleava. It was the quarterback part.

The usually soft-spoken Iamaleava tried to develop a louder voice on the team. He was making progress this spring.

But teammates had to carry doubts about his dedication because they knew Iamaleava’s representatives were threatening that the quarterback would leave if his terms weren’t met – specifically, a pay increase to $4 million, ESPN’s Chris Low reported.

Contrast that with Heupel. As Oklahoma’s quarterback, he gave an inspirational preseason speech that was so memorable, teammates talk about it 25 years later.

Heupel urged the Sooners to give everything they had to win a national title, and they did during that 2000 season.

Heupel isn’t a polished public speaker. But his words came from his gut, and his teammates believed it.

MOVING ON FROM NICO Tennessee rallied after Iamaleava left. Now comes reality of another QB

Why it matters that Iamaleava skipped TV production meeting

Iamaleava skipped at least one TV production meeting, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told Knox News. The source requested anonymity because those meetings are private and only open to a few UT staffers and TV broadcast crews.

SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic confirmed that during his radio show on Monday.

Players aren’t paid to talk to TV broadcasters preparing to cover their game. It’s a courtesy to the TV network, but also a responsibility of a student-athlete under scholarship.

It’s virtually unheard of that a starting quarterback would be a no-show at such a meeting.

Contrast that with Heupel. He’s never craved the TV spotlight. But he shows up on ESPN’s “College Gameday” set every time he’s invited because he represents the Vols program and not just his own preferences.

That’s part of being a highly-paid coach. It’s also part of being a highly-paid quarterback. That’s why a no-show to a TV production meeting is so rare in that high profile position.

Hendon Hooker, Joe Milton parents understood this very well

Iamaleava’s father, Nic, also balked at interview requests from numerous media outlets. He sometimes declined but usually just ignored them.

Granted, a player’s parents aren’t obligated to talk to reporters. They aren’t paid for it. And reporters are always grateful for any access granted by family members.

But by participating in a few interviews, parents can take the storytelling burden off their son. It’s also the best way to tell their son’s story in a manner that humanizes him to fans.

When Hendon Hooker became UT’s starting quarterback, his parents and sister were gracious in sharing his story. They talked candidly about Hendon’s faith, his childhood and his courage during a health scare.

When Joe Milton became UT’s starting quarterback, his mother and siblings talked candidly about his strength and courage amid an unimaginable loss.

Those stories were shared and repeated countless times on national TV broadcasts, social media and other media outlets. UT promoted those personal stories, and fans celebrated the best qualities of the young man representing their program.

It serves the player’s interests as much as the program and media outlet. It turns a player into a person rather than a brand.

Iamaleava’s father, specifically, never showed interest in that.

Josh Heupel wouldn’t understand this fatherly advice

It’s no secret that Iamaleava’s father steers his career.

Nic Iamaleava coached his son’s 7-on-7 team, assisted in NIL negotiations after UT landed the five-star quarterback recruit in high school and made the biggest decisions of Nico’s football life.

There’s nothing wrong with any of that. In fact, it’s admirable in the right light.

But it’s a reasonable assumption that Nico Iamaleava was told by his closest advisors to skip practice and cut off contact. After all, that was inconsistent with the quarterback’s previous behavior toward coaches and teammates.

But when the NIL negotiations surfaced, Nic Iamaleava denied them and attacked the reporter who broke the news. A few hours later, his son did what he hadn’t done before: He turned on his coaches and teammates.

“Man, we’re good with whoever we have back there at quarterback,” tight end Miles Kitselman said after Iamaleava didn’t attend practice or the spring game. “We’ve got guys that want to be here. We’ve got guys that want to give their all.”

If Iamaleava left his team to follow the advice of his representatives, including his father, Heupel couldn’t empathize.

His father, Ken Heupel, was an old-school defensive coach who’d rather blitz a quarterback than place him on a pedestal. That’s why the idea of prioritizing hard feelings over practicing with his team would rub Heupel the wrong way.

It’s not the kind of advice a quarterback is given, especially at a tradition-rich program like Tennessee.

“There’s no one that’s bigger than the Power T,” Heupel said. “And that includes me.”

All Nico Iamaleava had to do was show up

Iamaleava played with toughness. No UT coach or teammate denies that.

Iamaleava took vicious hits during the Vols’ run to the College Football Playoff, but he kept playing. It was admirable.

But that’s why Iamaleava’s abrupt exit from the program was so disappointing. If he had attended the final practice of spring, most fans and teammates would’ve respected anything that happened afterward.

A quarterback shows up for the team and then takes care of business after they fulfill those responsibilities.

But if Iamaleava had attended UT’s Orange and White spring game, he would’ve faced questions from reporters about his NIL situation.

It would’ve been uncomfortable. But a player earning more than $2 million and reportedly asking for almost $4 million has an obligation to talk directly to the boosters and ticket-buying fans who provide that pay.

Granted, Iamaleava’s representatives dictated much of his actions (and inactions).

But showing up and speaking up is what a quarterback does. That’s what disappointed Heupel more than anything.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email[email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.