Things have taken a surprising turn for a Tennessee Volunteers football program that seemed ascendant only a couple of weeks ago. Last season, the Volunteers made their face appearance in the college football playoff behind the arm of quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
There was a lot of optimism in and around the program that Iamaleava would be able to lead the Vols back to the college football playoff, but now he’s no longer a part of the program.
There are mixed reports on why exactly Iamaleava departed the program, ranging from not being happy with the offense being run to wanting more money guaranteed from NIL, but either way, he has transferred to the UCLA Bruins in the Big 10.
Now, one of the most successful coaches in college football history is talking about what the future may look like for the Volunteers, and he isn’t painting a pretty picture.
“Here’s the reality,” former Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said, via the Knoxville News Sentinel. “Tennessee is screwed.”
Fans reacted to Meyer’s words on social media.
“I’m not sure Urban Meyer is who I’d listen to re:Nico. For sure, TN & Nico will experience loss. Both will survive; maybe this year won’t be great for both. In the end, college football will be better for it. I hate that UT had to be the one that slowed down the madness,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“We should all listen to Urban, since he has some experience with leaving a program mid-contract,” someone else added.
“So we’re gonna listen to the guy that enabled Hernandez, got a lap dance from a co-ed, kicked a kicker, and had a wife beater on staff at OSU. I’ll pass,” another fan added.
It’ll be interesting to see if Meyer’s assessment proves to be true.
