"It blows my mind" - Kirk Herbstreit drops bombshell on Nico Iamaleava's dad threatening Josh Heupel before QB's Tennessee exit in shocking detail

Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee in April over a dispute on the player's NIL deal. However, some said the quarterback's exit was because Iamaleava wanted Vols coach Josh Heupel to create a better offensive line around him.

Last week, analyst Kirk Herbstreit appeared on "Try That In a Small Town" podcast and offered some surprising insights on how Iamaleava's father, Nic, reportedly told Huepel how to do his job last season.

"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 and he said, 'Listen, you've got to get better at offensive line, better receivers - you got to get better around him if you want us to stick around,'" Herbstreit said. "It blows my mind that a college quarterback's dad would do that to a head coach."

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WOW🤯: ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit shared an interesting TWIST about Nico Iamaleava’s dad on the “Try That In A Small Town Podcast”:

Herbie revealed that Nico’s dad told Heupel “Listen, you got to get better around him if you want us to stick around.” 😳

Herbstreit gave his opinion on the matter saying, “that blows my mind that a college quarterback’s dad would do that to a head coach.”

The Nico Saga continues to be a BAD look for the former UT QB. 🤦‍♂️

#ForTheFans

Herbstreit also said that Iamaleava continued to voice his displeasure at Heupel's coaching in the spring for not surrounding his son with enough talent.

Since Tennessee hired Heupel in January 2021, he has led the team to a 37-15 record. He was named the Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year in 2022, when he guided Tennessee to an 11-2 record.

Last season, Heupel's Tennessee made it to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. However, it will be interesting to see how the Vols fare in the 2025 season without Iamaleava.

Nico Iamaleava transferred to UCLA this offseason after Tennessee exit

Former Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava - Source: Imagn

A week after entering the transfer portal, Nico Iamaleava transferred to UCLA on April 20. He is expected to lead the offense for the Bruins in the 2025 season.

Iamaleava played two years at Tennessee. He got the QB1 role with the Vols before the 2024 season. In his final year at Tennessee, Iamaleava recorded 2,616 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, five interceptions and three rushing TDs. Although he led the Vols to the College Football Playoff, the team lost to Ohio State in the first round.

It will be interesting to see if Iamaleava can excel at UCLA in the 2025 season.