"They ran Nico Iamaleava under the "bus"—Joel Klatt calls out Josh Heupel and Tennessee over handling of ex-Volunteers QB's exit

College football commentator Joel Klatt has criticized Tennessee coach Josh Heupel and the program for their handling of Nico Iamaleava’s exit. Klatt discussed the criticism on “The Joel Klatt Show” while analyzing Tennessee’s pressure games for the upcoming season. In a short clip from the show that was posted on X on Tuesday, Klatt said:

“It does not help that they lost their quarterback. I’m sorry, but there’s just more to the story than the Tennessee faithful wanna throw out there. They ran out there and ran Nico Iamaleava under the bus.”

Iamaleava parted ways with the Tennessee Volunteers earlier this year after skipping spring practices. His transfer followed months of controversy, beginning with his demand for a review of his NIL deal at the end of the 2024 season.

According to his initial deal, Nico Iamaleava was expected to rake in $2.2 million this season. However, his proposed review would’ve seen the figure rise to about $4 million. However, the parties could not reach an agreement, and Iamaleava transferred to UCLA.

Joel Klatt’s initial stance on Nico Iamaleava’s NIL deadlock with Tennessee

At the height of the controversy, Joel Klatt lent his voice to Nico Iamaleava. In an April 12 post on X, he wrote:

“This Tennessee/Iamaleava situation is wild and yet totally predictable! Of course this was going to happen when there are no guard rails and rules to govern the business and movement of the sports players. You may not like what Nico is doing but it is certainly his right.”

On his part, however, Josh Heupel has defended the program’s stance and emphasized the importance of putting its interests above individual interests. He said:

“It’s the state of college football. At the end of the day, no one is ever bigger than the program. That includes me, too. We’ve got an opportunity. We’ve got a bunch of guys that will give their all for Tennessee.”

Following his freshman season, when he was a backup to Joe Milton, Iamaleava was named Tennessee's starting quarterback in 2024. As the Vols’ starting quarterback, he threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns last season.

Fans eagerly await how Iamaleava’s transfer to UCLA will shape his future in college and beyond. Meanwhile, Heupel and his staff must adjust to losing their long-term star quarterback.