“There’s no one that’s bigger than the Power T.” That’s what Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel said after a five-star quarterback walked out the door and landed on the other side of the country. It’s been almost three months since Nico Iamaleava transferred from Tennessee to UCLA, and yet his name remains a hot topic around Neyland, as if it had never left. The Vols entered spring with Nico as their star QB, only to see him leave over an NIL dispute.

Nico proved his worth last season. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches and weighing around 215 lbs, Iamaleava racked up 2,616 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions last season for Tennessee. Despite this, he left Tennessee and moved to UCLA. And recently, during the SEC Media Days, some Tennessee players gave calm, measured responses when asked about Nico. Others, well, let’s just say they weren’t exactly in the mood to give Nico flowers. But it was enough to tell that the locker room has moved on.

When asked about their former QB1, most Vols kept it clean. Defensive tackle Bryson Eason summed it up best: “Nico is a good friend of mine. I wish nothing but the best for him… there’s no hate at all toward Nico.” Linebacker Arion Carter echoed that, calling him “my brother for life.” They’re not burning bridges, but they’re not denying the weirdness either. Carter admitted they’ve kept in touch, but also pointed out the team mantra loud and clear: “No player is bigger than the team.” That’s been the vibe since Nico skipped Tennessee’s spring finale and entered the portal.

Tight end Miles Kitselman kept it even simpler. When asked if he was curious to see how Nico performs at UCLA? “I’m not curious,” he shrugged. “We’re focused on us. It’s Tennessee vs. Tennessee every single day.” That might sound cold, but let’s be honest, it’s how locker rooms survive. You lose a star, you circle the wagons. Kitselman’s not sitting around hate-watching UCLA games, and from what it sounds like, neither are most of the guys. Some might check in on Nico. Others are completely checked out.

Of course, the way Nico Iamaleava left didn’t help. The NIL chatter got messy. Reports swirled that he was pushing for $4 million a year, double what he was already earning. And when that didn’t go his way, he dipped. However, later, it was reported that his father pushed for more NIL money, and in the end, the crown jewel of Tennessee lost his place in the program. Initially, it looked like the QB was running after more money, but the truth was something else. But as they say, someone’s loss is someone’s opportunity, and that’s what happened with Joey Aguilar.

Nico Iamaleava’s gone but the Vols aren’t looking back

Nico delivered a phenomenal performance for Tennessee last year, and let’s be honest, it wasn’t a fluke. He bonded brilliantly with other players, and if he’d have stuck with Tennessee at least for the 2025 season, who knows, we probably would have seen him become the national champion as the Vols leader. However, his exit opened the doors for Aguilar, who has already found plenty of success over two seasons in the Group of Five. Playing for Appalachian State in 2023 and 2024, the 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pounder threw for 6,760 yards, 56 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions over the last two seasons.

The Vols are doing what they’ve always done, keeping their eyes forward. No hate-watching, no passive-aggressive tweets, no drama. Just business. And whether Nico balls out in L.A. or not, Tennessee’s not losing sleep over it. He made his choice. Now the Vols are making theirs. Heupel knows very well there’s no point in wasting time rooting against Nico. He’s spending time making sure that the next QB is ready.

Tennessee still has talent everywhere with players like Travis Smith Jr., Peyton Lewis, Mike Matthews, Star Thomas, and others in the offense. And Aguilar might come as a surprise package for other programs, and don’t be surprised if he ends up having a better season than what Nico had in 2024.